Merit Scholarships, Grants, and Awards

Merit scholarships are awarded at the time of admission based on academic profile, strength of curriculum, and other factors.

GPA Scholarship - $18,000 to $27,000 per year 

Test Score Scholarship - $1000 to $3000 per year

Students who submit qualifying SAT/ACT/CIT exam scores may earn a scholarship in addition to the merit scholarships listed above. Scores must be submitted by March 1st.

• Gold - $3000
• Silver - $2000
• Bronze - $1000

Through the Bearcat Advantage program, Saint Vincent College fully covers tuition for eligible students from Pennsylvania families earning less than $60,000 a year, using a combination of grants and scholarships. To qualify, students must be Pennsylvania residents and eligible for a PELL grant, regardless of the grant amount.

Don’t miss out—apply for admission and complete your FAFSA by March 1. Learn more here.

Wimmer Scholarships are awarded through the annual Wimmer Scholarship Competition, a general knowledge examination open to graduating high school seniors.

Applicants must have applied for admission by the date of the exam and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.75, as well as a documented SAT (ERW and Math) score of 1250 or above, a minimum ACT of 28 or a CLT of 86. A test score is required to sit for the exam unless a student has a 4.0 GPA with at least six AP courses.

• First place: Full tuition, room and board scholarship for eight semesters – an estimated value of more than $200,000.
• Second to fifth place: Full tuition scholarship for eight semesters – an estimated value of more than $150,000.

Wimmer Scholarship winners receive automatic placement in the Honors Program.

Click here for more details and to register.

These scholarships are awarded to students based on criteria set by each program and are limited in number. Students must apply for admission to Saint Vincent College and be accepted prior to applying for an Honors Community program.

The Aurelius Scholars program is offered to motivated students interested in the Western intellectual tradition and rooted in a diverse course sequence meant to satisfy part of Saint Vincent’s core curriculum. As part of their liberal education, students engage some of the great texts, ideas, and perennial questions of the Western world.  The program awards a limited number of competitive scholarships for incoming freshmen each year. 

Benedictine Leadership Studies is a virtue-based, ethical structure for the study of leadership. The program allows students to analyze who they are as individuals called to serve and promote the common good of their communities, and to develop a meaningful understanding of God’s purpose for their lives, using the teachings of the Catholic Church and Benedictine spirituality as guides. Participants accepted into this competitive program receive a fellowship of $1500 that automatically renews for up to four years.

This scholarship, valued at $2500, is for students interested in pursuing careers involving children, early learning, and media for young children.

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Talent Expansion Program awards five 4-year $5,000 scholarships to incoming freshmen majoring in biochemistry, data science, or minoring in biotechnology. 

The application for all Honors Community Scholarships can be accessed here.

The Alex G. McKenna School of Business, Economics, and Government is pleased to be able to offer the following scholarship opportunities. 

Alex G. McKenna Economics Scholarship - $2500 per year

The Alex G. McKenna Economics Scholarship is awarded to incoming students (freshmen or transfers) who declare a major or minor in Economics. Recipients are selected by the Economics Department based on superior academic credentials and potential, including high school (or previous college) academic performance and/or ACT/SAT scores. Selected recipients receive a $2,500 scholarship renewable for four years.

Sarni Scholarship – $2000 per year

The Sarni Scholarship was established by Vincent A. Sarni and Sandra P. Sarni to pay tribute to the Sarni family’s significant professional, civic, and philanthropic contributions. These contributions were made through their ongoing commitment to the core values expressed in the United States Constitution and other democratic foundational documents of the United States along with their interest in the fields of business, economics, and political science. The $2,000 award is renewable over four years.

The School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences offers discipline specific scholarships in multiple areas.

