Scholarships

Through the hundreds of scholarship opportunities at ESU and the ESU Foundation, students who otherwise would not be able to attend ESU are able to do so through the generous financial support of those who strongly believe in the merits of higher education.

The Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Scholarship recognizes and rewards qualified transfer undergraduate students for their academic achievement.

1. Members of any tribe may receive a 50% tuition only scholarship for fall and spring semesters assuming they meet the below criteria:
• Documented affiliation with a federally recognized Tribal Nation
• Income first year cumulative high school GPA of 3.5
• Transfer student cumulative transfer GPA of 3.0
• Demonstrate Financial Need (student must complete the FAFSA at Studentaid.gov)
• The student must be a US Citizen or eligible non-citizen as determine by federal statute
2. The scholarship may be used for up to:
• Freshmen recipients: 4 full-time years (8 full-time semesters)
• Transfer recipients: 3 full-time years (6 full-time semesters)

The student must complete 30 hours and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress for the scholarship to be renewed for the next year.

Members of the Lenape Nation displaced due to forced relocation will receive a tuition adjustment to grant the student in-state tuition status regardless of the state the student is currently residing in as long as they are recognized as being a member of the Lenape nation or one of its tribes (Lenape, Delaware, Minsi (AKA Munsee, etc.)

Students must provide:

• Documented affiliation with the Lenape Tribal Nation
• Student must be a US Citizen or eligible non-citizen as determined by federal statute (student may complete the FAFSA at studentaid.gov or present documentation of citizenship status)

East Stroudsburg University offers several types of Athletic Scholarships sponsored by our foundation and our Athletic Training Program.

The Fostering Independent Through Education Tuition Waiver Program (FosterEd). This program provides tuition waivers to eligible youth who have been or are in foster care. The program is administered collaboratively by Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency in conjunction with PA Department of Education, Human Services, and Labor & Industry.

To Qualify:

• File the FAFSA
• Apply for and be eligible for the Chafee Education and Training Grant (Chafee ETG Program) due by March 31, 2025 for the 2024-2025 academic year.
• Submit your Chafee Application to:
  
  PHEAA
  PA State Grant and Special Programs
  P.O. Box 8157
  Harrisburg PA 17105-8157

For more information about the FosterEd Waiver program or possible other resources available to you if you qualify for the FosterEd Program, please contact our school-appointed FosterEd Point of Contact:

Bailey Higgins
Case Manager
Health & Wellness
Sycamore Suites, Lower Level 041
bharman@esu.edu

ESU is offering scholarships to full-time students transferring from County College of Morris, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Luzerne County Community College, or Northampton Community College and majoring in a STEM disciplines. The program is designed to help you find the "Clear Path" to your goals.

This program helps students from both in-state (Grow PA Scholarship) and out-of-state (Grow PA Waiver) pay for school and builds the workforce in PA for in-demand occupation. Students must be enrolled in a qualified high need program of study.

For each year a student receives assistance under Grow PA, they would be expected to work in PA for 12 months in an in-demand occupation as designated by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA).

Pennsylvania Students

The Grow Pennsylvania Scholarship Grant Program, administered by PHEAA, provides a scholarship grant up to $5,000 to Pennsylvania students who pursue an approved course of study (see below), satisfy degree requirements of their program, and stay to work in Pennsylvania in an in-demand occupation after graduation.

For each year a student in an approved course of study receives an award, the student must work for 12 months in Pennsylvania in an in-demand occupation. If a student accepts a grant but fails to meet the terms of the agreement, the student is required to reimburse PHEAA.

To be considered for the Grow PA Grant Program, you must:

• File the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®)
• Be a current resident of Pennsylvania
• Meet satisfactory academic progress for Title IV financial aid
• Have not earned a bachelor's degree
• Be enrolled at least half-time in an eligible associate or bachelor's degree program at an approved Pennsylvania institution

• This degree must lead to a job in an in-demand occupation as determined by PHEAA

• Sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) agreeing to repay all funds received if the work requirement is not met, including any potential interest accrued

How to Apply

Complete the Grow PA Scholarship Grant Application and submit the completed form through PHEAA Account Access, following these steps:

1. Sign in to your PHEAA Account Access.
2. Select File Upload.
3. Select PA Special Programs.
4. Select Grow PA Scholarship Grant Application.

Out of State Students

The Grow Pennsylvania Merit Scholarship Program, administered by PHEAA in conjunction with Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), allows eligible non-resident PASSHE students pursuing in-demand occupations to pay tuition at in-state rates rather than out-of-state rates.

A Grow PA Merit Scholarship Program recipient is required to live and work in Pennsylvania for 12 months of each academic year for which the student received a merit scholarship unless PHEAA determines that there are extenuating circumstances, or the scholarship (the differential between tuition for a resident and nonresident student) will convert to a loan.

Please note this program is not applicable to students who have been awarded a full-tuition out of state scholarship.

To be considered for the Grow PA Waiver Program, you must:

• File the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®)
• Be considered an out-of-state resident
• Be a first-year student enrolling for the 2025-26 academic year
• Have a high school GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
• Be enrolled full-time, in-person, in an approved course of study at a PASSHE school
• Meet satisfactory academic progress for Title IV financial aid
• Have not earned a bachelor's degree
• Sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) agreeing to repay all funds received if the work requirement is not met, including any potential interest accrued

How to Apply

Complete the Grow PA Tuition Waiver Application and submit the completed application to the email address listed on the application.

Questions about Grow PA

There are many public and private scholarships available to college students. Scholarships are awarded for a variety of reasons including academic achievement, financial need, campus and community involvement, and leadership experience. These scholarships do not need to be repaid. When applying to external scholarships, avoid scholarship fraud by ensuring the scholarships are from a source you trust. Some local searches may include, student or parent employers, student high schools, foundations, religious or community organizations, local businesses, or civic groups. For more information on scholarships, please visit Federal Student Aid or contact our Financial Aid Department at FA@esu.edu.

Below is a list of external scholarship resource links that can help students get a jump start on their search.