Scholarships for Transfer Students

When you apply for admission as a transfer student, you’ll automatically be considered for a transfer merit scholarship. The amount of your merit scholarship depends on your cumulative transfer GPA:

• 3.50-4.00 GPA: $2,000 per year for two years.
• 3.25-3.49 GPA: $1,500 per year for two years.
• 3.00-3.24 GPA: $1,000 per year for two years.

Learn more about deadlines that affect merit scholarships.

Scholarship Renewal

Additional Opportunities for Transfer Students

• AIM HIGH Transfer Achievement Award
• NIU Partnership Awards
• Rockford Promise Transfer Scholar Program
• Waubonsee Excellence Scholarship

Huskie Legacy Award

When you apply for admission as an incoming transfer student, you’ll automatically be considered for the Huskie Legacy Award in addition to merit scholarships. This award is given to students whose parent or parents graduated from NIU. There is no deadline for this award. Qualifying students receive the $1,000 award in their first year at NIU when enrolled full-time.

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society

Students who are current members of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society at a community college may be eligible for competitive transfer scholarships offered by PTK. Visit the PTK website to view and apply for current opportunities. You may be required to log in with your PTK membership information to search and apply for awards.

NIU also offers a competitive scholarship to students who were members of Phi Theta Kappa at their community college. Recipients will receive a one-time award of $1,000 in their first year at NIU, when enrolled full-time. 

Minimum eligibility requirements:

• Must be an active member of PTK at your community college.
• Must have a cumulative transfer GPA of 3.5 or higher.
• Must be admitted to NIU’s University Honors Program.
• Priority Deadlines:
  • November 1 for transfer students admitted for the spring
  • March 1 for transfer students admitted for the fall

You will be automatically considered for this award when you submit an application to the University Honors Program. Selection criteria include factors such as leadership and service, as well as engagement in your PTK chapter.

Honors Transfer Scholarships

Transfer students currently attending one of the following community colleges can be considered for a $1,000 renewable scholarship!

• College of DuPage
• College of Lake County
• Elgin Community College
• Harper College
• McHenry County College

You will be automatically considered for this award when you submit an application to the University Honors Program. Selection criteria include factors such as meaningful extracurricular engagement and academic motivation.

Minimum eligibility requirements:

• Must transfer directly to NIU from one of the partner community colleges.
• Must have a minimum 3.2 transfer GPA at your community college.
• Must be admitted to NIU’s University Honors Program.
• Enroll full-time at NIU and maintain a 3.3 cumulative NIU GPA.

The priority deadline is March 1, 2026 for students transferring in fall 2026.