The Citadel Scholarship Programs
The Citadel’s scholarship programs are designed to attract outstanding high school graduates to the college, reward undergraduate academic excellence, and help those worthy students who desire financial assistance to pay for their college education. Annually, The Citadel awards more than 3 million dollars in academic scholarships to entering freshmen and enrolled upperclassmen. The college offers a number of full academic scholarships covering catalog costs to incoming freshmen each year, including full academic scholarship, the honors program scholarship, and the 1842 scholars program.
Prospective/Incoming Cadets
Most merit scholarships consider incoming freshmen cadets. Consideration is based on the standard application for admission and provided high school credentials. Prospective cadets do not complete a separate scholarship application in most cases. Recipients of scholarships are notified by April 30th in most cases.
There are three categories or tiers of scholarship that do require additional information. Candidates are identified by a wholistic review of their high school credentials and extracurricular activities. The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships invites candidates to apply. This competitive process determines the recipients for the following scholarship awards:
- Full Academic Scholarships
- The Citadel Honors Program
- 1842 Scholars Program
Full academic scholarships cover catalog costs (including tuition, room/board, quartermaster charges) and are the most prestigious of The Citadel’s awards to incoming freshmen based on academic merit.
The Citadel Honors Program is the college’s premier program for intellectually and academically gifted students who demonstrate a love of learning and wish to participate in rich intellectual discourse over their four-year college career. Special benefits include small classes, discussion-style instruction and competing for national-level post-graduate scholarships or fellowships.
The 1842 Scholars Program offers students the opportunity to engage with like-minded cadets through professional development, mentorship, study abroad programs, and more. The goal of the program is to identify and recruit highly motivated students, immerse them in a cohort community where they can explore their academic passions, provide them with opportunities to take intellectual risks, and develop them as thinkers and leaders.
Citadel Scholarship Program Catalog
The Citadel Scholarship Program Catalog is a comprehensive inventory of the scholarships in our program. However, individual scholarships already assigned to a student will not be open. The catalog gets annual updates.
Upperclass Cadets
Rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors must complete a separate Citadel scholarship application. The 2024-2025 Upperclass Cadet Scholarship Application is NOW OPEN! For full evaluation of your scholarship eligibility from year-to-year, please file both your annual FAFSA and scholarship application by our priority deadlines. Evaluation for the renewal of scholarship awards occur after spring grades are posted each year. Current recipients are considered for renewal if they meet yearly eligibility standards. This includes academic criteria and financial need (depending on the scholarship). Most scholarships require a student to maintain a 3.0 GPA.
Beyond The Citadel Scholarship Program
In addition to our college scholarship program, other scholarship opportunities exist. Please review the linked resources: