Carthage College · Wisconsin
Carthage stacks an automatic GPA-only merit grid ($19,000-$22,000/yr, no test scores needed) under an unusually deep bench of competitive full-tuition scholarships — but all non-need aid combined is capped at tuition.
The trip wires we'd flag in a custom playbook. Each is derived from Carthage's own published policy, not generic advice.
Renewal requires an annual minimum cumulative GPA and full-time enrollment status (specific GPA not stated on this page). A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.
Carthage treats loans, work-study, and institutional grant under different rules. The same $5,000 outside award can land against any of them depending on category.
The page states combined non-need-based scholarships and grants 'cannot exceed tuition unless otherwise noted,' and even with federal and state grants the total may 'not ... exceed full tuition.' Room and board are never covered by these awards.
Competitive scholarships (Presidential, Math/Science, Kenosha/Racine, etc.) 'incorporate all Carthage assistance' — they replace your existing Carthage merit award rather than adding to it.
The big-money competitions close early: November 1 (Communication/PR, Modern Languages, History/English/Creative Writing, Nursing) and December 3 (Presidential, Business, Math/Science, Kenosha/Racine, Teacher Education, Engineering/CS/Game Dev, Tarble California, Police/Fire, Alumni).
'Renewal requires an annual minimum cumulative GPA and full-time enrollment status' for non-need awards; the smaller grants (Visit, Lutheran, Legacy, Ministerial) each require a 2.0 cumulative GPA to renew, and the Early FAFSA Filers Award is lost if the FAFSA isn't refiled by January 1 each year.
Two no-competition awards are left on the table: the $1,000/yr Visit Grant (just schedule a visit) and the $500/yr Early FAFSA Filers Award (FAFSA received by February 1, regardless of need).
Strong-GPA students (test-optional friendly — the grid uses GPA only) who will also enter the December/November competitive scholarship cycles; Kenosha/Racine locals and Californians get dedicated full-tuition/large-award tracks.
Every tier below is sourced to the school’s own published financial aid pages. Renewal terms apply only if the student maintains the stated GPA.
Full-time undergraduate seeking first bachelor's degree; awarded at time of admission, no additional application.
Renewal requires an annual minimum cumulative GPA and full-time enrollment status (specific GPA not stated on this page).
Amounts are for students starting classes in fall 2026 or later.
Open to all majors; apply to Carthage plus Presidential Scholarship Program application and essay by December 3.
35 scholarships awarded.
Kenosha/Racine-area students; application and essay by December 3.
Twelve full-tuition awards; 'These scholarships incorporate all Carthage assistance.'
Math/Science Scholarship Program application by December 3.
Two awards; incorporate all Carthage assistance.
Application by December 3.
Two awards; incorporate all Carthage assistance.
Nursing Scholarship Program application by November 1.
One full-tuition plus four $10,000/yr awards; incorporate all Carthage assistance.
Application by December 3.
One full-tuition and one $33,000/yr award; incorporate all Carthage assistance.
Major/minor in French or Japanese, or major in Spanish; Modern Languages Scholarship application by November 1.
Renewable for four years.
Up to four awards; incorporates all Carthage assistance.
Application by November 1.
One award; incorporates all Carthage assistance.
Application by November 1.
One award; incorporates all Carthage assistance.
Application by December 3.
One award; incorporates all Carthage assistance.
Dependent of a City of Kenosha police officer or firefighter; application and essay by December 3.
One award; incorporates all Carthage assistance.
Incoming freshmen or transfer students from California; application and essay by December 3.
Up to 10 awards, 'up to $33,000 per year in Carthage assistance.'
Competitive audition and/or portfolio review by late February (exact date varies by program); recipients must participate in department activities.
New incoming Spring Term freshmen and transfer students; application and essay by December 1.
Renewable for up to three years.
One full-tuition and one $31,000/yr award.
New incoming transfer students; application deadline May 2026.
Renewable for up to three years.
One full-tuition and one $33,000/yr award. Additional transfer scholarships exist on the transfer scholarships page (not opened this session).
Non-need scholarships and grants can be combined but are capped at tuition; competitive full-tuition awards 'incorporate all Carthage assistance' (they replace, not add to, other Carthage aid); institutional aid plus federal/state grants also cannot exceed full tuition.
Three distinct rules on the scholarships page: (1) combined non-need-based scholarships/grants cannot exceed tuition unless otherwise noted; (2) competitive scholarships 'may incorporate all Carthage assistance'; (3) scholarships and grants may be combined with federal and state grants, not to exceed full tuition. Treatment of private outside scholarships is not stated.
Named awards that don’t always surface on the main financial aid page. Each one has its own eligibility rules.
Four-year value $4,000; renewal requires 2.0 cumulative GPA.
Renewable with FAFSA completion by January 1 each year.
Four-year value $4,000; 2.0 GPA to renew.
Four-year value $4,000; 2.0 GPA to renew.
Amount may be increased/decreased at Alumni Council discretion; materials postmarked by December 3.
Half state-funded, half matched by Carthage; applied toward tuition.
Automatic Academic Scholarships need no application. Competitive deadlines on the scholarships page: November 1 (Communication/PR, French/Japanese/Spanish, History/English/Creative Writing, Nursing), December 1 (Spring Scholarships), December 3 (Presidential, Business & Economics, Teacher Education, Engineering/CS/Game Development, Kenosha/Racine, Police/Fire, Math/Science, Tarble California, Alumni Association), late February (Visual & Performing Arts auditions/portfolio), May 2026 (Fall Transfer competition).
The automatic Academic Scholarship grid is based only on cumulative non-weighted high school GPA ($22,000 for 3.75-4.0 down to $19,000 for 2.5-2.99); no ACT/SAT is mentioned.
No. Combined non-need scholarships/grants cannot exceed tuition unless otherwise noted, and scholarships plus federal/state grants may not exceed full tuition. 2026-27 tuition is $21,625 per semester; standard housing ($4,575/semester) and meals ($2,650/semester) are extra.
Full-time tuition is $21,625 per semester, standard housing $4,575 per semester, and the standard meal plan $2,650 per semester (tuition is the same in-state and out-of-state). No single full cost-of-attendance total is published on the tuition page.
Carthage is in the modest minority (86 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.
Carthage is one of them. The cohort minority (82 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.
Every claim is checked against Carthage’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.
