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Guilford College · North Carolina

Guilford scholarships and merit aid

Quaker-founded Guilford College promises every first-time applicant at least $15,000/year in institutional aid through the Guilford College Commitment, layers named merit scholarships on a holistic (test-optional) admission review, and locks tuition for four years — but caps most institutional aid at 100 percent of tuition when combined with certain non-Guilford awards.

Verified Jul 20262 months ago

The short answer

Is Guilford worth a closer look?

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

Merit tiers11See who qualifies
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

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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.

$15,000-$27,000+ per year

The Guilford College Commitment (merit scholarships)

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Holistic review of the admission application (grades, coursework, SAT/ACT or writing portfolio — test-optional, class rank, leadership, community service, extracurriculars). No separate application; every first-time applicant qualifies for at least $15,000/year.

How to keep it

All Guilford College scholarships and grants require full-time enrollment and good academic standing; students are eligible for Guilford financial aid for a total of 8 semesters. Commitment FAQ: "You must remain enrolled as a full-time student at Guilford College in good academic and conduct standing."

Notes

No GPA/test grid is published. CONFLICT: the High School Students page instead says scholarships "range from $5,000 to more than $20,000 each year for four years" — see Section C. Tuition is also locked at the admitted rate for four years (4-1-0 advantage).

Source

Amount not published

Transfer merit scholarships

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Who qualifies

Apply as a transfer student; all transfer applications are considered for merit scholarships. A campus visit adds a $500 Visit Grant.

How to keep it

Same institutional rules: full-time enrollment, good academic standing, 8-semester limit on Guilford aid.

Notes

Distinct transfer track: the scholarships page states merit scholarships are awarded to incoming first-year AND transfer students; no separate transfer amount grid is published.

Source

Amount not published

Nathan Hunt Scholarship

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Who qualifies

Highest level of academic achievement plus creativity, integrity, perseverance, and fortitude; selected from the admission application.

How to keep it

Page-wide rule: all Guilford scholarships require full-time enrollment and good academic standing to retain.

Notes

Top-listed named Guilford College Merit Scholarship.

Source

Amount not published

J. Floyd "Pete" Moore Scholarship

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Who qualifies

Demonstrated ability to connect interest in world issues with academic pursuits with excellence.

How to keep it

Page-wide rule: full-time enrollment and good academic standing required to retain institutional aid.

Source

Amount not published

Eugene Thompson Scholarship

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Who qualifies

Strong ability and passion for connecting with others; values strong writing and speaking.

How to keep it

Page-wide rule: full-time enrollment and good academic standing required to retain institutional aid.

Source

Amount not published

Clara Cox Scholarship

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Who qualifies

Selection criteria not published on the page (only the namesake's biography is given).

How to keep it

Page-wide rule: full-time enrollment and good academic standing required to retain institutional aid.

Source

Amount not published

Harriet Peck Scholarship

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Selection criteria not published on the page (only the namesake's biography is given).

How to keep it

Page-wide rule: full-time enrollment and good academic standing required to retain institutional aid.

Source

Amount not published

Nereus and Oriana Mendenhall Scholarship

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Selection criteria not published on the page (only the namesakes' biography is given).

How to keep it

Page-wide rule: full-time enrollment and good academic standing required to retain institutional aid.

Source

Amount not published

T. Gilbert Pearson Scholarship

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Selection criteria not published on the page (only the namesake's biography is given).

How to keep it

Page-wide rule: full-time enrollment and good academic standing required to retain institutional aid.

Source

$10,000

Algernon Sydney Sullivan Scholar Program

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Who qualifies

Character and service: honesty, morality, ethics, integrity, responsibility, determination, courage and compassion; must show they serve the needs of others and the community.

How to keep it

"This program offers a $10,000 renewable scholarship each year." Recipients must complete program expectations (80+ hours of service in year one, design/implement a social-innovation program in years two through four).