Gabriel Burda Memorial Music Scholarship - $4000 per year

Any incoming freshman Music major may apply and audition for this scholarship at the same time he/she auditions for the Department of Music. The scholarship award is $4000 per year for up to four. Students applying for the music major should indicate their interest in this scholarship when registering for an audition to receive additional application materials. Notification of acceptance into the Department is made separately from the announcement of the scholarship recipient.

Marching Band and Chorus Scholarship - $250 to $500 per year

The Saint Vincent Marching Band and Saint Vincent Singers enrich our community and enhance campus culture by performing at sporting and academic events. We are pleased to offer renewable scholarships of $250-$500 to incoming freshmen who commit to participating in the Saint Vincent Marching Band or Saint Vincent Singers (chorus). The deadline for expressing interest in these scholarships is April 1. Interested students should contact Dr. Sean Durkin (marching band) or Dr. Caryn Greco (chorus) for more information

Music Scholarship - $1000 per year

A limited number of music scholarships (singers and band) are available to incoming freshmen, valued at $1,000 each. Students must audition to be considered for these scholarships. Deadline is March 1. If interested students should contact Dr. Sean Durkin to schedule an audition. Video auditions are also possible.

Endowed Scholarship – Amount varies

These scholarships are supported by the generosity of alumni and private donors to the College's Scholarship Endowment Fund. Endowed funds may be used to underwrite a portion of institutional aid. The Financial Aid office determines eligibility for these funds based on your application for admission and FASFA. 

The Kenneth Dietzler Scholarship Fund - $2500 per year

The Kenneth Dietzler Scholarship is for graduates of Our Lady of Lourdes – Shamokin, PA. Submit a brief essay with your name and SVC ID indicating your degree and career plans, your interest in Saint Vincent College, and how this scholarship would benefit you and your family, to financialaid@stvincent.edu. Submissions are due by April 17. The recipient will be notified.

Michal F. Kubiak Sr. Memorial Scholarship - $1000 per year

This scholarship was established by Marianne Reed Anderson to honor the memory of Michael F. Kubiak Sr. Interested students should submit a brief essay describing why Saint Vincent College is your first choice among colleges you wish to attend to financialaid@stvincent.edu. Submissions are due by April 17. The recipient will be notified.

Brother Patrick Lacey, O.S.B. Student Firefighter Scholarship - $1000 per year

Brother Pat Lacey served Saint Vincent Archabbey and College as its fire chief from 1963 until his retirement in 2001. Brother Pat was active in numerous firemen associations. He also served as the Bowling Coach for Saint Vincent for 11 years and was honored by the Bearcat Athletic Association for his many years of service to Saint Vincent and the Community. Submit an essay with your name and SVC ID indicating your interest and involvement in firefighting and how this scholarship would benefit you and your family to financialaid@stvincent.edu. Submissions are due by April 10. The recipient will be notified.

Arnold D. and Winifred W. Palmer Scholarship - $3000 per year

This scholarship was established through generous support from the Palmer Family and the Arnold D. and Winifred W. Palmer Foundation to provide opportunities for graduates of Greater Latrobe Senior High School with exemplary academic and leadership skills. Submit an essay to financialaid@stvincent.edu by April 10 with the following questions in mind: Are you familiar with the lives of Winnie and Arnie Palmer? If so, in what capacity? How do you think their lives can serve as a model for you? What are your future plans? The recipient will be notified.

“Commonwealth” Good Citizen Scholarship

This scholarship through AICUP (Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania) will be awarded to a recipient who has an extraordinary commitment to community service and will have demonstrated creativity in shaping his/her volunteer activities. To apply, a student must submit an essay of such along with a signed verification page. Students are also encouraged to provide a copy of their academic transcript, a letter of recommendation, and any other materials that they feel will be helpful to the scholarship selection committee in making their decision. All materials must be submitted to financialaid@stvincent.edu no later than May 30. Applications sent directly to AICUP will not be considered.

