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Belhaven scholarships and merit aid

Two prices: the posted one, and yours.

Posted price$31,490per year · 2026-2027 · cost of attendance
Yours?depends on the rules below

The short answer

Belhaven is worth checking if your student has strong grades or scores. We found 10 published awards, and 6 are based on those numbers.

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
3 school sources to explore

Published rules, with the school sources close at hand. Confirm the details before you count on an award.

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The award collection

Published scholarships

These amounts and requirements come from the school’s own published pages. Open an award to see who qualifies and how to keep it.

Where does your student land?

  1. President's Scholarship for First-Year Students$17,000-$17,500 per yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    President's Scholarship for First-Year Students

    $17,000-$17,500 per year

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.5 or above (high school cumulative)
    ACT
    26 or above
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for President's Scholarship for First-Year Students

    Who qualifies

    Full-time, first bachelor's degree, on-campus undergrad program; FAFSA not required but encouraged

    How to keep it

    Renewable up to 5 years (or 10 semesters) if the student is full-time and maintains satisfactory academic progress.

    Worth knowing

    Highest automatic academic (merit) tier. $5,000 of the award is applied toward campus housing and the remainder toward educational expenses. Belhaven evaluates the award using high school GPA and ACT/SAT scores — no separate scholarship application.

  2. Dean's Scholarship for First-Year Students$15,000-$17,000 per yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Dean's Scholarship for First-Year Students

    $15,000-$17,000 per year

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.75 or above (high school cumulative)
    ACT
    20+
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Dean's Scholarship for First-Year Students

    Who qualifies

    Full-time, first bachelor's degree, on-campus undergrad program; FAFSA not required but encouraged

    How to keep it

    Renewable up to 5 years (or 10 semesters) if the student is full-time and maintains satisfactory academic progress.

    Worth knowing

    Middle automatic academic tier for a 2.75+ GPA with a 20+ ACT. $5,000 of the award goes toward campus housing.

  3. Achievement Grant for First-Year Students$14,000-$15,500 per yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Achievement Grant for First-Year Students

    $14,000-$15,500 per year

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.75 or above (high school cumulative)
    ACT
    18-19
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Achievement Grant for First-Year Students

    Who qualifies

    Full-time, first bachelor's degree, on-campus undergrad program; FAFSA not required but encouraged

    How to keep it

    Renewable up to 5 years (or 10 semesters) if the student is full-time and maintains satisfactory academic progress.

    Worth knowing

    Automatic academic tier for a 2.75+ GPA paired with an 18-19 ACT. $5,000 of the award goes toward campus housing. Named a 'Grant' but is merit/academic, not need-based.

  4. Advantage Scholarship for First-Year Students$14,000-$15,500 per yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Advantage Scholarship for First-Year Students

    $14,000-$15,500 per year

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.75 or above (high school cumulative)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Advantage Scholarship for First-Year Students

    Who qualifies

    Test-optional — test scores are not required for this scholarship. Full-time, first bachelor's degree, on-campus undergrad program; FAFSA not required but encouraged

    How to keep it

    Renewable up to 5 years (or 10 semesters) if the student is full-time and maintains satisfactory academic progress.

    Worth knowing

    Test-optional automatic tier: a 2.75+ GPA earns $14,000-$15,500/yr with no ACT/SAT required. Same dollar range as the Achievement Grant. $5,000 of the award goes toward campus housing.

  5. Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Scholarship for Transfer Students$17,500 per yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Scholarship for Transfer Students

    $17,500 per year

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Scholarship for Transfer Students

    Who qualifies

    Transfer student who is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society

    How to keep it

    Renewable up to 5 years (or 10 semesters) if the student is full-time and maintains satisfactory academic progress.

    Worth knowing

    Top transfer award, set by PTK Honor Society membership rather than a GPA/test grid. $5,000 of the award goes toward campus housing.

  6. Transfer Scholarship$14,000-$16,500 per yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Transfer Scholarship

    $14,000-$16,500 per year

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.0 or greater (transfer institution GPA)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Transfer Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Transfer student with 12+ college credit hours

    How to keep it

    Renewable up to 5 years (or 10 semesters) if the student is full-time and maintains satisfactory academic progress.

    Worth knowing

    Automatic transfer award scaled on college GPA for students with 12+ credit hours. $5,000 of the award goes toward campus housing.

  7. Distinguished Arts Scholarship$1,000-$2,500 per year (Round 1 $1,500-$2,500; Round 2 $1,000-$2,000)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Distinguished Arts Scholarship

    $1,000-$2,500 per year (Round 1 $1,500-$2,500; Round 2 $1,000-$2,000)

    Published rangeNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Distinguished Arts Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Major in Art, Creative Writing, Dance, Graphic Design, Film Production, Music, Theatre, or Tradigital Studies; audition or portfolio required

    How to keep it

    Renewal terms not stated on the scholarships page.

