Wilkes University offers various institutional scholarships to eligible students and accepts qualifying private scholarships that a student may receive.
Wilkes also partners with Scholarship Universe external website to help students easily connect with private scholarships and potentially match with internal endowed scholarship opportunities. Students can log in with their Wilkes student portal account and password to create a profile through matching questions and apply to private scholarships. We highly encourage all undergraduate and graduate students to follow the below steps to create a Scholarship Universe profile.
in donor-funded and private scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduate students in the 2022-2023 academic year.
Start by logging into the Scholarship Universe external website site. Students can create an account or log into their account by logging in with their Wilkes student portal information. The site is secure and works on any device. Please bookmark this page for yourself as you will hopefully be using this platform regularly.
On subsequent logins you will be taken directly to your dashboard, an overview of your current and future scholarship opportunities and action items that require your attention. The user menu on the left will help you navigate the different sections of the application and awarding process.
Note: If you're a newly admitted incoming student, you'll receive your Wilkes email and login shortly after making your enrollment deposit. Once you receive it, can set up your Scholarship Universe account.
- When first logging in, you will automatically be prompted to begin answer matching questions.
- If you've already created an account, select "Questions" in the navigation to edit or answer additional questions about yourself.
These questions, along with academic and personal information Wilkes already has on file, will be used to help match you with potential private scholarships and be used for internal endowed scholarship considerations. You can skip any questions but the more questions you answer, the more scholarship opportunities may be available. Based on your answers for each question, you may see the "Matches" box in the upper right update with the number of potential matches. You may view these scholarships at any time by clicking this box.
Students can return to the platform at any point to edit answers or answer more matching questions. Please review and update your profile throughout each semester to consistently view new scholarship opportunities!
Select "Scholarships" from the navigation menu. This section will display and let you interact with all matching private scholarship opportunities currently open at any given time. This section has several tabs:
- Matches – List of private scholarships to you matched with and are can apply to
- Pinned – List of private scholarships that you have previously pinned to your account
- Partial Matches – List of private scholarships to which you match as least one requirement but have missing information for other requirements
- Application Submitted – List of private scholarships you marked as applied
- Awarded – List of scholarships that you have been awarded
- Non-Matches – List of private scholarships you do not match with
- Not Interested – List of private scholarships you matched with, but you have marked as not being interested in applying to
Each scholarship will have application start and end dates and a status stating whether the scholarship is currently open or closed to applications. There are icons within each scholarship box to either pin, view statistics of that scholarship, mark as applied, and/or mark the scholarship as not interested, which will move that scholarship to one of the above tabs.
Select the "View" button on any scholarship listed in your matches to take you directly to that scholarship's details.
Note: Endowed scholarships will not be available in your matching list to apply for or view. Information from your answered questions will be used to help match internally with any endowed scholarships that may be available. Students are automatically awarded endowed scholarships, when available, through criteria set by the donor. You will be notified through scholarship universe (under "Awards") and by email if you were selected for an endowed scholarship. If an endowed scholarship is posted to your account, you will be able to view awards in your available financial aid information and bill, located in your Wilkes portal under Student - Student Services.
While in the “Scholarships” section under the "Matches" tab (or viewing a scholarship from Step 3), select the "Apply" button to be taken to that scholarship's webpage and application.
Please be aware of each scholarship's specific deadline and application requirements. You can review your scholarship matches throughout the year.
If you match with a scholarship, it does not guarantee you to receive that scholarship. All scholarships need to be applied for and decisions are made by the scholarship organization, not Wilkes.
Any internal scholarships that require an application or resume will be posted on Today@Wilkes.
Note: Endowed/Named scholarships will not be available in your matching list to apply for or view. Information from your answered questions will be used to help match internally with any endowed scholarships that may be available. Students are automatically awarded endowed scholarships, when available, through criteria set by the donor. You will be notified through scholarship universe (under "Awards") and by email if you were selected for an endowed scholarship. If an endowed scholarship is posted to your account, you will be able to view awards in your available financial aid information and bill, located in your Wilkes Portal under Student - Student Services.
If you have any issues, concerns, or additional feedback while using this platform, please select the "Feedback" option located in the menu bar on the left side of the page to submit your comments.
