First-Year Scholarships

Students must have applied for and been offered admission to SRU in order to be considered for any SRU scholarships.

At Slippery Rock University, we offer scholarships that are based on diverse criteria specific to each scholarship including academic record, talent, place of residence and major. SRU proudly awards approximately 2 million dollars in scholarships annually to the incoming freshman class.

  • Apply for admission by December 1st to automatically be considered for merit scholarships.  Students who apply for admission after December 1st will considered for scholarships if funds are available.  Eighty-six percent of SRU’s academic scholarships are awarded solely on information provided to the University during the admission and financial aid process. Please note that Slippery Rock University is now test-optional.
  • Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov. The 2025-26 FAFSA application is expected to open in December. We encourage all students to complete the FAFSA at that time. Some of the Slippery Rock University scholarships do include a need-based component.
  • Review other scholarships on this page in the links below.  Many do not require applications.  If they do, the application link will be listed.
  • Students interested in Athletic Scholarships must discuss scholarship opportunities with the team coach. Contact the Athletics Office for further information.