Merit Scholarships

Freshman Awards

A freshman student may qualify for one award from this category. To receive this award, a student must be enrolled for 12 or more credit hours each semester. Scholarships are disbursed over two semesters in an academic year.

Award
Southwestern Award of Excellence	$8,000
Trustee	$7,000
Presidential	$6,000
Academic Dean	$4,000
Achievement	$3,000

These awards include an additional $1,000 credited to tuition costs if the student lives in the residence hall. These awards are determined through a combination of the senior mid-year high school cumulative GPA + SAT/ACT scores.

The GPA is multiplied by 12.5. The ACT is multiplied by 1.4 or the SAT (combined Math and ERW scores) is divided by 35.5. The sum of the GPA and test calculation give a score that determines the award: Southwestern Award of Excellence 91-100; Trustee Award 85-90; Presidential Award 80-84; Academic Dean Award 70-79; Achievement Award 60-69.

Students can receive a renewal scholarship for three years provided they meet these criteria. Students must have at least one semester during consecutive fall and spring semesters with the following GPA's:

3.5 or greater for the Southwestern Award of Excellence; Trustee Award
3.25 or greater for the Presidential Award
3.0 or greater for the Academic Dean Award
2.5 or greater for the Achievement Award

Students increase their renewal scholarship up to the Presidential Award level by improving their GPA. The scholarship increases to the next higher scholarship level when the student:

Reaches the minimum GPA requirement of a higher scholarship during consecutive fall and spring semesters in a single academic year, and
Completes 12 or more hours of course work each of these two semesters.

Likewise, if a student has consecutive fall and spring semesters in an academic year below the expected minimum, the student will drop to the next lower scholarship.

Students who begin attending Southwestern in their first year of college but do not earn a scholarship for their freshman year, have a second chance for a scholarship based on their college GPA following the guidelines stated above.

A break in residency to attend another college or university may affect the renewal of these scholarships.

Leadership Scholarships

These scholarships are awarded to incoming freshmen at Southwestern, renewable for up to three years and are over and above any Southwestern academic scholarship for which the student qualifies for. If a student has held more than one office, only one scholarship can be awarded and will be given for the highest office held.

Award
Student Association President	$1,000
Senior Class President	$1,000
Senior Class Valedictorian	$1,000
Student Association Vice President	$1,000
Yearbook Editor	$1,000
Newspaper Editor	$1,000
Senior or Junior class officer	$1,000
Student Association officer	$1,000
Leadership - Church/External	$1,000
Pathfinder Team Leadership Training Certificate (TLTC) or Master Guide	$500

Honors Scholarship

Honors Scholarships are given to students who are enrolled in the Honors Program and whose grade classification is above the freshman level:

Sophomore	$500
Junior	$1,000
Senior	$2,000

The final $1000 of the senior award is given only after the student has completed his/her senior thesis.

Southwestern Scholars

Southwestern Scholars Award - includes all Southwestern Scholarships

$20,112 (Full tuition) awarded to students who achieve the level of

Finalist in the National Merit or National Achievement Programs
Semifinalists are awarded $10,056 (Half tuition)
National Hispanic Scholar in the National Hispanic Recognition Program
99.5 percentile on the ACT or SAT (an ACT composite of 34 or a combined SAT verbal and math score of 1520), Test scores must be from a single national test date.

This scholarship is renewable if the student maintains a 3.5 cumulative GPA and enrolls for 12 or more hours each semester. Transfer students who were recognized by the National Merit organization as a Finalist or National Hispanic Scholar in the National Hispanic Recognition Program and who have at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA are also eligible for this award. Semi-finalist who have at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA are eligible for half tuition. This scholarship, along with all other Southwestern scholarships, cannot exceed tuition. Likewise, credit balances from Southwestern scholarships and resources other than loans will result in a reduction of this scholarship. Students who qualify for both the Freshman Award and the Southwestern Scholars Awards, receive the higher of the two.

Transfer Scholarship

A transfer student, pursuing a first baccalaureate degree, with at least 24 cumulative college credits from other colleges may qualify for one of the following scholarships:

$4,000 if cumulative GPA from prior colleges is 3.75+
$3,000 if cumulative GPA from prior colleges is 3.50-3.74
$2,000 if cumulative GPA from prior colleges is 3.00-3.49
$1,500 if cumulative GPA from prior colleges is 2.75-2.99

All official transcripts from all previously attended colleges must be on file with Southwestern before this scholarship will be awarded. To receive this scholarship, a student must be enrolled for 12 or more credit hours each semester. This scholarship is renewable for two years for students transferring 24-55 credits, and one year for students transferring 56-89 credits. The scholarship is not renewable for students transferring 90+ credits. This scholarship is renewable only for students who are in a good academic standing, who maintain a commendable citizenship record.

Need-Based Scholarships

Need-based scholarships are given to students needing additional help with expenses after the student has pursued all other sources of aid, including loans. Students who have a private residence hall room or excessive miscellaneous charges such as fines, should not expect that they will be given need-based aid.

3-Way Match Scholarship

A 3-Way Scholarship allows a student's family, church or a concerned person, and Southwestern Adventist University scholarship funds to assist with payment of the Southwestern student account. It is the responsibility of the student to obtain a commitment from two different sources. Thus, contributions of $500 each from two different sources may be matched by $500 from the university. While $500 is the maximum award, smaller 3-Way donations can also be matched.

It is important to note that application for these funds does not mean automatic approval of the Southwestern matching portion. This match is put on the student's account after the student's final payday each semester, and is subject to the following criteria: a) application and acceptance for federal/state grants and loans, b) unmet need by the federal aid calculation, and c) unmet expenses after all other aid and student earnings. A student who has a private residence hall room, has excessive miscellaneous charges such as fines, or receives educational allowance, is not eligible to receive a 3-Way Scholarship match. To receive the Southwestern match, all contributions must be received by December 1 for fall semester and April 1 for spring semester.

Callicott Scholarship

The Callicott Scholarship is available to students who may need assistance after federal, state, and institutional aid. Applicants must be working, placing earnings on their accounts, have applied for federal/state grants and loans for which they are eligible, and have a minimum GPA of 2.0. This scholarship is awarded late in the semester. A thank-you note is required.

Pechero Family Scholarship

The Pechero Family Scholarship is need-based, and offered to residents of the following Texas counties: Bee, Bexar, Calhoun, Cameron, Galveston, Harris, Hidalgo, Jackson, Nueces and Willacy. A limited number of these scholarships are available and applicants will be individually evaluated as to eligibility. The evaluation takes into consideration application for and acceptance of federal/state grants and loans, expected student earnings and academic standing. Applications may be obtained by contacting Student Financial Services. All awards for an academic year will be determined before the beginning of each fall semester. Students may receive this award for up to four years. An application is required each year. A thank-you note is required.

Southwestern Union Educational Endowment Scholarship

The Southwestern Union Educational Endowment Scholarship is given only to Seventh-day Adventist students from the Southwestern Union Conference territory who:

a) are enrolled full time at Southwestern Adventist University

b) give evidence of commitment to their local church program and willingness to participate in God's work

c) have an established financial need

d) maintain an acceptable scholarship and citizenship record

Applications may be obtained through Student Financial Services. Yearly awards range from $300 - $1000. A thank-you note is required.

Southwestern Adventist University Need-based Scholarship Credit Policy

If after being awarded a Southwestern Adventist University need-based scholarship the student receives additional aid or resources that cause a credit on the student's account, the Southwestern portion of the scholarship may be forfeited. Southwestern does not pay its scholarships in cash to the student.