Title:Donor-funded undergraduate scholarships

Ensuring affordable access for Georgetown students

• Nearly 50 years since the university made its transformational commitment to meet 100% of eligible students’ demonstrated financial need
• Enable Georgetown to compete for students
• Uphold a 500-year-old Jesuit educational tradition that prioritizes talent over financial means

Each year, Georgetown University awards several hundred need-based scholarships to eligible undergraduates as part of its defining commitment to meet U.S. undergraduates’ full demonstrated financial need. Donor support makes this possible, enabling Georgetown to compete for bright, ambitious students with wide-ranging experiences and backgrounds.

Thanks to the generosity of our donor community, Georgetown has raised more than $600 million in both endowed and current use gifts for need-based undergraduate scholarships since 2009, when President John J. DeGioia launched the 1789 Scholarship Initiative as the university’s flagship effort to make Georgetown more accessible for students with the greatest need through donor-supported scholarships. In 2025, that effort was renamed the John J. DeGioia Scholarship Initiative, honoring President Emeritus DeGioia’s leadership, and creating a platform for expanding undergraduate and graduate financial aid. 

Helping future Hoyas thrive

Donor-funded scholarships are a crucial way members of the Georgetown community create opportunities for future students to flourish.  

Kara Howey (C’26) says that “attending Georgetown University has been the opportunity of a lifetime.” Receiving a scholarship, she says, has made it possible for her to slow down and enjoy the college experience. 

“Receiving this scholarship has eliminated immense pressure and hardship for my family and me,” she adds. “Before this scholarship, I picked up as many shifts as possible to chip in for my tuition, even if that meant having no time to study or do my homework. I was so mentally and physically drained that I had no energy to enjoy the beautiful experiences of DC. Now, I can put in the time I need for my work and extracurriculars.”

Another scholarship recipient is putting her time to good use by studying abroad and pursuing extracurricular activities, including serving as an editor for a campus journal. 

One student said his current use scholarship “means the world” to him, beyond just a monetary impact.

”It is reassurance that the hard work I have put in is being recognized and supported, and that I have the chance to continue my academic studies,” he says. With the scholarship, he has been able to volunteer, pursue internships, and deepen his engagement in campus life.

The support, he says, “gives me the freedom to focus on learning, serving others, and becoming the best version of myself.”