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Undergraduate Admission

Grants

Grants are offered by the federal government, the State of Ohio, selected other states, and by Xavier University.

In general, grants are awarded to students based on financial need or a specific talent. Like scholarships, grants are a great way to finance a college education. Remember, grants are gift assistance and they do not need to be repaid. Make sure to submit your application for admission as well as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Federal Grants

Pell Grant

The Pell Grant usually is awarded only to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree. To apply, students must complete the FAFSA each year. The amount of the Pell Grant varies based upon the level of financial need and the number of credit hours for which the student is enrolled. The maximum full-time award is $7,395 for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

The SEOG is awarded to undergraduate students based on financial need. Xavier University receives a limited amount of federal funding to use for SEOG awards, therefore the grant is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Students with the lowest Expected Family Contribution (EFC) who will also receive a Pell Grant during the award year are awarded first. To receive consideration for the SEOG, students must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements:

  • Have a complete financial aid file by June 1 (includes a valid FAFSA, documentation required for verification, and resolution of FAFSA Student Aid Report comments and discrepancies)
  • Be Pell-Grant eligible
  • Demonstrate need as determined by the FAFSA
  • Enroll in a first bachelor's degree program
  • Enroll at least half time (6 or more credit hours)
  • Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards

**Incoming students who have been awarded a FSEOG but have not committed to Xavier by June 1 will have their grant cancelled. Awarded students who are not enrolled by the end of the add/drop period each semester also will have their FSEOG cancelled.

Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant

This is a federal grant program awarding up to $3,772 per year to students who intend to teach in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families.

  • The TEACH grant requires that students work as a full-time teacher in a high-need field, in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves low-income students. A TEACH Grant recipient must teach for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing the program of study for which the TEACH Grant was received. IMPORTANT: If a student fails to complete this teaching obligation, all amounts of TEACH grants that were received will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. This loan plus all accrued interest must be repaid to the U.S. Department of Education. Interest will be charged from the date the grants were disbursed.
  • Students must meet certain achievement requirements. New students generally need to score above the 75th percentile on a college admissions test. Continuing students need to maintain at least a 3.25 GPA (each semester).
  • Students must complete initial counseling prior to receiving the grant, subsequent counseling prior to each award year, and exit counseling after leaving the university.
  • Students must complete a Teach Grant Agreement to Serve or Repay (Agreement) each year to receive a TEACH grant. Information about high-need fields and schools serving low-income students, eligibility requirements, grant conditions, and the service agreement is available at StudentAid.gov.

State Grants and Scholarships

Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG)

The OCOG is a need-based grant from the state of Ohio to assist resident undergraduate students from low- and moderate-income families. Awards are based on family income with consideration given to the number of dependents in the family. Application is made when residents complete the FAFSA form. The grant is given to part-time and full-time students. The maximum award amount for 2023-2024 is $4,700 (full-time students).

Governor's Merit Scholarship (GMS)

The Governor's Merit Scholarship launched on December 4, 2023 and provides up to $5,000/year in financial assistance to Ohio high school seniors who are identified as graduating in the top 5% of their class. The GMS is renewable for up to four years of full-time instruction and may be applied to tuition, fees, and other educational expenses included in the university's Cost of Attendance. Renewal eligibility is based upon the student maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above, completing a minimum of 20 credit hours/year, and demonstrating appropriate progress toward earning a degree.

Students who are attending public or chartered nonpublic high schools do NOT need to apply for the Governor’s Merit Scholarship. Each high school will determine if a student falls within the top 5% of their class, and the student will be notified (by email or U.S. mail) of the offer of a GMS award. Homeschooled students and students enrolled in a dropout recovery high school may qualify for the GMS by completing a college admissions test (ACT or SAT) and submitting an application to Ohio Department of Higher Education via the secure online application portal (meritscholarship.ohio.gov) by April 30 for full consideration.

Other State Grants

Students who qualify for state grants from their home states of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont may use those funds at Xavier. For information on grant programs available to residents of these states, contact the state higher education agency or department of education within the state.

Xavier Grants

For additional details about Xavier grant eligibility and restrictions, please review our Grant Details page.

Xavier University Grant

Students who have remaining financial need after all other scholarships, grants, and loans have been awarded may qualify for need-based grants from Xavier University. The amounts of these grants vary depending upon the level of financial need. In order to qualify for Xavier grants, students must be admitted through the undergraduate admission office and must file the FAFSA each year by Xavier's priority deadline to be considered for renewal.

Housing Grant

This grant may be awarded to incoming freshmen for use toward on-campus housing costs only. The grant can be renewed as long as the student continues to reside in campus housing. The student will forfeit the grant if they move off campus or home with parents.

Event Grant

This grant is available to incoming freshmen students who attend a qualifying Xavier event (i.e., Muskies on the Road, eXperience Cincinnati) during the recruiting cycle. A student can only receive one event grant, even if they attend more than one event. This grant is tuition-restricted and renews for up to 4 years.

Accelerated Degree Completion (ADC) Grant

Staff in the Office of Student Financial Services award grants to students admitted and enrolled through the Adult and Professional Education program. These grants are based on financial need and/or academic merit. To apply, students must submit the FASFA and enter expected enrollment hours in the Financial Aid Self-Service portal. The Office of Student Financial Services will send an email to each student (once the FAFSA results have been received) to request enrollment hours. Award amounts, which vary, may range up to $1,100 per semester.

Transfer Grants

Xavier University awards transfer grants to students who transfer to Xavier. Transfer grants are based on a student's GPA at a prior school and financial need. Students must submit the FAFSA and be enrolled full time.

Family Grant

This grant is available to families with more than one dependent undergraduate student enrolled full-time at Xavier during the same semester. Two siblings enrolled full-time would each receive a $1,000 Family Grant per academic year ($500/semester). If three or more siblings enroll simultaneously, each student will receive a $5,000 Family Grant per academic year ($2,500/semester). These tuition-restricted grants are applied to the fall and spring semester tuition only.

The Family Grant is not automatically awarded as we are unable to identify siblings. Families must request the grant by emailing the Financial Aid Office with the names of all enrolled dependents. Family Grants are awarded only for the current academic year and cannot be applied retroactively to prior years for which the grant was not requested.