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Muskingum University · Ohio

Muskingum scholarships and merit aid

DRAFT: Muskingum pairs an automatic GPA/curriculum-based academic scholarship program (grid published only as an image) with a competitive full-tuition John Glenn Scholarship earned through its on-campus Scholarship Day program — but caps total Muskingum-funded aid at 75% of tuition for everyone except John Glenn winners.

Verified Jul 20262 months ago

The short answer

Is Muskingum worth a closer look?

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

Merit tiers73 based on grades or scores
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.

Amount not published

Academic Scholarships (First-Year)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
Based on strength of high school curriculum and GPA (specific grid published only as an image)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Application for admission serves as the scholarship application

How to keep it

Muskingum Academic Scholarship renewal requires a 2.5 cumulative GPA per the Scholarship & Award Provisions chart. Amounts remain constant for the duration of attendance.

Notes

The award grid itself is published only as an image file (First Year Scholarships 24.png), so dollar tiers and exact GPA cutoffs could not be extracted as text. Amounts not published in machine-readable form.

Source

Full tuition

John Glenn Scholarship

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Awarded to a small number of entering first-year students through the Academic Scholarship Program (Scholarship Days); competitive/holistic selection

How to keep it

Renewal criteria: 3.0 cumulative GPA. Adjusted annually to match tuition (excluding overload charges). Standard duration four years / eight regular semesters.

Notes

Muskingum's highest academic award. The only award exempt from the 75%-of-tuition institutional aid cap and the only one that escalates with tuition.

Source

$500-$2,000

Impact Scholarships

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Based on participation in the Academic Scholarship Program (Scholarship Days)

How to keep it

Renewable annually; renewal requires Satisfactory Academic Progress per the Provisions chart.

Notes

Earned by attending the Scholarship Day program; stacks on top of the base academic scholarship subject to institutional caps.

Source

$2,000

Out-of-State Grant

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Incoming domestic students who are residents of a state other than Ohio

How to keep it

Renewal not specifically stated on the first-year page; Muskingum award amounts remain constant for duration of attendance per Provisions.

Notes

Stated as 'up to $2,000' — treat $2,000 as a maximum.

Source

Amount not published

Transfer Academic Scholarships

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
Based on cumulative college/university GPA; if 15 credits or fewer, based on combination of high school GPA, curriculum, and college GPA
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

16+ semester credit hours for the college-GPA grid; $1,000 of the award requires living on campus

How to keep it

Students must be attending full-time and be making Satisfactory Academic Progress for renewal of Muskingum Awards and Awards of Circumstance.

Notes

Transfer grid is published only as an image (Transfer Scholarships 24.png) so dollar tiers could not be extracted. Page notes the grid is 'the minimum yearly academic scholarship you will be awarded upon confirmation of transcript information.'

Source

$5,000-$11,500

Muskie Awards (Transfer)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
Defined GPA standards (specific cutoffs not published on the page)
SAT
Defined ACT/SAT standards (specific cutoffs not published)
ACT
Defined ACT/SAT standards (specific cutoffs not published)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

For students who do not qualify for academic scholarships

How to keep it

Renewal requires Satisfactory Academic Progress per the Provisions chart (Muskie Award row).

Notes

Listed on the transfer-scholarships page under 'Muskingum Awards'.

Source

$3,600

Choose Ohio First Scholarships

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Ohio residency required; science/technology fields; separate Science Division/Choose Ohio First application

How to keep it

Renewal terms not stated on the first-year page.

Notes

Stated as 'up to $3,600 per year'; funded through a grant from the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

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 Muskingum's published information.

  • Renewal ruleTransfer Academic Scholarships: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

    Students must be attending full-time and be making Satisfactory Academic Progress for renewal of Muskingum Awards and Awards of Circumstance. 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 Provisions page caps annual Muskingum-funded scholarship, award and grant assistance at 75% of tuition for everyone except John Glenn Scholarship recipients. Stacking multiple awards beyond that point yields no additional money.

  2. If academic scholarships, Muskingum Awards, Performance Awards, or Awards of Circumstance are made or increased AFTER a need-based aid package has been offered, the total increase in Muskingum-funded aid is limited to $1,000 (single increase) or $1,500 (multiple increases).

  3. Per the Provisions page, scholarship and award amounts remain constant for the duration of attendance — only the John Glenn Scholarship is adjusted annually to match tuition. A flat $ award covers a shrinking share of cost each year.

  4. Renewal GPAs differ by award: John Glenn 3.0; Education/Science Division 2.75 plus continuation in major; Academic/International Scholarships 2.5; PLUS Opportunity 2.0 plus 12 credits and Premier-level participation. Students falling below get a one-semester warning before losing the award.

  5. External scholarships of $100 or more must be reported. In most cases they reduce direct cost, loans, or work-study, but the page states 'There may be instances where it is necessary to adjust grants or scholarships.'

