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John Brown University · Arkansas

John Brown University scholarships and merit aid

JBU posts a fully automatic Assured Merit Award grid ($6,000-$13,000/yr on GPA + superscored ACT/SAT/CLT) that renews for up to eight semesters at a 3.0 GPA; top stats (3.9 GPA / 29 ACT / 1330 SAT / 95 CLT) instead earn an invitation to a Scholarship Competition for the $15,000 Chancellor's and up to $15,000 more in Presidential money.

Verified Jun 20263 months ago

The short answer

Is John Brown University worth a closer look?

John Brown University is worth checking if your student has strong grades or scores. We found 8 published awards, and 3 are based on those numbers.

Merit tiers83 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJun 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.

$6,000-$13,000 per year

Assured Merit Award (first-time students)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.0+ HS GPA grid (3.0-3.19 = $6,000 up to 3.8-3.89 = $13,000); 3.9+ is instead invited to the Scholarship Competition
SAT
1020-1320 (superscored)
ACT
20-28 (superscored); higher of GPA/test used
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

CLT 63-94; JBU uses whichever of GPA/ACT/SAT/CLT gives the highest scholarship; writing portion of ACT/SAT not evaluated

How to keep it

Academic scholarships are renewable for up to eight semesters so long as you maintain a 3.0 GPA.

Notes

Fully automatic. You may receive only one Assured Merit Award and JBU automatically awards the highest amount for which you qualify. The published grid: 3.8-3.89 GPA / 28 ACT / 1300-1320 SAT / 93-94 CLT = $13,000; 3.7-3.79 / 27 / 1260-1290 / 89-91 = $12,000; 3.6-3.69 / 26 / 1230-1250 / 86-88 = $10,000; 3.4-3.59 / 24-25 / 1160-1220 / 79-85 = $8,000; 3.2-3.39 / 21-23 / 1090-1150 / 67-78 = $7,000; 3.0-3.19 / 20 / 1020-1080 / 63-66 = $6,000. The 3.9+ / 29+ / 1330+ / 95+ row is 'Invited to Scholarship Competition' rather than a dollar amount (see Chancellor's/Presidential tiers).

Source

$6,000-$13,000 per year

Assured Merit Award (transfer students)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
Cumulative college GPA: 3.0-3.19 = $6,000; 3.2-3.29 = $7,000; 3.3-3.39 = $8,000; 3.4-3.49 = $10,000; 3.5-3.59 = $12,000; 3.6+ = $13,000
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Transfer student with 24 hours of credit

How to keep it

Academic scholarships are renewable for up to eight semesters so long as you maintain a 3.0 GPA.

Notes

Automatic on transfer cumulative college GPA. Awarded using the transfer chart, not the first-time-student chart.

Source

$17,000

JBU National Merit Award

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

First-time college student who is a National Merit Finalist or Semi-Finalist

How to keep it

Renewal not separately stated for this award; JBU academic scholarships generally renew for up to eight semesters at a 3.0 GPA. National Merit Finalists/Semi-Finalists retain this award unless they receive the Presidential Scholarship.

Notes

Automatic for qualifying National Merit Finalists/Semi-Finalists. National Merit Finalists and Semi-Finalists retain the JBU National Merit Award unless they are selected to receive the Presidential Scholarship, in which case they receive both the Chancellor's and Presidential Scholarships instead.

Source

$15,000

Chancellor's Scholarship

Apply separatelyCan continue
GPA
Top academic criteria (automatic invitation at 3.9 GPA) OR demonstrated exceptional leadership
SAT
1330 SAT superscore (automatic invitation)
ACT
29 ACT superscore (automatic invitation)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Must be a high school senior applying for the fall semester; invited to and interviews at the Scholarship Competition; CLT 89 superscore also triggers an automatic invitation

How to keep it

JBU academic scholarships are renewable for up to eight semesters so long as you maintain a 3.0 GPA. The Chancellor's Scholarship replaces any previously awarded Assured Merit Award.

Notes

Competitive, not automatic-by-stats: requires an invitation to the Scholarship Competition and an interview. If you are awarded the Chancellor's Scholarship, it will replace any previously awarded Assured Merit Award. Automatic invitations to compete are extended to students with at least a 3.9 GPA or a 29 ACT, 1330 SAT or 89 CLT superscore.

Source

up to $15,000 (stackable)

Presidential Scholarship

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Awarded only to students who first receive the Chancellor's Scholarship at the Scholarship Competition; JBU's most prestigious scholarship

How to keep it

JBU academic scholarships are renewable for up to eight semesters so long as you maintain a 3.0 GPA.

Notes

Stacks on top of the Chancellor's Scholarship (page labels it 'up to $15,000 (stackable)' and 'worth up to an additional $15,000'). Students who receive the Chancellor's Scholarship are also considered for the Presidential. A student selected for the Presidential receives both the Chancellor's and Presidential, for up to $30,000 combined.

Source

up to $12,000

JBU Visual Art Scholarship

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

New first-year student majoring in Art & Illustration, Digital Cinema, Graphic Design, Photography or Visual FX; awarded on portfolio review, faculty recommendation, academic standing and personal character

How to keep it

Renewable for up to four years provided you remain an art major.

Notes

Departmental award decided by portfolio review. Requires staying an art major to renew.

Source

starting at $3,000 per year

JBU Music & Theatre Scholarship (majors)

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

New student majoring in music education, integrated music studies or performing arts; enrolled full-time (at least 12 hours); awarded on a completed audition

How to keep it

Scholarships are renewable up to four years; major scholarships increase by $1,000/year for every year the student stays in the degree program.

Notes

Awarded on audition; amount based on demonstrated talent. Max award for incoming students is typically $7,000/year. Increases $1,000/year while the student stays in the degree program. Music and theatre scholarships do not stack with each other (you cannot receive both a major scholarship and an ensemble scholarship in the same semester). Minors start at $1,000/year (fixed); non-major ensemble performers get $500/semester (max $500).

Source

$500

JBU Legacy Award

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Be a dependent of a JBU graduate, OR be the sibling of a current JBU student; enrolled full-time (at least 12 hours)

How to keep it

Renewable for up to four years.

Notes

Indicate your legacy status in your application for admission. Small, but stacks with academic merit.

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 John Brown University's published information.

  • Aid capHard $44,748 cost-of-attendance ceiling

    Institutional aid at John Brown University cannot push the package past $44,748. Big outside wins can mathematically reduce institutional grant once the ceiling is reached.

What families often miss

  1. The top row of the grid is NOT a dollar amount — it is 'Invited to Scholarship Competition.' Those students must actually attend and interview at the on-campus Scholarship Competition to earn the $15,000 Chancellor's (and only then are considered for the Presidential). Strong stats earn an invitation, not a guaranteed check.

  2. If you are awarded the Chancellor's Scholarship, it REPLACES any previously awarded Assured Merit Award — it does not add to it. The Presidential, by contrast, is the award that stacks (on top of the Chancellor's).

  3. JBU academic scholarships renew for up to eight semesters only so long as you maintain a 3.0 GPA. Drop below it and the merit award is at risk — a different cliff than the (lower) state Academic Challenge 2.5 GPA renewal.

  4. To be invited to compete you must be admitted by the cutoff: Fall admission deadline October 24 (competition Nov 2-3); Spring admission deadline January 16 (competition Jan 25-26). The competition is the only path to the Chancellor's/Presidential.

  5. That 2026-2027 figure is full-time tuition + general fee ($33,692) + residence-hall room ($5,212) + average board ($5,844). Books (Regal Ready ~$27/credit hour), personal expenses, and any health insurance are on top; exact board varies by meal plan.

