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Lindsey Wilson scholarships and merit aid

The short answer

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

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
2 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. ACT-Banded Freshman Scholarship Ladder (Trustee / V.P. Henry / L.R. McDonald Presidential / A.P. White / John B. Horton)$15,000-Full tuition (Up to, by ACT band)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    ACT-Banded Freshman Scholarship Ladder (Trustee / V.P. Henry / L.R. McDonald Presidential / A.P. White / John B. Horton)

    $15,000-Full tuition (Up to, by ACT band)

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

    GPA
    3.0 minimum high school GPA (all bands)
    ACT
    Trustee: 30 (up to full tuition); V.P. Henry: 27-29 (up to $18,000); L.R. McDonald Presidential: 24-26 (up to $17,000); A.P. White: 21 (up to $16,000); John B. Horton: 18-20 (up to $15,000)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for ACT-Banded Freshman Scholarship Ladder (Trustee / V.P. Henry / L.R. McDonald Presidential / A.P. White / John B. Horton)

    Who qualifies

    First-time, full-time freshmen. Trustee, V.P. Henry, and L.R. McDonald are explicitly labeled 'Need-based'; A.P. White and Horton are not. All amounts are 'Up to' figures.

    How to keep it

    Academic scholarships require a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and completion of a minimum of 24 credit hours per academic year (or program-specific standards). Failure results in forfeiture; reinstatement is possible but not guaranteed and subject to availability of funds.

    Worth knowing

    Page lists each as a separate named award; the page does NOT state awards are automatic, and three of the five are labeled need-based — a merit ladder with a need component. No student may hold more than one institutional academic scholarship (Begley/Wesley excepted).

  2. Begley ScholarshipFull tuition, fees, housing, and food (residential); tuition and fees only if commutingNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Begley Scholarship

    Full tuition, fees, housing, and food (residential); tuition and fees only if commuting

    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 minimum high school GPA
    ACT
    24 minimum composite
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Begley Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Competitive, for graduating high school seniors: FAFSA required; typewritten essay on a committee-chosen topic; three letters of reference (at least one from a high school instructor); application for admission, transcript, ACT/SAT scores. One scholarship per year is also awarded to a returning student via faculty/staff nomination plus essay.

    How to keep it

    Subject to the general academic scholarship renewal standard (2.5 cumulative GPA, 24 credit hours/year) unless the program specifies otherwise; not stated separately on the page.

    Worth knowing

    Lindsey Wilson's full-cost flagship. One of only two programs (with Wesley) that can be held alongside another institutional academic scholarship.

  3. Wesley ScholarshipAmount not publishedNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Wesley Scholarship

    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
    3.0 minimum on a 4.0 scale
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Wesley Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Graduating high school seniors active in their local church with demonstrated church leadership and career plans including service to God and their church. Competitive: application to LWU and the Wesley Scholars program, FAFSA, letters of reference from a pastor and a teacher, attendance at Wesley Scholars Day in the spring. Scholars may choose any major but must concurrently earn a major in Christian ministries.

    How to keep it

    Wesley Scholars must maintain a 3.0 GPA grade point average.

    Worth knowing

    The dollar value is not stated on the page. Exempt (with Begley) from the one-institutional-scholarship rule.

  4. Award for Excellence (National Merit/Achievement Semifinalists)Full tuition (Up to)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Award for Excellence (National Merit/Achievement Semifinalists)

    Full tuition (Up to)

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

    GPA
    3.0 minimum high school GPA
    ACT
    24 minimum composite
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Award for Excellence (National Merit/Achievement Semifinalists)

    Who qualifies

    First-time, full-time freshmen; National Merit Semifinalists or National Achievement Semifinalists. Students with ACT below 24 or GPA below 3.0 may receive up to one-half tuition.

  5. Walter S. Reuling Scholarship (Valedictorian)Full tuition (Up to)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Walter S. Reuling Scholarship (Valedictorian)

    Full tuition (Up to)

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

    GPA
    3.0 minimum high school GPA
    ACT
    24 minimum composite
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Walter S. Reuling Scholarship (Valedictorian)

    Who qualifies

    Valedictorian ('No other students may share the same honor.'); first-time, full-time freshmen. ACT below 24 or GPA below 3.0 may receive up to one-half tuition.