McLean Scholarship for Nursing

This scholarship through AICUP (Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania) will be awarded to a full-time undergraduate student enrolled in nursing or a physician assistant program. To apply, a student must submit an essay of such along with a signed verification page. Students are also encouraged to provide a copy of their academic transcript, a letter of recommendation, and any other materials that they feel will be helpful to the scholarship selection committee in making their decision. All materials must be submitted to financialaid@stvincent.edu no later than May 30. Applications sent directly to AICUP will not be considered.

Dr. Theodore Lazzaro Scholarship Award - $2000+ per year

The scholarship through the Theodore A. Lazzaro Charity Fund, a component of the Community Foundation of Westmoreland County, is intended to make a difference in the lives of hard-working and gifted students from Westmoreland County. The recipient will be selected based on academic merit, financial need, and academic studies. The value of this renewable scholarship will be at least $2000. Students from Westmoreland County, PA should apply by submitting a brief essay regarding why you are choosing Saint Vincent College and a medical/healthcare career to financialaid@stvincent.edu. Submissions are due by April 17. Recipients are required to write a letter of appreciation to the Dr. Theodore Lazzaro Scholarship Award Fund prior to the distribution of funds and annually upon renewal.

The Lynch Family Scholarship Endowment - Amount varies, renewable

The funding for this scholarship from Daniel and Susan Lynch will be awarded to an incoming freshman student with preference to North Catholic High School, in Butler County, PA, or a student who has graduated from St. Kilian Parish School in Butler County, Pennsylvania. If there are no students who meet these criteria, preference will be given to members of St. Kilian Church Parish in Butler County. Those with a high school GPA of at least 3.5 should submit an essay of 1,000 words or less addressing why you believe you should receive The Lynch Family Scholarship to financialaid@stvincent.edu. Submissions are due by April 17. The value of the scholarship is based on the availability of funds and is renewable for four years. The recipient will be notified.

Mize Memorial Catholic American Indian Scholarship - Amount varies, renewable

This gift from the late Alton M. and Verna G. Mize, is awarded to Catholic students of Native American descent with tribal affiliation. Submit a brief essay with your name, SVC ID, and proof of tribal affiliation indicating your degree plans and interest in Saint Vincent College and how this scholarship would benefit you and your family to financialaid@stvincent.edu. Submissions are due by April 17. The value of the scholarship is dependent upon the number of submissions and is renewable for four years. The recipient will be notified.

Nurse Corp Scholarship Program through HRSA

Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Information is available at Nurse Corps Scholarship Program | Bureau of Health Workforce (hrsa.gov). The application for 2025-2026 will be open shortly, you can sign up for email updates on the website.

Greensburg Business and Professional Women’s Club Scholarship -  $500-$2000, one time

Westmoreland County students who reside in zip codes of Greensburg 15601, New Stanton 15672, or Youngwood 15697 are eligible to apply. This one-time scholarship is for the Fall 2025 semester and is valued at $500-$2000. The deadline for submitting the application to the address noted is April 30, 2025.

Campus Visit Grant - $500

Any student who completes an individual, in-person campus visit with the Admission Office before March 1 of their senior year will receive a $500 grant. Students must meet with an admission staff member to receive the award.

Catholic High School Graduate Grant - $2000 per year

Graduates of a Roman Catholic high school who enroll as first-time, full-time students immediately following their high school career receive a $2000 grant which is renewable for up to four years.

Transfer Student Grant - $18,000 to $20,000

A grant of $20,000 is extended to transfer students who have maintained a grade point average of 3.0 or above in their previous college coursework.  A transfer grant of up to $18,000 will be awarded to other students depending on the quality of previous college coursework.

Benedictine Pastors’ Award - $2000 per year

Students who are registered members of parishes staffed by Benedictine monks of Saint Vincent Archabbey are eligible for a $2000 award. You must have been a member of a qualifying parish at least one year prior to your start at Saint Vincent College. You must submit a letter from your pastor verifying your membership by February 1. Annual re-application is not necessary.