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Faulkner scholarships and merit aid

The short answer

Faulkner may be worth checking, but its awards do not follow a simple grades-and-scores chart. Start with the published scholarships below.

Where does your student land?

Verified Jun 2026
2 school sources to explore

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

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. Founder's Award$14,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Founder's Award

    $14,000

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

    SAT
    1360 & above
    ACT
    30 & above
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Founder's Award

    Who qualifies

    98 & above on the CLT. Freshmen applicants only. Traditional students only; full-time enrollment (at least 12 semester hours) required.

    How to keep it

    Unless otherwise noted, all scholarships are renewable upon meeting the continuation criteria for up to nine (9) semesters. (Specific continuation criteria for this award are not stated on the page.)

    Worth knowing

    Page says admitted students 'will be considered for' these academic scholarships; it does not explicitly say awarding is automatic with no application, so automaticOnStats is conservatively false.

  2. Trustee's Award$12,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Trustee's Award

    $12,000

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

    SAT
    1200-1350
    ACT
    25-29
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Trustee's Award

    Who qualifies

    79-94 on the CLT. Freshmen applicants only; traditional, full-time students.

    How to keep it

    Renewable upon meeting the continuation criteria for up to nine (9) semesters (criteria not stated on the page).

  3. President's Award$10,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    President's Award

    $10,000

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

    SAT
    1030-1190
    ACT
    20-24
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for President's Award

    Who qualifies

    61-76 on the CLT. Freshmen applicants only; traditional, full-time students.

    How to keep it

    Renewable upon meeting the continuation criteria for up to nine (9) semesters (criteria not stated on the page).

  4. Dean's Award$9,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Dean's Award

    $9,000

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

    SAT
    960-1020
    ACT
    18-19
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Dean's Award

    Who qualifies

    54-58 on the CLT. Freshmen applicants only; traditional, full-time students.

    How to keep it

    Renewable upon meeting the continuation criteria for up to nine (9) semesters (criteria not stated on the page).

  5. Faulkner Merit Award$6,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Faulkner Merit Award

    $6,000

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

    SAT
    950 & below
    ACT
    17 & below
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Faulkner Merit Award

    Who qualifies

    50 & below on the CLT. Freshmen applicants only; traditional, full-time students.

    How to keep it

    Renewable upon meeting the continuation criteria for up to nine (9) semesters (criteria not stated on the page).

    Worth knowing

    Notable floor award: even students below ACT 18 are listed for a $6,000/year award.

  6. National Merit Finalist/Semi-Finalist ScholarshipFull tuition, room, board, and mandatory fees (Finalists); Full tuition (Semi-Finalists)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    National Merit Finalist/Semi-Finalist Scholarship

    Full tuition, room, board, and mandatory fees (Finalists); Full tuition (Semi-Finalists)

    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 National Merit Finalist/Semi-Finalist Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Must be confirmed as a National Merit Finalist or Semi-Finalist and have listed Faulkner University as their first-choice university with the National Merit Corporation. Freshmen applicants only.

    How to keep it

    General policy: renewable upon meeting the continuation criteria for up to nine (9) semesters (criteria not stated on the page).

    Worth knowing

    Funding is 'when coordinated with state, federal, and institutional scholarships and awards' — i.e., it tops up other aid to the stated level rather than stacking on top of it.

  7. The Zorn Scholarship (Jack Zorn Scholarship)Full tuitionNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    The Zorn Scholarship (Jack Zorn Scholarship)

    Full tuition

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

    GPA
    3.0 in Bible courses (to maintain)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for The Zorn Scholarship (Jack Zorn Scholarship)

    Who qualifies

    Traditional undergraduate Bible majors who are active members of the churches of Christ. Requires FAFSA, an interview with the Dean of the College of Biblical Studies, and a letter of recommendation from an elder or minister. Acceptance for admission does not constitute automatic approval; the university determines the number of scholarships each year.

    How to keep it

    Available for a maximum of five years. Recipients must complete the FAFSA each academic year, live on campus, remain enrolled full-time as a traditional undergraduate, maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 in Bible courses, take a minimum of two Bible courses per semester, and complete 64 hours of ministry/service work a semester.

