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St. Olaf scholarships and merit aid

Two prices: the posted one, and yours.

Posted price$81,200per year · 2026-2027 · cost of attendance
Yours?depends on the rules below

The short answer

St. Olaf may be worth checking, but its awards do not follow a simple grades-and-scores chart. Start with the published scholarships below.

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
3 school sources to explore

Published rules, with the school sources close at hand. Confirm the details before you count on an award.

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. Academic Scholarships (Buntrock, Regents, Presidential, Dean's, Faculty, St. Olaf)$17,000-$34,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Academic Scholarships (Buntrock, Regents, Presidential, Dean's, Faculty, St. Olaf)

    $17,000-$34,000

    Published rangeNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    No minimum set
    SAT
    Test-optional; considered if submitted
    ACT
    Test-optional; considered if submitted
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Academic Scholarships (Buntrock, Regents, Presidential, Dean's, Faculty, St. Olaf)

    Who qualifies

    Holistic evaluation of the Common Application (transcript, scores if submitted, recommendations). 'We do not set minimum criteria.' Six tiers; awarded automatically, specified in the admission letter

    How to keep it

    Renews automatically with Satisfactory Academic Progress — generally a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and completing at least 67% of courses. GPA checked once a year in June. If lost on GPA and grades improve, the scholarship can be reinstated.

    Worth knowing

    No published GPA/test grid — explicitly holistic. Six named tiers all fall in the $17,000-$34,000 range.

  2. Campus Living Scholarship$3,000-$4,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Campus Living Scholarship

    $3,000-$4,000

    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 Campus Living Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    All new students receiving an Academic Merit Scholarship also receive it; MUST live on campus and have a meal plan to be eligible

    How to keep it

    Tied to living on campus with a meal plan; would be forfeited if the student moves off campus.

    Worth knowing

    Stacks on the academic scholarship. The academic-scholarships page states $4,000; the merit-scholarships table states a $3,000-$4,000 range.

  3. Transfer Student Scholarships$5,000-$35,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Transfer Student Scholarships

    $5,000-$35,000

    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 Transfer Student Scholarships

    Who qualifies

    Only available to transfer students; automatic, no additional steps

    How to keep it

    Subject to the same Satisfactory Academic Progress renewal (2.0 GPA, 67% completion).

    Worth knowing

    Distinct transfer track with its own range.

  4. Music Scholarships$2,000-$12,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Music Scholarships

    $2,000-$12,000

    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 Music Scholarships

    Who qualifies

    Requires an additional application/audition (Music Admissions)

    Worth knowing

    Fine-arts award; counts toward the $42,000 total-merit cap.

  5. Art / Dance / Theater Scholarships$5,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Art / Dance / Theater Scholarships

    $5,000

    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 Art / Dance / Theater Scholarships

    Who qualifies

    Each requires an additional application/portfolio/audition (for new students)

    Worth knowing

    Three fine-arts awards each $5,000 for new students; count toward the $42,000 total-merit cap.

  6. National Merit Scholarship ProgramUp to $2,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    National Merit Scholarship Program

    Up to $2,000

    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 National Merit Scholarship Program

    Who qualifies

    Administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (not St. Olaf Admissions)

    Worth knowing

    Capped at up to $2,000/yr — modest relative to the academic tiers.

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The fine print

Renewal ruleCampus Living Scholarship: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

Tied to living on campus with a meal plan; would be forfeited if the student moves off campus. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

Aid capHard $81,200 cost-of-attendance ceiling

Institutional aid at St. Olaf cannot push the package past $81,200. Big outside wins can mathematically reduce institutional grant once the ceiling is reached.

What makes St. Olaf different

St. Olaf (ELCA Lutheran, MN) awards six holistic academic-scholarship tiers ($17,000-$34,000, no minimum criteria) plus a $3,000-$4,000 Campus Living Scholarship — but the combined value of all merit cannot exceed $42,000 unless demonstrated need is higher. (DRAFT)

Merit tiers6See who qualifies
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

Selection beyond grades and scores

Start with the selection process.

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.

  1. Read the selection rules

    Look for the school's stated criteria and whether an additional application is needed.

  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 St. Olaf'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 St. Olaf's aid office says

Per the Financial Aid Department, St. Olaf College, August 2026. How we verify

Departmental scholarships

Does St. Olaf offer departmental scholarships that could combine with merit aid?

St. Olaf does not offer specifically departmental scholarships.

“we don't offer specifically departmental scholarships”
Merit aid administration

Who determines merit aid criteria and levels?

Merit aid is offered, and the criteria for the different levels is set by the admissions office.

“We do offer merit aid, and the criteria for the different levels is set by admissions.”
Merit aid cap

Is there a cap on how much merit aid can be awarded?

The respondent believes the merit aid cap is up to $45k per year.

“I believe the cap fpr merit aid is up to $45k/year.”
Outside scholarship application order

If a student wins a local scholarship, does it reduce loans first or lower St. Olaf's own award?

A local scholarship would most likely be applied to tuition first.

