Scholarships

Shippensburg University Foundation Scholarships

These academic awards were established through contributions from alumni, friends, corporations, and associates of the Shippensburg University Foundation, a not-for-profit organization incorporated in 1977 to support the university's programs and services.

Please note, not all scholarships are able to be combined. Presidential Scholarships (formerly Board of Governors Scholarships) for valedictorians and salutatorians and SU Foundation scholarships with values that exceed the maximum amount of a merit scholarship will replace the merit scholarship in a student’s financial aid package.

To search and apply for University Foundation Scholarships for 2023-2024 please click on the following link: https://ship.scholarships.ngwebsolutions.com

Legacy Scholarship

Investing in potential: supporting today's legacies who are tomorrow's alumni. Recipients of the SU Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship should be entering full-time freshmen with a legacy relationship. A legacy student is defined as an individual whose parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle received a degree from Ship.

To be considered, applicant must identify themselves as a legacy student and include the name of their alumni legacy(ies) and relationship to legacy on their scholarship application. For full consideration, please also complete the question on the scholarship application asking what it means to you to be a legacy. 

Ship Launch Grant

New First Year Undergraduate Students: In response to regional workforce needs, Shippensburg University is pleased to offer the Ship Launch Grant for new and transfer students entering in the fall of 2023. These one-time grants are available to students enrolling in majors that have been identified as high demand areas. This $2000 one-time grant is being awarded based on Fall 2023 entry and will be evenly split between the fall and spring semesters during the 2023-2024 academic year. Qualified full-time students that deposit between March 6^th 2023 and May 1^st 2023 will receive this one-time grant for Fall and Spring semester.

Please note any student receiving full tuition waivers/scholarships, such as employee or dependent tuition waiver, our SU Presidential Scholarship, or full tuition SU Foundation scholarships are not eligible for this one-time Ship Launch Grant.

Requirements for 2023-2024 recipients:

Student must deposit by May 1^st 2023, 11:59pm and have been accepted into one of the following majors:

Art Education Certification K-12 (BA), Biology (BS), Biology Secondary Education Certification (BS), Business Management (BSBA), Chemistry Secondary Education Certification (BS), Civil and Mechanical Engineering General, Civil Engineering (BS), Computer and Electrical Engineering General, Computer Engineering (BS), Computer Science (BS), Computer Science and Software Engineering General, Criminal Justice (BS), Early Childhood/Elementary Education PK-4 (BSEd), Electrical Engineering (BS), Elementary/Middle Level Education Grades 4-8 (BSEd), English Secondary Education Certification (BA), Entrepreneurship (BSBA), Exercise Science (BS), French Secondary Education Certification (BA), History, Social Studies Secondary Education Certification (BSEd), Mat Secondary Education Certification (BS), Mechanical Engineering (BS), Physics Education Certification (BSEd), Psychology (BA), Social Work (BSW), Software Engineering (BS), Spanish Secondary Education Certification (BA), Special Education & Early Childhood Education Dual Certification (BSEd), Supply Chain Management (BSBA)

Please note, not all scholarships are able to be combined. Presidential Scholarship (formerly Board of Governors (BOG))  for valedictorians and salutatorians and SU Foundation scholarships with values that exceed the maximum amount of a merit scholarship will replace the merit scholarship in a student’s financial aid package.

Presidential Scholarship

This merit scholarship is awarded to PA students who graduate first or second in their high school class and choose to immediately pursue their higher education at Shippensburg University. 

All Valedictorian and Salutatorian students will be automatically awarded the Presidential Scholarship and asked to verify class rank with the Office of Admissions before enrolling in the initial fall semester. 

Recipients are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year.  

The Scholarship is renewable for up to eight consecutive Fall and Spring semesters for full-time (limited to 15 credits counting towards Course Program of Study), degree seeking students. Eligibility is reviewed at the end of each academic year. Current students with fewer than 30 credits must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and students with 30 or more credits must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.8. Beginning 23-24 recipients must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5.

This is a full tuition scholarship (up to 15 credits max per fall and spring terms) and will replace all other previously awarded SU Foundation full tuition academic scholarships.

