Variable or qualified amountNot 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 Clarkson Scholarships (automatic merit review)
Who qualifies
Every applicant is automatically considered based on the admission application; no separate scholarship application required for this base award
How to keep it
Page does not state the amount or a renewal GPA for the base automatic merit award.
Worth knowing
Clarkson 'automatically consider[s] all students for merit scholarships based on your admission application.' The dollar range is NOT published on the pages reviewed, so no amount is asserted here. To be eligible for merit scholarships and grants the admission application must arrive by January 15 (December 1 for Early Decision).
Clarkson Leadership Awards and Clarkson Achievement Awards$30,000 per year (renewable up to four years)Not automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
Clarkson Leadership Awards and Clarkson Achievement Awards
$30,000 per year (renewable up to four years)
Variable or qualified amountNot 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 Clarkson Leadership Awards and Clarkson Achievement Awards
Who qualifies
Counselor-nominated: 'Leadership & Achievement nominations are made by high school guidance counselors during the student's junior year of high school with final approval made by Clarkson University.' Qualified students demonstrate leadership and outstanding academic achievement.
How to keep it
Described as an 'annual scholarship renewable for up to four years.' No specific renewal GPA stated on the page.
Worth knowing
NOT automatic and NOT student-applied — these require a high school guidance counselor nomination during junior year, with final approval by Clarkson. Both the Leadership and the Achievement variant are stated at $30,000/year.
Published coverage or packageNot 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 Ignite Presidential Fellowship
Who qualifies
Must apply to Clarkson for Early Decision OR Regular Decision, then apply for the Ignite Presidential Fellowship by February 15. Awarded to only 10 first-time students.
How to keep it
Covers all tuition costs for four years (eight semesters) of undergraduate study.
Worth knowing
Competitive, separate application; covers ALL tuition (not fees, housing, or food) for 10 incoming students. Deadline February 15.
Solinsky Engineers Program$5,000 per year (total $20,000 over four years)Not automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
Solinsky Engineers Program
$5,000 per year (total $20,000 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 Solinsky Engineers Program
Who qualifies
Must plan to major in one of Clarkson's eight engineering bachelor's degree programs and complete the Solinsky Engineers Program application. Up to 100 first-year engineering students per year.
How to keep it
$5,000 per year for up to four years of undergraduate study, for a total of $20,000.
Worth knowing
Engineering-only. Separate Solinsky application required. Deadline December 1 (Early Decision) or February 1 (Regular Decision); early applications reviewed as submitted.
Early Decision Incentive Scholarship$8,000 total ($2,000 per year over four years)Not automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
Early Decision Incentive Scholarship
$8,000 total ($2,000 per year 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 Early Decision Incentive Scholarship
Who qualifies
Apply for admission via Early Decision no later than December 1; be a new incoming freshman; submit the Early Decision admission deposit within two weeks of the financial aid notice.
How to keep it
Split evenly over four years ($2,000 per year).
Worth knowing
Exclusively for Early Decision applicants. This is an ADD-ON on top of merit awards, not standalone merit. Tied to the December 1 ED deadline and deposit timing.
Clarkson Visit Scholarship$1,000 per year (total $4,000 over four years)Not automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
Clarkson Visit Scholarship
$1,000 per year (total $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 Clarkson Visit Scholarship
Who qualifies
Complete an official undergraduate admissions visit to the Potsdam, NY campus. Visits must be completed by December 1 (Early Decision) or February 15 (Regular Decision) of senior year.
How to keep it
Renewable each year for four years for a total of $4,000.
Worth knowing
Earned by visiting campus; only one $1,000 award regardless of number of visits. Stacks as an add-on (does not require academic stats).
Heintzelman Cape Cod Scholars Program$12,500 per year (total $50,000 over four years)Not automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
Heintzelman Cape Cod Scholars Program
$12,500 per year (total $50,000 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 Heintzelman Cape Cod Scholars Program
Who qualifies
Must attend a Cape Cod, Massachusetts area high school; submit a Clarkson admission application and Heintzelman Scholars Program materials including a short essay or video. For 'high achieving' Cape Cod students.
How to keep it
$12,500 per year for up to four years of undergraduate study.
Worth knowing
Geographically restricted to Cape Cod, MA high school students. Separate application required.
Project Lead the Way Scholarship$2,000 (10 students per year)Not automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
Project Lead the Way Scholarship
$2,000 (10 students per year)
Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.
GPA
Minimum overall high school average of 88
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for Project Lead the Way Scholarship
Who qualifies
Completed three of the five Project Lead the Way courses in high school; submit a transcript confirming completion and one teacher/advisor recommendation; complete the PLTW scholarship application. Awarded to 10 students each year.
How to keep it
Renewal/per-year vs. one-time not stated on the page.
Worth knowing
One of the few Clarkson awards with an explicit academic cutoff (88 HS average) plus a PLTW coursework requirement.