    Worth knowing

    Competitive arts award by audition/portfolio, with two rounds. Round 1 (Early Acceptance Program, audition/portfolio by November 14, 2025) ranges $1,500-$2,500; Round 2 (by March 1, 2026) ranges $1,000-$2,000. Deadline-driven — Round 1 is more generous and requires the Early Acceptance Program.

  8. Presbyterian Scholarship Program (PSP)$1,000 per year ($4,000 over four years)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Presbyterian Scholarship Program (PSP)

    $1,000 per year ($4,000 over four years)

    Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Presbyterian Scholarship Program (PSP)

    Who qualifies

    Member of the Presbyterian Church graduating as a high school senior; traditional full-time student; the student's Presbyterian Church must donate a minimum of $1,000 annually to the Belhaven fund

    How to keep it

    Added each year; $4,000 over four years. Requires the student remain a traditional full-time student and the church continue its annual donation.

    Worth knowing

    Faith-based add-on award. Added on top of the student's total Belhaven award (so it layers on the academic merit tier) — but is contingent on the home church donating at least $1,000/yr to Belhaven.

  9. Legacy Scholarship$500 (one-time, upon enrollment)Not automatic
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Legacy Scholarship

    $500 (one-time, upon enrollment)

    Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    Open award details for Legacy Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Child or sibling of a current Belhaven student or graduate

    Renewal terms

    Awarded upon enrollment; no renewal language stated.

    Worth knowing

    Small one-time legacy award. Stated as '$500 upon enrollment' — appears to be a single award, not annual.

  10. Visit Scholarship$1,000 (first year only)Not automatic
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Visit Scholarship

    $1,000 (first year only)

    Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    Open award details for Visit Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Come for a personal visit or attend Discover Days

    Renewal terms

    Applies to the first year only.

    Worth knowing

    First-year-only add-on earned by visiting campus or attending Discover Days. Not renewable.

Lights up against Belhaven's published cutoffs. Not an award offer; confirm with the financial aid office. Award terms and residency rules change; some awards differ for in-state and out-of-state students. Always confirm at the school’s source page.

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The fine print

Renewal rulePresident's Scholarship for First-Year Students: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

Renewable up to 5 years (or 10 semesters) if the student is full-time and maintains satisfactory academic progress. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

Outside awardsNo published displacement order

Belhaven's policy doesn't specify whether outside scholarships hit loans, grants, or only the COA ceiling. Get a written aid-office answer before chasing private awards.

What makes Belhaven different

Belhaven publishes a fully automatic GPA + ACT merit grid that gives every qualifying first-year student $14,000-$17,500 a year (with $5,000 of it earmarked for campus housing) — no separate application, just your transcript and test score.

Merit tiers106 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

More than one award path

Separate the two paths.

Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.

  1. Match the published criteria

    Use all requirements together, including residency and the entering class.

  2. Check the application dates

    Confirm the current admission and scholarship deadlines directly with the school.

  3. Know what happens next year

    Check renewal, credit requirements and how other aid affects the award.

The fine print / Three questions to carry forward

Before you count on it.

Does it apply to us? Confirm the entering year, residency and every eligibility condition.

Can we keep it? Check renewal GPA, credits and how long the award lasts.

Can we combine it? Ask how outside scholarships and other school awards change the offer.

Take Belhaven's decision sheet

A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.

See what could change an award

What families often miss

  1. President's, Dean's, Achievement and Advantage are four tiers of the SAME automatic academic scholarship — your GPA and ACT place you in exactly one of them. You do not collect multiple academic tiers; the higher your stats, the higher the single tier.

  2. Every academic tier earmarks $5,000 of the award 'toward campus housing while the remainder of the scholarship goes toward educational expenses.' If you commute or live off campus, ask whether that $5,000 still applies — it is structured as a housing component.

  3. The $5,000 Residence Hall Grant 'cannot be awarded in combination with tuition discounts, waivers, sponsorships, and some Belhaven scholarships' — so it may not layer on top of certain awards. Confirm which of your awards it can combine with.

  4. Round 1 (audition/portfolio by November 14, 2025, via the Early Acceptance Program) pays $1,500-$2,500; Round 2 (by March 1, 2026) pays only $1,000-$2,000. Waiting for Round 2 lowers your ceiling.

  5. The $1,000/yr Presbyterian Scholarship Program is contingent on your Presbyterian Church donating at least $1,000 annually to the Belhaven fund — if the church does not give, the add-on does not apply.

  6. Belhaven's published 2026-27 tuition is $30,700 plus a $790 student activity fee; room and board is separate and ranges roughly $9,850-$12,850/yr depending on the hall, plus personal expenses ($2,400) and (for internationals) added fees. There is no single all-in COA number on the official tuition page.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Christian-worldview students who want a predictable, automatic, stats-based merit award at a small private university — strong scores (3.5 GPA / 26 ACT) hit the $17,000-$17,500 President's tier, while a test-optional Advantage Scholarship still pays $14,000-$15,500 for a 2.75 GPA.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $31,490 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at Belhaven, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.

