First-Year Scholarships
At North Park University, we recognize academic achievements and exceptional abilities through meritand talent-based scholarships that students do not need to repay.
First-year academic scholarships
When you apply to North Park University, you will automatically be considered for academic merit scholarships based on your academic performance in high school. Most don’t require a separate application; refer to the details below for specifics on each award. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions will notify you if you qualify for one of these scholarships.
Please note that scholarship and grant amounts may vary between academic years. The awards you receive the year you begin your studies at North Park will remain the same amount for the duration of your studies as long as you maintain eligibility for the awards.
Scholarships
Effective beginning fall 2025
Nyvall Scholarship ≥ 3.9 GPA
$22,000
Presidential Scholarship 3.5 to 3.89
Provost’s Scholarship
North Park Recognition
Virginia E. Hahn Memorial Scholarship
Lighthouse Scholarship
$18,000 $20,000
$13,000
$5,000
Varies Per year Unweighted GPA
3.0 to 3.49
2.5 to 2.99
Available to students intending to teach history at the high school or college level.
Available to firstgeneration college students from urban areas of the United States, including those who have participated in college readiness programs during high school. Awarded based on the application and interview process for the Lighthouse Cohort.
Talent-Based Scholarships
North Park University’s talent-based scholarships recognize students’ exceptional abilities in art, cheer, dance, journalism, media studies, music, and theatre. These scholarships each have specific application instructions and deadlines in the early spring. If you are awarded a talent scholarship, it can be stacked on top of any academic scholarships for which you qualify.
Art
Cheer and Dance
A limited number of renewable awards of up to $1,000 annually are offered to art and non-art majors.
Promising student leaders committed to participating in recreational cheer and dance teams are invited to audition for annually renewable scholarships of up to $1,000.
Journalism A limited number of renewable scholarships of up to $1,000 annually are offered to promising journalism students.
Music
Theatre
Students are invited to audition for competitive music scholarships, ranging from $1,000-$8,000, renewable for up to four years. Music scholarships are open to all students regardless of academic major.
A limited number of renewable theatre scholarships are offered annually up to $1,000.
TheDream.US
North Park University is proud to partner with TheDream.US to provide scholarships to qualified immigrant students who came to this country as young children, known as DREAMers. TheDream.US is the nation’s largest scholarship program that supports undocumented immigrant students with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) authorization status but who are ineligible to apply for federal financial aid to support a college education.
To learn more and submit an application visit thedream.us/scholarships/national-scholarship
Transfer Academic Scholarships
These merit awards are based on a student’s academic performance at a previous institution and don’t require a separate application. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions will notify you if you qualify for one of these awards. Transfer students may also be eligible for grants and can apply for one or more of the university’s talent-based scholarship awards.
Transfer merit scholarships
Effective beginning spring 2025
Platinum Scholarship
Gold Scholarship
Silver Scholarship
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship
$18,000
Effective beginning spring 2025
Transfer Second-Degree Scholarship
$2,500 Per year
Awarded to students with a transferable GPA of 3.5 or greater (out of 4.0).
$14,000 $16,000
Awarded to students with a transferable GPA of 3.0–3.49 (out of 4.0).
Awarded to students with a transferable GPA of 2.5–2.99 (out of 4.0).
Awarded to members of Phi Theta Kappa and can be combined with a transfer merit scholarship.
Second-degree merit scholarships
$9,000 Per year
Awarded to students who have already received a bachelor’s degree with a minimum college GPA of 2.75 (out of 4.0). Students must be enrolled fulltime to receive this scholarship.
Grants are need-based awards funded by the federal government, state, or North Park University. They are gift aid, and students do not need to pay them back. Students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be eligible for grants.
Federal and state grants Grants
Pell Grant
Up to $7,395 per year
Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant
Amount varies for Pell-eligible students
Funded by the federal government, the FAFSA is required to be considered for Pell Grants.
Funded by the federal government, the FAFSA is required to be considered for SEOG.
Up to $8,400 per year
Illinois residents who complete the FAFSA by February 1 will be considered; students must be enrolled for 15 credits per semester to receive the full award amount.
For Illinois residents who are ineligible to file the FAFSA, check out the RISE Act and Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid: isac.org/Alternative-Application
University and Church Grants
Amount varies based on financial need
North Park Grant The FAFSA is required for North Park Grant consideration.
$3,000 per year
Covenant Grant Awarded to active participants in the Evangelical Covenant Church who complete the FAFSA.
Credentialed Covenant Minister Dependent Grant
Legacy Grant
Up to $2,500 per year
Up to $3,000 per year
Church Matching Grant
Camp Grant (prospective students)
Up to $500 per year, depending on church contribution
$500
Camp Grant (current students)
$1,000 after first summer working at camp
$1,500 after second summer working at camp
$2,000 after third or subsequent summers working at camp
Designated for dependents of credentialed Evangelical Covenant Church ministers who complete the FAFSA.
Designated for nonCovenant dependent students who have a parent or grandparent who graduated from North Park.
Available to traditional undergraduate students, North Park will match up to $500 per year given by a student’s church in their name. A separate application is required.
Available to incoming students employed at a Covenant camp before attending North Park.
Available to students after they complete at least one year at North Park, then work at a Covenant camp during the following summer. Application and attendance at an information session required.
Additional Resources
Applying for aid with FAFSA
North Park University does not require students from the United States to submit a financial aid application other than the FAFSA and an admissions application. International students must provide additional financial details as part of their application process.
The FAFSA helps North Park determine a student’s eligibility for federal, state, and/ or institutional aid like grants and loans. Nearly every college and university in the country uses this exact form and information, so you can send your data to every school you apply to as you make your college decision. If you’re a returning student, you’ll file a FAFSA each year to remain eligible for any loans or grants that are part of your financial aid package.
