Merit-Based Donor Scholarship Application Instructions

This year’s application deadline has passed. Applications for next year’s merit scholarships will begin being accepted in early 2014.

To apply for a Merit-Based Donor Scholarship, applicants must submit the completed online application form, resume, personal essay and a letter of recommendation from an NLU faculty member by April 26, 2013. All four items must be included for the application to be complete and eligible for consideration by the selection committee. Please follow the instructions below to complete these four components.

Step 1: The Essay
Please submit a one-to-three page essay. The essay should be in 12 point Times New Roman font with your last name and page number in the header of the essay. Your essay should address the following topics (specific examples are expected):

• What brought you to your current course of academic study
• Your specific goals for your study and/or your future goals and aspirations
• Why receiving a merit-based scholarship would help you achieve your goals and ensure your success

Your essay should be written specifically to apply for the Merit-Based Scholarships. If you are in the National College of Education and have written a “Why Teach” or “Philosophy of Education” essay for other purposes, DO NOT resubmit these essays. Doing so will result in your application being removed from consideration.

Step 2: Your Resume
Please provide a recent resume.

Your resume is an opportunity to highlight any accomplishments that make you an ideal scholarship recipient. Examples of additional resume sections might include Honors, Activities, Achievements, Foreign Languages or Volunteer Experience. These additional sections are not mandatory.

Step 3: Letter of Recommendation from an NLU Faculty Member
You need to obtain one letter of recommendation from an NLU faculty member or adjunct faculty member.

• This letter should be emailed by the professor to stapplications@nl.edu. 

Step 4: The Application
The Merit-Based Donor Scholarship Application can be found online.

Review the general eligibility requirements for Merit-Based Donor Scholarships:

• Demonstrate evidence of academic achievement
• Have successfully completed at least one term at NLU prior to March 31, 2013. If you meet these requirements complete the first 2 sections of the scholarship application: Contact Information and Student Profile.

Although your eligibility to receive a scholarship award will ultimately be determined by the review committee, evaluate the Merit-Based Donor Scholarship List and determine those scholarships whose eligibility requirements you meet. Then, indicate the scholarship(s) for which you wish to apply by selecting the scholarship on the application in the Scholarship Information section.

Fully complete all sections. Remember, these scholarships are very competitive. It is important that you list any information that might differentiate you from other students (for example, service to NLU, your community, your religious congregation, or other volunteer work).

Read the information at the bottom of the page. If you are selected as a scholarship recipient, you are agreeing to write the scholarship donor and express your appreciation for the award and attend the scholarship ceremony in Spring 2014 at the Chicago campus. If you agree, sign the application at the bottom of the page and hit “submit.” You have now completed the application form.

Final Considerations:
You must complete your Merit-Based Scholarship application by the April 26, 2013 deadline. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed. Valid scholarship applications must be submitted online by Friday, April 26, 2013. Questions can be directed to stscholarships@nl.edu.

Please note that NLU Scholarships only cover tuition charges and are not refundable to the student.