“If he gets a local scholarship, it would more than likely be applied to his tuition first.”
Loan reduction flexibility

Can a student reduce their federal loan amount if they receive outside scholarships?

The student can reduce his federal loan by any amount he wants, up to the $5,500 loan amount, including taking as little as $2,000.

“he is able to reduce his loan as much as he would like up to the $5500 amount for federal loans. If he only wanted to take $2,000 of his loan, he is totally able to do that!”
GPA requirement for scholarship

What GPA and enrollment status are required to keep the scholarship?

The understanding is that a student must be enrolled full time and maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5.

“My understanding for GPA requirements is that he must be enrolled full time, and have a minimum GPA of 2.5.”
Support before losing aid

Is there a way back if a student's GPA drops for one semester?

Typically the office reaches out to help a struggling student get back on track before pulling any aid.

“Typically, we reach out if we can tell a student is struggling academically and help to get them back on the right track before we pull any aid.”
Merit scholarship cap

Is there a cap on how much merit aid can stack with other awards?

St. Olaf merit scholarships have a cap of $42,000, and merit is taken into account when the award is put together.

“St. Olaf merit has a cap of $42,000, merit is taken into account when award.”
Outside scholarship effect on aid

If he wins an outside scholarship, does it reduce loans first or lower the school's own award?

Outside scholarships are added on top of merit and need-based aid; if aid must be reduced (which usually only happens when a student has a lot of financial aid), loans and work study are reduced first.

“Any outside scholarship would be on top of merit and need based financial aid. If we did have to reduce aid (normally this only happens when students have a ton ton of financial aid), we would reduce loans and work study.”
GPA required to keep financial aid

What GPA does he need to keep his scholarship?

Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA to keep their financial aid.

“Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA to maintain financial aid.”
Buffer for a rough semester

Is there a way back if one semester goes rough?

There can be a semester buffer, but that determination is handled by the Academic Success Team, not the Financial Aid office.

“There can be a semester buffer however, that is up to the Academic Success Team and not our office.”

What families often miss

  1. The total value of ALL merit scholarships cannot exceed $42,000 unless your family's demonstrated need is higher — so winning, say, a $34,000 academic award plus a $12,000 music award won't simply sum to $46,000.

  2. The $3,000-$4,000 Campus Living Scholarship is only payable to students who live on campus AND have a meal plan; move off campus and you lose it.

  3. St. Olaf's National Merit award is capped at up to $2,000 per year — far below the academic-tier range — and is administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, not St. Olaf.

  4. Merit scholarships renew automatically only if you make Satisfactory Academic Progress — generally a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and completing at least 67% of your courses, checked each June. Falling below can cost the scholarship (though students with demonstrated need typically have it replaced with need-based aid).

  5. St. Olaf explicitly does NOT set minimum criteria and evaluates holistically, so there is no published grid; the academic award is determined by an individual review and stated in your admission letter.

  6. To be considered for all scholarships you must apply by the admission deadlines: Early Decision 1 and Early Action by November 1; Early Decision 2 and Regular Decision by January 15. Fine-arts awards need a separate application.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Strong, well-rounded applicants — St. Olaf evaluates holistically with no minimum GPA/test criteria; fine-arts students (art, dance, music, theater) can add an audition/portfolio award, and students who live on campus get the Campus Living Scholarship. (DRAFT)

Published yearly cost: Approximately $81,200 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at St. Olaf, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$10,404
$30,001–$48,000$11,342
$48,001–$75,000$12,584
$75,001–$110,000$20,367
$110,001+$33,166
All income levels (average)$23,874

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$59,760
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$23,874

That works out to roughly a 67% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $71,843 (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
84%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
92%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$26,000 (~$276/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$65,543
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
21%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
41%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

Students may apply for as many scholarships as they wish, but the total value of all merit scholarships cannot exceed $42,000 unless the family's demonstrated need exceeds that amount. Merit scholarships may be used to meet some or all of demonstrated financial need.

A hard $42,000 cap on combined merit (academic + fine-arts + others), overridable only by demonstrated need above that amount.

Source

St. Olaf merit aid FAQ

  • Do I have to apply separately for academic scholarships?

    No — all applicants are automatically considered based on the Common Application. Fine-arts scholarships (art, dance, music, theater) DO require a separate application/audition.

  • Is there a cap on total merit aid?

    Yes. The total value of all merit scholarships cannot exceed $42,000 unless your family's demonstrated need exceeds that amount.

  • Do I need to file the FAFSA for merit scholarships?

    No — students seeking merit scholarships only do not need to complete the FAFSA or CSS Profile. You only need those if you also want need-based aid.

  • How do I keep my scholarship?

    Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress — generally a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and completing at least 67% of your courses, reviewed each June.

  • What does St. Olaf cost?

    The 2026-27 comprehensive fee (tuition $65,700 + housing + meal plan + activities fee) is $81,200; the estimated full cost of attendance including indirect costs is $83,300-$85,300.

See sources and other schools

How St. Olaf compares

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

    St. Olaf 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.

    St. Olaf 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.

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

Compare with similar schools

Keep exploring St. Olaf merit aid

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