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Gallaudet scholarships and merit aid

Two prices: the posted one, and yours.

Posted price$34,433per year · Not stated on page (retrieved 2026-06-07; tuition line appears to predate the 2026-2027 rate schedule) · cost of attendance
Yours?depends on the rules below

The short answer

Gallaudet 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 Jul 2026
6 school sources to explore

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

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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. Provost's Excellence$11,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Provost's Excellence

    $11,000

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

    GPA
    Not published (based on ACT, SAT, and GPA; exact cutoffs not stated)
    SAT
    Not published
    ACT
    Not published
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Provost's Excellence

    Who qualifies

    Must be a deaf or hard of hearing undergraduate; all newly admitted undergraduates are automatically considered by the Admissions Office — no separate application

    How to keep it

    Merit scholarships are renewable for students who continue to meet the established eligibility criteria. First-time freshmen may receive merit scholarships for up to eight consecutive semesters, provided they maintain required academic standing and full-time enrollment (per the undergraduate catalog).

    Worth knowing

    Top of three published merit levels, $11,000 per academic year. No GPA/test grid is published; the admissions Afford page offers a 'scholarship estimator tool' (JavaScript widget, values not published as text). automaticOnStats set false because pages state automatic CONSIDERATION based on stats but never publish the cutoff that guarantees the award.

  2. Dean's Prestige$9,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Dean's Prestige

    $9,000

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

    GPA
    Not published
    SAT
    Not published
    ACT
    Not published
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Dean's Prestige

    Who qualifies

    Deaf or hard of hearing undergraduate; automatic consideration on admission, no separate application

    How to keep it

    Renewable while continuing to meet established eligibility criteria; first-time freshmen up to eight consecutive semesters with required academic standing and full-time enrollment (per the undergraduate catalog).

    Worth knowing

    Middle merit level, $9,000 per academic year. Cutoffs not published.

  3. Academic Recognition$7,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Academic Recognition

    $7,000

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

    GPA
    Not published
    SAT
    Not published
    ACT
    Not published
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Academic Recognition

    Who qualifies

    Deaf or hard of hearing undergraduate; automatic consideration on admission, no separate application

    How to keep it

    Renewable while continuing to meet established eligibility criteria; first-time freshmen up to eight consecutive semesters with required academic standing and full-time enrollment (per the undergraduate catalog).

    Worth knowing

    Entry merit level, $7,000 per academic year. Cutoffs not published.

  4. Merit-Based Scholarships for Transfer StudentsAmount not published (same program as the $7,000-$11,000 freshman levels; no transfer-specific amounts stated)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Merit-Based Scholarships for Transfer Students

    Amount not published (same program as the $7,000-$11,000 freshman levels; no transfer-specific amounts stated)

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

    GPA
    Not published (based on high school or college academic record; exact cutoffs not stated)
    SAT
    Not published
    ACT
    Not published
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Merit-Based Scholarships for Transfer Students

    Who qualifies

    Deaf or hard of hearing new transfer student; all newly admitted transfer applicants are automatically considered by the Admissions Office — no separate application

    How to keep it

    Transfer students may receive merit scholarships for up to six consecutive semesters (three years of study), provided they maintain required academic standing and full-time enrollment.

    Worth knowing

    Distinct transfer track of the same merit program: shorter renewal window (6 semesters vs 8 for freshmen). Pages do not state whether transfer award amounts match the three published freshman levels.

  5. Merit-Based Scholarships For Students of Distinction (Honors Program)Amount not publishedNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Merit-Based Scholarships For Students of Distinction (Honors Program)

    Amount not published

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

    GPA
    3.2 cumulative GPA to retain (admission criteria not published)
    SAT
    Not published
    ACT
    Not published
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Merit-Based Scholarships For Students of Distinction (Honors Program)

    Who qualifies

    Requires admission to and participation in the Gallaudet University Honors Program

    How to keep it

    To retain the award: maintain a 3.2 cumulative GPA, continuous full-time student status, take a minimum of one Honors credit per semester, and advance to the Capstone in a timely manner.

