President’s Scholar Program
In order to increase funding for other financial aid and scholarship possibilities for Lehigh students, the President’s Scholars Program has been terminated. The program is still open to students who matriculated at Lehigh through January 2019.
The President’s Scholar Program offers a fifth year of study (i.e., the ninth and tenth terms) free of tuition in recognition of high academic success by undergraduate students. The purpose of this benefit is to provide students with the chance to (1) pursue a second undergraduate degree, (2) pursue a graduate degree, or (3) engage in an advanced project of a scholarly or creative nature (such as a thesis, a portfolio of artwork, a design project, a field or laboratory research project) without earning a degree.
General Guidelines
1. As part of their scholarship application, students must show that they are qualified for a second undergraduate degree, get accepted into a graduate program, or work out a plan with a faculty mentor to direct an advanced project.
2. The Scholarship only pays for tuition.
3. The free academic year begins in the term immediately after the term in which the student completes the prerequisites for the first undergraduate degree (for example, if a student graduates in May, the free academic year comprises the summer, fall, and spring terms immediately after graduation; The fall, spring, and summer semesters that immediately follow graduation are included in the year of free tuition for graduates who graduate in September. The Scholarship cannot be delayed in any way.
4. Lehigh Abroad programs and another study abroad options are not featured.
5. President’s Scholars are allowed to enroll in Distance Education courses (“D” sections) offered by the Colleges of Arts & Sciences, Business & Economics, and Engineering & Applied Science through the Office of Distance Education if they satisfy the course eligibility requirements. However, they must understand that while the course tuition is paid for by the President’s Scholar award, there is a non-tuition fee of $650 per course that is not. This fee will be added to the student’s account and needs to be paid in full by the due dates specified by the bursar’s office. Students who are interested in learning more should get in touch with the Office of Remote Education.
6. To qualify for the President’s Scholarship, students must be enrolled full-time at Lehigh. There are exceptions that can be made for up to a year. Studying abroad that has been approved counts as ongoing enrollment.
7. None of the criteria for eligibility and selection are subject to petition.
Criteria for eligibility and selection:
A cumulative GPA of at least 3.75 in all courses from Lehigh University at the time the scholarship application was submitted. If the application is accepted, the student must also start the scholarship year with an overall GPA of 3.75
Students must continue into their fourth year of college (whether they start at Lehigh or transfer to Lehigh) and finish AT LEAST seven or eight regular, full-time academic-year terms before starting the scholarship year in order to uphold the program’s “fifth-year free” nature and reflect Lehigh’s primary identity as a four-year residential institution.
The accomplishment of baccalaureate degree requirements in large part.
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- Before submitting an application for the President’s Scholarship, first-year students at Lehigh must finish at least 92 credits of graded coursework there.
- The necessary 92 credits must be completed at Lehigh during the regular academic year (fall or spring), in accordance with the “fifth-year free” character of the program.
- At Lehigh summer sessions, students may earn additional credits, but those credits cannot be used to meet the 92-credit minimum need for the application.
- The 92-credit minimum does not accept credits from pass/fail courses.
- It is possible to count credits obtained through LVAIC cross-registration with a standard grade.
- The 92 credits may contain up to 16 credits of AP (or IB, etc.) high school curriculum that is recorded on the Lehigh transcript.
- The 92-credit total may include up to 16 credits of authorized study abroad coursework with a minimum host institution grade of B-.
- The President’s Scholarship may be given to transfer students, although those who transfer after their third college term typically aren’t eligible. Before submitting an application for the President’s Scholarship, transfer students must finish at least 60 credits of graded coursework at Lehigh.
- Before the start of the scholarship year, students must have completed six standard academic year terms of enrollment.
- The 60 credits needed for the application must be completed at Lehigh over the course of four ordinary academic years (fall or spring).
- Lehigh summer sessions allow students to earn additional credits, but those credits do not count towards the minimum of 60 credits needed to apply.
- The minimal requirement of 60 credits does not apply to credits earned in pass/fail courses.
- Prior to starting on the President’s Scholarship, students must finish the requirements for their first undergraduate degree. Students enrolled in a five-year dual-degree program that has been approved and in which the prerequisites for both degrees will be satisfied in the fifth year may be granted an exception. Before completing 92 total credits or the conclusion of the sixth term, whichever occurs first, the student must acquire approval from the Committee on Standing of Students (SOS) for the dual-degree course of study in order to be qualified for this exception. Dual-degree students must have completed 8 full-time terms in order to be eligible to begin using the scholarship.
- Before submitting an application for the President’s Scholarship, first-year students at Lehigh must finish at least 92 credits of graded coursework there.
- Application outlining the study year’s academic goals.
- The approved declaration of the second undergraduate degree must be submitted with an application to use the Scholarship while pursuing a second undergraduate degree (petition approved by SOS).
- a request to utilize the Scholarship while working towards a graduate degree.
- A proposal approved by a faculty member who will act as the student’s project supervisor is required with any application to use the Scholarship while working on an advanced project of a scholarly or creative nature (such as a thesis, portfolio of artwork, design project, field or laboratory research project, etc.). A suggested course schedule that would support or enhance the project must be included in the application. The project must also receive the approval of the relevant Associate Dean.
Applications for the Scholarships that are appropriate for second-degree completion or graduate-degree programs may be approved by the University.