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Campbellsville University · Kentucky

Campbellsville scholarships and merit aid

Campbellsville pairs four named GPA-based merit tiers (up to $16,500) with an unusually deep bench of full-tuition paths — eight Presidential Scholarships, the Pell-gated CU Bluegrass Guarantee, Governor's Scholar awards — but enforces a half-tuition cap on stacking institutional aid.

Verified Jul 20262 months ago

The short answer

Is Campbellsville worth a closer look?

Campbellsville is worth checking if your student has strong grades or scores. We found 7 published awards, and 2 are based on those numbers.

Merit tiers72 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

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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.

$13,500-$16,500 (Up to, by tier)

Merit Scholarships (Trustees / Provost / Dean / Founders)

Apply separatelyCan continue
GPA
Based on cumulative high school GPA at the time of acceptance (tier-to-GPA mapping not published on the page)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Incoming freshmen attending the Campbellsville campus.

How to keep it

Merit scholarships are awarded for up to four years, with a cumulative GPA of a minimum of 2.0.

Notes

Tiers: Trustees up to $16,500; Provost up to $15,500; Dean up to $14,500; Founders up to $13,500. The page states awards are based on GPA at acceptance but does not explicitly say 'automatic/no application,' and does not publish which GPA earns which tier (a linked PDF dated 09/2023 was not used as it predates the current cycle). Amounts are 'up to' figures.

Source

$9,000-$12,000 (Up to, by GPA band)

Transfer Scholarship

Apply separatelyCan continue
GPA
3.5-4.000 GPA: up to $12,000; 2.5-3.499 GPA: up to $10,000; 2.0-2.499 GPA: up to $9,000 (cumulative GPA of all colleges attended)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Transfer students attending the Campbellsville campus.

How to keep it

Can be renewed annually for three years with a required GPA of 2.0.

Notes

Published GPA-band grid; amounts are 'up to' figures. Note transfer renewal runs 3 years vs. 4 for freshman merit.

Source

Full tuition, housing, and books

Presidential Scholarship

Apply separatelyCan continue
GPA
3.5 or above (one of three qualifying criteria)
SAT
1200 (or 25 ACT) — one of three qualifying criteria
ACT
25 (or 1200 SAT) — one of three qualifying criteria
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

OR ranking in the top ten percent of the senior class. Application due December 31 of the applicant's high school senior year; decisions consider academic record, essay, and interview. Only eight awarded.

How to keep it

Recipients are required to fulfill service-learning opportunities throughout their time at Campbellsville University (renewal GPA not stated on this page).

Notes

Competitive — only 8 awards. Covers tuition + housing + books (not fees or food per the page's wording).

Source

Full tuition (last-dollar)

CU Bluegrass Guarantee

Apply separatelyCan continue
GPA
3.0 cumulative unweighted high school GPA at the point of acceptance
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Kentucky resident; graduate of a KY public/private high school or KY-based home school; first-time, full-time freshman; Pell Grant eligible; must attend in-person at Campbellsville or Harrodsburg (fully-online students do not qualify); FAFSA required every year.

How to keep it

Renewable for up to 3 years (6 academic semesters); must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA, remain full-time (part-time enrollment or stopping out forfeits the scholarship), file the FAFSA each year, and be Pell Grant eligible each and every year.

Notes

LAST-DOLLAR: all federal/state grants and institutional scholarships are applied first, up to 100% of tuition. Room, board, textbooks and fees are NOT included.

Source

Full tuition…Full tuition (supplement; tuition only)

Valedictorian Scholarship

Based on grades or scores
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Auto-award for Kentucky residents who earn a diploma from a Kentucky high school and meet admission criteria; no application necessary; students are notified and presented with a certificate in September of their senior year.

Notes

Supplements the aid package 'to cover the cost of tuition only' — housing, textbooks, and fees are not covered. (The page's stated process describes auto-awarding; the award name indicates it is for valedictorians.)

Source

$2,000…$2,000 (Up to; freshmen) / $1,500 (Up to; transfers)

KEES Across Kentucky (KEES Matching)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.0 cumulative GPA or higher
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Kentucky residents. 'All incoming freshman Kentucky residents with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher will receive' the match — phrased as universal.

How to keep it

Renewable to students up to 3 years (8 semesters of eligibility) based upon KEES renewable eligibility of a 2.5 GPA and on track to graduate.