    Worth knowing

    Additional merit money 'beyond the Provost's Excellence Scholarship level' for Honors Program admits; dollar amount is not published anywhere on the page.

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The fine print

Renewal ruleProvost's Excellence: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

Merit scholarships are renewable for students who continue to meet the established eligibility criteria. First-time freshmen may receive merit scholarships for up to eight consecutive semesters, provided they maintain required academic standing and full-time enrollment (per the undergraduate catalog). A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

Aid capHard $34,433 cost-of-attendance ceiling

Institutional aid at Gallaudet cannot push the package past $34,433. Big outside wins can mathematically reduce institutional grant once the ceiling is reached.

What makes Gallaudet different

Gallaudet automatically considers every newly admitted deaf and hard-of-hearing undergraduate for three flat-dollar merit scholarships ($7,000-$11,000 per year, no separate application), with an unpublished stats formula, an Honors top-up above the highest tier, and an overaward rule that can shrink institutional awards when outside money pushes you past financial need.

Merit tiers5See who qualifies
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.

  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 Gallaudet'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. Gallaudet publishes the three award amounts but NO GPA/ACT/SAT cutoff grid. Pages say students are 'automatically considered' based on ACT, SAT, and GPA, and the catalog adds 'other academic indicators' — the formula is not public. Use the scholarship estimator on the Afford page or ask Admissions for the current criteria before budgeting.

  2. The catalog's overaward policy says that if total assistance (including outside scholarships, VR support, waivers, stipends) exceeds your financial need, the Financial Aid Office 'may reduce or cancel awards.' Students 'must report any expected or received assistance.' The catalog also says the AwardSpring platform 'can also be used to replace existing institutional aid if appropriate.'

  3. Per the catalog, merit scholarships require 'required academic standing and full-time enrollment' and are capped at eight consecutive semesters for first-time freshmen and six consecutive semesters for transfers. A part-time semester or a fifth year can cost the award.

  4. The Honors award has its own retention rules: 3.2 cumulative GPA, continuous full-time status, at least one Honors credit every semester, and timely advancement to the Capstone. Missing any of these forfeits the award.

  5. The catalog states 'Timely acceptance of both admission and the scholarship offer is required.' No grace window is published — confirm the acceptance deadline with Admissions when the offer arrives.

  6. For Fall 2026 entry, Gallaudet must receive a valid 2026-2027 FAFSA by May 1 'to consider you for all aid programs,' and the page warns 'some aid is first come, first serve.' FAFSA is also the application for endowed/need-based scholarships.

  7. That figure (tuition & fees $19,658 + room and board $14,775) excludes books, supplies, transportation, and personal expenses, and its tuition line is lower than the official 2026-2027 schedule ($9,612/semester tuition plus $705/semester mandatory fees, about $20,634/year) — so the real 2026-27 total will be higher.

  8. Most endowed scholarships are restricted to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (I-151/I-551/I-551C), and international students 'become eligible to apply for scholarships after their first year of study.' Merit scholarships are described as for deaf and hard of hearing students who are newly admitted undergraduates.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Deaf and hard-of-hearing students with strong high school GPA and ACT/SAT scores who want predictable, renewable merit money at an already below-average-cost private university; the strongest admits can stack an additional Honors Program scholarship above the $11,000 Provost's Excellence level.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $34,433 for Not stated on page (retrieved 2026-06-07; tuition line appears to predate the 2026-2027 rate schedule). Source

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at Gallaudet, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$14,129
$30,001–$48,000$15,238
$48,001–$75,000$14,236
$75,001–$110,000$18,830
$110,001+$18,318
All income levels (average)$15,845

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$19,654
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$15,845

That works out to roughly a 61% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $40,374 (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
47%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
71%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$18,000 (~$191/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$43,101
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
61%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
41%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

Outside scholarships only trigger an aid adjustment if total aid would exceed the cost of attendance (or the student's aid eligibility cap); below that ceiling, awards are not displaced.