  Raider Success Scholarships 

New First Year Undergraduate Students: Raider Success Scholarships are based upon academic success and require no application! Qualified full-time students receive a guaranteed scholarship for eight continuous Fall and Spring semesters. Continuing eligibility will be reviewed at the end of each academic year. Students with less than 30 credits must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and students with 30 or more credits must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.8. Students who enroll in the Spring semester receive half the annual amount for that year. 

Requirements for 2023-2024 and 2022-2023 recipients:

New Undergraduate Transfer Students: The Raider Success Scholarship is available with no application required to transfer students with 24 or more transferable credits.  Qualified students will receive a guaranteed scholarship for four continuous Fall and Spring semesters for full-time enrollment as a degree seeking student. Continuing eligibility will be reviewed at the end of each academic year. Students with less than 30 credits must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and students with 30 or more credits must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.8. Students who defer their admission to the Spring semester, will receive half the annual amount for that year.

Transfer student requirements for 2023-2024 and 2022-2023 recipients:

Requirements for 2021-2022*:

Fall 2021 transfer students with 30+ credits and a GPA of 3.0 or above are eligible for a $2000 Raider Success Scholarship. Students who defer their admission to the Spring semester, will receive half the annual amount for that year.

*First year and transfer students offered the Raider Success Scholarship for the 2021-2022 aid year will need to be full-time in both the Fall and Spring semesters and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 which will be reviewed at the end of the Spring semester. 

Ship Advantage Grant - NO LONGER BEING AWARDED

New First Year Undergraduate Students are eligible for this grant based on need from the current aid year Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students must be enrolled full-time for the fall and spring semesters to be eligible for this need-based, one-year, non-renewable grant.

University employee’s children are not eligible for this grant.

Ship PA Neighboring Grant

 Out of State New First-Year Undergraduate Students and Current Students for 2023-2024: If you are currently a resident of New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC, and West Virginia, and are a full-time student, you are given a grant of $1,500 in response to a recent required out of state tuition increase for Shippensburg University students. This tuition increase is effective fall 2023.

This grant will be listed on your financial aid offer as the PA Neighboring State Grant and will be applied to your bill in fall and spring, $750 per semester. Recognizing the importance of affordability, we are pleased to assist students from neighboring states with these funds. There is no increase in tuition for Pennsylvania residents.

Shippensburg University PHI THETA KAPPA (PTK) Scholarship - (2022-2023 Only)

The Shippensburg University PHI THETA KAPPA Scholarship is available to transfer students with 24 or more transferable credits. Up to 25 of these $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to PTK members with 24 or more transferable credits. Qualified students will receive a guaranteed scholarship for the Fall and Spring semesters for a period of up to 2 years for continuous full-time enrollment as a degree seeking student. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.8 and continuing eligibility will be reviewed at the end of each academic year. The full amount of the scholarship is split between Fall and Spring semesters ($500 each semester).

In addition to the above, proof of PTK membership is required and must be submitted to the Office of Admissions soon after applying for admissions. Proof of membership can include any of the following:

• A copy of an active PTK membership card
• A current PTK certificate
• An official letter from a PTK advisor verifying membership

Scholarships are subject to the availability of funds and may be used in addition to other grants, loans, and the transfer Raider Success Scholarship.

For questions regarding transfer scholarships, please contact Shippensburg University admissions at 717-477-1231, or by email at admiss@ship.edu.

Shippensburg University Housing Assistance - (2022-2023 Only)  

First year students are eligible for a housing grant based on need from the current aid year Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  The $1000 annual housing grant will be included in the student's financial aid offer.  Students must be in an on-campus housing agreement and enrolled full time for the fall and spring semesters to be eligible for this need-based housing grant.  This is a one-year, non-renewable grant.

NOTE: University employee's children are not eligible for this grant.

 Last Dollar Housing Grant

Housing assistance may be available to students who have exhausted all other available financial resources including federal, state, and private loans. This is meant to be a last resort financial resource to assist students with the cost of on-campus housing.

Students must be in an on-campus housing agreement and reside in a B unit suite or communal housing room to receive this aid. You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to receive this assistance.

NOTE:  If a student is exempted from living on campus or approved of a cancellation of the housing agreement, the housing grant is thereby canceled.

Through various programs, the PASSHE Foundation supports 14 universities by providing scholarships to students. To learn more about these opportunities, visit the PASSHE Foundation Scholarship page for eligibility requirements, award amounts, application instructions, and deadlines.

