The starting point
SPU guarantees every admitted 2026-27 student exactly one merit award — a faith-linked $25,400-$30,400 scholarship, a holistic $20,100-$30,400 merit scholarship, an invitation-only full-tuition Distinguished Scholar Award, or the Falcon Bound 90%-tuition commitment — plus a menu of explicitly stackable add-ons.
Selection beyond grades and scores. These awards are not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read each award's selection rules, application steps and dates. Meeting a minimum is not an award offer.
Awards to discuss
First 3 of 4 recorded awards, in chapter display order. This is a selection, not a ranking. Read the full chapter for all awards. Amounts retain the original units and conditions; confirm the entering year with the school.
Faith for the Future Merit Scholarship
$25,400-$30,400 · Published range
Not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules.
GPA: 3.0+ (unweighted)
Eligibility: At least one of: involvement in a Christian faith-based activity; graduation from a Christian high school (Catholic or Protestant); a parent working full-time in ministry
Renewal: Student must maintain continuous full-time enrollment (12+ credits per quarter) at Seattle Pacific University to continue receiving scholarship. Renewable scholarships are automatically renewed for up to 4 years if the student meets academic and enrollment requirements.
Other terms: One of four mutually exclusive merit awards — every student admitted for 2026-27 receives exactly one merit award. Amounts 'may be adjusted based on the competitiveness of the applicant pool.'
https://spu.edu/undergraduate-admissions/scholarships-financial-aid/scholarships-and-grants/first-year-student-scholarships
SPU Merit Scholarships
$20,100-$30,400 · Published range
Not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules.
Eligibility: Holistic review of students' academic performance and application; scholarships are based on cumulative, unweighted GPAs
Renewal: Renewable scholarships are automatically renewed for up to 4 years if the student meets academic and enrollment requirements (full-time 12+ credits, continuous enrollment).
Other terms: No published GPA/amount grid — holistic range only; do not invent a grid. Awarded at admission with no separate application.
https://spu.edu/undergraduate-admissions/scholarships-financial-aid/scholarships-and-grants/first-year-student-scholarships
Distinguished Scholar Award
Full tuition · Published coverage or package
Not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules.
Eligibility: Invitation only; 5 awarded; admission application must be received by November 1; fall applicants only; international students not eligible
Renewal: Renewable scholarships are automatically renewed for up to 4 years if the student meets academic and enrollment requirements.
Other terms: Full tuition does not equal full cost of attendance ($68,626 for 2026-27; tuition is $45,648).
https://spu.edu/undergraduate-admissions/scholarships-financial-aid/scholarships-and-grants/first-year-student-scholarships
Ask before you decide
- Which entering-year policy and residency category apply to us? What are the admission and scholarship deadlines?
- What grades and credits are required to renew, and for how many terms?
- How would other school awards or outside scholarships change the offer?
Recorded stacking policy: A student may hold only ONE of the four merit awards per academic year, but the 'Other Scholarships' (Christian Leader, Legacy, Welcome to Washington, Church Match, Engineering, Visit, etc.) are explicitly stackable on top. A hard cap applies: total institutional aid per quarter cannot exceed quarterly tuition; overages are trimmed in the order tuition discount, then grant, then scholarship.
Our unanswered questions / Family notes
