Scholarships and Awards

Scholarships and awards are one way to pay for college. Unlike loans, scholarships and awards do not have to be repaid.

There are two main types of scholarships: those offered to you from William Peace University (Peace) and outside scholarships.

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Your scholarships and aid are renewable for all four years.

Peace Merit Scholarships

All first-year and transfer students who are accepted for admission at William Peace University will be considered for merit-based scholarships and grants — without further action required.* These scholarships are renewable each year if you maintain a designated minimum grade point average.

First Time in College Merit Scholarships

  • Presidential Scholarship – $22,000 — WGPA 4.0+
  • Trustee Scholarship – $19,000 – WGPA 3.7-3.99
  • Excellence Scholarship – $18,000 — WGPA 3.25-3.69
  • Achievement Scholarship – $16,000 — WGPA 2.8-3.249
  • Pacer Scholarship – $13,000 – WGPA <2.8

Peace Pledge: 100% of tuition covered for eligible students
Learn more about the Peace Pledge

Transfer Merit Scholarships

  • Tier 1 – $16,000 – GPA 3.8+
  • Tier 2 – $15,000 – GPA 3.5-3.79
  • Tier 3 – $14,000 – GPA 3-3.49
  • Tier 4 – $12,000 – GPA 2.75-2.99
  • Tier 5 – $10,000 – GPA <2.75

Adult and online students are not eligible for institutional aid because of the discounted tuition rate. 

*Except the Honors Scholarship, which requires additional application materials.

 

Other William Peace University Scholarships

Peace offers several other scholarships to both First Time in College and Transfer students.

Peace Transfer Scholarship

Students who transfer into William Peace University may also be eligible for merit-based scholarships. Students who meet the requirements of the Peace Transfer Scholarship can earn between $10,000 to $16,000. These scholarships are awarded on the basis of the number of transferable credits earned at an accredited college or university and on the cumulative grade point average earned at each institution attended. The scholarships are renewable for up to two additional years, provided recipients maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress with Financial Aid.

Community Service and Leadership Scholarships

At William Peace University, our student body is filled with future leaders, community advocates, and world-changers. These students discover their passions and career paths on campus and contribute endlessly to the Peace community.

Peace offers a scholarship to recognize Pacers who exemplify these qualities. There are a limited number of rewards for this competitive scholarship opportunity. Upon admission, select students will be nominated by Peace Admissions Committee and awarded the Community Service and Leadership Scholarship, from $375 – $1,000 per year. This scholarship is renewable each year pending good academic standing.

How to be considered? Clearly highlight your Leadership and Community Service involvement on your application — this is important.

Honors Scholarship

Students accepted into the Honors Program are awarded a $1,000 scholarship. The scholarship increases annually during your time at Peace. All incoming students with a 3.5+ weighted GPA are eligible to apply. If you are a transfer student and have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and fewer than 46 credit hours, you are eligible to apply. The Honors Committee considers GPA and SAT/ACT (if submitted); community engagement and leadership are also strong factors.

Note: Unlike other Peace scholarships, the Honors scholarship may require additional information. Students may be required to interview with the Honors Committee. Honors scholarships are renewable for a further three years of study at William Peace University, provided recipients actively work toward completion of the Honors Program curriculum and maintain a 3.25 GPA.

Phi Theta Kappa Honor Scholarship

Peace would like to congratulate and honor those students who have demonstrated high academic achievements at the two-year/community college level (or while in high school as a dual-enrolled student) and who will continue their education at Peace. If you are or were a past member of Phi Theta Kappa, simply send in your proof of membership to your admissions counselor and Peace will grant an additional $2,000 PTK scholarship along with your merit scholarship.

Legacy Scholarship

Students whose parents or grandparents are graduates of Peace will be awarded $500 per semester. Simply indicate this on your application for admission.

Sibling Grant

Siblings who are simultaneously enrolled in the day program at Peace each receive a $500 per semester grant. Students may apply to have the grant renewed each year both siblings are enrolled at Peace. Students must indicate this simultaneous enrollment on their application for admission.  As they continue their studies at Peace, you must alert the Office of Financial Aid of your eligibility.

IMPORTANT NOTICE about Non-Merit Scholarships

There are limited funds for the non-merit scholarships listed on this page.

All awards cannot exceed tuition and are determined by the appointed committee. The Board of Trustees can change these limitations at any time. Students must maintain certain standards for renewability. It’s the student’s responsibility to know what those standards are and to maintain them at all times during the awarded time of the scholarship and/or grants.

Your financial aid award is subject to revision upon final verification of credits transferred into the program along with the number of hours enrolled and successfully completed each semester/term. Your award may be reduced based on final funding by the award agencies (NC General Assembly, US Department of Education, etc.). Students are required to make consistent progress toward the completion of their degree to remain eligible for certain financial aid programs. Students may also be required to submit additional documentation to verify the information submitted on the FAFSA.

How Do I Apply for Financial Aid?

A quality private education doesn’t have to break the bank. It doesn’t have to be difficult either. That’s why nearly 100% of our students are awarded some type of financial aid. We make it easy for you and your family.

Learn how to apply for financial aid

Outside Scholarships

Outside scholarships are funds awarded by entities outside of the federal, state, and institutional aid programs. Outside scholarships are one more option to pay for school without borrowing loans.

iGrad

William Peace University has launched a partnership with iGrad to curate a personalized scholarship list just for you!  To set up your personalized scholarship search:

  • Login at igrad.com with your Peace ID and password.
  • Answer questions that will match you to eligible, outside scholarship opportunities.
  • Get tips and tools to improve your scholarship search.

Where to Look for Scholarships

  • High school guidance counselors
  • Local businesses, churches, community service organizations
  • Employers and associations

How to Avoid Scholarship Scams

  • Watch closely anything that requires a fee
  • Avoid giving non-relevant personal information
  • Be wary of any “Guaranteed” scholarships or “Free” seminars with an up-sell
  • Never give out bank/credit card account numbers!
  • Avoid interviews in hotels or restaurants
  • If it’s too good to be true – it probably is
Students at Peace
Outside Scholarship Opportunities

This is by no means an all-inclusive list of resources.  You can find many more scholarship opportunities by using a scholarship search website, such as:

Please Note: All scholarships were valid when posted. The Office of Financial Aid at William Peace University provides external scholarship information as a courtesy.  The above lists are provided to you as a reference tool. They should not be construed as an endorsement by William Peace University of any of the organizations listed.

Important: If You Get an Outside Scholarship

Federal regulations require that these scholarships be incorporated into a student’s financial aid award. That means if you receive an outside scholarship, you must report it to William Peace University so our team can factor it into your full financial aid package. An outside scholarship is first applied to the self-help portion of the student’s award (Federal Work-Study or need-based loans) prior to reducing Peace scholarships and grants.

After all of the self-help portion of the award has been replaced, Peace scholarships and grants may be reduced, dollar for dollar, for any remaining amount.

How to Report Outside Scholarships

Students must notify the Financial Aid office of all outside awards received, including awards paid directly to you. Please report your outside scholarships to our office using our online Scholarship Reporting Form and include a copy of any correspondence (e.g., letter or email) from the scholarship donor if available.

How to Receive Outside Scholarship Funds
Scholarship agencies should send students’ outside scholarship payments directly to Peace Student Accounts. The scholarship check should be made payable to William Peace University so that funds may be credited directly to the student’s university bill. The student’s full name and Student ID number should be included in the memo section of the check.

Checks made payable to the student or co-payable to the student and Peace must be signed by the student prior to submitting the scholarship check to our office.