The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Foundation announced that the Wolf Administration is providing $5 million in grant funds for a new scholarship program for Commonwealth of Pennsylvania employees who work in the Office of Administration, and their dependents to attend Shippensburg University or any State System of Higher Education university. 

For Fall 2023- Application will be accepted 6/1/2023 through 8/4/2023.

Learn More

If you are an outstanding student-athlete, your coach may recommend you for an athletic grant-in-aid, which is processed through the Financial Aid Office. The amount of funds varies from sport to sport.

• Men and women's sports include basketball, cross-country, soccer, swimming, and track and field.
• Women-only sports include field hockey, lacrosse, softball, tennis, and volleyball.
• Men-only sports include football, wrestling, and baseball.  

Learn more about reporting outside scholarships to Shippensburg University.

You can find scholarships to attend Shippensburg University from a variety of private, government, and outside sources found on the Internet. Here are just a few:

• Cappex
• The College Board
• FinAid
• Fast Web
• Scholarships.com

Contact your high school guidance office, civic and business organizations, and foundations about available scholarships.

NOTE: To receive credit on your bill for scholarship awards made by external agencies, you must report this information to our Student Accounts Office. Please fax a copy of your offer letter to 717-477-4018 or mail it via USPS to:

Student Accounts Office
Shippensburg University
1871 Old Main Drive
Old Main Room 100
Shippensburg, PA 17257

If you have any questions about your eligibility to receive your VA educational benefits or scholarships, contact the VA Coordinator at 717-477-1164.

Scholarship Opportunities for Veterans

Beginning with the 2018-2019 award year, a Pell-eligible student whose parent or guardian died in the line of duty while serving as a public safety officer is eligible, under the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship, to receive a maximum Federal Pell Grant award.

Federal Pell Grants are awarded to both full-time and part-time undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelors or professional degree. In certain situations, an eligible student can receive up to 150% of their scheduled Federal Pell Grant for an award year.

Please note that any changes to the FAFSA data may result in an adjustment to your Federal Pell Grant, including but not limited to:

• Review of your FAFSA due to verification.
• Enrollment toward course program of study less than full-time (12 credits for undergraduate).
• Corrections made by staff due to conflicting university data.

SU is required to monitor its students’ academic progress to ensure that they maintain a minimum standard GPA and make steady progress towards degree completion. Students who do not meet the SAP requirements may lose their financial aid eligibility.

You will receive an electronic notification each time your award package has been adjusted.

To qualify, a student must:

• Be otherwise Pell-eligible.
• Have a Pell-eligible EFC greater than $0.
• Be less than 24 years of age OR enrolled at an institution of higher education at the time of their parent or guardian’s death.

A public safety officer is defined as:

• An individual serving a public agency in an official capacity, with or without compensation, as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or chaplain;
• An employee of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) who is performing official duties of the agency, if those official duties–
• are related to a major disaster or emergency that has been, or is later declared to exist with respect to the area under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; and
• are determined by FEMA to be hazardous duties;
• An employee of a state, local, or tribal emergency management or civil defense agency who is performing official duties in cooperation with FEMA, if those official duties–
• are related to a major disaster or emergency that has been, or is later declared to exist with respect to the area under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; and
• are determined by the agency to be hazardous duties;
• A member of a rescue squad or ambulance crew who, as authorized or licensed by law and by the applicable agency or entity, is engaging in rescue activity or in the provision of emergency medical services; or
• A fire police officer, defined as an individual who is serving in accordance with state or local law as an officially-recognized or designated member of a legally organized public safety agency and provides scene security or directs traffic in response to any fire drill, fire call, or other fire, rescue, or police emergency, or at a planned, special event.

A parent or guardian includes non-custodial parents, step-parents, and parents of independent students. In all cases, the parent/guardian status at the time of death is the qualifying eligibility criterion. This may be different from the current parent/guardian status.

If you meet the above criteria please complete the application below and submit it along with all supporting documents to SU’s Financial Aid Office.

Decisions will be communicated to a student’s SU e-mail. Eligible students will see the award offer on their MyShip portal account updated to include the maximum Federal Pell Grant. If a student is determined to be eligible and continues to meet all eligibility criteria, the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship will automatically carry forward into future academic years.

Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship Application