Types of Scholarships
Private scholarships are outside scholarships that are not awarded by Wilkes University. We encourage undergraduate and graduate students to search for and apply to outside scholarships. Wilkes partners with Scholarship Universe to help students search for scholarships that may match their college and personal attributes. Please view the steps on this page to learn how to create a Scholarship Universe external website profile and apply to private scholarships.
Private scholarships are not guaranteed. Each scholarship has their own application and may require additional documentation, such as an essay or transcripts. While these type of scholarships are mainly aimed towards undergraduate students, there may also be opportunities for graduate students. Please know, it is not guaranteed that you will receive a scholarship, but the more scholarships you apply to, the greater the opportunities.
We advise all students to first create their Scholarship Universe external website account and keep their questions up to date to match with potential private scholarships; however, if you are looking for additional search resources, we suggest avoiding scholarship searches that charge a fee participate by using some of these popular free Scholarship websites:
- Fastweb external website
- Big Future (College Board) external website
- Scholarships.com external website
- Scholarship America external website
- Finaid.org external website
- Peerlift external website
When searching scholarships, make sure that scholarship criteria match your college and personal attributes.
We also suggest to contact your high school guidance counselor, local civic groups, parents' places of employment, etc. to inquire about scholarship opportunities.
The Community Foundation Locator external website can help you find foundations in your area that may provide scholarships to students from their hometown.
Through the PA Partnerships for Access to Higher Education (PATH) Program, qualifying students who have already been awarded a scholarship or grant by one of our PHEAA PATH Partners may be eligible for additional grant money.
PATH Program Eligibility and Application Requirements external website
Wilkes University offers more than 200 donor scholarships annually, made possible by the generous support of Wilkes alumni and friends. Most of these scholarships do not require an application and are automatically awarded to full-time students through matching criteria established by donors possibly relating to, but not limited to, a student's grade level, financial need (based on the FAFSA), academics, major, club/organization involvement, etc.
Some donor scholarships may be renewable should criteria continuously be met each academic year. Donor scholarships are not guaranteed. The awarding of a donor scholarship may impact other need-based institutional aid a student may have already received.
In order to be considered, students will need to create an account on Scholarship Universe external website and answer matching questions.
Any donor scholarship(s) that require an application or resume will be posted on Today@Wilkes, a list of announcements emailed to current students each weekday.
Merit scholarships are scholarships offered directly by Wilkes to newly admitted incoming undergraduate first year and transfer students during the admissions process, based on academic performance. As long as a student remains academically eligible, they will retain their merit scholarship in future undergraduate semesters.
If you are not yet enrolled at Wilkes, you can view First Year and Transfer Merit Scholarships.
If you have not yet applied to Wilkes, you can apply online.
Wilkes University leadership scholarships may be available to eligible returning undergraduate students who hold qualifying leadership positions on campus. Not all clubs and organizations or leadership-related positions have qualifying leadership scholarships.
Some of the following student organizations possibly have a position in which a leadership scholarship may be available:
- Student Government
- The Beacon Student Newspaper
- Zebra Communications
- Commuter Council
- Multicultural Student Coalition
- Programming Board
- 90.7 WCLH
- Manuscript Society Board
View all clubs and organizations to get involved on campus!
Graduate students can create a Scholarship Universe external website account to help connect with private scholarships. Please view the information on this page to learn more about private scholarships and steps on how to create a profile to apply to private scholarships.
Wilkes also provides some information on a few private foundations, civic organizations, and other groups that may offer scholarships to graduate students.
Veterans Scholarships
If you served our country, Wilkes wants to help you find a way to finance your higher education. Visit Veterans Services to learn more about the Yellow Ribbon program, the Post-9/11 GI Bill® and other resources available to veterans.
“GI Bill®” is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government VA Benefits website external website.
Air Force ROTC Scholarships
Full- and partial-tuition scholarships may be awarded based on individual merit and participation in the U.S. Air Force. Applications must be completed by Dec. 1. For more scholarship information, please visit the AFROTC website external website.
More about Wilkes' Air Force ROTC program
Performance Scholarships
Theatre Arts and Musical Theatre majors may be awarded performance scholarships based on an audition.
Visual and Performing Arts program at Wilkes
Multicultural Service Scholarships
Multicultural service scholarships may be awarded to students who come from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds and contribute to community service activities on campus. All students with financial need may be considered, regardless of cultural or ethnic background. Scholarship renewal is based on continued service to campus or the community. Typically awarded to returning Wilkes University students.