Notes

CU's match of the state KEES award: up to $2,000 for freshmen, up to $1,500 for transfers. Page header says 'Beginning 2021-2022.'

Source

Full tuition (up to 3 awarded)

Governor's Scholar Scholarship

Apply separatelyCan continue
GPA
3.5
SAT
1200 (or 25 ACT)
ACT
25 (or 1200 SAT)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Participation in the Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program; application and essay required. Deadline: Dec. 31.

Notes

Competitive: 'Up to 3 full tuition scholarships.' Related: Governor's School for the Arts (up to 3 full-tuition via Music/Theatre with audition, 3.0 GPA + 25 ACT/1200 SAT) and Governor's School for Entrepreneurs ($2,000/yr, renewable 3 years).

Source

See what could change an award

Rules that could change the answer

These are the rules we would flag for your family. Each comes from Campbellsville's published information.

  • Renewal ruleCU Bluegrass Guarantee: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

    Renewable for up to 3 years (6 academic semesters); must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA, remain full-time (part-time enrollment or stopping out forfeits the scholarship), file the FAFSA each year, and be Pell Grant eligible each and every year. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

  • Aid capHard $48,362 cost-of-attendance ceiling

    Institutional aid at Campbellsville cannot push the package past $48,362. Big outside wins can mathematically reduce institutional grant once the ceiling is reached.

What families often miss

  1. The page states: 'If a student receives a scholarship equal to half-tuition or more, he/she may not be eligible for additional institutional assistance.' Winning a large award can freeze out other CU money.

  2. CU 'reserves the right to reduce a merit scholarship' when non-CU scholarships/benefits/outside funding equal or exceed total tuition. (GI Bill/VA benefits are exempt.)

  3. It is last-dollar TUITION-ONLY: federal/state grants and institutional scholarships apply first, and 'Room, board, textbooks and fees are not included.' You must also stay Pell-eligible EVERY year and full-time — dropping to part-time or stopping out forfeits it, and it lasts only 6 semesters (not 8).

  4. Both applications are due December 31 (Presidential: essay + interview, only 8 awarded; Governor's Scholar: essay, up to 3 awarded). These do not happen automatically.

  5. It supplements the package 'to cover the cost of tuition only' — 'Housing, textbooks, and fees are not covered.'

  6. The page states: 'Upon receipt, the student is not eligible for any more institutional aid.'

  7. Every tier is an 'Up to' figure, and the Financial Aid Committee 'reserves the right to expand, reduce, or adjust financial aid programs and funds awarded.' The GPA-to-tier mapping is not published — ask admissions which tier your GPA earns.

  8. Freshman merit renews 'up to four years,' but the Transfer Scholarship 'can be renewed annually for three years' — both at a 2.0 GPA.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Kentucky students — especially Pell-eligible 3.0+ residents (free tuition via Bluegrass Guarantee), KY Governor's Scholars, and Baptist-church-connected families; plus any strong-GPA freshman wanting named merit at a Christian university.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $48,362 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at Campbellsville, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$17,880
$30,001–$48,000$17,936
$48,001–$75,000$18,476
$75,001–$110,000$19,291
$110,001+$23,105
All income levels (average)$19,341

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$27,998
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$19,341

That works out to roughly a 55% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $42,603 (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
42%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
65%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$17,156 (~$182/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$41,583
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
42%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
44%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

Campbellsville reserves the right to reduce a merit scholarship only when an outside (non-CU) scholarship, benefit, or funding source alone equals or exceeds the total cost of tuition, not the full cost of attendance. Students receiving GI Bill/VA benefits are exempt from this reduction.

Verified policy language (2026-07-02): Campbellsville University reserves the right to reduce a merit scholarship for a student who receives any type of non-CU scholarship, benefit, outside funding, etc., that is equal to or more than the total cost of tuition. Students using the GI Bill® and receiving VA benefits will not have their scholarship reduced or removed.

Source

Other Campbellsville scholarships worth checking

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

AmountVaries (CU matches church gifts up to $200/year)EligibilityEnrolled undergraduates; any denomination; gifts payable to CU on behalf of the student

Deadline March 15. Christian Service recipients are not eligible for Church Matching.