You can complete the FAFSA online. North Park’s federal school code is 001735.
Student loans
Student and/or parent loans are often an important part of financial aid packages for undergraduate and graduate students. You can choose from federal student loans and/ or private loans; federal loans are often available at a significantly lower interest rate than private. You must repay all loans.
Work opportunities
Working while at North Park can be a great way to help pay for college.
Federal Work-Study (FWS)
FWS is a need-based employment program for college students. Your FAFSA report determines eligibility, and the number of on-campus FWS jobs is limited. North Park will place students awarded FWS in an on-campus job as part of their financial aid package. Payment for this work is by the hour, and paychecks are distributed biweekly. Therefore, FWS will not appear as a credit on your bill (impacting the balance due). You may designate all or a portion of your oncampus job paycheck to route directly toward your student account as partial payment of your balance due.
Campus jobs
Any North Park University student can apply for non-FWS jobs across campus once they arrive in the fall. Campus jobs may include office work, serving at the front desk of a dorm or campus building, or working as a lab or class assistant for a professor. Job notices will be posted on the Handshake website (student login required).
Chicago work opportunities
One of the many advantages of being a student in Chicago is access to work, internship, and volunteer opportunities in the city. Our campus is within walking distance of various organizations and businesses, and our proximity to public transportation allows students to take advantage of all our world-class city offers.
ROTC
North Park University welcomes students who wish to participate in the Reserve Army Training Corp (ROTC) program. North Park is one of six member schools of the Loyola Rambler Battalion, and our students participate in ROTC while completing their academic studies on our campus.
North Park students can also participate in Air Force ROTC at the Illinois Institute of Technology. You can find more information at AFROTC Detachment 195.
As a participant in the either ROTC program, you must read and sign the ROTC Contract of Understanding to obtain your financial aid package.
Benefits for veterans
North Park University welcomes veterans of the United States Armed Forces as students. Financial benefits are available for veterans attending the university as undergraduate or graduate students. The following information pertains to the current academic year and is updated yearly as the federal government adjusts benefits. You can direct any questions about how to access benefits available to you or your family to North Park’s veteran coordinator.
Educational benefits
Many Veterans Affairs options, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill and the Yellow Ribbon Program, provide education benefits to help you pay for college.
Military Tuition Assistance
North Park does not participate in the government’s Military Tuition Assistance program, but does offer an institutional grant of the same amount to qualified students.
International students
During the application process, international students must submit financial resources documentation, including personal funds, family support, United States sponsor support, and other scholarships or educational funding resources. Because international students cannot access US federal or state funding to attend college in the US, North Park University offers grants to admitted, traditional, international undergraduates. The grant amount will be reflected in the financial aid package you receive from the university.
You may also be eligible to apply for talent-based scholarships in music (audition required), art, theatre, or journalism. If you intend to seek a career teaching history at the secondary or university level, you may apply for the Virginia E. Hahn Memorial Scholarship.
At North Park, financial aid for international students is designed to help cover the costs of living on campus. Per the university housing policy, students who move off campus will have their financial aid reduced by $2,500 annually.
Net Price Calculator
Thinking through the cost of attending college is important. We want to help you take out the guesswork. Use the simple Net Price Calculator to calculate your annual expenses for attending North Park.
This tool provides a basic estimate of the financial aid available at North Park if you enroll in undergraduate classes. Please remember this is not a substitute for an actual financial aid application using the FAFSA, but it’s a great way to find out how low your actual costs may be. northpark.edu/calculator
Undergraduate Timeline
The financial aid process starts after you have applied and received admittance to North Park. Every student and family is unique, and financial aid packages are customized to each applicant. However, there are a few general guidelines and important dates all students and families should be aware of to have a smooth financial aid and payment experience.
October/ November How much is North Park University going to cost to attend next year? What scholarships or grants might you be eligible for? Early fall is also a great time to find extra money for college. Start your outside scholarship search using reputable websites or organizations. Use our Net Price Calculator (northpark.edu/ calculator) to estimate your cost and financial aid based on basic tax information and your GPA.
December Submit your FAFSA as early as you can. Visit FAFSA.gov to learn more, including how and why completing this free online application is essential. North Park’s federal school code is 001735.
January If your financial aid application is selected for verification, don’t panic. Just provide the additional requested documents, such as linking your taxes to your FAFSA, W-2, and 1099 forms. The federal government selects approximately 30% of FAFSAs for verification.
February Are you an Illinois resident? You must submit your FAFSA by February 1 to be considered for the Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant. North Park will begin sending financial aid packages to students who have applied, received acceptance, and completed a FAFSA (or who let us know they will not be filing one). When you receive your award letter, review your package and contact your admissions counselor with any questions.
April
If you are an incoming student, make your tuition deposit to inform North Park of your attendance next year (northpark.edu/ deposit). It is refundable until May 1 and will appear as a credit on your first-semester bill after you enroll.
May Do you have everything in order? Make sure you’re checking your North Park email to see if the Office of Financial Aid needs additional information or if the federal government has selected you for FAFSA verification.
July Pay your fall semester bill when it arrives, or contact the Office of Financial Aid for payment option information. Ensure you have completed all necessary documents for any student loans so North Park can appropriately credit them to your account.
August Fall semester begins at North Park. If you have not already done so, finalize your arrangements to pay your fall semester bill by the current year’s payment due date.
September You will experience many of the out-of-pocket costs associated with college during your first few weeks: books and class supplies, a computer, and moving expenses. It doesn’t hurt to start planning for these items early.
Contact us
To help you and your family navigate the financial aid process, contact your admissions counselor or the Office of Financial Aid with any questions.
Email us at admissions@northpark.edu or financialaid@northpark.edu or call us at (773) 244-5500.