Grants, Scholarships & Discounts

The Trustees’ Scholarship is $17,500 per year. All applicants with a minimum national ACT composite score of 30 (1360 SAT; Reading/Writing and Math only) and a 3.00 high school GPA. The Trustees’ scholarship will be applied to a maximum of eight regular semesters, provided the student maintains a 3.4 college cumulative GPA which is reviewed at the end of each semester.

The required forms (application for Admissions, 3-year transcript, and ACT/SAT test scores) must be submitted to the Office of Admissions. Awarding is subject to the availability of funds. Students receiving this award must be full-time and live in university housing or a lesser award will be given. Cannot be combined with athletic scholarships.

National Merit Finalists

Students receiving this honor will receive the Trustees’ scholarship. To receive this scholarship please send your official report to the Office of Admissions. Students awarded this scholarship must maintain a 3.4 cumulative GPA that will be reviewed at the end of every semester. Students receiving this award must be full-time and live in university housing or a lesser award will be given. Awarding is subject to the availability of funds.

Transfer students are eligible for the same scholarships and discounts as first-time freshmen. Merit scholarships are awarded on the basis of a student’s cumulative high school GPA and highest ACT/SAT composite score. Merit scholarship amounts range from $1,500 to $11,000 per year.

Alternatively, transfer students may be awarded a transfer scholarship on the basis of their cumulative college GPA only. Transfer scholarships available for students with a 2.0 college GPA and above. Transfer scholarship amounts range from $1,000 to $7,000 per year. Students graduating from a participating community college may be eligible for a minimum guaranteed scholarship.

Awarding is subject to the availability of funds. Cannot be combined with athletic scholarships.

The FHU Promise program guarantees that qualified, first-time freshman and transfer students will not have to pay or owe more than $9,500 their freshman year after all other scholarships, discounts, and grants have been applied. This amount will be adjusted based on Stafford Loan eligibility in subsequent years. All applicants that have a minimum national ACT composite score of 21 (1060 SAT; Reading/Writing and Math), achieve a 3.0 high school GPA, receive a federal PELL grant award, and be admitted before May 15 will be automatically considered for this scholarship. Cannot be combined with athletic scholarship or employee remission. Awarding is subject to the availability of funds.

• This state scholarship is $4500 a year for freshman and sophomores and $5700 a year for juniors and seniors at 4-year institutions beginning Fall 2015.
• To be eligible a student must be an entering freshman with at least a 21 ACT (1060 SAT; Critical Reading and Math only) taken on a national or state test date OR have an overall weighted 3.0 grade point average (GPA).
• A student must also have been a Tennessee resident for one year by September 1 of the application date and must graduate from a Tennessee eligible high school (including high schools located in bordering out of state counties).
• Transfer students must be transferring from Tennessee public college, university, or private college.

For even more information about this scholarship, visit our Hope Scholarship page.

HOPE SCHOLARSHIP

The following scholarships are awarded annually as support to Merit Awards and do not stack on top of Merit awards. All Nursing students are automatically considered for these Endowed Scholarships; no additional scholarship application is required.

Nursing Scholarships

The WILLIAM LINDSEY AND SARAH FRANCIS NAYLOR PATTERSON ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP was established by Dr. and Mrs. Lynn Patterson of Germantown, Tennessee, in honor of his parents. It is for students who are majoring in nursing.

The MR. AND MRS. DON MCELROY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP was established from the estate of Don McElroy to provide financial assistance to students to attend Freed-Hardeman University. It is intended to be awarded to nursing majors from the Gadsden, AL area, then any nursing major.

The FHU Artist Award program covers four performing arts degree programs: theatre, music, visual arts, and photography. Recipients are selected by program director and must complete an audition or portfolio review with the Awards Committee during one of the four Maroon & Gold Days held on campus throughout the school year or by appointment beyond these dates. For more information you can contact Natalie Zlatovich ([email protected]).

AUDITIONS

Acting and music auditions will be held on Maroon & Gold Days from 2:30pm – 5:00pm. Other dates and times can also be coordinated upon request.