Average annual net price by family income at Belhaven, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$10,551
$30,001–$48,000$12,820
$48,001–$75,000$16,967
$75,001–$110,000$19,476
$110,001+$20,928
All income levels (average)$15,676

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$30,250
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$15,676

That works out to roughly a 61% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $39,793 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
49%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
68%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$26,333 (~$279/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$46,440
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
38%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
54%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

The four first-year academic awards (President's, Dean's, Achievement, Advantage) are mutually exclusive merit tiers — a student is placed in one based on GPA/ACT, not granted several. Some add-ons layer on top (the Presbyterian PSP is explicitly 'added to the student's total award'), but Belhaven publishes explicit non-combination rules: the Residence Hall Grant 'cannot be awarded in combination with tuition discounts, waivers, sponsorships, and some Belhaven scholarships.' No published policy describes how third-party OUTSIDE scholarships displace institutional aid.

Belhaven does not publish a general outside/third-party scholarship displacement policy on its undergrad scholarships page. What it does publish are internal combination limits: the Residence Hall Grant cannot combine with tuition discounts, waivers, sponsorships, and some Belhaven scholarships; and the PCA Pastor's Offer / Belhaven Advantage 'tuition free' offers cannot logically stack with the dollar-amount academic tiers. The Presbyterian Scholarship Program is the one award stated to be 'added to the student's total award from Belhaven.' How an external (private) scholarship affects the institutional package is not stated and must be confirmed with the aid office.

Source

Other Belhaven scholarships worth checking

These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.

AmountMatch up to $500 each yearEligibilityMembers whose congregation contributes to their Belhaven education.

Belhaven matches up to $500/yr of a church's contributions toward the member's cost. Acceptance required; FAFSA encouraged. Faith-based.

Source

AmountTuition freeEligibilityDependents (son/daughter) of PCA Pastors and Missionaries enrolling as a new freshman or transfer student.

A full tuition-free offer for PCA pastors'/missionaries' dependents; new students only. Faith-based; likely does not stack with the dollar-amount academic tiers (confirm with aid office).

Source

AmountUp to $30,000 value (5th year tuition free)EligibilityStudents entering as freshmen who pursue a double major/degree and need a 5th year.

Benefit, not a stats award: an extra (5th) year of tuition free, framed as a $30,000 value, for double-major students. Part of the 'save up to $55,000' Belhaven Advantage messaging.

Source

AmountUp to $25,000 value (free online master's)EligibilityTraditional-campus students who enroll and complete at least 60 hours at Belhaven through to graduation.

Adds a full tuition scholarship for an online master's program, up to $25,000 value, on top of the undergrad award. Choice of business, health administration, education, biblical studies, leadership, public administration, or sports administration.

Source

AmountVaries and is based on needEligibilityBased on family financial need as determined by FAFSA.

NEED-BASED, not merit. Listed for completeness; requires FAFSA.

Source

Belhaven merit aid FAQ

  • Are Belhaven's academic scholarships automatic?

    Yes. The President's, Dean's, Achievement and Advantage awards are determined from your high school GPA and ACT/SAT scores when you're admitted — there is no separate scholarship application, and FAFSA is encouraged but not required for them.

  • How much can I get and what do I need?

    $17,000-$17,500/yr with a 3.5 GPA and 26 ACT (President's); $15,000-$17,000/yr with 2.75 GPA and 20+ ACT (Dean's); $14,000-$15,500/yr with 2.75 GPA and 18-19 ACT (Achievement); or $14,000-$15,500/yr test-optional with a 2.75 GPA (Advantage). $5,000 of each is applied toward campus housing.

  • Can I combine multiple Belhaven scholarships?

    Only partially. The four academic tiers are one award (you get a single tier). Some add-ons layer on (the Presbyterian Scholarship is 'added to the student's total award'), but the Residence Hall Grant cannot combine with tuition discounts, waivers, sponsorships, and some Belhaven scholarships. How an outside/private scholarship affects your package is not published — ask the aid office.

  • How long do the awards last?

    The academic scholarships are renewable up to 5 years (or 10 semesters) as long as you stay full-time and maintain satisfactory academic progress. The Visit Scholarship ($1,000) and Legacy Scholarship ($500) are one-time/first-year awards.

See sources and other schools

How Belhaven compares

  • 133 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use unclear or unpublished displacement.

    Belhaven is in a recognizable cluster (133 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

  • 133 of 749 verified schools publish no clear displacement order.

    Belhaven is one of them. The right move is the aid-office email script below, not a guess.

  • 665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

    Belhaven is one of them. The cohort minority (84 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.

Sources used on this page

Every claim is checked against Belhaven’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.

Compare with similar schools

Keep exploring Belhaven merit aid

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