    Worth knowing

    Tuition-only: 'Students are responsible for room and board, plus fees.' Covers only courses on the Bible-major degree plan; other courses billed at the standard hourly rate. Summer courses excluded except BI 4332. Cannot be stacked with other institutional scholarships, and Faulkner may substitute a portion with funded/endowed scholarships. Priority consideration if requirements completed by December 15.

  8. Transfer Scholarship$4,000-$8,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Transfer Scholarship

    $4,000-$8,000

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

    GPA
    2.0 minimum; tiers at 2.0 ($4,000), 2.5 ($5,000), 3.0 ($6,000), 3.4 ($7,000), 3.8 ($8,000)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Transfer Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Transfer applicants only; based on cumulative GPA from all colleges attended. Additional need-based scholarships may be considered for transfers upon receiving FAFSA.

    How to keep it

    General policy: renewable upon meeting the continuation criteria for up to nine (9) semesters (criteria not stated on the page).

  9. Performing Arts Scholarship$16,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Performing Arts Scholarship

    $16,000

    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 Performing Arts Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Must be accepted through admissions and the music program (chorus, marching band, color guard).

    How to keep it

    General policy: renewable upon meeting the continuation criteria for up to nine (9) semesters (criteria not stated on the page).

    Worth knowing

    Page describes the amount as 'Guaranteed $16,000' and tells prospective students to 'contact their admission counselor to discuss how this scholarship works alongside other awards from Faulkner' — interaction with other awards is not specified on the page.

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The fine print

Renewal ruleThe Zorn Scholarship (Jack Zorn Scholarship): renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

Available for a maximum of five years. Recipients must complete the FAFSA each academic year, live on campus, remain enrolled full-time as a traditional undergraduate, maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 in Bible courses, take a minimum of two Bible courses per semester, and complete 64 hours of ministry/service work a semester. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

What makes Faulkner different

DRAFT: Faulkner publishes a clean test-score-banded academic award ladder ($6,000-$14,000) for freshmen — every admitted traditional freshman lands in a band, even sub-17 ACT — plus a full-tuition Zorn Scholarship for Bible majors and a National Merit award worth up to tuition, room, board, and fees.

Merit tiers9See who qualifies
Research checkedJun 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.

  1. Read the selection rules

    Look for the school's stated criteria and whether an additional application is needed.

  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 Faulkner'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. Faulkner explicitly adjusts its own awards downward if the total aid package exceeds the direct cost of education (tuition, fees, room and board): 'the amount of the scholarship or award from Faulkner will be adjusted to preclude the awarding of a credit or refund.'

  2. Finalist/Semi-Finalist funding is 'when coordinated with state, federal, and institutional scholarships and awards' — it fills the package up to full tuition (Semi-Finalist) or full tuition, room, board, and fees (Finalist); other aid counts toward that total.

  3. Zorn is tuition-only ('Students are responsible for room and board, plus fees'), is limited to courses on the Bible-major degree plan, excludes most summer courses, cannot be stacked with other institutional scholarships, and never exceeds full tuition. It also carries heavy ongoing obligations: on-campus residency, two Bible courses per semester, a 3.0 Bible-course GPA, and 64 hours of ministry/service work per semester.

  4. The page states: 'Adults who are classified as traditional students are not eligible for the scholarships, awards, or grants herein described' — the published awards are only for students in the traditional program.

  5. The page requires it: 'All students receiving scholarships or awards are required to apply for all federal and state aid available,' with FAFSA priority given to filers by December 15. Zorn Scholars must file the FAFSA every year.

  6. Full-time enrollment (at least 12 semester hours) is required for any scholarship, and scholarships are renewable 'for up to nine (9) semesters' only.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

DRAFT: Traditional (not adult) students of any test level get a guaranteed-looking band award; church-of-Christ students planning a Bible major can pursue full tuition via the Zorn Scholarship, and National Merit Finalists can reach a full-direct-cost package.

