Scholarships and Grants

The Founder's Promise Scholarship is awarded to Pell-eligible students to elevate their financial aid offer to equal the cost of tuition. Houghton’s scholarships are backed by gifts from generous alumni and friends of the University who believe in your God-given potential and that Houghton will equip you to fulfill it.

View eligibility and scholarship details >

Houghton friends and alumni have given generously to support students. As a result, most initial offer letters will include scholarship aid entitled “Donor-Funded Scholarship.” This funding name will often change once a student has enrolled, declared a major, or met other specific eligibility requirements that allow us to replace with specific named awards that have specific criteria established by the donor.

Because alumni have set clear criteria for eligibility and we ask these questions on the application and elsewhere when you enroll and declare a major, there is no need to submit a separate application. Our Financial Aid Office will be diligently reviewing each student for Endowed Scholarships each semester.

An example of the types of category of Donor-Funded Scholarships are listed below:

• Area-of-Residence Scholarships
  
• Christian Service Scholarships
• Ministry or Missions Scholarships
• Music Scholarships
• Scholarships for Demonstrated Financial Need
• Scholarships for Business Majors
• Education Scholarships
• English Scholarships
• Science and Math Scholarships
• Special Category Scholarships

View a full list of donor-funded scholarships >

Students who are a member or are an active participant in The Wesleyan Church™ will receive a Wesleyan Scholarship of $1,500. Excludes students who qualify for Music Presidential award, Dean's Scholarship or the James S. Luckey Scholarship. Initially applies to new incoming students for the Fall 2026 semester.

Students who are successful in Wesleyan Bible Bowl and Teens n’ Talent competition may be offered an award up-to-the cost of one years’ worth of tuition, disbursed over four years (8 semesters). Students must inform Student Financial Services of any Wesleyan Bible Bowl (WBB)/Teens N Talent (TNT) earnings when submitting their application for admission. In cases where the Student Financial Services Office is notified of WBB/TNT earnings after the initial aid package is sent, the overall package will be adjusted accordingly.

Grant and scholarship aid in total cannot exceed the published cost of tuition in a given semester. Recipients of Tuition Exchange or Employee Tuition Assistance Grant, or who qualify for Music Presidential award, Dean's Scholarship or the James S. Luckey Scholarship, will not also be eligible for these awards.

This $10,000 award is offered to one outstanding first-year undergraduate applicant based on merit and talent. Students who audition and complete the music application process on or before February 15th will be considered for this award.

The student selected for this award will not receive any other Houghton/Donor Funded awards (highlander or provost merit scholarships included).

This $6,000 award is offered to one outstanding first-year undergraduate applicant to the Greatbatch School of Music. Students who audition and complete the music application process on or before February 15th will be considered for this award.

The student selected for this award will not receive any other Houghton/Donor Funded awards (highlander or provost merit scholarships included).

This $2,000 per year award is offered to first-year undergraduate applicants to the Greatbatch School of Music. Students who audition and complete the music application process on or before February 15th will be considered for this award.

This $1,000 per year award is offered to first-year undergraduate applicants that are non-music majors. Students will need to complete a video audition on or before December 15th to be considered for this award.

Graduate assistantships are available each year to graduate students in the Greatbatch School of Music.  Generally, these positions are awarded to students within their major field of study or for services in which they hold special expertise.  Graduate assistants may be offered full or partial tuition remission and up to $10,000 in stipend money, and have opportunity to gain experience in various performance, professorial support, staff and (where appropriate) teaching duties that support and supplement the work of the faculty of the Greatbatch School of Music.

This $2,000 per year award is offered to first-year undergraduate applicants with a selected art major (Art, Studio Art, Pre-Art Therapy, or Applied Design & Visual Communication). Applicants must submit a portfolio of their work by January 15, 2026 to be considered for the scholarship.

Students participating in an off-campus studies semester with an affiliated host school will be able to retain their federal and state financial aid through Houghton University. If no formal agreement has been made between Houghton University and the host school, the aid will not be able to be processed by Houghton. Institutional aid may also be available for students after they complete an application process.