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Juniata scholarships and merit aid

Two prices: the posted one, and yours.

Posted price$79,950per year · 2026-2027 · cost of attendance
Yours?depends on the rules below

The short answer

Juniata awards automatic merit on admission. Juniata does not publish a GPA or test chart, so you cannot self-calculate the dollars.

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
5 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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Checking merit aid at Juniata

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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. Juniata Academic (Merit) Scholarship$16,000-$25,000 per yearNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Juniata Academic (Merit) Scholarship

    $16,000-$25,000 per year

    Published rangeNot 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 Juniata Academic (Merit) Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Awarded automatically to all accepted domestic students; students are 'automatically considered ... through the application and aid renewal process' and cannot apply directly. Based primarily on academic achievement; no published GPA/test cutoff grid.

    How to keep it

    Stated as 'renewable each year you attend our College' and 'renewable for up to eight fall/spring semesters as long as students continue to meet applicable criteria.' Juniata's Conditional Guarantee further states College-sponsored merit aid 'will remain unchanged for the student's four year of attendance,' conditioned on meeting acceptable standards of academic progress (see Catalog) and filing aid renewal by April 1. No specific renewal GPA is published.

    Worth knowing

    The $16,000-$25,000 range is published in an official Juniata financial-planning article (think.juniata.edu); see the stale-risk note in Section C — the article body also references dated FAFSA timing (Oct 1, 2016), so the exact range should be confirmed against the current award letter / aid office. The live aid landing page confirms 'All domestic students who are accepted to Juniata will be awarded a merit scholarship.' Marked automaticOnStats:false because no GPA/test grid is published — placement within the range is by holistic academic review, not a stated automatic stat threshold.

  2. The W. Clay and Kathryn H. Burkholder Merit ScholarshipsFull tuition, mandatory fees, room, board and related costs, plus $1,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    The W. Clay and Kathryn H. Burkholder Merit Scholarships

    Full tuition, mandatory fees, room, board and related costs, plus $1,000

    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 The W. Clay and Kathryn H. Burkholder Merit Scholarships

    Who qualifies

    Endowed/competitive; preference to students majoring in either pre-medical studies or music who demonstrate academic merit, including leadership, intellectual ability, and participation in extracurricular activities, as determined by the College. Priority is given to students who apply Early Action 1 or Early Decision.

    How to keep it

    'The scholarships shall be awarded to selected students for each of up to four years of study at Juniata College as long as they continue to maintain an appropriately high academic performance at the College.'

    Worth knowing

    Top-tier endowed full-ride. Competitive and selective ('one or more scholarships'). Apply Early Action 1 or Early Decision for priority. Students do not apply directly for endowed scholarships; they are automatically considered through the application/aid process.

  3. National Merit Scholarship$2,500AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    National Merit Scholarship

    $2,500

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for National Merit Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    National Merit Finalist or Semi-finalist, or National Achievement Finalist or Semifinalist. Send the financial aid office a copy of your official eligibility letter to qualify.

    How to keep it

    Page does not state renewal terms for this specific award.

    Worth knowing

    Flat add-on tied to a defined National Merit / National Achievement status (hence automaticOnStats:true on that credential). Requires submitting the official eligibility letter; not auto-applied without it.

  4. Concert Ensemble (Music) ScholarshipsUp to $5,000 per year (minimum $500 one-time for auditioners)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Concert Ensemble (Music) Scholarships

    Up to $5,000 per year (minimum $500 one-time for auditioners)

    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 Concert Ensemble (Music) Scholarships

    Who qualifies

    Open to non-music-major vocalists and instrumentalists; awarded by audition. Students must be admitted to Juniata. Students who audition receive at minimum a $500 one-time scholarship.

    How to keep it

    'Scholarship winners must remain in their ensemble each semester to retain their scholarship.'

    Worth knowing

    Talent-based, by audition; for non-music majors. The $5,000 is a per-year ceiling; the $500 minimum is a one-time award just for auditioning. Register for auditions at apply.juniata.edu/portal/MusicSch.

