The starting point
A highly selective private research university that awards roughly 250 full-tuition merit scholarships per year across three signature programs - Cornelius Vanderbilt, Chancellor's, and Ingram Scholars - representing the top 1% of approximately 49,000 applicants. No merit awards are automatic; all require a separate application through MyAppVU by December 1.
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 5 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.
Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship
Full tuition ($67,934/year for 2025-2026), plus a one-time summer stipend for an immersive experience following the sophomore or junior year. Additional need-based aid provided if demonstrated financial need exceeds tuition. · Published coverage or package
Not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules.
Eligibility: Selected on the basis of academic achievement, intellectual promise, and leadership and contribution outside the classroom. Separate application required through MyAppVU by December 1. The selection committee reviews the complete freshman admissions application and the scholarship application. For Blair School of Music applicants, audition scores factor into merit decisions. Preference given to those who submit the scholarship application. Finalists notified by end of March.
Renewal: Renewable for four years of undergraduate study. Requires minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
Other terms: Part of the approximately 250 signature merit scholarships awarded each year across Vanderbilt's four undergraduate schools. International students eligible. Transfer students not eligible.
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/scholarships/signature/
Chancellor's Scholarship
Full tuition ($67,934/year for 2025-2026), plus a one-time summer stipend for an immersive experience following the sophomore or junior year. Additional need-based aid provided if demonstrated financial need exceeds tuition. · Published coverage or package
Not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules.
Eligibility: Selected on the basis of outstanding leadership skills, strength of character, academic achievement, and a deep-seated commitment to fostering collaboration among students from different backgrounds and perspectives. Separate application required through MyAppVU by December 1. Preference given to those who submit the scholarship application. Finalists notified by end of March.
Renewal: Renewable for four years of undergraduate study. Requires minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
Other terms: Initiated by Chancellor Joe B. Wyatt in 1985. Part of the approximately 250 signature merit scholarships. International students eligible. Transfer students not eligible.
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/scholarships/chancellor/
Ingram Scholars Program
Full tuition, all required fees, and the value of on-campus housing each year, plus a stipend for a special summer service project. Additional need-based aid provided if demonstrated financial need exceeds the award. · Published coverage or package
Not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules.
Eligibility: Selected on the basis of commitment to civic-minded service, an entrepreneurial spirit, strength of personal character, and leadership potential. Separate application required through MyAppVU by December 1 for prospective first-year students. Currently enrolled first-year students may apply with applications available mid-January (deadline February 28). Finalists participate in interviews with the selection committee.
Renewal: Renewable for four years. Requires minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA plus fulfillment of service obligations: a twenty-hour monthly service commitment during the academic year and completion of one summer service project following sophomore year.
Other terms: The most generous of the three signature awards: covers tuition, fees, and housing (not just tuition). Conceived by E. Bronson Ingram in 1993 to encourage students to combine a professional career with commitment to community service. International students eligible. Transfer students not eligible.
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/scholarships/ingram/