  6. The transfer-scholarship page states '$1,000 of your award requires that you live on campus' — commuting can cost $1,000 of the academic award. Legacy Grants similarly drop from $3,000 to $1,500 for commuters.

  7. Impact Scholarships ($500-$2,000, renewable) and eligibility for the full-tuition John Glenn Scholarship both run through the Academic Scholarship Program (Scholarship Days). Skipping the event forfeits both.

  8. The Provisions page states students must annually file the FAFSA to be considered for need-based assistance in addition to scholarships and awards.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

DRAFT: Strong students willing to attend Scholarship Day to compete for the full-tuition John Glenn award, plus solid-but-not-top students who can collect stackable smaller awards (Out-of-State, Legacy, Presbyterian, STEM) under the 75%-of-tuition cap.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $51,144 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at Muskingum, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$14,684
$30,001–$48,000$14,479
$48,001–$75,000$16,336
$75,001–$110,000$21,372
$110,001+$23,493
All income levels (average)$19,532

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$32,665
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$19,532

That works out to roughly a 56% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $44,658 (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
56%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
73%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$25,369 (~$269/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$48,440
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
46%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
98%
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): Adjustments to previously awarded financial aid will be made where necessary. In most cases, external award(s) will reduce the direct cost to family, loans, or work-study. There may be instances where it is necessary to adjust grants or scholarships.

Source

Other Muskingum scholarships worth checking

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

AmountUp to $3,000/year (on campus); up to $1,500/year (commuter/off campus)EligibilityDependent child, grandchild, or sibling of a former Muskingum student who completed at least two years/four semesters, or sibling of a current dependent Muskingum student; other immediate-family cases may be approved.

Requires completing the Legacy Grant information form. Amount differs by housing status.

Source

AmountUp to $1,000/yearEligibilityCommunicant members of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Automatically awarded, but students must complete the Presbyterian Grant information sheet.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityStudents majoring in a STEM discipline or related field; automatic consideration upon admission.

Renewable four years provided the student continues progression in a STEM major; no separate application.

Source

AmountUp to $2,000/yearEligibilityOutstanding students pursuing a degree in the natural and physical sciences; selected by the Science Division; separate application.

Renewal requires 2.75 cumulative GPA and continuation in major per Provisions chart.

Source

AmountUp to $2,000 per semesterEligibilityNeed-based; students using PLUS Program Services at the 4 or 5 hours/week level.

Limited to three years (not four). Renewal: 2.0 cumulative GPA, 12 credits/semester, Premier-level PLUS participation. PLUS services themselves carry fees up to $9,000/year (2026-27).

Source

AmountUp to $1,000EligibilityTransfer students who are members of Phi Theta Kappa.

In addition to the academic scholarship.

Source

AmountUp to $2,500 annuallyEligibilityStudents transferring from Zane State College who meet certain GPA and credit requirements.

In addition to the academic scholarship; requirements in a separate agreement PDF.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityParticipation or major in the listed areas; respective academic departments select recipients.

Renewal requires departmental GPA and participation requirements. Per the transfer page, first-time performance awards to upperclassmen are limited to $500 per award. Amounts may vary based on level of participation.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityStudents competing on the varsity esports or archery teams; coach selects recipients.

Contact the respective coach and complete the recruit form.

Source

Muskingum merit aid FAQ

  • Is there a separate scholarship application or deadline?

    The application for admission serves as the application for scholarships and awards unless otherwise noted. No published scholarship-application deadline was found on the pages opened; the John Glenn and Impact Scholarships require participation in the Scholarship Day program (dates via the admission office).

  • How do I qualify for the full-tuition John Glenn Scholarship?

    It is offered to a small number of entering first-year students through the Academic Scholarship Program (Scholarship Days); per the admissions Scholarship Days page it requires an ACT/SAT score and holistic review. It renews with a 3.0 cumulative GPA and is the only award adjusted annually to match tuition.

  • What GPA do I need to keep my scholarship?

    John Glenn: 3.0 cumulative. Education Department/Science Division: 2.75 plus continuation in major. Muskingum Academic/International: 2.5. PLUS Opportunity: 2.0 plus 12 credits per semester. Muskie/Impact/Housing awards: Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students who fall below receive a warning semester before losing the award.

  • Do outside scholarships reduce my Muskingum aid?

    In most cases external awards reduce the direct cost to family, loans, or work-study, but Muskingum states there may be instances where grants or scholarships are adjusted. External scholarships of $100 or greater must be reported through the student portal.

  • What does Muskingum cost for 2026-27?

    Published 2026-27 totals: tuition $33,568; activity/technology fees $940; room (standard double) & meal plan $13,746; laundry $172 — total estimated direct charges $48,426 on campus, and total estimated costs (including books, transportation, personal) $51,144.

See sources and other schools

How Muskingum compares

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

    Muskingum 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.

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

Compare with similar schools

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