Access and Affordability
Providing access and helping you afford your Penn State education are top priorities for the University and the College of the Liberal Arts.
Thanks to the generosity of Liberal Arts alumni and friends, the college offers many need-based scholarships for students with at least one Liberal Arts undergraduate major enrolled at Penn State University Park. A single application covers all available general need-based scholarships offered through the Office of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies.
Select the option below that best describes you:
Academic Scholarships for Incoming Undergrads
Students starting in fall 2025 or spring 2026
Scholarship support for incoming undergraduate students attending Penn State University Park in fall 2025 has been distributed. Email Academic Scholarships (lascholarships@psu.edu) with any questions.
Students starting in fall 2026 or spring 2027
Applications for 2026–27 incoming students will open October 2025.
To apply for an academic scholarship, you must:
- Receive a confirmed message from the Office of Student Aid that they have accepted your FAFSA;
- Demonstrate a financial need based on the FAFSA;
- Have accepted status to University Park campus with a Liberal Arts pre-major to apply
Scholarship amounts vary from year to year depending on the amount and availability of funding, so we recommend students not make decisions based on anticipated scholarship awards.
Academic Scholarships for Current Undergrads
To apply for and maintain a need-based scholarship, undergraduate students must meet the following requirements:
- Be registered and in active status as a full-time undergraduate student (12 or more credits per semester, summers not included) at University Park campus for the 2025–26 academic year.
- Demonstrate a financial need based on the FAFSA;
- Have at least one major or pre-major in Liberal Arts.
- Maintain a successful grade-point average; a grade-point average or predicted grade-point average of at least 3.0 is required for most scholarships.
If you no longer meet one or more of these requirements, your scholarship is subject to cancellation at any time.
Email lascholarships@psu.edu for assistance in applying.
Scholarships are not guaranteed upon submission of a scholarship application, nor are they automatically renewed. Students must re-apply for each year they remain eligible. Scholarship amounts vary from year to year depending on fund availability.
