Scholarships at Iowa State University

The Hixson Opportunity Award is a twenty thousand dollar scholarship distributed over eight semesters to Iowa high school seniors entering Iowa State University as first-year students who have overcome personal or financial hardship. One student from each Iowa county may receive the award annually based on county of residence at high school completion, application materials, a letter of recommendation, and FAFSA-demonstrated financial need. Applicants must file the FAFSA by December 18 and complete verification before review begins around February 2. Recipients must maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA, live on campus or in the Greek community as first-years, and participate in Hixson seminars and program activities. Notification occurs by May 1.

The Provost Scholars Program pairs about twenty-five current Iowa State undergraduates annually with faculty or staff mentors for paid research or project work plus a three thousand dollar scholarship. Scholars work two hundred to three hundred paid hours per academic year at fifteen dollars per hour, meet periodically with the Provost, present research each spring, and complete employment compliance through Workday. Applicants must be enrolled undergraduates with a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA and interest in undergraduate research, meeting both scholarship and student employment eligibility. Renewal is available for up to eight semesters contingent on program participation. Apply through the Provost Scholars Program application administered by the Student Employment Center.

The Phi Theta Kappa Member Scholarship supports transfer students admitted to Iowa State University who are current PTK members with at least thirty transferable community college semester hours and a minimum 3.50 cumulative transfer GPA. Applicants submit the OneApp scholarship application by March 11, must be offered admission before that date, and email proof of PTK membership to transfer@iastate.edu. Students must enroll full-time immediately following a two-year community college and pursue their first bachelor's degree. The award can combine with the Transfer Achievement or Success awards. Renewal for a second year requires continuous full-time enrollment, at least 12 credits per semester, and a minimum 3.00 cumulative ISU GPA.

The Generations Award celebrates Iowa State legacy families by providing renewable funding to admitted nonresident first-year and transfer students who are children, step-children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren of Iowa State graduates holding a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree. Students complete the Generations Award application in the OneApp Scholarship portal and provide verification of the relative's graduation. The fifteen hundred dollar annual award can combine with other Office of Admissions merit scholarships except full-tuition programs. Renewal requires continuous full-time enrollment, nonresident tuition assessment, good academic standing, at least 12 credits per semester, and a minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA without reapplying each year.

The First Cyclones Scholarship provides up to one hundred full-tuition awards to incoming first-year U.S. citizens or permanent residents at Iowa State University who are first-generation college students and/or meet low-income eligibility criteria at 150 percent of the federal poverty level. Applicants need a minimum 3.0 high school GPA, must be direct out-of-high-school entrants, and apply through OneApp by February 1 with FAFSA submitted by the priority deadline and strong application essays. The program includes learning community support, mandatory orientation, and UST courses. Recipients maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA and 24 new credits annually. Full-tuition recipients cannot combine this award with GWCSL, Loyal, Forever, True, Academic Achievement, Expedition, or Generations awards.