Source

AmountUp to $950/yearEligibilityFirst-time freshmen with a parent serving in a full-time paid Christian ministerial position; financial need via FAFSA; application required

Renewable 3 additional years with 2.0 GPA; deadline March 15; excludes Church Matching.

Source

AmountUp to $950/year (additional)EligibilityUndergraduates with a public commitment to a Christian vocation; financial need via FAFSA; application required

Renewable 3 additional years with 2.0 GPA; deadline March 15.

Source

Amount$1,000 (20 awarded)EligibilityFull-time freshmen affiliated with a Kentucky Baptist church

Renewable 3 additional years with 2.0 GPA; deadline March 15.

Source

AmountUp to $1,500 (50 awarded)EligibilityMinimum 2.0 GPA, active local Baptist church involvement, pastor recommendation letter

Deadline December 31; renewable 3 additional years if initial academic requirements are met.

Source

AmountUp to full tuitionEligibilityChildren of Southern Baptist International Mission Board missionaries; full-time; eligible for the Missionary School Allowance (Post-Secondary)

WARNING: 'Upon receipt, the student is not eligible for any more institutional aid.' Renewable 3 years with satisfactory academic progress; deadline March 15.

Source

Amount$2,000-$3,500/year by placementEligibilityProof of placement in the DYW competition (statewide winner/scholastic winner up to $3,500; runners-up tiered down to $2,000)

Renewable up to 3 years; if eligible for more than one DYW level, the higher is awarded.

Source

Amount$1,000 (+$1,000 with research commitment)EligibilityFreshman Environmental Science majors from Adair, Casey, Clinton, Cumberland, Green, McCreary, Pulaski, Russell, Taylor, or Wayne counties; 3.5 HS GPA (maintain 3.0 at CU); 24+ ACT science; 200-word essay

Second $1,000 requires 70 hours/semester of research at Clay Hill Memorial Forest.

Source

Amount$1,000 (2 awarded each Fall)EligibilityIncoming freshmen with 2.5 GPA who are a child or grandchild of a CU alumnus

Renewable for four years; application deadline March 15.

Source

Amount$2,000/yearEligibilityGSE participants; submit documentation to Financial Aid

Renewable 3 years.

Source

AmountVariesEligibilityCriteria vary by fund; single application reviewed by Financial Aid for matches

Explicitly described as last-dollar awards.

Source

Campbellsville merit aid FAQ

  • What is the scholarship deadline?

    Presidential Scholarship and Governor's Scholar applications are due December 31 of the senior year; Baptist Leadership is also December 31. Church Matching, Church Service, Christian Vocation, Kentucky Baptist, Missionary Kids, Community and Access, and Legacy Alliance are due March 15. The June Winslow Carter (Human Performance majors) deadline is November 1. Regular merit comes with admission.

  • What GPA do I need for each merit tier?

    CU publishes the tier amounts (Trustees up to $16,500, Provost up to $15,500, Dean up to $14,500, Founders up to $13,500) but not the GPA bands for each tier — ask admissions which tier your GPA earns. Renewal requires a 2.0 cumulative GPA, for up to four years.

  • Is the CU Bluegrass Guarantee free tuition?

    Yes, for KY residents who are Pell-eligible with a 3.0 unweighted HS GPA, attending in person at Campbellsville or Harrodsburg — but it's last-dollar (other aid applies first), covers tuition only (no room, board, books, fees), requires annual FAFSA and Pell eligibility every year, and renews at most 3 years/6 semesters with a 2.0 GPA and full-time enrollment.

  • What does Campbellsville cost for 2026-27?

    Published 2026-2027 COA for a traditional undergraduate living on campus: $48,362 total (tuition $29,760, technology fee $300, activity fee $200, on-campus food & housing $10,984 = $41,244 direct, plus $7,118 indirect).

  • Do outside scholarships reduce my CU aid?

    CU reserves the right to reduce a merit scholarship if outside funding equals or exceeds total tuition; GI Bill/VA users are exempt. Also note the half-tuition rule: a scholarship equal to half-tuition or more may end eligibility for additional institutional assistance.

See sources and other schools

How Campbellsville compares

  • 235 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use cost-of-attendance cap displacement.

    Campbellsville is in a recognizable cluster (235 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

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

    Campbellsville 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 Campbellsville’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.

Compare with similar schools

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