Davenport University Scholarships

Davenport’s here to help you secure financial aid for college

Whether you’re seeking college freshman scholarships or other forms of financial aid for college, Davenport is here for you.

If you’re like most students, receiving financial aid for college is vital to funding your education. At Davenport, 92% of our students receive some form of financial aid and scholarships. In fact, 92% of our students receive a scholarship or gift aid each year, which, unlike student loans, these funds do not have to be repaid. We award more than $30 million every year in DU scholarships, Michigan merit scholarships and Foundation scholarships. That includes the full-tuition Ford Scholarship in memory of late President Gerald Ford, who briefly taught and coached at Davenport.

If you need help navigating DU financial aid for college, reach out to our financial aid counseling team at financialaid@davenport.edu or by calling toll free at 866.774.0004.

$30M

Davenport awards $30 million in scholarships annually

92%

of Davenport University students receive a scholarship or gift aid that, unlike student loans, does not have to be repaid

Explore Davenport Scholarships

Click below based on what type of student you are:

Incoming freshman

Name of Scholarship	Award	Qualifications	Requirements	Renewal Requirements
Gerald R. Ford Memorial Scholarship	The scholarship covers the cost of tuition, books, fees, a study abroad experience, on-campus housing and meal plans	3.75 GPA	Application: Email resume and competitive essay to Admissions Representative. Application deadline: March 14, 2025 Minimum enrollment of 15 credit hours per fall and winter semesters required; optional minimum of 6 credits for spring/summer semester.	3.60+ GPA
Martin Luther King Inherit the Dream Scholarship	Up to full tuition	2.0+ GPA	Application requirements Application deadline: December 1, 2024	Maintain Standards of Academic Progress
Si Se Puede Cesar E. Chavez Scholarship	Up to full tuition	2.0+ GPA	Application requirements Application deadline: January 19, 2025	Maintain Standards of Academic Progress
University President $10,000/yr Max	$10,000 Per semester: Full-time $5,000, 3/4 time $3,750, half-time $2,500	3.90+ GPA or 1400 SAT & 3.5 GPA or 30 ACT & 3.5 GPA	Application Application deadline: March 14, 2025 Limited to only five (5) recent high school graduates per academic year	Maintain Standards of Academic Progress
Excellence $8,000/yr Max	$8,000 Per semester: Full-time $4,000, 3/4 time $3,000, half-time $2,000	3.50+ GPA or 3.0 GPA with 1140 SAT or 3.0 with 23 ACT or BPA, DECA, HOSA, or Skills USA national top 10 finisher + 3.00 overall GPA	Recent high school graduate	Maintain Standards of Academic Progress
Achievement $6,500/yr Max	$6,500 Per semester: Full-time $3,250, 3/4 time $2,438, half-time $1,625	3.0 to 3.4999 GPA or 2.5 GPA with 1070 SAT or 2.5 with 21 ACT or BPA, DECA, HOSA, or Skills USA state competition participant + 2.5 overall GPA	Recent high school graduate	Maintain Standards of Academic Progress
Signature $5,000/yr Max	$5,000 Per semester: Full-time $2,500, 3/4 time $1,875, half-time $1,250	Admitted but with an overall GPA less than 3.0	Recent high school graduate	Maintain Standards of Academic Progress

*The best option will be awarded to you based on qualifications.

Incoming transfer student

Name of Scholarship	Award	Qualifications
Panther Transfer Scholarship: $4,500/24 Credits	Proration: 12+ credit hours: $4,500 annually $2,250 per semester 9-11 credit hours: $3,375 annually $1,688 per semester 6-8 credit hours: $2,250 annually $1,125 per semester	Accepted to Davenport University as a transfer student Transfer GPA: 2.99 or Below
Panther Honors Transfer Scholarship: $5,500/24 Credits	Proration: 12+ credit hours: $5,500 annually $2,750 per semester 9-11 credit hours: $4,125 annually $2,063 per semester 6-8 credit hours: $2,750 annually $1,375 per semester	Accepted to Davenport University as a transfer student Transfer GPA: 3.0-3.49
Panther Distinguished Transfer Scholarship: $6,500/24 Credits	Proration: 12+ credit hours: $6,500 annually $3,250 per semester 9-11 credit hours: $4,875 annually $2,438 per semester 6-8 credit hours: $3,250 annually $1,625 per semester	Accepted to Davenport University as a transfer student Transfer GPA: 3.5+
Phi Theta Kappa Transfer: $1,500 up to 24 credits	Proration: 12+ credit hours: $1,500 annually $750 per semester 9-11 credit hours: $1,125 annually $562 per semester 6-8 credit hours: $750 annually $375 per semester 3-5 credit hours: $375 annually $187 per semester	Accepted to Davenport University as a transfer student Member of Phi Theta Kappa Can be combined with the Panthers Transfer, Panthers Honors or Panthers Distinguished scholarships
Partner Tuition Grants	Varies based on the partnership agreement	Partner employee New transfer undergraduate student

*The best option will be awarded to you based on qualifications.