Holcroft Alumni Recognition Awards$500 per yearNot automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
Holcroft Alumni Recognition Awards
$500 per year
Published amountNot 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 Holcroft Alumni Recognition Awards
Who qualifies
Based on strong potential for success and a recommendation from a Clarkson alumnus/alumna. One award only, regardless of number of recommendations. Recommendation letters due February 1 (December 1 for Early Decision).
How to keep it
Stated as '$500 per year'; renewal terms beyond that not detailed.
Worth knowing
Small add-on award requiring an alumni recommendation letter.
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 Alumni Legacy Award
Who qualifies
Indicate on the admission application that you have a mother, father, grandfather, or grandmother who attended Clarkson. Only one Alumni Legacy Award regardless of how many alumni family connections.
How to keep it
Page does not state renewal; appears to be a flat $1,000 award.
Worth knowing
Legacy add-on (parent/grandparent attended). Distinct from the Alumni Family Award ($500, for sibling/aunt/uncle/cousin).
This page covers one school.
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“it told me what to ask and what the renewal GPA looked like, which I was not going to find on my own”Melissa
The fine print
Aid capHard $86,456 cost-of-attendance ceiling
Institutional aid at Clarkson cannot push the package past $86,456. Big outside wins can mathematically reduce institutional grant once the ceiling is reached.
Old Main at Clarkson University
What makes Clarkson different
Clarkson considers every applicant automatically for merit scholarships off the admission application, with two flagship $30,000/year renewable Leadership and Achievement awards (counselor-nominated) and a full-tuition Ignite Presidential Fellowship for 10 students; most other named awards are small, deadline-gated add-ons.
Merit tiers10See who qualifies
First-year students with school awards27%First-year students, CDS 2024-2025
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team
Selection beyond grades and scores
Start with the selection process.
These awards are not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read each award's selection rules, application steps and dates. Meeting a minimum is not an award offer.
Read the selection rules
Look for the school's stated criteria and whether an additional application is needed.
Check the application dates
Confirm the current admission and scholarship deadlines directly with the school.
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.
A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.
See what could change an award+
Straight from the aid office
What Clarkson's aid office says
Per Undergraduate Admissions, Clarkson University, August 2026. How we verify
GPA used for merit
Which GPA counts for merit awards, weighted or unweighted?
Weighted, with a check attached — the office said it reads the school profile alongside the GPA to confirm the weighting is accurate. That matters for students at high schools with unusual scales: the number on the transcript is the starting point, not the final input.
“We look at the weighted GPA; however, we also review the school profile to ensure the weight is accurate.”
Superscoring and retakes
If he retakes the SAT, can a better score raise the award, and do you superscore?
Yes on both counts, which makes a fall retake financially live rather than just admissions-relevant. The office said stronger scores could affect merit awards, so a student sitting near a threshold has a concrete reason to test again before decisions are made.
“We do look at the superscores; stronger SAT scores could impact a student's merit-based scholarship(s).”
Automatic consideration
Is he automatically considered, or does he need a separate scholarship application?
Mostly automatic, with an explicit carve-out the office did not enumerate: some awards require an additional action. Since the reply does not say which ones, this is the exact question to put back to an admissions counselor by name rather than assuming the application covers everything.
“We automatically consider students for most scholarships; however, some do require an additional action.”
Outside scholarships
If he brings in an outside scholarship, what gets reduced?
Nothing, up to a ceiling — the office described stacking most outside awards up to the cost of attendance. That is a favorable answer, and the operative limit is total cost of attendance rather than the size of the Clarkson award, so outside money is worth pursuing until the package approaches that line.
“We will stack most outside scholarships up to the cost of attendance.”
Renewal
Is the award renewable all four years, and what happens if his GPA dips?
Renewable across four years or eight semesters on a passing, full-time standard rather than a stated GPA floor, which is a lower bar than most schools set. The exception is program-specific money such as the Honors scholarship, which carries its own GPA requirement, so a student holding both needs to track the stricter one.
“Scholarships are renewable for all four years/eight semesters as long as he is a passing, full-time student, with the exception of a few special programs that have GPA requirements, such as your Honors program scholarship.”
What families often miss
They are NOT student-applied or stats-triggered — they require a high school guidance counselor nomination during junior year, with final approval by Clarkson. If your counselor never nominates you, you cannot receive one.
It covers 'all tuition costs' only — not fees ($1,370), housing (~$10,840), or food ($8,528). With 2026-27 tuition of $61,594, that's substantial, but a recipient still owes the non-tuition portion of an $86,456 total cost of attendance.
To be eligible for merit scholarships and grants, Clarkson must receive your admission application by January 15 (December 1 for Early Decision). Specialty awards have their own earlier/separate deadlines: Ignite Feb 15, Solinsky Dec 1/Feb 1, Honors priority Jan 18, visit-completion Dec 1/Feb 15.
The 2026-27 'Total Costs' is $86,456 and 'Direct Costs' (billed) are $82,332 — tuition plus fees, housing, food, books, personal, transportation, and loan fees. Tuition-only awards leave a large remaining bill.
TE recipients cannot combine TE with other Clarkson scholarships or grants — TE is an either/or, not an add-on.
