Due Dec 1, 2026
Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship
Direct application
Full tuition
Eligibility
School
Vanderbilt University
Education level
Undergraduate
Year of study
Entering
About this scholarship
First-year applicants to Vanderbilt University who combine strong academics with leadership and meaningful extracurricular involvement may apply for the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship through MyAppVU.
Recipients receive full tuition plus a one-time summer stipend for an immersive experience after sophomore or junior year. The award renews for up to eight semesters with a 3.0 GPA, and Vanderbilt may add need-based aid when demonstrated need exceeds full tuition.
Apply via MyAppVU after submitting your admission application. The scholarship honors Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, whose 1873 gift founded the university to strengthen ties across the country.
Essay question
What else to submit
- Vanderbilt admission application
- Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship application through MyAppVU
- One 250-500 word response about the applicant's chosen academic program, experiences, goals, and interests, uploaded as PDF or Word document
- Must first apply for admission via the Coalition Application, Common Application, or QuestBridge Application, then select the scholarship under the Scholarships tab in the MyAppVU portal
- Response must be 250-500 words (recorded wordLimit reflects the 500-word maximum; minimum is 250 words)
- Response uploaded as a PDF or Word document and submitted online via MyAppVU
- Submitting the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship application also ensures consideration for additional merit scholarships (Carell Family, Curb Leadership, and Fred Russell-Grantland Rice)
- Application deadline: December 1 (for prospective first-year students)
- Recipients must maintain a 3.0 GPA for renewal up to eight semesters.
- Includes a one-time summer immersive-experience stipend after sophomore or junior year.