  6. The JBU Family Christian Service Award (up to $1,000) is NEED-BASED — it requires the FAFSA and a parent in full-time Christian service, and you must reapply every year.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Christian-college applicants with a 3.0+ GPA who want a published, automatic merit award they can predict from a chart; very strong students (3.9+/29 ACT) who will compete in the on-campus Scholarship Competition for the stackable Chancellor's + Presidential; National Merit Finalists/Semi-Finalists; arts, music/theatre, and athletics talent; and JBU legacies.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $44,748 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at John Brown University, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$17,484
$30,001–$48,000$17,210
$48,001–$75,000$16,655
$75,001–$110,000$21,433
$110,001+$24,627
All income levels (average)$20,397

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$31,756
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$20,397

That works out to roughly a 54% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $44,710 (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
72%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
81%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$21,250 (~$225/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$53,907
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
34%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
41%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

JBU's published stacking/displacement rules differ by award. For ATHLETES, total aid from ALL sources (including academic scholarships, need-based aid, federal/state grants, loans, work-study and any outside scholarships) is capped at full-time tuition + room and board + general fee + up to $600 in course fees, and the athletic scholarship is reduced dollar-for-dollar by other sources — a COA-cap. For non-athletes, no general outside-scholarship displacement rule is published on the scholarships page; recipients of an outside scholarship are only told to complete the Outside Scholarship Notification Form. Within named awards, the Presidential explicitly stacks on the Chancellor's, but Music & Theatre awards do NOT stack with each other and the Chancellor's REPLACES any prior Assured Merit Award.

Athletic Policy 1 is an explicit total-aid cap with outside-scholarship displacement (athletic scholarship 'may be reduced by the amount received from any other source'). The general (non-athlete) page does not state how an outside scholarship reduces JBU institutional merit aid; it only requires notification. displacementType is set to 'coa-cap' to reflect the one published cap (athletics); confirm the non-athlete treatment with the aid office (see Section C).

Source

Other John Brown University scholarships worth checking

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

AmountUp to $1,000EligibilityDependent of parent(s) employed in full-time Christian service; demonstrate financial need via FAFSA; enrolled full-time.

NEED-BASED (FAFSA required). Must reapply every year by completing the FAFSA. Distinctive to JBU's Christian mission.

Source

AmountUp to $500EligibilitySee JBU Church Matching Grant details on the scholarships page.

Matching-type grant tied to a student's home church gift; amount up to $500.

Source

Amount$5,000EligibilityJunior or senior JBU student admitted to the Upper Division Nursing Program; recipients chosen by Northwest Healthcare System.

Outside award (selected by the health system, not JBU). Renewable for up to two years with acceptable application.

Source

AmountOne-time award of $2,000EligibilityIncoming freshmen who receive the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship.

Bridges the Year-1 ($1,000) vs Year-2 ($4,000) gap in the state Academic Challenge award. Not renewable. State-linked, not pure JBU merit.

Source

John Brown University merit aid FAQ

  • Is the JBU academic scholarship automatic?

    Yes for the Assured Merit Award. JBU considers your high school GPA and superscored ACT/SAT/CLT and automatically awards the highest amount you qualify for ($6,000-$13,000/yr). The Chancellor's ($15,000) and Presidential (up to $15,000 more) are NOT automatic — they require an invitation to and interview at the on-campus Scholarship Competition.

  • What GPA do I need to keep my scholarship?

    Academic scholarships are renewable for up to eight semesters so long as you maintain a 3.0 GPA.

  • When is the scholarship deadline?

    To be invited to the Scholarship Competition you must be admitted by the deadline: Fall admission October 24 (competition November 2-3); Spring admission January 16 (competition January 25-26).

  • Can I combine JBU scholarships?

    Some, not all. The Presidential stacks on top of the Chancellor's. But the Chancellor's REPLACES any prior Assured Merit Award, and Music & Theatre awards do not stack with each other. Athletes face an overall cap: total aid from all sources can't exceed tuition + room and board + general fee + up to $600 in course fees, and the athletic scholarship is reduced by other awards (including outside scholarships).

  • Do I get money for being a National Merit Finalist?

    Yes. First-time students who are National Merit Finalists or Semi-Finalists receive the JBU National Merit Award ($17,000), retained unless you're selected for the Presidential (in which case you receive both the Chancellor's and Presidential instead).

See sources and other schools

How John Brown University compares

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

    John Brown University 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.

    John Brown 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.

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

    John Brown University 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 John Brown University’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.

Compare with similar schools

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