Clarkson won't cut its offer for outside awards UNLESS your all-sources total exceeds Clarkson's cost (a COA cap). And ROTC is not treated as an 'outside' scholarship — it can cause Clarkson awards to be adjusted for room-and-board incentives.
See costs and school data+
Who this school may work for
STEM-leaning students (especially engineering, where the Solinsky program adds $20,000) who can land a counselor nomination for a $30,000/year award or compete for the full-tuition Ignite Fellowship; also strong for visitors and Early Decision applicants who can stack small guaranteed add-ons.
Published yearly cost: Approximately $86,456 for 2026-2027. Source
Cost and graduation facts
Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at Clarkson, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.
Average annual net price by family income at Clarkson, academic year 2021-22
Family income
Average net price paid
$0–$30,000
$21,335
$30,001–$48,000
$19,934
$48,001–$75,000
$23,321
$75,001–$110,000
$30,990
$110,001+
$35,757
All income levels (average)
$30,305
Sticker price vs. what students actually pay
Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$59,398
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$30,305
That works out to roughly a 62% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $79,022 (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
75%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
85%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$26,000 (~$276/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$89,696
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
24%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
61%
See other scholarships and cost examples+
If your student brings another scholarship
Clarkson does NOT reduce its own scholarship/grant offer when a student wins an outside scholarship, UNLESS total scholarship money from all sources exceeds Clarkson's cost — i.e., a cost-of-attendance cap. ROTC scholarships are explicitly carved out and may cause Clarkson awards to be adjusted for room-and-board incentives. Separately, Tuition Exchange (TE) awards cannot be combined with other Clarkson scholarships or grants.
Outside awards displace only when the all-sources total exceeds Clarkson's cost. ROTC is not treated as an outside scholarship and can trigger an adjustment of Clarkson awards to accommodate room-and-board incentives. Clarkson's own named add-on awards (Visit, Early Decision Incentive, alumni awards, Solinsky) generally layer onto the base merit award; the page does not state internal caps among them, but TE recipients cannot combine TE with other Clarkson scholarships or grants.
Merit penetrationHow likely is merit aid here?From Clarkson’s Common Data Set: the share of first-year students who receive institutional merit and the average dollar amount when they do.
27%of admitsget merit
Average award$39,055Covers ~45% of $86,456 cost of attendance
At Clarkson, roughly 1 in 4 first-year admits receive institutional merit aid. The average award is $39,055 — about 45% of total cost.
As filed in Clarkson's CDS Section H2A: of 489 first-time, full-time degree-seeking freshmen, 134 had no financial need and received institutional merit (non-need) scholarship or grant aid, averaging $39,055. Across all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates: 660 of 2,189, averaging $32,768. Athletic awards are excluded per the CDS definition.
Receive institutional merit27%First-year students, Common Data Set 2024-2025
Average merit award$39,055Across recipients, Common Data Set 2024-2025
AmountVaries (counts toward normal institutional and merit scholarships)EligibilityPrivate college savings program; Tuition Rewards designated by sponsors (e.g., parents, grandparents).
Clarkson counts Tuition Rewards as part of normal institutional and merit scholarships. Confirmation from SAGE must reach Clarkson by February 1 of senior year.
AmountTE Set Rate $44,000 (2026-2027) + TE Merit Awards $4,000-$12,000EligibilityChildren of employees at TE member institutions; submit an admission application plus a Tuition Exchange application via your school's TE Liaison. ~75-80 applications, 8-10 grants awarded; Early Decision preferred.
TE recipients CANNOT combine these with other Clarkson scholarships or grants. Not general merit — eligibility is employment-based.
What is the deadline to be considered for merit scholarships?
Clarkson must receive your admission application by January 15 (December 1 if you apply Early Decision) to be eligible for merit scholarships and grants. Some named awards have separate deadlines — Ignite Presidential Fellowship February 15, Solinsky December 1 (ED) or February 1 (RD), Honors priority January 18.
Are Clarkson's merit scholarships automatic?
The base merit review is automatic — Clarkson 'automatically consider[s] all students for merit scholarships based on your admission application,' no separate application. But the flagship $30,000/year Leadership and Achievement awards are NOT automatic: they require a high school counselor nomination. Ignite, Solinsky, Heintzelman, PLTW, and the alumni awards each require their own separate application or qualifying action.
Does an outside scholarship reduce my Clarkson aid?
No — unless the total scholarship money from all sources exceeds Clarkson's cost of attendance, in which case awards are capped. ROTC scholarships are an exception: they aren't treated as outside scholarships, and your Clarkson awards may be adjusted to accommodate room-and-board incentives.
Can I combine a Tuition Exchange award with other Clarkson scholarships?
No. Tuition Exchange recipients cannot combine the TE Set Rate / TE Merit Award with other Clarkson scholarships or grants.
See sources and other schools+
How Clarkson compares
235 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use cost-of-attendance cap displacement.
Clarkson 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.
Clarkson 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 Clarkson’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.
