Presidential Scholarships

Presidential Scholarships range from $27,000 to $35,000 per year. 100% of full time, undergraduate students admitted directly from high school will receive a Presidential Scholarship.* 

Presidential Scholarships are renewable for undergraduate students enrolling in at least 12 credit hours per semester and making satisfactory academic progress.

Presidential Scholarships are renewable up to four years total OR until a Bachelor’s degree is earned.  It is possible that a Presidential Scholarship will be funded through a gift from one of Drake's generous benefactors. (Recipients are notified if they  are honored in this way.)

For students entering one of Drake’s joint undergraduate/graduate degree paths, refer to the table below to see how undergraduate awards (including Fine Arts Scholarships) are impacted.

*Available to students who are assessed Drake’s traditional full-time undergraduate tuition rate. Not available to students enrolled in Bright College, the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, or online programs. In some cases, other awards will be offered in place of the Presidential Scholarship. Amounts provided are based on students who entered Drake during or after the fall 2024 semester.

Scholarship Details

The Presidential Scholarship is awarded to incoming first-time college students seeking a Bachelor's degree, and is based on academic achievement. Presidential Scholarships are determined automatically at the time of admission for eligible students (no application needed).

Generally, these scholarships are available for the lesser of a) four years of undergraduate study, or b) until a student earns a bachelor’s degree. However, students enrolled in blended undergraduate and graduate programs (Law 3+3, Pharmacy, MATR 3+2, OTD 3+3) should review Program-Specific Policies to understand the structure of financial aid and billing in those programs. Renewal for Presidential Scholarships is contingent on the student maintaining satisfactory academic progress. Scholarships are renewed for the amount awarded at the time of admission.

Presidential Scholarships are available only to students who are enrolled full-time (12+ credits) in the fall and spring semesters (not available for summer term). They are tuition-specific awards (see Cost Specificity of Awards for more information).

All scholarships require full-time enrollment (minimum of 12 credit hours per semester) and satisfactory academic progress. Individual scholarships may have additional eligibility or application requirements. 

Undergraduate scholarships are available only to students enrolled at the undergraduate level, for up to 4 years total or until a Bachelor's degree is earned (whichever comes first). Students entering one of Drake's joint undergraduate/graduate degree paths should refer to Program-Specific Policies to understand which years are designated as undergraduate-level for billing and financial aid purposes. Scholarships will renew automatically if all renewal requirements are satisfied.