Scholarships at Virginia Commonwealth University

The VCCS Transfer Scholarship helps Virginia Community College System transfer students offset tuition and fees at VCU. Applicants must have earned at least 45 semester credit hours at a Virginia community college and submit VCU's online transfer application by March 15 to be considered. The scholarship covers tuition and fees up to $8,000 per year, with a maximum of $4,000 per semester. A limited number of awards are available each cycle, and students who attended institutions other than Virginia community colleges are not eligible.

The Karen and Ike Carter Scholarship for Experiential Learning provides financial support for College of Humanities and Sciences students participating in internships, research experiences, study abroad, professional conferences, or social entrepreneurship projects. Awards up to $5,000 are available to full-time undergraduate rising juniors or seniors who are primary CHS majors in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. Students apply through the CHS scholarship portal with a project description, budget outline, and faculty or mentor reference. The application deadline is March 1, 2026.

The Honors Summer Undergraduate Research Program gives VCU Honors College students a mentored summer research experience from May 26 through July 24, 2026, with professional development workshops and social activities. Participants work one-on-one with a faculty mentor or research team on projects that may include lab work, literature reviews, data collection, or statistical analysis. A $4,000 stipend is paid in two installments over the nine-week program. The priority application deadline is February 9 at 11:59 p.m.

The Eugene P. Trani Scholars Program provides full tuition and fees to exceptional undergraduate students selected from applicants pursuing studies in engineering, life sciences, or health sciences. Scholars are chosen based on need and merit by a committee of former Board of Visitors members and a Wright family representative. Recipients retain the scholarship throughout their VCU careers provided they remain in good academic standing. The program was established with a founding gift from C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright and continues as one of VCU's most prestigious undergraduate honors.

The Baldacci Political Science Endowed Scholarship supports an undergraduate political science major at VCU who is working while attending school or volunteering in the community. To qualify, students must be rising juniors or rising seniors with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The award was established with a gift from novelist and VCU alumnus David Baldacci and his wife Michelle as part of a broader commitment to CHS experiential learning and student support. Recipients are selected through the department and college scholarship process for ambitious students facing educational cost challenges.

The VCU School of Nursing awards more than $4 million annually across endowed and annual scholarship funds for current nursing students, with over 100 named funds supporting undergraduate and graduate learners. Current students apply through the school's scholarship application when the cycle opens in mid-April, with award notifications in late summer. Newly admitted nursing students must claim their eID before applying. Need-based awards require a completed FAFSA or Virginia Alternative State Aid Application on file in addition to the scholarship application.

The Gaye Shinall Jones Merit Scholarship supports an entering VCU freshman with interest in pursuing social work as a career. Established in 2003 by William O. Jones to honor his wife Gaye Shinall Jones, who earned her social work degree at VCU, the endowed award can renew annually when the recipient maintains a B average. Recipients are selected through the School of Social Work scholarship process. The fund reflects the school's community-focused mission and encourages students entering the social work profession at VCU.