Verified policy language (2026-07-02): In cases where a student has been awarded financial aid and other financial assistance received exceeds the financial need amount, the Financial Aid Office must reduce or cancel any aid it has awarded to avoid “overawards” of federal aid.

Source

Other Gallaudet scholarships worth checking

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

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityMostly restricted to U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents (I-151, I-551, or I-551C); many have a financial-need criterion. FAFSA serves as the application — the Financial Aid Office matches students with donor criteria; no individual application needed.

Awarded by the Financial Aid Office from endowments and donations; the catalog says Gallaudet may use the AwardSpring platform to identify eligible students.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilitySupports women pursuing education (per the Financial Aid office program listing).

Listed as a program on the Financial Aid office landing page.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityInternational students become eligible to apply for scholarships after their first year of study.

Other listed international funds: Number Scholarship Fund, Sharon Trout-Atalig Memorial Scholarship Fund, Vilas M. Johnson, Jr., '59, International Scholarship Fund.

Source

AmountAmount not published ('a substantial amount of tuition waivers')EligibilityGallaudet employees and their immediate families may be eligible.

Listed under Other Financial Aid Opportunities on the admissions Afford page.

Source

AmountVaries by state (not published)EligibilityDeaf and hard of hearing individuals via their state VR agency; in many cases VR funding can be applied toward higher education.

More than half of Gallaudet's current students use VR funding per the Afford page. NOTE: VR support counts toward the overaward calculation and must be reported to the Financial Aid Office.

Source

Gallaudet merit aid FAQ

  • Is there a separate application or deadline for Gallaudet's merit scholarships?

    No separate application — all newly admitted first-time freshmen and transfer applicants are automatically considered by the Admissions Office, per the undergraduate catalog. But 'timely acceptance of both admission and the scholarship offer is required,' and the FAFSA priority deadline for all aid programs is May 1 for Fall 2026 entry (2026-2027 FAFSA).

  • How much are the merit scholarships worth?

    Three published levels per academic year: Provost's Excellence $11,000, Dean's Prestige $9,000, Academic Recognition $7,000. Honors Program admits may qualify for an additional merit scholarship 'beyond the Provost's Excellence Scholarship level' (amount not published).

  • What GPA or test scores do I need for each level?

    Gallaudet does not publish cutoffs. The pages say awards are based on ACT, SAT, and GPA (catalog: 'GPA, standardized test scores, and other academic indicators') and offer a scholarship estimator tool on the Afford page. Ask Admissions for the current criteria.

  • How long is the merit scholarship renewable?

    Up to eight consecutive semesters for first-time freshmen and six consecutive semesters for transfer students, provided you maintain required academic standing and full-time enrollment.

  • Will an outside scholarship or VR funding reduce my Gallaudet aid?

    It can. You must report all outside assistance, and if your total assistance exceeds your financial need, the Financial Aid Office 'may reduce or cancel awards to prevent overawards.' The reduction order (loans vs. grants first) is not published — ask the aid office.

  • What does Gallaudet cost per year?

    The admissions Afford page lists Annual Tuition & Fees $19,658, Room and Board $14,775, Total Costs Per Year $34,433 (books/personal expenses not included). The official 2026-2027 schedule sets undergraduate tuition at $9,612 per semester (12-18 credits) plus $705 per semester in mandatory fees.

See sources and other schools

How Gallaudet compares

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

    Gallaudet 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.

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

Compare with similar schools

  • American merit aid. District of Columbia private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • GWU merit aid. District of Columbia private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • Georgetown merit aid. District of Columbia private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • Catholic University merit aid. District of Columbia private school — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.

Keep exploring Gallaudet merit aid

The next chapter

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