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Undergraduate Scholarships

our defining commitment to access & affordability

Georgetown has made an enduring commitment to increase the number of philanthropically funded undergraduate scholarships—awards that help clear students’ path to a Georgetown education and shrink their loan burdens.

Scholarships allow us to compete for the best students. And when Georgetown enrolls bright, ambitious, and passionate students with wide-ranging experiences and backgrounds, our entire community benefits. Put simply, giving to scholarship is the single-most direct way to help Georgetown become the institution it is called to be.

A Testimonial

safa wardere

“Georgetown’s Jesuit value of people for others inspires me to make sure that I make the most of my time here and graduate with all the tools I need to be a person for others. As I get a better idea of my career goals and what I would like to accomplish in the future, I am constantly wondering how whatever path I choose will help my community.”

—Safa Wardere (C’25), scholarship recipient, first-generation college student, and participant and mentor in the Georgetown Scholars Program, which provides robust wraparound services and resources for low-income and first-generation college students

Learn about giving to scholarships

See why increasing the number of philanthropically funded undergraduate scholarships is a top priority—and learn how you can set in motion the exponential impact of a Georgetown education.

: https://calledtobe.georgetown.edu/opportunities/undergraduate-scholarships/#prospectus
endowment gifts video thumbnail

Endowed scholarships, explained

The college endowment—you’ve likely heard the term, or seen it in the news, but do you know what it means? And why it’s so important? Learn more about this source of long-term financial support for the university, and the lasting impact of an endowed scholarship fund.

View video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkBZTMaD9lg
  • What’s the scope of Georgetown’s scholarship commitment?

    More than 45 years ago, Georgetown made a defining commitment to meet U.S. undergraduate students’ full demonstrated financial need. The decision transformed our trajectory, making Georgetown a destination for the world’s most talented students and ensuring they get the opportunity to study here.

    $84,696 total undergraduate cost of attendance for 2022-23 first year/transfer full-time students

    55% of Georgetown undergraduates receiving some form of financial aid (scholarships, grant, loan, work study) in 2021-22 academic year

    39% of undergraduates receiving need-based scholarships or athletic scholarships from Georgetown

    $46,875 average need-based undergraduate scholarship grant award in 2021-22 academic year

    $125.3 million spent on undergraduate need-based and athletic scholarships in 2021-22 academic year

  • How do scholarships fit in with the rest of a student’s financial aid package?

    Georgetown scholarships are awarded to meet 100 percent of a student’s need, after taking into account the expected family contribution, federal student grants and loans, student earnings from part-time employment, and other outside aid.

    graphic that reads "total cost of attendance - expected family contribution = demonstrated need"

  • Why are undergraduate donor-funded scholarships so important?

    Donor-funded undergraduate scholarships awarded to U.S. residents both fund the outright grant component of a student’s financial aid package and reduce the federal loan component by as much as $3,000 per year. They are awarded to undergraduate students with the greatest demonstrated need.

    An average of 63% of admitted students offered a donor-funded scholarship with loan relief ultimately enroll at Georgetown. (The university’s overall yield is 48 percent.)

    Moreover, students who receive these loan-relieving scholarships graduate with approximately $7,000 in student loan debt, compared to a typical amount of $19,000 for students who accept loans in their Georgetown aid package.

    We invite you to contribute to undergraduate scholarships.

  • How much money does it take to establish a named scholarship?

    Current-use gifts

    • A $100,000 current-use gift paid across four years will create a named domestic undergraduate scholarship (awarded to one student across four years).
    • A $300,000 current-use gift paid across four years will create a named international undergraduate scholarship (awarded to one student across four years).

    Endowed gifts

    • $150,000 will create a named and endowed scholarship fund that supports U.S. undergraduate students year after year.
    • $1.5 million will create a named and endowed scholarship fund that supports international undergraduate students.
    • $5 million will create a named and endowed undergraduate student cohort, with one student in each of the four undergraduate classes. That means every future Georgetown graduating class would have a Hoya Family Scholar.
  • How does Georgetown support International Students with financial need?

    Georgetown deeply values the contributions of its international students and is need-blind in admissions for international applicants. Georgetown currently provides approximately $2.3 million to fund scholarships for international students—more than half made possible through philanthropy—but is unable to meet the full need of all international students.

    We seek to significantly increase philanthropic support for international student scholarships. Achieving this will require the partnership of alumni and friends from around the world who are committed to making our campus community even more globally representative.

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: https://calledtobe.georgetown.edu/opportunities/undergraduate-scholarships/#feedpromo

“Our identity as one of the world’s great universities is inextricably tied to our ability to ensure that the best and brightest students—from a broad range of backgrounds—are able to become a part of our Georgetown community.”

— Georgetown University President Emeritus John J. DeGioia

Supporting undergraduate scholarships at Georgetown

Gifts to undergraduate scholarships strengthen Georgetown in incalculable ways, providing every student with a more expansive learning experience—and giving the world its strongest citizens and leaders.

On behalf of the future Georgetown graduates whose educational opportunity depends on your support—and on behalf of the communities they’ll enrich for a lifetime—we thank you for your consideration.

Make a gift to scholarships today or learn more by contacting us at scholarshipgiving@georgetown.edu.