  5. Art Scholarships$500-$5,000 (minimum $500 one-time for a completed portfolio review)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Art Scholarships

    $500-$5,000 (minimum $500 one-time for a completed portfolio review)

    Published rangeNot 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 Art Scholarships

    Who qualifies

    For students interested in studying Studio Arts or Integrated Media Arts throughout their four years; awarded by portfolio review. Students must be admitted to Juniata. A completed portfolio review yields at minimum a $500 one-time scholarship.

    How to keep it

    'Scholarship winners will be expected to enroll in at least one art course per semester that they are enrolled at Juniata (designated by AR or IMA course prefix).'

    Worth knowing

    Talent/portfolio-based. Requires enrolling in at least one AR or IMA course each semester to keep it. Register for portfolio review at apply.juniata.edu/portal/ArtSch.

  6. International Student Merit ScholarshipsUp to $40,000 (USD) per yearNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    International Student Merit Scholarships

    Up to $40,000 (USD) per year

    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 International Student Merit Scholarships

    Who qualifies

    All admitted international applicants considered. Based primarily on academic achievement: grades, strength of academic program, TOEFL or IELTS scores, and SAT scores if submitted. No 'full cost' financial aid scholarships are available.

    How to keep it

    'renewable at the same dollar amount each year if you maintain satisfactory academic progress and full-time enrollment.'

    Worth knowing

    INTERNATIONAL students only (not for U.S. citizens / permanent residents). Page explicitly states full scholarships are not available. Renewal is at the same dollar amount, not a percentage.

  7. Global Scholars Award$2,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Global Scholars Award

    $2,000

    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 Global Scholars Award

    Who qualifies

    International students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievements, leadership potential, and a commitment to making a positive impact in their communities (competitive).

    How to keep it

    Page does not state renewal terms for this award.

    Worth knowing

    Competitive international award. Recipients receive $2,000 to support educational expenses including tuition, accommodation, and other academic needs.

Lights up against Juniata's published cutoffs. Not an award offer; confirm with the financial aid office. Award terms and residency rules change; some awards differ for in-state and out-of-state students. Always confirm at the school’s source page.

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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

Renewal ruleInternational Student Merit Scholarships: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

'renewable at the same dollar amount each year if you maintain satisfactory academic progress and full-time enrollment.' A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

Outside awardsNo published displacement order

Juniata's policy doesn't specify whether outside scholarships hit loans, grants, or only the COA ceiling. Get a written aid-office answer before chasing private awards.

What makes Juniata different

Every admitted domestic student gets an automatic, renewable academic merit scholarship; Juniata states its academic scholarships range from $16,000 to $25,000 a year, and a Conditional Guarantee freezes that merit aid for all four years.

Merit tiers71 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

More than one award path

Separate the two paths.

Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.

  1. Match the published criteria

    Use all requirements together, including residency and the entering class.

  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 Juniata's decision sheet

A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.

See what could change an award

Straight from the aid office

What Juniata's aid office says

Per the Office of Admission, Juniata College, August 2026. How we verify

GPA used for merit scholarships

What factor does the college use to consider students for merit scholarships?

The college uses the student's GPA for consideration of academic merit scholarships.

“Regarding the merit scholarship, we utilize the student GPA for consideration of academic merit scholarships.”
Weighted GPA usage

Will a weighted GPA be used if applicable?

If applicable, the college will use a weighted GPA to recognize students' scholastic success through high school.

“Our students are recognized for their continued scholastic success through high school, and we will use (if applicable) a weighted GPA.”
Scholarship consideration process

How are students considered for institutional scholarships?

At the point of application, each student is considered for any/all Juniata College institutional scholarships based on the application.

“At the point of application, we will consider each student for any/all Juniata College institutional scholarships based on the application.”
Merit scholarship criteria

Who determines the merit scholarship amount and criteria?

The office says it defers to Admissions for questions about the merit scholarship and the criteria used to determine the award amount, as that is not decided by the financial aid office.

“I am going to defer to Admissions to answer your question about his merit scholarship and the criteria used to determine the amount he is awarded as this is not something our office decides.”
Basis of financial aid

What determines the financial aid award?

