The Office of Scholarship Services handles all business concerning scholarships. The office's mission is to promote academic excellence by rewarding those with high academic standing. By providing opportunities for students to receive scholarships, the Office of Scholarship Services plays a vital role on the university campus for both current and prospective students.
The office was set up to gather the scholarships that are available to Kean University students, guide students through the process of acquiring scholarships and maintain the ethical regulations surrounding scholarship dissemination.
Brian Treanor, the director of Scholarship Services, emphasized the number of scholarship opportunities students have access to. "The scholarship program here at Kean is extremely versatile and far-reaching in terms of availability and opportunity."
Kean University offers numerous scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students. Being a university full of diversity, individuals are viable candidates for these scholarships, regardless of race, religion and gender. There are two types of scholarships: Foundation Scholarship Awards and external scholarship awards.
Foundation scholarships are sponsored by Kean University and are available for undergraduate, graduate and prospective students. These numerous named scholarships are awarded to students through the common online application. There are a lot of different scholarships available, each with their own requirements and rewards.
"Criteria for all Foundation scholarships is diverse and covers virtually every college, major and program offered here at Kean," Treanor mentioned. "The Foundation application also takes into account other factors such as community service, volunteer work and faculty references."
For a list of Foundation scholarships, visit their website.
External scholarships are not sponsored by or affiliated with Kean University. However, they are excellent alternatives to Foundation scholarships. They serve as another avenue that students can take to be rewarded for excellent academic merit, community involvement and more. These external scholarships can be found on the web at places like fastweb.com and niche.com.
Both Foundation scholarships and external scholarships have a timeline and process that must be abided by in order for matters to flow smoothly and with minimal problems. For more information on the scholarship process and timeline for both Foundation and external scholarships, visit the website.
Additionally, there are scholarships solely available to incoming freshman. These scholarships may award either high academic standing or proven financial need. Some may require applications.
Ultimately, there are three categories of incoming freshman scholarships: Freshman Merit Scholarships, Distinguished Freshman Scholarships and Foundation Scholarships for Incoming Freshman.
Freshman Merit Scholarships do not require an application. Once a student is admitted to Kean University, the student's application is immediately reviewed to see if they meet the requirements for this scholarship. It should be noted that this scholarship is available to incoming full-time freshman. In addition, this scholarship continues throughout and up to four years of full-time enrollment as long as a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 is maintained.
Distinguished Freshman Scholarships require an application. These scholarships are also available to incoming full-time freshman students. Students can apply for certain scholarships designated to their specific major. However, Distinguished Freshman Scholarships cannot be combined with Freshman Merit Scholarships. Individuals may only win one or the other.
For a list of criteria for each type of incoming freshman scholarships, visit their website.
Moreover, there are Transfer Student Scholarships that are very similar to Incoming Freshman Scholarships. Instead of being broken down into three categories like Incoming Freshman Scholarships, Transfer Student Scholarships have two categories: the Transfer Merit Scholarship and Foundation Scholarships for Transfer Students.
The Transfer Merit Scholarship does not require an application. The one-time $1,000 scholarship is awarded to transfer students with high academic standing from their previous institution and had a 3.0 GPA or higher. The Foundation Scholarships for Transfer Students vary in terms of criteria, but they all require applications.
It is important to note that transfer students can be eligible for other available Kean University Foundation Scholarships if they meet the criteria. For a list of Transfer Student Scholarships and their criteria, head over to their website.
Kean University offers a bevy of scholarships to current, prospective and transfer students. The university provides many opportunities for students to turn applications into money towards tuition. Students are advised to take advantage of these opportunities.
"We always encourage questions, and can best be reached via email at kuscholar@kean.edu," Treanor continued. "Students are also encouraged to visit our website www.kean.edu/scholarships, call the information line at 908-737-3480 or even stop by the office in Townsend Hall, Room 122. We want to do as much as we can to help our students finance their world-class education!"
