How long do scholarships last?

Undergraduate scholarships and university grants remain the same for all four years (up to 8 semesters) unless requirements are unmet or financial circumstances change; they require continuous full-time enrollment (min 12 credits) and Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Catholic University award rules

Will the scholarship last four years at Catholic University?

We pulled the school’s grade, credit, and time limits into one place so you can see what it takes to keep the award.

Verified Jun 20263 months ago

The short answer

10 of 10 published awards are listed as renewable.

The exact rule can change by award. Check the award your student may receive before you count on the same amount every year.

What to do

Find the award name in the full research below. Save its grade, credit, and deadline rules with your college plan.

See every award rule, common mistake, and source

At a glance

Renewable tiers: 10 of 10
One-time tiers: 0
Tiers with published renewal terms: 10
Renewal risk profile: low

Renewal risk profile

Catholic University's published renewal rules cluster around a 3.0 floor with no major-GPA gating, which is survivable for the typical freshman with steady study habits. The risk is non-renewal due to enrollment status (dropping below full-time), not GPA.

The Catholic University of America Scholarship (CUA Scholarship): Full-time enrollment
Legacy Grant: See notes
Parish Scholarship: See notes
Archdiocesan Scholarship: 3.20 GPA
Most Reverend David M. O'Connell Service Scholarship: See notes
Basselin Scholarship Program: See notes
Karen Laub-Novak Art and Faith Scholarship: See notes
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship (Transfer Students Only): See notes
Tuition Exchange Scholarship (TEP): See notes
John Paul II Institute Employee Grant: Full-time enrollment

Renewal terms by tier

The Catholic University of America Scholarship (CUA Scholarship)
$17,000-$32,000
To keep it: University scholarships may be renewed for up to eight semesters or until you complete your current degree; requires continuous full-time enrollment (min 12 credits) and Satisfactory Academic Progress. Page states amounts are 'not subject to future increases (except for the Archdiocesan Scholarship).'
Source: https://financial-aid.catholic.edu/undergraduate/aid-programs/scholarships.html
Legacy Grant
$1,000
To keep it: Renewable for up to four years; determined only at time of admission.
Source: https://financial-aid.catholic.edu/undergraduate/aid-programs/scholarships.html
Parish Scholarship
$4,000
To keep it: Renewable for up to four years.
Source: https://financial-aid.catholic.edu/undergraduate/aid-programs/scholarships.html
Archdiocesan Scholarship
Amount not published
To keep it: Recipients must maintain a 3.20 cumulative GPA at all times plus Satisfactory Academic Progress. This is the only university scholarship that IS subject to future increases.
Source: https://financial-aid.catholic.edu/undergraduate/aid-programs/scholarships.html
Most Reverend David M. O'Connell Service Scholarship
Full tuition
To keep it: Four-year, full-tuition award.
Source: https://financial-aid.catholic.edu/undergraduate/aid-programs/scholarships.html
Basselin Scholarship Program
50% tuition waiver plus scholarships for remaining tuition, room, and board
To keep it: Tied to continued participation in the Basselin Fellowship Program.
Source: https://financial-aid.catholic.edu/undergraduate/aid-programs/scholarships.html
Karen Laub-Novak Art and Faith Scholarship
$5,000
To keep it: Renewable scholarship totaling $20,000 over four years, plus up to $6,500 research/travel support.
Source: https://financial-aid.catholic.edu/undergraduate/aid-programs/scholarships.html
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship (Transfer Students Only)
$3,000
To keep it: Renewable award.
Source: https://financial-aid.catholic.edu/undergraduate/aid-programs/scholarships.html
Tuition Exchange Scholarship (TEP)
Approximately 85% of tuition (2025-2026)
To keep it: Continuing students must be determined eligible by their home institution and continue to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Source: https://financial-aid.catholic.edu/undergraduate/aid-programs/tuition-exchange.html
John Paul II Institute Employee Grant
$10,000
To keep it: Renewable as long as the parent maintains continuous full-time employment at the Institute and the student remains matriculated in good standing; up to four years (eight semesters), aggregate max $40,000.
Source: https://financial-aid.catholic.edu/undergraduate/aid-programs/scholarships.html

How families lose this aid

Trying to stack the Tuition Exchange Scholarship with other CUA aid
The TEP award (~85% of tuition) cannot be combined with any other Catholic University scholarship or grant — accepting it forfeits the CUA Scholarship and other institutional awards.

Renewal questions families ask

How long do scholarships last?: Undergraduate scholarships and university grants remain the same for all four years (up to 8 semesters) unless requirements are unmet or financial circumstances change; they require continuous full-time enrollment (min 12 credits) and Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Rules that bite at Catholic University

The renewal trip wires we'd flag in a custom playbook, derived from Catholic University's own tier rules and not generic advice.

Renewal ruleThe Catholic University of America Scholarship (CUA Scholarship): renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out
University scholarships may be renewed for up to eight semesters or until you complete your current degree; requires continuous full-time enrollment (min 12 credits) and Satisfactory Academic Progress. Page states amounts are 'not subject to future increases (except for the Archdiocesan Scholarship).' A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

How Catholic University compares across our verified dataset

665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.
Catholic University 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 renewal claim is checked against Catholic University’s own published materials.

Policy pageCatholic University stacking policy
Cost of attendanceCatholic University cost-of-attendance worksheet
Merit tiersTuition Exchange Scholarship (TEP)