Applying for Scholarships
Change your future while keeping more in your pocket.
Applying for scholarships is a great way to help pay for your NIU education. Scholarships do not need to be repaid and are awarded based on a variety of factors, including academic achievement and financial need.
You can search and apply for most NIU scholarships online in MyScholarships. The deadline to apply for many scholarships is January 31 (for the following academic year).
Top Tips for Applying for Scholarships
- Request a letter of recommendation or support from a professor in advance. Visit them during office hours or send them an email.
- Learn about scholarships offered by other organizations. Ask personal and professional contacts, such as your employer or leaders of local community organizations, about scholarship opportunities outside NIU.
- Complete your FAFSA for the upcoming school year as soon as possible. Learn more about the FAFSA at studentaid.gov.
Need Additional Assistance?
Our financial advisors from Student Financial Advising Services can help you understand your financial aid, tuition and fees, and provide you with general financial literacy tips. They can also connect you to other campus support services to help you navigate your college journey.
Meet Some Scholarship Recipients
“The financial support has given me a release from the burden of tuition…[and it] has helped motivate me to further excel in classes and partake in clubs and positions that provide opportunities to give back to the DeKalb community.”Sergio Dondiego,
nursing major, nutrition minor
“I was awarded the Noyce Scholarship for demonstrating my passion to teach and showing potential to be successful in my career. Without this scholarship, I would not have been able to afford my last two years at NIU, and it has helped significantly with other living expenses.”Arianna Alba,
chemistry major
“The scholarships I have been granted have covered all of my educational expenses, allowing me to focus on my studies rather than worry about paying off loans or outstanding balances.”Genesis Miranda,
special education major, Latino and Latin American Studies minor
“I received the NIU transfer scholarship due to the GPA I earned at Carroll University, the Kovacevich honors scholarship due to my involvement in the honors program at NIU, and the Rothkopf leadership scholarship due to my service, involvement and academic performance in the College of Business at NIU. The financial support has decreased my stress when thinking about future finances and has made paying for college less stressful. I am very grateful to receive these scholarships.”Katrina Rath,
management major
“I received the Melvin J. Ihrke Scholarship and Lee and Lydia Robertson Scholarship from First United Methodist Church in Elgin for my community involvement and academic achievement. I have also received an NIU Merit Scholarship for my 4.0 GPA. This financial support has enabled me to dedicate more time to my academics and extracurriculars, including my officer positions with NIU Robotics Club and Proxima Centauri Alpha.”Jerry Stamos,
mechatronics engineering major
Huskie Spotlight
“I received the Dick Noreen Honors Scholarship, the Paul D. Yaney Memorial Engineering Scholarship and the Operating Staff Dependent Scholarship. These scholarships have allowed me to attend NIU without financial burden. I am grateful for this support and the opportunities it has made possible.”Angelica Sanyal,
industrial and systems engineering major
Keep Exploring
Explore all our Huskie Guides on topics that matter most to your success at NIU.