2018-2019 Undergraduate Bulletin > Policies and General Information > Scholarships and Financial Aid > External Scholarships

External Scholarships

Many foundations, corporations, business and civic organizations, and private individuals contribute scholarships for students attending CMU. The best source of information on these opportunities is a local high school counselor.

The President’s Award for Undergraduate International Students

This award honors non-United States resident high school seniors who will graduate with at least a 3.3 (on a United States 4.0 scale) grade point average, have a TOEFL score of 550 (213 for computer-based testing) for applicants whose native language is not English, and enroll directly as freshmen at CMU as on-campus students. Students enrolled in CMU’s International Bridge Program who have passed all required English Language Institute courses are eligible for this award and are not required to meet the TOEFL score requirement listed above, but are required to meet all other requirements listed above. Furthermore, the President’s Award for Undergraduate International students is available to non-United States resident transfer students who have met the TOEFL requirement listed above and have earned 30 or more credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 (on a 4.0 scale) and who enroll directly at CMU as full-time, on-campus students. Any student sponsored by their home country is not eligible for this award. Recipients will be granted an award equal to the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition for four consecutive years for new freshman and three consecutive years for new transfer students. To remain eligible for this award, freshman and transfer students must be non-United States residents, complete at least 12 credits each semester (for a total of eight semesters of continual enrollment at CMU), and maintain a cumulative CMU grade point average of at least 3.00. In order to renew CMU merit scholarships, new freshman students must reside in CMU on-campus residence halls in both their freshman and sophomore years. New transfer students receiving the award do not have a housing requirement. Part-time attendance, failure to maintain the required cumulative GPA, withdrawal from CMU in any regular semester other than summer school, or failure of those who enter as new freshman to reside in the residence halls for the freshman and sophomore years will cancel scholarships for the rest of the academic program.

The non-United States resident President’s Award is one of a number of CMU merit awards; others include the Board of Trustees Outstanding Student Scholarship, Board of Trustees Academic Honors Scholarship, Cofer and Multicultural Advancement Awards. Students are eligible to receive only one of these merit awards. The President’s Award has the highest dollar value. Students who receive in-state tuition rates due to the Legacy Program are not eligible for this award.

Presidential Awards for International Students

In an effort to enhance the recruitment of international students to campus, CMU has allocated funds for merit-based awards to be given to new non-immigrant undergraduate degree-seeking students. The awards are designed for international undergraduate students (new students and transfer students). Scholarship funds will be applied directly toward payment of tuition. Funding shall not exceed cost of tuition for any given semester. Students who enroll in CMU’s International Bridge Program will be eligible for the scholarships upon satisfactory completion of the English Language Institute program. Students who are currently enrolled at CMU in a degree-seeking program may not apply for the award. Contact the Office of International Affairs, Ronan Hall 330, 989-774-4308, for more information.

Global Scholar. Up to seven (7) renewable scholarships in the amount of $3,000 per year is available. Award recipients will receive $1,500 per semester for up to eight (8) semesters. Applicants must have a cumulative grade point average equivalent to 3.00/4.00 at the time of application. All other eligibility requirements must be met.

Continental Scholar. Up to twelve (12) renewable scholarships in the amount of $2,000 per year are available. Award recipients will receive $1,000 per semester for up to eight (8) semesters. Applicants must have a cumulative grade point average equivalent to 2.90/4.00 at the time of application. All other eligibility requirements must be met.