Source

Amount not published

Quaker Leadership Scholarship Program (QLSP)

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See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Selected on the basis of interest in the Religious Society of Friends as well as leadership and academic potential; an average of 8-10 awarded per entering first-year class. Open to Quaker and non-Quaker students per the Ethical Leadership page.

How to keep it

Financial awards renewable for four years; requires good academic standing and participation in program activities (mentoring, community service, internships, Quaker studies courses, campus groups).

Notes

Selective four-year named program coordinated through Campus Ministry/Friends Center.

Source

See what could change an award

Rules that could change the answer

These are the rules we would flag for your family. Each comes from Guilford's published information.

  • Renewal ruleThe Guilford College Commitment (merit scholarships): renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

    All Guilford College scholarships and grants require full-time enrollment and good academic standing; students are eligible for Guilford financial aid for a total of 8 semesters. Commitment FAQ: "You must remain enrolled as a full-time student at Guilford College in good academic and conduct standing." A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

What families often miss

  1. The scholarships page states: "Most institutional aid is restricted from paying more than 100 percent of tuition when combined with certain non-Guilford awards." Institutional aid is tuition-capped in those combinations — it will not cover housing, food, or fees once the cap is hit.

  2. Guilford's need-based grant can be displaced: "If you receive a scholarship from any source after being awarded the Guilford Grant, the grant may be reduced by the amount of the scholarship... This can occur before, during or at the conclusion of any semester."

  3. The scholarships page warns: "Students who receive other funding resources such as Tuition Remission, Veteran's Benefits, or full tuition scholarships will see their Merit Scholarships cancelled or reduced depending on the funds received."

  4. "Students are eligible for Guilford financial aid for a total of 8 semesters." A fifth year is not covered by Guilford scholarships/grants.

  5. All Guilford scholarships and grants require full-time enrollment and good academic standing. The catalog adds cumulative-GPA floors to stay aid-eligible: 1.6 (53 credits or less), 1.8 (54-86 credits), 2.0 (87+ credits).

  6. Merit comes from the admission application, but "Guilford College has a priority FAFSA filing deadline of January 5 each year!" and "grant funding is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis" — late filers can miss need-based grant money.

  7. The 4-1-0 page guarantees only that "your Guilford tuition will not increase" for four years. Housing, meal plans, and fees are priced separately on the 2026-27 tuition page and are "subject to change."

  8. It is gated by residency and income: only Guilford County Schools graduates (continuously enrolled since 9th grade) with family AGI under $75,000 get full tuition awards; AGI $75,001-150,000 may get only up to $3,000/year — and it is tuition-only, not a full ride.

  9. Guilford's own pages disagree: the 4-1-0 page says Commitment offers run "$15,000 per year... up to $27,000 per year or more," while the High School Students page says scholarships "range from $5,000 to more than $20,000 each year." No GPA/test grid is published; the binding number is the one in your admission offer.

  10. The Commitment FAQ states: "The Housing Grant is renewable in future years as long as you remain living on campus." Moving off campus forfeits it.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Students who want guaranteed, sizable institutional aid without submitting test scores — every admitted first-time applicant is promised at least $15,000/year, with larger awards going to stronger academic and leadership profiles. Transfer students are also considered for merit, and Quaker-connected and service-minded students have extra named-program money to chase.

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at Guilford, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$18,367
$30,001–$48,000$22,825
$48,001–$75,000$34,680
$75,001–$110,000$49,275
$110,001+$49,368
All income levels (average)$22,270

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Total cost of attendance (sticker), AY 2021-22
$55,689
Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$41,362
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$22,270

That works out to an average 60% 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
46%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
65%
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)
$47,590
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
58%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
62%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

Outside scholarships reduce loans and/or work-study first; institutional grants are only reduced if required to prevent an over-award.

Verified policy language (2026-07-02): Institutional policy is to apply outside scholarships to any remaining financial need. If you do not have remaining financial need, we will reduce federal work study and/or loans prior to making changes to any already awarded grants or scholarships. The total amount of your financial aid from all sources cannot exceed your cost of attendance.