Financial aid is based on FAFSA data received from the government after completing the 2027-2028 FAFSA.

“his financial aid is based on the FAFSA data that we receive from the government when you would complete the 2027-2028 FAFSA.”
Student Aid Index

How is the family's expected contribution calculated?

The government assigns a Student Aid Index (SAI) reflecting how much the family can contribute, based on 2025 tax year information.

“the government will assign a Student Aid Index (SAI) which is how much they feel your family can contribute to your son's education based on your tax information for tax year 2025.”
Need not fully met

Does the college meet full financial need?

The school does not meet 100% of every student's financial need but aims to build a strong aid package considering state grants, Pell, and federal loan eligibility.

“While we cannot meet 100% of every student's need, we do aim to create a strong financial aid package that takes into consideration any state grants or Pell your student may receive as well as federal loan eligibility.”
Outside scholarship impact

If my son wins an outside scholarship, will it reduce his loans or Juniata's award?

If he receives an outside scholarship after his award letter, aid would only be adjusted if needed based on calculated need, and since total aid cannot exceed cost of attendance, any reduction would come from private and/or federal loans first.

“If, once your son receives his award letter, he were to receive an outside scholarship, we would only adjust his aid if needed based on calculated need; we cannot award over the cost of attendance either however so we would reduce aid starting with private and/or federal loans first to prevent you from borrowing more than you need to, therefore saving you money in the long run.”
GPA/credit requirements for aid

What GPA and credits are needed to keep financial aid?

To maintain financial aid, students must earn at least a 1.66 GPA, earn at least 24 credits, and complete at least 67% of attempted credits for the year.

“it is expected that students receive at least a 1.66 GPA, earn at least 24 credits, and complete at least 67% of their attempted credits for the year.”
Failing to meet academic progress

What happens if my son doesn't meet the academic standards for aid?

If a student does not meet the academic progress standards for the year, he will receive a letter from the director requiring him to appeal for financial aid the following semester.

“Should your son not meet standards of academic progress for the year, he will receive a letter from our director requiring him to appeal for his financial aid the following semester.”
Appeal success likelihood

Is there a good chance of getting aid back after an appeal?

There are very few cases where a student does not get their aid back, as long as they have a solid plan to improve academically.

“There are very few circumstances in which a student does not receive their aid back as long as there is a solid plan to improve academically.”

What families often miss

  1. All accepted domestic students are awarded a merit scholarship automatically. Juniata states students are 'automatically considered for Juniata merit and endowed scholarships through the application and aid renewal process ... and cannot apply directly for them.' Just applying for admission triggers consideration.

  2. That range is published in a Juniata financial-planning article that also contains dated references (e.g., FAFSA filing 'after October 1, 2016'). The range is the school's own published figure, but confirm your specific award amount on your official Juniata award letter rather than assuming the top of the range.

  3. Juniata's published 2026-27 Total Cost of Attendance Before Financial Aid is $79,950 on campus. Direct charges ($77,700) exclude transportation, supplies, and miscellaneous estimates. Books are included in tuition, but the COA total is what aid is measured against.

  4. Juniata publishes a clear offset for the PA State Grant (it reduces Juniata grant/scholarship aid dollar-for-dollar where need is recognized) but does NOT publish a general displacement rule for private outside scholarships. Ask the aid office directly how a private outside award will affect your institutional merit aid before counting on it adding to your package.

  5. The Burkholder full-ride and the Simpson Memorial scholarships both state 'Priority is given to students who apply Early Action 1, or Early Decision.' Applying Regular Decision can quietly cost you priority for the largest awards.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Solid-to-strong students who want a guaranteed, automatic, no-application merit award with four-year price stability at a small liberal-arts college; talented musicians and studio-art students can stack audition/portfolio awards, and National Merit finalists/semifinalists get a flat add-on.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $79,950 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at Juniata, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$18,729
$30,001–$48,000$17,265
$48,001–$75,000$16,997
$75,001–$110,000$19,312
$110,001+$31,255
All income levels (average)$23,988

