NIU scholarships provide students with financial need and high academic performance the opportunity to study at Northern Illinois University. Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university located in DeKalb, Illinois, United States. NIU has seven degree-granting colleges that together offer more than 60 undergraduate majors, 70 minors, nine pre-professional programs, and 79 graduate programs, including a College of Law, and over 20 areas of study leading to doctoral degrees. For students who are unable to afford the cost of attending NIU, financial support is crucial but the university is offering various scholarships and grants for students.

Types of Scholarships:

University Honors Scholarships and Tuition Waivers

Students may apply for all scholarships and tuition waivers for which they are qualified. These awards are highly competitive and resources are limited. Meeting the minimum criteria does not guarantee an award. The following are the available honors scholarships and tuition waivers for the 2015-2016 academic year:
–Ari & Ruth Kovacevich Distinguished Scholarship: To be eligible, applicant must be in good academic standing at NIU, must possess a minimum SAT score of 1100 or ACT score of 25, must be a graduate of an Illinois high school or an Arlington County, Virginia high school.
-James L. Massey Honors Scholarship: Applicant must embody Dr. Massey’s values by exhibiting meritorious achievement in academia, broad-based interests, and involvement in the community and must be enrolled full-time in the fall and spring semester, actively involved in the University Honors Program, and demonstrate continued involvement and leadership on campus.
–Dick Noreen Honors Scholarship: Applicant must be actively involved in the University Honors Program for at least one year prior to applying for the award and in good standing in the University Honors Program.
–University Honors Excellence Award (Partial Tuition Waiver): Applicant must be in good academic standing at NIU and within the University Honors Program. Must possess a minimum SAT score of 1200 or ACT score of 27. Preference will be given to students of high academic merit as evidenced by a strong cumulative GPA and with demonstrated financial need by filing a FAFSA.
–University Honors House Leader: Scholarship includes up to $8,000/year transfer to student’s Office of the Bursar’s account; “titanium” meal plan valued at approximately $3,500/year; access to all amenities of NIU’s New Residence Hall Complex; leadership development opportunity.
University Honors Fellow: Scholarship includes $5,000/year (or $2,500/semester) tuition waiver; leadership development opportunity.

Merit Scholarships
Most merit scholarships for incoming freshman and transfer students are awarded based on the information submitted with the application for admission to NIU. Some scholarships are competitive and may not be awarded to all qualified students.
New Freshman Student Merit Scholarships: Once a student has been admitted to NIU as a freshman, they will automatically be considered for a merit scholarship. Some scholarships may require an interview or campus engagement activity to receive the full amount of the award.
New Transfer Student Merit Scholarships: Transfer students are eligible for merit scholarships, whether they enter in the fall or spring semesters. To qualify for merit scholarships, students must meet all academic criteria including cumulative transfer grade point average. All work attempted at all colleges/universities attended will be used in this calculation.

The Graduate School Scholarships

Northern Illinois University has offered programs of study leading to graduate degrees. Currently, more than 6,000 graduate students pursue graduate study in over 100 majors and specializations.

Tuition Waiver
Applicants seeking admission to a degree-granting program for Fall 2015 or admitted or planning to enroll to a program for Fall 2015. Applications for admission must be complete before submitting the waiver application. The eligible applicants for this tuition waiver must be admitted when an award decision is made. Tuition Waiver are categorized as:
Recruitment Tuition Waiver
Citizens of all nationality can apply for this Recruitment Tuition Waiver. Awards are available to students in their first semester of study as a graduate student; students who were previously non-degree graduate students at NIU are ineligible.

Under-Represented Minority Waiver
Under-Represented Minority Waiver is available for African-American, Latino/a, Native American; Asian-Americans (seeking admission to communicative disorders, speech-language pathology, music, philosophy, sport management, special education, early childhood education only); females (philosophy and sport management only).
McNair Scholar Tuition Waiver
Awards are available to students in their first semester of study as a graduate student; students who were previously non-degree graduate students at NIU are ineligible.
Artistic Talent Waiver (Only available to students in the College of Visual and Performing Arts)
Citizens of all nationality are eligible to apply. Artistic Talent Waiver is only available to students in Art, Music or Theatre programs.

Assistantships
Approximately 25 percent of degree-seeking graduate students receive a graduate assistantship. Assistantships provide a stipend and a full-tuition waiver. General fees and course fees are the responsibility of the student.

Graduate Assistantship Employment
The Graduate Assistantship Employment area is responsible for the administration of all graduate assistantship employment activities in coordination with the Division of Academic Affairs and the Graduate School.

Graduate Assistant Tuition Waiver Taxation
As part of university policy, the tuition for graduate assistants is waived for individuals on a graduate assistantship appointment. Section 127/117of the IRS Tax Code, requires that educational assistance provided for graduate-level coursework in excess of $5,250 be added to employees’ taxable wages and employment taxes withheld. This includes tuition waived for law students.

Fellowship
There are four types of fellowships awarded the Northern Illinois University. Fellowship provides support to expedite the progress of superior students toward their (nondoctoral) graduate degrees.

University Fellowship
These University Fellowships, administered by the Graduate School, are intended to provide support to expedite the progress of superior students toward their (nondoctoral) graduate degrees. Budget allowing, there will be six awards, each carrying a stipend of $9,000, plus a full waiver of tuition for the fellowship period.

Jeffrey Lunsford Underrepresented Fellowship
The purpose of the Jeffrey Lunsford Underrepresented Fellowship is to permit superior underrepresented graduate students (Asian Americans, who are underrepresented in their fields, African American, Latino, and Native Americans) to complete their degrees.

The Rhoten A. Smith Assistantship Program (RAS)
The total contract amount represents 50% funding from a department/cost center and 50% funding from the Rhoten A. Smith Assistantship fund.

Carter G. Woodson Scholars Program (CGWSP)
The Carter G. Woodson Scholars Program (CGWSP) is a component of the Northern Illinois University commitment to promote the entry of underrepresented (African American, Latino and Native American) into this nation’s professorial and professional ranks. Initiated in the fall of 1984, the CGWSP provides academic and financial support to underrepresented teachers/scholars wishing to pursue full-time doctoral study at Northern Illinois University.

Athletic Scholarships
Athletic scholarships can be a great way for talented students to fund their education at Northern Illinois University. Assistantships provide a stipend and a full-tuition waiver. General fees and course fees are the responsibility of the student. To be eligible for an assistantship, graduate students must complete and submit an application. Assistants must be full-time students.