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at Faulkner, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$23,385
$30,001–$48,000$20,897
$48,001–$75,000$19,170
$75,001–$110,000$21,255
$110,001+$22,835
All income levels (average)$22,085

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Total cost of attendance (sticker), AY 2021-22
$37,626
Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$23,920
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$22,085

That works out to an average 41% discount off the sticker price above — both figures come from the same federal AY 2021-22 Scorecard report, not a number the school itself published.

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
37%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
64%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$23,000 (~$244/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$43,457
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
52%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
63%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

Faulkner caps total aid at the direct cost of education: if a student's financial aid package exceeds tuition, fees, room and board, the Faulkner scholarship/award is reduced so no credit or refund is created. Several awards (National Merit, Christian High School Award) are explicitly 'coordinated with' federal, state, and institutional aid — meaning they fill up to a stated level rather than stacking — and the Zorn Scholarship cannot be stacked with other institutional scholarships. All scholarship recipients are required to apply for all available federal and state aid.

The cap is at DIRECT cost (tuition, fees, room and board), not full COA. The page does not specifically address how private outside scholarships are treated, so outside displacement is unclear; the stated mechanism reduces the Faulkner-funded award when the total package exceeds direct costs.

Source

Other Faulkner scholarships worth checking

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

AmountUp to $2,500EligibilityPhi Theta Kappa members in good standing with at least a 3.25 GPA.

Page wording: 'May be awarded' — not guaranteed.

Source

AmountUp to 25% of tuitionEligibilityGraduate of a high school affiliated with the churches of Christ and a member of the National Christian School Association (NCSA).

'When coordinated with all federal, state, and other institutional grants' — fills to a level rather than stacking.

Source

Amount$500 per yearEligibilityStudents who receive awards from Faulkner representatives at various Christian summer camps.

Grant/award category: renewal contingent on FAFSA completion, funding levels, financial need, and satisfactory academic progress.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityParticipants in the Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes program who submit scholarship applications by the published deadline; the program's National Office recommends students to Faulkner.

Recommendation-based; award not guaranteed.

Source

Amount$500 per yearEligibilityChildren of a Faulkner alumnus or siblings of a current Faulkner student.

Source

AmountAmount not published (varying amounts)EligibilityStudents who demonstrate financial need as evidenced by the yearly FAFSA.

Need-based, not merit; renewal contingent on FAFSA, funding levels, continued need, and satisfactory academic progress.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityAwarded by academic departments in addition to Student Financial Services awards; contact the department.

Source

Faulkner merit aid FAQ

  • What is the scholarship/FAFSA priority deadline?

    Priority is given to students completing the FAFSA by December 15. Zorn Scholarship applicants who are admitted and complete all scholarship requirements by December 15 each year receive priority consideration. (The page does not attach a specific year to these dates.)

  • How much can a freshman get from the academic award ladder?

    $6,000 (ACT 17 & below) up to $14,000 (ACT 30+/SAT 1360+/CLT 98+) per year, in five bands. Amounts are for one academic year, half awarded each of fall and spring.

  • Are the academic awards automatic?

    The page says students 'who have been accepted for admission to Faulkner will be considered for' these scholarships — it does not state they are automatic. Families should confirm with admissions whether any separate application step is needed.

  • How long do scholarships last?

    Unless otherwise noted, all scholarships are renewable upon meeting the continuation criteria for up to nine (9) semesters. The Zorn Scholarship is available for a maximum of five years.

  • What does Faulkner cost?

    For 2026-2027, traditional block tuition is $12,300 per semester (12-18 hours), residence halls run about $2,100-$2,150 per semester (private-room charges extra), and meal plans run $975-$2,320 per semester. Faulkner does not publish a single full cost-of-attendance total on these pages.

See sources and other schools

How Faulkner compares

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

    Faulkner 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.

    Faulkner 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.

  • 132 of 749 verified schools publish a dedicated National Merit Finalist package.

    Faulkner is one of them. NMF packages typically carry their own stacking and renewal carve-outs separate from the standard automatic merit ladder; confirm those before assuming the headline NMF value is final.

Sources used on this page

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

Compare with similar schools

Keep exploring Faulkner merit aid

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