Scholarships & Grants

Paying for college is a significant investment. Champlain's Office of Financial Aid is committed to assisting you and your family throughout the financial aid process. Another important distinction of Financial Aid at Champlain College is that we offer our four-year Count-On-It Financial Aid Guarantee, which ensures that the Champlain scholarships you are awarded in your first year never decline as long as you are enrolled full time. This is not the case at all institutions.

Merit Scholarship Process

Once your admissions application is complete, it will be reviewed to determine your eligibility for merit scholarships from Champlain College. Merit scholarships, which do not need to be repaid, are based on the strength of your academic records and overall profile. You will be considered for these Champlain merit scholarships automatically; you do not need to complete a separate application.

Need-Based Aid

If you wish to be considered for additional aid beyond the merit scholarships, including need-based scholarships from Champlain College, federal and state grants, work-study, and federal loans, you must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)—a form used by most colleges and universities. The information you provide will be analyzed according to nationally standardized criteria to determine the extent of financial need. 

Filing the FAFSA allows you to be considered for the Federal Pell Grant Program, Champlain need-based scholarships, state scholarships and grants, loans, and federal work-study (part-time jobs that help you pay for college). You can complete the FAFSA—and find other filing assistance—at studentaid.gov. Please apply Champlain's school code 003684 to ensure we receive your information.Y ou should not wait until you receive your admission decision before filing the FAFSA. If you plan to apply to Champlain, you can submit your FAFSA anytime after October 1—even if you have not completed your application.

Champlain Scholarships

Students will be reviewed for a variety of institutional scholarships that recognize superior academic achievement, student financial need, or both.

All applicants admitted into a Champlain degree program will automatically be considered for one of Champlain's merit-based scholarships. These scholarships focus on students who exemplify excellence in academics as well as engagement outside the classroom—traits that reflect our outstanding students and faculty.

All admitted applicants who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be considered for Champlain's need-based scholarships. These scholarships are awarded to students with demonstrated financial need, which allows the College to enroll the brightest, most engaged students regardless of family income.

Our financial aid staff awards scholarships that match the student's level of achievement, need, and other characteristics. To make the process easy to navigate, there are no separate scholarship applications to complete.

Our scholarships are renewed annually as long as the student remains enrolled full time. No minimum GPA is required for scholarship renewal and awards do not need to be repaid. Champlain College scholarships are applied towards the student's cost of attendance.

Champlain scholarships are generously supported by individuals and organizations that believe deeply in Champlain's mission and are committed to recognizing student academic achievement and need.

Champlain College Endowed Scholarship Funds for Students

Endowed or "named" scholarships are funded by generous gifts from alumni and friends of Champlain College. The funds are awarded each year to students who meet the donors' designated criteria. Qualifications and award amounts vary, but the determination of the award is generally based on financial need. Endowed scholarships do not require repayment.

More detailed information on each Champlain College Endowed Scholarship can be found here.

Federal Grant Programs

For the most detailed and up-to-date information on the federal aid programs listed below, visit the Department of Education's website at studentaid.ed.gov.

• FEDERAL PELL GRANT—The Pell Grant, a need-based fund awarded to undergraduate students, does not have to be repaid. The grant amount is based on the FAFSA Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
• FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY GRANT (SEOG)—SEOG is awarded to Pell Grant recipients with exceptional financial need and does not have to be repaid. The grant amount is based on available funding.

State Aid Programs

State grant programs offer assistance based on residency, financial need, and academic performance.

For students from Vermont, Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC) offers the Vermont Incentive Grant to families with financial need and VSAC-assisted scholarships to students who meet eligibility criteria. For more information, visit vsac.org.

For students from other states, Champlain recommends checking with your state agency for funding opportunities. Residents of Massachusetts and Pennsylvania who are eligible for a state grant can use it to attend Champlain, so be sure to follow the application process to receive state funds.

Outside Scholarships & Grants

Champlain encourages and rewards students for seeking outside funding to help meet their college expenses. Many organizations outside of the College, as well as federal and state governments, award scholarships to students. For more information, contact your local civic, professional, religious, and other community organizations. High school guidance counselors may also have a list of available local scholarships.

Students who receive an outside scholarship will not have their Champlain College scholarship reduced, in most cases. Tuition benefits, tuition exchange, and military and veterans' benefits are not considered outside scholarships and will impact the student's eligibility for additional Champlain scholarships.

Additional Champlain College Scholarships

• Miller Scholarship is awarded to full-time, first-year traditional undergraduate students in the Division of Education & Human Studies with significant involvement in community service. Miller Scholarship recipients are selected by the Champlain College Office of Admissions based on the community service activities listed on the student's application for admission.
• New American Student Scholarship is a need-based scholarship for Vermont's refugee and asylum students. Recipients must be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant. This scholarship covers tuition less the student's expected family contribution and any federal and state grants the student receives.
• Single Parents Scholarship is a scholarship for Pell-eligible single parents participating in the Champlain College Single Parents Program. The goal of the scholarship is to aid with tuition for single parents.
• Vermont First Scholarship is targeted at first generation college-bound high school seniors from Vermont. Recipients must be full-time traditional students and eligible for a Federal Pell Grant. This scholarship, in combination with the expected family contribution, federal and state programs to include work-study, student loans, grants, and other gift aid, will provide funding for up to the full cost of attendance at Champlain College. Vermont First Scholarship recipients must remain in campus housing to qualify for the full award.