International Scholarships

Billy Kim Scholarship: The Billy Kim Scholarship is awarded annually to academically qualified students from Korea. Any recipient who qualifies shall be eligible to receive the scholarship for four successive years. Click here for more information about International Students.

Listed below are scholarships for entering freshmen who will begin their studies in the fall. The merit scholarship a student earns upon entering the University will be renewed each year as students enroll as full-time students each semester (minimum of 12 credit hours) and obtain satisfactory academic standing each year. Students should successfully complete 30 credit hours each academic year. This will enable students to successfully progress toward graduation within four years. Merit scholarships are renewable for up to three years for a total of four years of merit scholarship.

You can start earning scholarships as early as your freshman year of high school with our RaiseMe micro-scholarships if you attend an eligible international high school. To find out if you are eligible for this opportunity, click here.  Learn more about how an A in math or an hour of community service can start building your scholarship dollars.

Online-only and returning Carson-Newman University students are not eligible for these freshman scholarships or the RaiseMe micro-scholarships.

All incoming freshmen who are admitted to the University will automatically be considered for these freshman merit scholarships. No additional application is required.

Recipients are selected primarily on the basis of the strength of their applications for admissions. The scholarship profiles described below are based on a combination of high school GPA and ACT (or SAT equivalent) composite test scores submitted at time of acceptance.  Any additional SAT/ACT scores must be submitted by January of your senior year, so be sure to check for application deadlines.

• Presidential Scholarship- Amount $14,000- recognizes and rewards students who rank among the strongest in the nation. Recipients are those students who are marked not only by significant accomplishment in their academic and personal lives, but who show extraordinary potential for success as leaders of the future. Students with a 3.90 high school GPA and a 26 ACT score on average are eligible.
• Dean’s Scholarship: Amount $12,000 – recognizes students who have demonstrated exemplary academic achievement and leadership and are capable of high achievements, contributing scholarly perspectives to the classroom and campus life. Students with a 3.65 high school GPA and a 24 ACT score on average are eligible.
• Faculty Scholarship: Amount $10,000 – recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and are able to contribute leadership in the classroom and campus life. Students with at 3.30 high school GPA and a 22 ACT score on average are eligible.
• Achievement Award: Amount $8,000 – recognizes students who have demonstrated academic success and are capable of continued academic success at Carson-Newman. Students with a 3.0 high school GPA and a 21 ACT score on average are eligible.
• Opportunity Award: Amount $6,000 – recognizes students who also have the potential for continued academic success. Students with a 2.70 high school GPA and a 19 ACT score on average are eligible.

For application questions, contact the Director of International Admissions. Additionally, the University offers other competitive scholarship and gift aid opportunities, so be sure check for application deadlines.

Please note that undocumented high school seniors and DACA students should work with both our Admissions Office and Financial Aid Office on aid that may be available to you from the University. Additionally, the Net Price Calculator is not applicable to non-FAFSA filers seeking enrollment.

(University grants and scholarships are generally tuition based. Therefore, receipt of external funds that are also tuition based will reduce institutional grant and scholarship eligibility.)

Carson-Newman offers other scholarship program opportunities in an effort to support and invest in your long-term graduation and career goals as an undergraduate student.  Scholarships are renewable for a maximum of four years, beginning with the first-time freshman fall semester, provided that the requirements as specified by the program or school are still being met.  Scholarships are applicable towards a student’s first bachelor’s degree during fall and spring terms, not summer terms.

Students are encouraged to apply for more than one scholarship to maximize aid opportunities and involvement on campus!

Athletic Scholarships: Amounts Vary. Carson-Newman is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference and offers competitive scholarships.  Awards are based on recommendations from the coach. Athletic aid will be noted on the award letter as a respective sport name. In addition to listing the aid on the award letter, the Office of Financial Aid will issue an athletic contract, detailing more specific eligibility requirements. Athletic aid may only be offered one year at a time under current NCAA rules and cannot be guaranteed as renewable for up to a specific number of years. Contact the respective sport for more information and make sure to enroll in the NCAA Clearinghouse for eligibility.

Art Scholarships: $1000 per year – The Art Department offers performance-based scholarships to incoming first year students and transfer students. In order to be considered for a scholarship, students with a serious interest in attending Carson-Newman as an Art or Photography Major must submit a digital portfolio for review by the Art Department faculty. Because these scholarships are competitive, we review submissions from August-February, one year prior to the first year of enrollment (for entering freshmen, portfolios should be submitted during your senior year in high school). To enable us to determine final awards and meet financial aid deadlines, please submit portfolios no later than the end of February. Award amounts will be determined in conjunction with other merit and financial aid awards. The Art department faculty will review any digital portfolio submission that meets both the criteria and deadline: 10-12 pieces in any media, in either a PDF or JPG file format. An artist’s statement detailing interest in the intended field of study is encouraged, but not required. Please email digital portfolio submissions to Mrs. Julie Rabun, jrabun@cn.edu. Email attachments only, no dropbox or other cloud based submissions please.

Center for Community Engagement Scholarships These scholarships represent our commitment to community service.  Recipients are expected to be part of a team that will promote and foster positive community change through action.  Bonner Scholars are based on financial need and demonstrated commitment to community service.  Amounts vary based on your financial need as a Bonner Scholar. For more information, visit the Center for Community Engagement page.