  6. Kentucky Governor's Scholar ScholarshipFull tuition (Up to)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Kentucky Governor's Scholar Scholarship

    Full tuition (Up to)

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

    GPA
    3.0 minimum high school GPA
    ACT
    24 minimum composite
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Kentucky Governor's Scholar Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Kentucky Governor's Scholar, Governor's School for the Arts, or Governor's School of Entrepreneurship participants; need-based; first-time freshmen. Below 24 ACT / 3.0 GPA may receive a partial scholarship.

    Worth knowing

    The companion Rogers Scholar Scholarship is also up to full tuition with identical ACT 24 / GPA 3.0 / need-based terms (one-half tuition fallback).

  7. Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES)Amount not published (varies)AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES)

    Amount not published (varies)

    Variable or qualified amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Based on high school grade point averages
    ACT
    Based on ACT scores
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES)

    Who qualifies

    Must be a Kentucky high school graduate; administered by KHEAA; application is not required.

    How to keep it

    Renewal is contingent on college cumulative GPA: 3.00 or higher, OR between 2.50 and 2.99 while certified as on track to graduate.

    Worth knowing

    State-administered award listed on LWU's scholarships page; LWU's page does not publish dollar amounts.

Lights up against Lindsey Wilson's published cutoffs. Not an award offer; confirm with the financial aid office.

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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 ruleACT-Banded Freshman Scholarship Ladder (Trustee / V.P. Henry / L.R. McDonald Presidential / A.P. White / John B. Horton): renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

Academic scholarships require a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and completion of a minimum of 24 credit hours per academic year (or program-specific standards). Failure results in forfeiture; reinstatement is possible but not guaranteed and subject to availability of funds. 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

Lindsey Wilson'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 Lindsey Wilson different

Lindsey Wilson (recently renamed from College to University) runs an ACT-banded scholarship ladder from $15,000 to full tuition — but enforces a strict one-institutional-scholarship rule and a 2.5 GPA + 24-credit-hour renewal requirement, with its full-cost Begley Scholarship as the marquee competitive award.

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 Lindsey Wilson'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. The page is explicit: 'No student will receive more than one institutional academic scholarship except for the Begley Scholars and the Wesley Scholars Programs.' Only the Eagle Scout/Girl Scout Gold award is marked as stackable with academic scholarships.

  2. Falling short on either forfeits the scholarship; reinstatement after recovery 'is not guaranteed and is subject to availability of funds.'

  3. Every tier is an 'Up to' figure, several tiers (Trustee, V.P. Henry, L.R. McDonald, Governor's/Rogers Scholar) are explicitly 'Need-based,' and the full-tuition awards drop to one-half tuition (or partial) if the student is below ACT 24 / GPA 3.0.

  4. The Begley covers tuition, fees, housing, and food for residential students, but 'If a student chooses to commute, the scholarship will cover tuition and fees only.'

  5. Wesley Scholars 'must also concurrently earn a major in Christian ministries' alongside any other major, and must maintain a 3.0 GPA — higher than the 2.5 general scholarship standard.

  6. The Other Scholarships page states institutional grants and scholarships are for 'Students enrolled on the A.P. White campus in Columbia' (the First Responders 10%-off award is the listed online/extended exception).

  7. Neither scholarships page addresses how outside/private scholarships interact with institutional aid; ask the aid office in writing before counting on stacking.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Test-strong students (ACT-based ladder; a 30 ACT can mean full tuition), Kentucky recognition-award holders (Governor's Scholars, Rogers Scholars, valedictorians), and church-active students chasing the full-cost Begley or Wesley programs.

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at Lindsey Wilson, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$14,745
$30,001–$48,000$10,966
$48,001–$75,000$16,066
$75,001–$110,000$17,208
$110,001+$18,182
All income levels (average)$15,070

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Total cost of attendance (sticker), AY 2021-22
$40,879
Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$27,808
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$15,070

That works out to an average 63% 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
44%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
63%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$16,784 (~$178/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$41,129
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
57%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
47%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

Hard one-award rule: no student may receive more than one institutional academic scholarship, except participants in the Begley Scholars and Wesley Scholars programs. The Eagle Scout & Girl Scout Gold award ($1,000) is explicitly stackable with other academic scholarships. Institutional grants and scholarships are limited to students enrolled on the A.P. White (Columbia) campus. Treatment of outside/private scholarships is not addressed on the pages opened.