1. After we receive your audition request, we will assign you an audition slot, and contact you to confirm the date and time.
2. Plan to be at the audition at least 15 minutes before your audition time to warm up. The audition/interview will take approximately 30 minutes.
3. Prepare two contrasting performance pieces, no more than three minutes total (for example, one Shakespearean and one contemporary piece, or one classical piece and one modern piece).
4. You may sing a song in addition to the three-minute auditions. Please bring your accompaniment on CD.

PORTFOLIO REVIEWS

Portfolio Reviews will be held on Maroon & Gold Days from 2:30pm – 5:00pm. Other dates and times can also be coordinated upon request. Each applicant will engage in an interview with relevant faculty members.

1. Bring a copy of your resume to your interview.
2. Bring any or all of the following as applicable:
   a. A portfolio of your visual art and/or renderings
   b. A production notebook, including staging notes, or paperwork used to organize a production (i.e. stage management material)
   c. Images of productions you have worked on. Be prepared to describe your contribution to each image.
3. Prepare a five-minute presentation explaining your best work.
4. After your presentation, you will have a 15-minute interview with the faculty member(s) who serve on the Awards Committee and watched your presentation.

Freed-Hardeman University demonstrates the importance of arts training by providing FHU Artist Awards. This is without a doubt one of the best opportunities for theatre majors to receive additional financial aid for their education. Scholarship amounts are between $4,000 – $6,000 over four years.

Awards are available for theatre majors studying performance or design/production. The application process is outlined below.

For Those Majoring in Theatre Performance

Each applicant must:

1. Submit a resume with cover letter* outlining his/her career goals and training.
2. Request a letter of recommendation* from someone who is familiar with his/her work.
3. Theatre performance students must present two minutes of their best work! This can be accomplished by sending a video clip of a recent performance or by preparing a 2-minute audition. The 2-minute audition may be recorded and sent in as well.
   • The student may share the video clip via YouTube or Google Drive. Either the clip from a recent performance or the prepared audition may be videoed and uploaded.
   • If you prepare an audition, perform two contrasting pieces that demonstrate range (comic & serious; contemporary & Elizabethan, etc.) The actor may use his/her two minutes in whatever way he/she wishes.
   • If the actor plans to come to campus to sing in the audition, he/she should bring his/her accompaniment on a digital track. Give us a heads up about a musical audition so that we can prepare the necessary equipment for playback.
   • If you plan to perform on campus, contact Dr. Thompson ([email protected]) to arrange a time to perform the audition.

For Those Majoring in Theatre Design/Production

Each applicant must:

1. Submit a resume with cover letter* outlining his/her career goals and training.
2. Request a letter of recommendation* from someone who is familiar with his/her work.
3. Theatre Design/production students should present a portfolio. This could include photographs of completed work, concept designs, digital work. Whatever best illustrates the student’s design ability and promise of future growth.
4. The student should contact Mr. Brandyn Graves ([email protected]) to arrange a portfolio review and interview with the theatre faculty.

We prefer to hold the audition/interview in person. If the artist cannot come to campus then we will accept a recorded audition and portfolio review. The interview will be held live, of course, by phone, FaceTime, Google Hangout, or a similar service.

Scholarship decisions are made by late April each year.

Most importantly, theatre training at FHU takes place within a Christian context. Young artists explore their own faith as they refine their craft. We’re very intentional about the faith-art connection.

*Resume with Cover Letter and/or Letter of Recommendation should be mailed directly to:

Dr. Cliff Thompson
c/o Freed-Hardeman University
158 East Main Street
Henderson TN 38340

Beginning with the fall 2024 incoming class, the university will offer an annual discount of up to $5,000 for Chester County residents who have graduated from Chester County High School or have been homeschooled and intend to pursue full-time undergraduate studies at FHU. This discount can be combined with other scholarships, but excludes additional discounts and athletic scholarships, for a total annual award of up to $15,000. To qualify, students must provide an official final transcript from their homeschooling program or Chester County High School to confirm their graduation.

To qualify for this discount, applicants must be admitted and accept the award by May 15 for first-time freshmen and June 15 for transfer students. Availability of funds determines the number and amounts of individual awards. This discount cannot be combined with athletic scholarships.

Please be mindful of our discount application deadline. May 15 for first-time freshmen and June 15 for transfers.
Awarding is subject to availability of funds and cannot be combined with athletic scholarships.

The University awards up to a $5,000 discount annually to any student who graduates from or whose parent is full-time faculty or staff at one of the k-12 schools with membership in the National Christian School Association (NCSA). Any student who graduates from and has a parent who is a full-time employee of a participating k-12 school, is eligible for up to a $5,000 discount annually. Any student whose parent(s) is full-time faculty/staff at a participating christian college/university is eligible for up to a $10,000 discount annually. Students are eligible for one discount. These discounts may be combined with other institutional awards (excluding discounts) up to $15,000 annually. Complete the parent portion of the discount.

Please be mindful of our discount application deadline. May 15 for first-time freshmen and June 15 for transfers.
Awarding is subject to availability of funds and cannot be combined with athletic scholarships.

The University awards up to a $5,000 discount to students who are children of full-time Church of Christ pulpit or youth ministers. Full-time means a 40 hour per week paid position. This generally excludes “vocational” ministers who are ministers with other full-time gainful employment. Ministers must have been employed full-time as a minister at least five years prior to receiving the discount. The Christian Ministers Discount Form must be completed and signed by two elders of the respective congregation. The form must be submitted to the Office of Student Financial Services by May 15. Students are eligible for one discount. These discounts may be combined with other institutional awards (excluding discounts) up to $15,000 annually. Awarding is subject to availability of funds and cannot be stacked with athletic scholarships. The student must be full-time and live on-campus, meaning they live in University housing and participate in a meal plan. Graduate students are not eligible.

The FHU Church Scholarship Match Program will match any scholarship awarded by a church to a first-time student (incoming freshman or transfer student) up to a total of $2,500 a year.

To be eligible for this award, the student must meet the following criteria:

• Be admitted to FHU as a new full-time freshman or transfer student living on-campus 
• Enroll in an undergraduate degree program.
• The church scholarship must be awarded for the same academic year and as part of a bona fide scholarship program operated by the church (i.e., the scholarship should not be funded solely by the student or relatives of the student). Tuition payments by the student or the relatives of the student to a church with instructions to forward the funds to FHU or other “pass-through” arrangements are not eligible for a match.

This award may be stacked above the institutional aid cap up to the comprehensive charge. If a combination of this award and any other scholarship or discount exceeds the cost of the comprehensive charge at FHU (Henderson), this award may be reduced or cancelled. The maximum amount that a student can receive in the FHU Church Scholarship Match Award is $2,500. If a student receives more than $2,500 in church scholarships, the FHU Church Scholarship Match Award will not exceed $2,500.

This matching award is renewable for up to four years, and is subject to review and adjustment by the Office of Student Financial Services each year. The student must continue to receive a church scholarship equal to or greater than the matching award, take at least 12 hours each semester and maintain at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA during the first academic year, and at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA each year thereafter.

Endowed scholarships are available and awards are given based on criteria designated by the donor. All students are automatically considered for Endowed Scholarships. There is not an additional application process for these scholarships. Endowed Scholarships’ purpose is to support merit awards and do not stack on top of merit awards. Amounts and recipients of these awards will not necessarily be the same from year to year. Some of the endowed scholarships are need-based as well. The Office of Student Financial Services will match students to endowed awards based on the criteria specified by the donor. To be eligible for the Endowed Scholarships, the FAFSA must be completed.

The Honors Scholarship is stackable on top of the Trustees’ Scholarship up to the total cost of FHU’s Comprehensive charge ($25,620 for the 2024-2025 school year).

