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Merit Scholarships

First-Year Student Scholarships

You will find one of the most affordable four-year degrees in all of New England at Bridgewater State University. As a newly admitted student, your outstanding academic achievement will be rewarded with a merit scholarship. Bridgewater awards $4.2M in merit scholarships annually to first-year students. Bridgewater guarantees merit scholarships to students with a 3.40 or higher high school GPA. We are here to help you become a future BSU Bear!

Learn about scholarships for transfer students »

Due to the competitiveness of the Aviation Science, Flight Training program, scholarship awards may vary from the below criteria.

Tsongas Scholarship - In-state tuition and fees (approx. $11,000+/year)

  • Recognizes Massachusetts residents for highest academic achievement
  • Provides in-state tuition and fees for up to four years
  • Scholarship is for four consecutive years of full-time enrollment ($44,000+ value)
  • Requirements: 4.50+ recalculated high school GPA, Massachusetts resident, and full-time status
  • Number to award: Limit 5 per year

Presidential Merit Scholarship - $11,000/year

  • Recognizes high academic achievement
  • Provides $11,000 a year ($5,500/semester) toward overall cost of attendance
  • Scholarship is for four consecutive years of full-time enrollment ($44,000 value)
  • Requirements: 4.50+ recalculated high school GPA, full-time status and not a recipient of the Tsongas Scholarship
  • Number to award: unlimited

Recognition of Scholastic Excellence (ROSE) Merit Scholarship - $11,000/year

  • Recognizes academic achievement, leadership and diversity
  • Provides $11,000 a year ($5,500/semester) toward overall cost of attendance
  • Scholarship is for four consecutive years of full-time enrollment ($44,000 value)
  • Requirements: 4.00+ recalculated high school GPA, underrepresented BSU community as determined by the scholarship committee, full-time status and not a recipient of the Tsongas or Presidential Scholarship
  • Number to award: limited

Crimson Merit Scholarship - $5,000/year

  • Available exclusively to Massachusetts residents
  • Provides $5,000 a year ($2,500/semester) toward overall cost of attendance
  • Scholarship is for four consecutive years of full-time enrollment ($20,000 value)
  • Requirements: 3.70+ recalculated high school GPA, Massachusetts resident, full-time status and not a recipient of the Tsongas, Presidential or ROSE Scholarship
  • Number to award: unlimited

Horace Mann Merit Scholarship - $5,000/year

  • Available exclusively to non-Massachusetts residents
  • Provides $5,000 a year ($2,500/semester) toward overall cost of attendance
  • Scholarship is for four consecutive years of full-time enrollment ($20,000 value)
  • Requirements: Non-Massachusetts resident, full-time status and not a recipient of the Presidential, ROSE or New England Regional (NER) Scholarship
  • Number to award: unlimited
  • With this $5,000 scholarship, the cost of tuition, fees, housing and meals for non-Massachusetts residents to attend BSU is approximately $25,000 — nearly the same or in some cases less than the cost of attending an in-state college

Bear Merit Scholarship - $3,000/year

  • Available exclusively to Massachusetts residents
  • Provides $3,000 a year ($1,500/semester) toward overall cost of attendance
  • Scholarship is for four consecutive years of full-time enrollment ($12,000 value)
  • Requirements: 3.40-3.69 recalculated high school GPA, Massachusetts resident, full-time status
  • Number to award: unlimited

 

Funding Awarded

87% of BSU students receive scholarships and/or financial aid.

Over $34.2M of federal, state and BSU funds are awarded annually.

Bridgewater awards $4.2M in merit scholarships annually to first-year students.

This funding supports BSU students in a variety of majors as well as assisting students participating in paid internships, study abroad and undergraduate research. To learn more, contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission at admission@bridgew.edu or 508.531.1237.