What are merit-based scholarships?<br>
Merit-based scholarships are awarded to students with extraordinary talent by different departments on campus and require a separate application. These scholarships are available to first-year and transfer students in the areas of athletics, fine arts, and debate. The application deadline for these awards has passed for newly admitted students. Some departments, however, have various funds that students may apply for after enrolling at Pepperdine. Merit-based scholarships may be available from divisions after a student completes their first year of full-time enrollment with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better. The application process and award amounts vary by department, and the application process usually required letters of recommendation.</p>
<p>Academic Scholarships are awarded by the Office of Undergraduate Admission only upon fall admission to the university. Because these scholarships are awarded based on students’ pre-enrollment criteria (e.g. unweighted high school GPA and test score, or college GPA for transfer students), students cannot qualify for a scholarship once they enroll. These scholarships are awarded without regard to financial need, and the student’s application for admission serves as their scholarship application. These scholarships range in value and are renewable for eight semesters. Students who receive these scholarships are required to maintain a 3.25 cumulative GPA throughout their time at Pepperdine University.</p>
<p>**Pepperdine does participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program. If a student selects Pepperdine as their final, first choice school at the end of the process, and the student is also selected as a recipient by the National Merit Foundation, the student may be awarded an annual stipend of $1,000 or $2,000, depending on financial need.</p>
<p>I have a 4.0 GPA and received scholarships from other schools. Why didn’t I receive an academic scholarship?<br>
This academic scholarship is offered to the top 10% of students admitted for fall, based on a combination of GPA and standardized test scores. Transfer students are evaluated on their college GPA alone. Academic Scholarships are incredibly competitive at Pepperdine University. Only the top 10% of the admitted class receives one of these awards. Students are evaluated on their academic merit, as defined by their unweighted GPA (as calculated by the Office of Admission), and standardized test scores (first-year students only). As admission to Pepperdine is already highly selective, scholarship recipients are exemplary students who have earned the highest combination of GPA and test scores in the incoming class, and represent students from the highest national standardized testing percentiles.**</p>
<p>Can I appeal for an academic scholarship? May I be considered for leftover, unclaimed academic scholarship funds? May I be considered for an academic scholarship based on my performance once I enroll?
No. Because we know a certain percentage of students will not accept their scholarships, we budget our awards accordingly. We do not designate scholarship alternates or accept scholarship appeals because there is not a leftover scholarship budget: All available funds have been distributed. Academic scholarships are only awarded at the time of admittance, so students who are interested in awards based on their academic performance after enrolling should consider applying for merit based scholarships through the department. Merit based scholarships may be available from divisions after a student completes their first year of full-time enrollment with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better. The application process and award amounts vary by department, and the application process usually requires letters of recommendation.</p>
<p>What divisions offer merit-based scholarships? When can I apply for these scholarships?<br>
The deadline to apply for departmental merit scholarships has already passed for newly admitted students. Merit based scholarships may be available from divisions after a student completes their first year of full-time enrollment with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better. The application process and award amounts vary by department, and the application process usually requires letters of recommendation.