This scholarship is awarded based on a competition held each Fall semester. To be eligible to participate in the FHU Honors Scholarship Competition, students must:

• Apply to FHU as a new full-time, residential incoming freshman on the Henderson campus.
• Submit an official high school transcript and official results of either the SAT or the ACT.
• Qualify for the Trustees’ Scholarship by achieving:
  • an overall weighted minimum 3.00 high school GPA, AND
  • a minimum of a 30 ACT Composite Score (1360 SAT), exclusive of the essay and optional subject area battery tests.
• Apply for the Honors Program by submitting the Freshman Honors Application.
• Cannot be combined with athletic scholarship or employee remission.

The Honors Scholarship is conditional, renewable for up to four years, and subject to review and adjustment by the Dean of the Honors College or designee on an annual basis. Recipients accepting a Honors Scholarship must agree to:

• Actively participate in the Freshman Honors program their first semester.
• Apply for membership in the Honors College within their first year and continue in the Honors College with “good standing.”
• Take at least 12 undergraduate hours each semester and maintain at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA.

For more information about the Honors Scholarship Competition, please email [email protected] or call 1-800-FHU-FHU1.

The Office of Financial Aid receives the list of possible recipients from Lads to Leaders headquarters usually in the spring semester of the students that have completed the Lads to Leaders Scholarship Application and have listed FHU as a top choice of college. The university will award the scholarship and notify the student of the award when they receive his/her financial aid award package. Financial aid award packages are sent out once the FAFSA is filed online at studentaid.gov. Students must maintain a 2.5 GPA and it will be renewed at the end of every spring semester. Recipients must be enrolled full-time. Cannot be combined with athletic scholarships.

Lads to Leaders scholarships are not stackable with Trustees’, Test-Optional Merit, or Athletic scholarships.

The Freed-Hardeman Associates is a women’s organization designed to support and encourage Christian education at Freed-Hardeman University. To apply for this scholarship an application needs to be completed. Please download and complete the application: Associates Endowed Scholarship Application & Criteria.

All Competitive Departmental Awards are subject to the availability of funds and cannot be combined with athletic scholarship

FHU JAMES A. GARFIELD AWARD

The James A. Garfield Scholar Award program is available to students majoring in Law & Politics, History, and Criminal Justice. Recipients are selected by program directors and must compete in a scholarship program event during one of the four Maroon & Gold Days held on campus throughout the school year or by appointment beyond these dates.

Students wishing to compete for the Law & Politics award should submit brief responses to two essay prompts. To be considered for the 2024-25 school year, submissions must be received by April 14, 2024 and priority will be given to early applicants. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Nathan Warf for more information. Email: [email protected]

Students wishing to compete for a Criminal Justice award should submit brief responses to an essay prompt. To be considered for the 2024-25 school year, submissions must be received by April 14, 2024 and priority will be given to early applicants. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Stark Davis for more information. Email: [email protected]

Students wishing to compete for a History award should submit a sample of their writing, at least two pages long and preferably an essay written on a historical topic. To be considered for the 2024-25 school year, submissions must be received by April 14, 2024 and priority will be given to early applicants. If you are interested, please contact Dr. Greg Massey for more information. Email: [email protected]

FHU KAREN & ALLEN WALKER AWARD

The Karen & Allen Walker Scholar Award program is available to students majoring in Math and Computer Science. Recipients are selected by program directors and must compete in a scholarship program event during one of the four Maroon & Gold Days held on campus throughout the school year or by appointment beyond these dates. For more information you can contact Natalie Zlatovich ([email protected]).

FHU BIBLICAL STUDIES SCHOLAR AWARD

The Biblical Studies Scholar Award program is available to students majoring in Bible, Missions, and Youth & Family Ministry. Recipients are selected by program directors and must apply for the scholarship.

Learn more about the Yellow Ribbon Program or other Veteran’s benefits.

There are several scholarships available for the ROTC program including:

• Bill and Irene Morgan Annually Designated ROTC Scholarship
• Army ROTC High School Scholarship Program
• National Guard/Army Reserve
• Green to Gold Scholarships