Source

Other Guilford scholarships worth checking

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

Amount$500EligibilityTransfer applicants who visit campus.

"A campus visit qualifies for a $500 Visit Grant towards your financial aid package."

Source

AmountUp to $500EligibilityQuaker students whose Meeting House provides scholarship funds.

"Guilford matches scholarship funds provided by a student's Meeting House up to a maximum of $500." (Catalog 2025-2026.)

Source

AmountFull tuition (family AGI under $75,000) or up to $3,000/year (AGI $75,001-150,000)EligibilityGuilford County Schools graduates continuously enrolled since 9th grade; must complete FAFSA each year, complete the shift_ed application by July 1, stay full-time with at least a 2.0 GPA.

Income- and residency-gated partner tuition award, not a Guilford merit scholarship. "Full tuition" here is tuition only, not full cost of attendance.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityCommitment recipients living on campus.

"The Housing Grant is renewable in future years as long as you remain living on campus." Moving off campus ends it.

Source

AmountUp to $1,000EligibilityHonors Program seniors.

Not a tuition scholarship — funds conference presentations, grad-school applications/exams, or senior-thesis research. No Honors tuition scholarship is published.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityPer the 2025-2026 catalog, the full-need language applies to "Scholars enrolled prior to fall of 2021."

Catalog: scholars in that cohort "receive substantial grant and scholarship assistance to meet their financial need in full"; pays up to double room + Quaker 19 meal plan if need allows. Current-cohort terms not published — ask the Bonner Center.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityStudents who exemplify Guilford's Core Values of community, justice, equality, diversity, integrity, stewardship, and excellence.

Named on the Scholarships and Grants page; no amount or application detail published there.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityAcademically talented low-income STEM students.

Sponsored by the National Science Foundation; listed on the Scholarships and Grants page.

Source

Guilford merit aid FAQ

  • What is the scholarship deadline?

    There is no separate merit-scholarship application or deadline — the Commitment FAQ says "There's no separate application. Just apply to Guilford." For need-based aid, Guilford's priority FAFSA filing date is January 5 each year (January 5, 2026 for the 2026-27 cycle), and grant funding is first-come, first-served.

  • Do I need SAT/ACT scores to get merit aid?

    No. "Guilford College is 100 percent test optional, so no SAT or ACT scores are ever required to qualify for financial aid." Review is holistic: grades, coursework, scores or a writing portfolio, class rank, leadership, service, and extracurriculars.

  • How much merit money will I get?

    Per the 4-1-0 page, Guilford College Commitment offers "start at $15,000 per year and go up to $27,000 per year or more, depending on your academic success." (Note: the High School Students page gives a conflicting "$5,000 to more than $20,000" range.) No GPA/test award grid is published; your exact amount comes with your admission offer.

  • How do I keep my scholarship each year?

    Stay enrolled full-time in good academic (and conduct) standing. The catalog's aid GPA floors are 1.6 cumulative through 53 credits, 1.8 for 54-86 credits, and 2.0 for 87+ credits. Guilford aid is limited to 8 semesters total.

  • Will outside scholarships reduce my Guilford aid?

    They can. The Guilford Grant "may be reduced by the amount of the scholarship" received from any source, and most institutional aid cannot pay more than 100 percent of tuition when combined with certain non-Guilford awards. Tuition remission, veteran's benefits, or a full-tuition scholarship will cancel or reduce merit scholarships.

  • Is tuition really locked for four years?

    Yes — the 4-1-0 advantage: "When you are accepted at Guilford, you lock in tuition. For the next four years, we guarantee your Guilford tuition will not increase." The lock covers tuition only; housing, meals, and fees are separate and subject to change.

  • Do transfer students get merit scholarships?

    Yes — "All Transfer Student applications are considered for merit scholarships," and visiting campus qualifies a transfer applicant for a $500 Visit Grant.

See sources and other schools

How Guilford compares

  • 145 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use loan-first displacement.

    Guilford is in a recognizable cluster (145 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.

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

Compare with similar schools

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