From the Academic Scholarships page: 'No student will receive more than one institutional academic scholarship except for the Begley Scholars and the Wesley Scholars Programs.' From the same page: Eagle Scout & Girl Scout Gold 'Can be in addition to other academic scholarships.' From the Other Scholarships page: 'Students enrolled on the A.P. White campus in Columbia are eligible for institutional grants and scholarships.'

Source

Other Lindsey Wilson scholarships worth checking

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

AmountUp to $1,000EligibilityEagle Scout (Scouting America) or Girl Scout Gold (by age 18); ACT 24; HS GPA 3.0; two reference letters (one from a Scouting official); one-page essay on the benefits of scouting

Explicitly 'Can be in addition to other academic scholarships' — the one stackable add-on.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityNeed-based; PTK member at a community college transferring with a minimum of 60 earned credit hours; minimum GPA 3.5; essay to Financial Aid Office; proof of membership

Listed for transfers 'to any Lindsey Wilson University community campus.' (Page says 'Minimum high school GPA of 3.5' — likely means transfer GPA; ask the aid office.)

Source

AmountUp to $1,500EligibilityDependent student whose parent or grandparent graduated from LWU

Source

AmountUp to one-half tuitionEligibilityDependent unmarried children under 24 and/or spouses of a Kentucky United Methodist Minister in full-time service (also available for those of a deceased full-time KY UM Minister)

Source

AmountUp to $3,500EligibilityDYW participants with minimum 3.0 HS GPA (Scholastic Winner or Winner: up to $3,500)

Source

AmountUp to $1,100EligibilityQualifying students from eastern Kentucky; funded by the E.O. Robinson Foundation

Source

Amount$500/semester full-time on Columbia campus ($250 part-time); 10% off tuition per semester online/extended campusesEligibilityFirst responders (law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, dispatchers) with 1+ year of service, plus their spouses and children; application + documentation; maintain 2.5 GPA

Email financialaid@lindsey.edu for the application.

Source

AmountUp to $1,000EligibilityActive member of the United Methodist Church; written recommendation from minister

Source

AmountUp to $2,500EligibilityTaylor County resident; HS GPA, ACT and need considered

Source

AmountAmount varies (based on remaining need-based eligibility)EligibilityFinancially needy entering or current students; HS GPA 3.3+; record of community service; priority to students accepted into the education program

Source

AmountAmount not published on this pageEligibility15 unique, domestic, low-income students with academic ability/talent/potential and demonstrated financial need pursuing biology and math degrees

Contact nissleyl@lindsey.edu; program detail page not opened in this session.

Source

Lindsey Wilson merit aid FAQ

  • What is the scholarship deadline?

    No deadlines are published on the Academic Scholarships or Other Scholarships pages. The Begley requires completing its essay/reference process (see Scholars Day page) and Wesley Scholars must attend Wesley Scholars Day 'held during the spring.' Confirm dates with admissions.

  • What ACT score do I need for each scholarship?

    With a 3.0 HS GPA: ACT 18-20 → John B. Horton (up to $15,000); ACT 21 → A.P. White (up to $16,000); ACT 24-26 → L.R. McDonald Presidential (up to $17,000); ACT 27-29 → V.P. Henry (up to $18,000); ACT 30 → Trustee (up to full tuition). All are 'up to' amounts and several are need-based.

  • What does the Begley Scholarship cover?

    Tuition, fees, housing, and food for residential students (tuition and fees only for commuters). It's competitive: ACT 24+, GPA 3.0+, FAFSA, an essay, and three reference letters.

  • What does Lindsey Wilson cost?

    Published 2025-26 rates: $19,387 per semester for a residential student (tuition $14,040, activity fee $92, technology fee $64, housing $1,886, food $3,305) — about $38,774 per year in direct charges. The 2026-27 schedule is published as a separate PDF; a full COA with indirect costs was not posted on the page.

  • I'm a KY Governor's Scholar / Rogers Scholar / valedictorian — what do I get?

    Each has a named award worth up to full tuition (need-based for Governor's/Rogers) with ACT 24 and GPA 3.0; below those marks the award drops to partial/one-half tuition.

See sources and other schools

How Lindsey Wilson compares

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

    Lindsey Wilson 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.

    Lindsey Wilson 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.

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

Compare with similar schools

Keep exploring Lindsey Wilson merit aid

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