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$58,580
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$23,988

That works out to roughly a 67% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $71,850 (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
74%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
83%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$27,000 (~$286/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$56,918
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
34%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
75%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

No general institutional rule was found describing how third-party PRIVATE outside scholarships displace Juniata merit aid. The one explicit displacement rule on official pages is for the PA State Grant: Juniata reduces its own grant/scholarship aid by an amount equal to the value of the state grant where it has recognized financial need consistent with institutional practice. Talent awards (music, art) and the Burkholder/endowed awards function alongside the base academic merit scholarship, but the pages do not state an explicit 'stacks with' rule for private outside awards.

Only a state-grant displacement is documented. For private outside scholarships, no displacement policy is published on the Scholarships or Types of Aid pages, so the treatment of private outside awards against institutional merit aid is unconfirmed. The PA State Grant language is the clearest displacement signal and is grant-first against need-recognized institutional aid.

Source

Other Juniata scholarships worth checking

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

Amount$1,000 per year for four yearsEligibilityAwarded to an enrolled student who was referred to Juniata by an alumnus or parent through the Community Scholarship referral program. Referral deadline: Nov. 15 of the student's high school senior year.

Recruitment/referral-based, not a stats award; named in honor of the referrer at no cost to the referrer. Easy-to-miss add-on for students introduced to Juniata by an alum or parent of a current student.

Source

AmountVaries (2 awarded annually)EligibilityTransfer students with active Phi Theta Kappa membership at their current community college and at least a 3.85 GPA.

Two awarded each year. To apply, contact admissions at admissions@juniata.edu. Amount not published on the page.

Source

AmountFull (tuition and mandatory fees)EligibilityNEED-BASED. Graduating student of Somerset Area High School, Somerset, PA, who demonstrates financial need, academic proficiency in the natural sciences, and leadership potential.

Need-based (renewal contingent on continuing financial need and satisfactory academic performance); very narrow geographic eligibility (one high school).

Source

AmountTuition scholarship (varies; at least one awarded annually)EligibilityDeserving applicants who evidence outstanding attributes of citizenship, useful purpose, and academic promise. Priority to students who apply Early Action 1 or Early Decision.

Endowed; for a full four-year course contingent on maintaining suitable standards. Exact dollar amount not published.

Source

Juniata merit aid FAQ

  • Do I have to apply separately for Juniata's merit scholarship?

    No. All accepted domestic students are automatically awarded a merit scholarship. Juniata states students are automatically considered for merit and endowed scholarships through the application and aid-renewal process and cannot apply directly for them. Talent awards (music auditions, art portfolio review) and a few endowed/transfer scholarships do require an audition, portfolio, or contacting admissions.

  • How much is the Juniata merit scholarship?

    Juniata states its academic scholarships range from $16,000 to $25,000 per year and are renewable each year you attend. Your exact amount is set by holistic academic review and shown on your official award letter. National Merit finalists/semifinalists add a flat $2,500, and music/art talent awards can add up to $5,000/year.

  • Will my merit aid drop after freshman year?

    Juniata's Conditional Guarantee says College-sponsored merit aid 'will remain unchanged for the student's four year of attendance,' provided you meet acceptable standards of academic progress and file aid renewal applications by April 1. The scholarship is renewable for up to eight fall/spring semesters. Significant changes to family/financial circumstances may still change need-based assistance.

  • Does Juniata stack outside scholarships, or do they reduce my aid?

    It depends on the source. Juniata explicitly reduces its own grant/scholarship aid by the value of the PA State Grant where it has recognized your financial need. For private outside scholarships, Juniata does not publish a displacement policy, so confirm with the Office of Student Financial Planning (814-641-3142) how a specific outside award will affect your package.

See sources and other schools

How Juniata compares

  • 133 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use unclear or unpublished displacement.

    Juniata is in a recognizable cluster (133 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

  • 133 of 749 verified schools publish no clear displacement order.

    Juniata is one of them. The right move is the aid-office email script below, not a guess.

  • 665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

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

Compare with similar schools

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