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Department-sponsored competitions for prospective first-year students are held on the McMinnville campus. Participation is by invitation only. For students applying fall 2026, the completed application for admission and must be submitted by December 1, 2025.

Each exam will offer the following annual scholarships:

• First place: $5,000
• Second place: $4,000
• Third place: $3,000
• Honorable mention: $2,000

There will be four total scholarships per exam available for first-year participants, and four total scholarships per exam available for transfer participants. 

All participating students who do not place will receive a $1,000 annual scholarship for attending the program and completing an exam. 

The Â鶹ÊÓƵ First Scholarship is designed to address challenges faced by first-generation college students and build upon the skills and experience they bring to campus. Â鶹ÊÓƵ defines “first-generation” as a student whose parents did not complete a bachelor’s degree OR a student from a single-parent home whose parent did not complete a bachelor’s degree.

• Students will be considered for the Â鶹ÊÓƵ First Scholarship at the time of admission.
• This scholarship is for first-year students attending full-time.
• The Â鶹ÊÓƵ First Scholarship is automatically renewable as long as the student is meeting satisfactory academic progress and expectations of the Â鶹ÊÓƵ First Scholars Program.

Â鶹ÊÓƵ Legacy $2,000 Awards: awarded to new first-year or transfer students who list family members who attended Â鶹ÊÓƵ on their application for admission.

Â鶹ÊÓƵ Legacy $4,000 Awards: awarded to new first-year or transfer students who currently have a sibling enrolled at Â鶹ÊÓƵ. For the remainder of the sibling’s enrollment, they will also receive the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Legacy Award of $4,000.

Students who are finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Corporation Program, and who list Â鶹ÊÓƵ as their first-choice college, and are eligible for a college sponsorship through National Merit, will be awarded a Â鶹ÊÓƵ Merit Award.

• The amounts range from half-tuition on a no-need basis, to full tuition with sufficient financial need.
• The award is guaranteed through the sophomore year and renewed for the junior and senior years if the student maintains a 3.35 Â鶹ÊÓƵ cumulative GPA, is a full-time student and applies for renewal of financial aid in a timely manner.

Â鶹ÊÓƵ Scholarships are available for a selected number of outstanding incoming first-year students attending full time, at least 12 credits per semester.

• Scholarship decisions are based on the student’s academic record including grades and strength of schedule.
• Information submitted on the application for admission to Â鶹ÊÓƵ is used to determine scholarship eligibility. A separate application is not required.
• At its discretion, the university may change this award to a Â鶹ÊÓƵ Endowed Scholarship for the same award amount and with similar renewal criteria. A portion of Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s institutional dollars are funded by more than 200 endowed scholarships.