Presidential Scholars Award

Minimum eligibility criteria for the Presidential Scholars Award (PSA) are:

Composite ACT score of 30 and either an unweighted high school GPA of 3.50 (on a 4.00 scale) or ranking in the top 90th percentile of the graduating class.

OR

Composite ACT score of 28 and either an unweighted high school GPA of 3.75 (on a 4.00 scale) or a ranking in the top 95th percentile of the graduating class.

Applications for the Presidential Scholars Award are evaluated based on official high school transcripts, extracurricular/volunteer activities, personal essay, and recommendations from a high school faculty member or administrator. All applications are reviewed by the Honors Council, a council composed of departmental chairs, faculty teaching for the Honors College, and current Honors College students.

The Presidential Scholars Awards cover all tuition and fees each semester as a full-time student up to 15 semester hours.  For the 2013-2014 academic year that would amount to $11,000.  Current tuition and fees, as well as room and board figures, may be found at under Admissions.  Each freshman honors class will have approximately twenty (20) Presidential Scholars.

Presidential Scholars are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.40, or greater, and to remain in good standing with the school, in order to retain their eligibility for the award.

Application

Applications are fully electronic with part completed online and part uploaded.  It is suggested that you copy each of the required parts that need to be uploaded first, complete those as separate files, then upload everything after completing the application online.

Deadlines

Applications for the Presidential Scholars Award are accepted from the beginning of the fall semester (~1 August) until 30 November at 4 PM.

All materials must be received on, or before, 30 November.  Only fully completed applications are considered. 

Faxed references are acceptable - the fax number is (217) 581-7222.  Faculty may also email their recommendations to honors@eiu.edu with "Presidential Scholars Award Letter of Recommendation" in the subject line.