Scholarships & Grants

Scholarships and grants are two important components that can help keep your educational costs manageable. Learn more about the opportunities that are available to you at Holy Cross.

Institutional Scholarships

Holy Cross institutional funding is primarily need-based, although a limited number of merit-based scholarships are available to students who qualify.

Magis Scholarship

Magis Scholarship recipients are among the most talented applicants to Holy Cross each year, and have distinguished themselves in their school and community as top scholars, model citizens, and leaders.  Magis, Latin for "more," reflects the Jesuit invitation to dig deeper, pursue excellence and allow space for attentiveness, and we are confident that Magis Scholarship recipients will embrace that ideal and make the most of the gifts and opportunities with which they have been blessed.  Magis Scholarships are renewed each year for four years provided students are maintaining good academic progress and a satisfactory disciplinary record.

Faber Scholarship

Faber Scholarships are awarded each year to students identified through the admissions process in recognition of strong academic achievements and commitment to personal growth and responsibility coupled with demonstrated financial need.  Named for St. Peter Faber, one of the first Jesuits, the Faber Scholarship is renewed each year for four years provided students are maintaining good academic progress and a satisfactory disciplinary record.

Tuition Scholarships

These are merit-based scholarships offered at the point of admission, with student eligibility determined by the Admissions Office.

Ellis Scholarship

The Ellis Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship that is offered to a Worcester resident entering their first year at Holy Cross. It is renewable for all four years. There is no separate application for the Ellis Scholarship, and all applicants to to College who reside in Worcester are considered. Finalists will be invited to campus by the scholarship committee for an interview in February.

Brooks Scholarship

The Brooks Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship offered to a major in the music department.

Bean Scholarship

The Bean Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship offered to a major in the classics department.

FitzGerald Scholarship

The FitzGerald Scholarship is a full tuition scholarship offered to a major in the classics department.

Institutional Grants

Eligibility for all Holy Cross funded grant and scholarship assistance is limited to eight semesters. Additionally, Holy Cross funded grant and scholarship assistance cannot be refunded to a student to cover off-campus housing expenses. Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards in order to remain eligible for all financial aid, including grants and scholarships.  SAP is reviewed at the end of each semester.

Holy Cross Grant

Eligibility for a Holy Cross Grant is determined based on financial need as demonstrated through the financial aid application process. Nearly 450 first-year students are awarded Holy Cross Grant funding each year.  Amounts range from $2,500 to more than $60,000, depending on financial need. Students must reapply each year for a Holy Cross Grant. Our goal is to renew this grant each year, although it is subject to change based on demonstrated need.  The level of financial assistance in future years will be impacted by income and asset fluctuations as well as changes in the number of dependent family members enrolled as undergraduate students in a college or university.  Eligibility for all Holy Cross funded grant and scholarship assistance is limited to eight semesters.

Holy Cross "More Than One" Grant

An institutional need-based grant established to provide greater transparency to students and families.  If your family has more than one dependent enrolled as an undergraduate in a college or university, and you demonstrate financial need, your Holy Cross Grant (or a portion of it), may be designated as a Holy Cross "More Than One" Grant.  Please note that you will not be eligible for this grant in future years when there is no longer more than one in college.  The amount is also subject to change each year based on demonstrated need and how many dependents are enrolled as undergraduates in a college or university.

Federal Grants

The following two grants are administered directly by Holy Cross’ Financial Aid office and are for students with exceptional need.

Federal Pell Grants

The Pell Grant is a federally funded program with grant amounts ranging from $740 to $7,395 for the 2024-2025 academic year. Student eligibility for this program is determined by federal need analysis.

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG)

SEOG is a federal grant program for students who, according to federal need analysis, are determined to exhibit exceptional financial need. Holy Cross is granted a limited amount of funding from this program and priority SEOG eligibility is given to Federal Pell Grant recipients.

Additional Resources

Here is some information on a variety of other options for you to explore to obtain scholarships and grants from places you might not have considered. Scholarship search engines can also help students locate additional scholarships. Websites such as fastweb.com are free for students to use. When using scholarship search engines, please keep the following in mind: 

  • You should not pay a fee to use a scholarship search engine
  • Avoid scholarship applications that require a processing fee
  • Ignore any emails you receive that say “You have won a scholarship” from an organization you have not applied to; these emails are often phishing scams. 

State-sponsored grants

If you are a resident of Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, or Vermont, Holy Cross expects that you will take advantage of state-sponsored grant programs by applying to them directly. Apply for free online at www.fafsa.gov. The deadlines and further instructions for particular state grants can be found on the FAFSA.

Local opportunities

One source for scholarships is from local civic, church, club and high school organizations. Please contact your high school’s school counseling department for more information about local scholarship opportunities. 
 

National Scholarships

National organizations may also provide scholarship opportunities for students. The following list is not comprehensive but can be a good place to start your search:

ROTC scholarships and stipends

The Navy ROTC program at Holy Cross offers full and partial tuition scholarships to selected cadets and midshipmen. A full four-year NROTC scholarship student attending Holy Cross receives a monthly tax-free stipend for expenses during the academic year. The monthly stipend is currently $250 for freshman, $300 for sophomores, $350 for juniors, and $400 for seniors. Scholarship students also receive a semester book stipend of $375. In addition, students receiving a full NROTC scholarship at Holy Cross also receive a Holy Cross NROTC Scholarship Incentive Grant, which is the equivalent of standard room charges each year. The Incentive Grant is only applicable toward on-campus room charges. For more information, contact the Holy Cross Naval ROTC office at 508-793-2433 or nrotc@holycross.edu.

Veteran Education Benefits: Post-9/11 GI Bill® & Yellow Ribbon Program

The College of the Holy Cross is proud to support our nation’s veterans, active-duty service members, and their families in pursuing higher education. We participate in the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) and the Yellow Ribbon Program , helping eligible students cover tuition and fees.

Post-9/11 GI Bill® Details

The Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides financial support for tuition, fees, housing, and textbooks for eligible veterans and their dependents. The amount of benefits is based on factors such as time in service and enrollment status.

The College of the Holy Cross is proud to be a Yellow Ribbon Program participant, offering additional tuition assistance for eligible veterans and dependents. Beginning with the 2025-2026 academic year, Holy Cross will contribute up to $7,500 per academic year as part of the Yellow Ribbon Program, with the Department of Veterans Affairs matching this amount, further reducing or eliminating out-of-pocket tuition expenses for eligible students.

  • Veterans must have served at least 36 months of active duty after September 10, 2001, or qualify under the Transfer of Entitlement (TOE) program.
  • Dependents using transferred benefits may also be eligible.
  • Students must be 100% eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® to qualify for Yellow Ribbon benefits.
  • Yellow Ribbon funds are provided on a first-come, first-served basis due to limited availability.

  1. Obtain Your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
  2. Submit your COE and other required documentation to Jared Chapman in the Registrar’s Office.

The College of the Holy Cross is committed to supporting our veteran and military-connected students in achieving their academic and career goals. For more information, please contact Jared Chapman.  We are honored to serve those who have served our country!