Adult student (no prior college experience)

Name of Scholarship	Award	Qualifications	Requirements	Renewal Requirements
Titanium $6,000/yr Max	$6,000	3.75+ High School GPA or 3.0+ GPA with a 28 ACT or 1320 SAT	New adult student	Maintain Standards of Academic Progress
Platinum $4,000/yr Max	$4,000	3.5+ High School GPA or 3.0+ GPA with a 23 ACT or 1140 SAT	New adult student	Maintain Standards of Academic Progress
Gold $3,000/yr Max	$3,000	3.2+ High School GPA or 3.0+ GPA with a 21 ACT or 1070 SAT	New adult student	Maintain Standards of Academic Progress
Silver $2,000/yr Max	$2,000	2.8+ High School GPA or 2.0+ GPA with a 21 ACT or 1070 SAT or Qualifying test score or GED of 530+	New adult student	Maintain Standards of Academic Progress
Partner Tuition Grants	Varies based on the partnership agreement	Partner employee	New adult student	Varies

*The best option will be awarded to you based on qualifications.

Graduate Students

Name of Scholarship	Award	Qualifications	Requirements	Renewal Requirements
Medallion $2,000/yr Max	$2,000 Per semester: Full-time $1,000, half-time $500	3.8 GPA	New Graduate student	3.50 GPA
Scholars $1,500/yr Max	$1,500 Per semester: Full-time $750, half-time $375	3.5 GPA	New Graduate student	3.20 GPA
Graduate $1,000/yr Max	$1,000 Per semester: Full-time $500, half-time $250	3.0 GPA	New Graduate student	3.00 GPA
Partner Tuition Grants	Varies based on the partnership agreement	Partner employee	New Graduate student	Varies

Click here to view corporate partnerships

Additional scholarship opportunities and resources

DU Foundation Scholarships

Davenport University awards scholarships funded by private donations to the Davenport University Foundation. These scholarships are awarded based on campus location you attend and/or special requirements established by the donors.

You are invited to apply, and we hope you will. Once you've submitted the application and you meet the criteria, you will be considered for our Davenport University Foundation scholarships. If you are selected to receive one of our Davenport University Foundation awards, we will notify you!

Applications will be accepted throughout the academic year; however, scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to students enrolled half-time or more. Continuing students must have a minimum CGPA of 2.8. Primary consideration will be given to the earliest applicants meeting the scholarship criteria.

Instructions
- Complete the FAFSA if you have not yet done so (DU FAFSA code: 002249). Data from the FAFSA is used in the awarding process for various scholarships.
- Submit your online foundation application
  - Make sure you read each question carefully and complete all areas of the application.
  - Completing this application does not guarantee scholarship funds.
  - Some of the Foundation Scholarships require essays. To see the essay requirements and how to apply click here.

DU's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Scholarships

For incoming freshmen:
- MLK Inherit the Dream Scholarship
- Sí Se Puede César E. Chávez Scholarship
For current students:
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Essay Contest - $750 Scholarship

Outside and Community Scholarships

Davenport University has pulled together a list of outside and community scholarships. The scholarships are listed as categorical and general scholarships. To see what you may qualify for visit davenport.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/outside

Scholarship Search Engines

There are many scholarship search engines available for students to use. These search engines can pinpoint scholarships based on your particular major, interests, where you live and other demographics. The links provided are some of the most popular and useful search engines.

Helpful hints for online searches

Do not pay for a scholarship search. The search options Davenport lists are free searches; however, we encourage students and parents to read carefully all the information.
Do not pay to apply for a scholarship. Do not pay for any kind of "processing" fee. Scholarships offered from legitimate sources do not require any fees.
Set up a separate email account through yahoo, google, hotmail or some other service. Use this separate email just for your scholarship searches. Some scholarship searches do send out advertisements, and using an email account separate from your personal account will better protect your personal account from unwanted emails.
Research scholarships beyond just what the search engines provide.
Be very careful about providing confidential information. You should never have to submit your social security number or anything similar to that. If in doubt, contact your Davenport financial aid counselor.

Next steps

If you haven't done so already, apply now to Davenport.
- Apply early for the best scholarship opportunities.
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Davenport's FAFSA code: 002249.
Discover other financial aid options.

Understanding and keeping your scholarship

Understanding Your Scholarship

Davenport University provides institutional funding for student scholarships based on several factors that include but are not limited to the following: merit, financial need and/or other published scholarship criteria.

Keeping Your Scholarship

ALL SCHOLARSHIPS MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:

Student must file a FAFSA (excluding international students).
Student must meet specific criteria and deadline dates as required for each scholarship. Scholarships have limited funds; therefore, early application to the university is encouraged.
Student must provide the University with all requested information before the scholarship can be awarded.
Scholarships are awarded for the current semester going forward. We do not retroactively award scholarships.
Student must maintain satisfactory academic progress.
Student must demonstrate the academic excellence goals of Davenport University by meeting minimum CGPA as specified by the criteria of the scholarships.
Student who fails to meet a required CGPA to maintain a scholarship, but meets the requirements of a different scholarship, will receive that new scholarship. Student who has extenuating circumstances can appeal to the Financial Aid Office.
Student must be enrolled in classes at least half-time (minimum of 6 credit hours) except for the Study Abroad Scholarships.
The award year for scholarships is defined as fall and winter semesters. Any unused funds for the award year may be used spring/summer (not to exceed the per semester maximum).
Student must begin using the scholarship within the award year of selection.
Student can receive only one DU academic scholarship within the award year. If a student qualifies for multiple scholarships, the student will receive the most beneficial scholarship.
Students who are eligible for both a DU institutional scholarship and a tuition discount due to a Davenport partnership agreement will receive the more beneficial program.
Scholarships will cover up to tuition, fees and books after all federal and state aid (excluding student loans and work study) has been applied. External scholarships (Ex: Rotary Clubs, churches, etc.) can be used to cover other University costs such as books or food and housing, but will not result in a refund to the student.