Eagles Engage / Community Connections / Faith & Justice Scholars: $1000 per year. Each of these is an annual scholarship that is not need-based. Community service hours are required to maintain eligibility for each of these scholarships.  **Eagles Engage deadline is May 1, 2022, and new eligibility is for entering freshmen and transfer students only. For more information, visit the Bonner page.

Cheer & Dance Audition and Scholarships– $1000 per year.  Available for participation in our Cheer and Dance Squads.  For more information, visit our information page.

Chemistry & Biochemistry Scholarships: Amounts vary. Available to new students majoring in these respective areas.

Eagle Anglers Scholarship : $1000 per year – Scholarship for participating on our club fishing team.

Family Consumer Science New Student Scholarship: $1000 for the first year at C-N. This scholarship is offered to Family and Consumer Science majors and is non-renewable. Application is here.

Film:  $1000 per year for students majoring in film.

Forensics (Speech & Debate): $1000 per year. Available for students participating in our award winning Forensics (Speech & Debate) program. Contact the Director for more information.

Honors Scholars Program: Eligible students will be sent an invitation to attend our Honors Weekend. The top five students will receive our Honors Premier Scholarship valued at full tuition each year! Scholarship will take into consideration all other grants and scholarship eligibility first. All other students participating in our Honors program will receive a $1000 per year as an Honors Scholarship. Participation in our Honors Weekend is required for consideration. For more information, please contact the Office of Admissions.

Legacy Scholarship: $1,000 per year – The direct dependents of all alumni who indicate that they are a dependent of alumni and their relationship information on their admission application will be eligible to receive the $1,000 Legacy Scholarship.

Minister’s Dependent Award: $1000 per year – Recognizes students who are enrolled full-time in the undergraduate program that are direct dependents of ministers and missionaries (not including online program students).  These students must answer ‘yes’ to the minister’s dependent question in the admission application and provide the Financial Aid Office with documentation to prove dependent status.

Music Department Audition and Tarr Full-Tuition Scholarship: The School of Music hosts a Department audition as an entrance requirement for prospective music majors. Additionally, they host a Tarr Full-Tuition Scholarship Competition in various areas such as instrument, voice, piano, organ, and strings (full tuition scholarship will take into consideration all other grants and scholarship eligibility first). Students planning to major in a music discipline should prepare and plan to attend the audition. An awarded student must continue as a music major and meet the required academic GPA as specified by the School of Music for renewal of scholarships. Other scholarships are also available valued at a $1000 minimum per year. For more information, please contact the Music Department.

Band/Vocal Scholarships for Non-Music Majors-:$1000 per year – Students not majoring in music may wish to apply and participate in our University Bands. For more information, contact our Band Director.

Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship: $1000 per year. Available for our transfer students that have participated in Phi Theta Kappa. Students should contact their Admissions Representative to self-identify.

Theatre Scholarships:– $1000 per year. Available to students participating in our Theatre program. Contact our Associate Professor of Theatre for more information.

Important Note:  All University gift aid is subject to the University Caps and Limits Policy, and the Office of Financial Aid reserves the right to reduce or limit scholarships under the caps and limits policy, and/or other guidelines as mandated.  

All undergraduate transfer students seeking their first undergraduate degree and are admitted to Carson-Newman are automatically considered for our Transfer merit-based and affiliated scholarships based on academic information at time of acceptance; no separate scholarship application is required for these awards. 

These awards are made without regard to financial need and are intended to recognize those students whose accomplishments show them capable of continued success at Carson-Newman University. Recipients are selected primarily on the basis of the strength of their applications for Admissions. The scholarship profiles described below are based on the college transfer GPA. Recipients will be granted the highest award for which they qualify and will receive official notification of their award shortly after acceptance to Carson-Newman.

Merit-Based Scholarships will be automatically renewed for the recipient’s applicable sophomore, junior, or senior year(s) at the college, provided that grade point average and progress toward degree requirements are met.

• Pinnacle Scholarship: $12,000 per academic year – Recognizes students who have demonstrated exemplary academic achievement in college.  These students show extraordinary potential for future success and wish to make Carson-Newman their University of choice for achievement and success.  Students eligible for this scholarship must have at least a 3.8 college GPA.
• Elite Scholarship: $10,000 per academic year – Recognizes students who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement in college and wish to make Carson-Newman their University of choice. Students eligible for this scholarship must have a college GPA in the range of 3.0-3.79.
• Excellence Scholarship: $8,000 per academic year – Recognizes students who demonstrate  academic success and achievement and find Carson-Newman’s academic programs more fitting to their education goals. Students eligible for this scholarship must have a college GPA in the range of 2.50-2.99.
• Merit Scholarship: $6,000 per academic year – Recognizes students who have the potential for continued academic success in college and wish to continue their education at Carson-Newman. Students eligible for this scholarship must have a college GPA range of 2.0-2.49.

For more details, please contact the Director of International Admissions.

(University grants and scholarships are generally tuition based. Therefore, receipt of external funds that are also tuition based will reduce institutional grant and scholarship eligibility. Awards and amounts are subject to change without notice.)