Types of Aid

Scholarships

Every full-time traditional student who is admitted to Concordia University Chicago receives either a merit scholarship or an admission award provided by the University.

Scholarship and award programs for students entering in the Fall Semester (2025-2026 academic year):

Scholarship and award programs for students entering in the Fall Semester (2025-2026 academic year):

 

Freshman Merit Scholarships/Awards

 

2026-27 Scholarship/Award Amounts

 

High School Academic GPA

Pillars Scholarship

$15,000

3.90 and above

Regents Scholarship

$14,000

3.89 to 3.50

Faculty Scholarship

$11,000

3.49 to 3.00

Cougar Award

$9,000

2.99 to 2.75

Maroon and Gold Award

$7,000

2.74 and below

 

Freshman Leadership Scholarship: $6,000 - $10,000, in addition to earned Freshman Merit Scholarship/Award
Requirements: Maintain good academic standing

Freshman Church Pro Leadership Award: $7,000 - $11,000, in addition to earned Freshman Merit Scholarship/Award
Requirements: Provide annual verification of intent to pursue a church profession by the congregation pastor and maintain good academic standing

*President's Freshman Honor Scholar Award: $38,840
Requirements: Full tuition award up to 18 credits per semester, participate in CUC Honors Program and maintain annual GPA of 3.75 at CUC

*The President's Freshman Honors Scholar Award is a scholarship competition by invitation only based on G.P.A. and ACT/SAT scores.

 

Transfer Merit Scholarships/Awards

 

2026-27 Scholarship/Award Amounts

 

Transfer Academic GPA

Pillars Scholarship

$17,500

3.75 and above

Regents Scholarship

$15,000

3.40 to 3.74

Faculty Scholarship

$12,500

3.00 to 3.39

Cougar Award

$9,000

2.50 to 2.99

Maroon and Gold Award

$8,000

2.49 and below

Transfer Leadership Scholarship: Up to $5,000, in addition to earned Transfer Merit Scholarship/Award
Requirements: Maintain good academic standing

Transfer Church Pro Leadership Award: Up to $6,000, in addition to earned Transfer Merit Scholarship/Award
Requirements: Provide annual verification of intent to pursue a church profession by the congregation pastor and maintain good academic standing

*President's Transfer Scholarship for Community College Graduates: $38,840
Requirements: Full tuition award up to 18 credits per semester, participate in CUC Honors Program and maintain annual GPA of 3.75 at CUC

Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship: $2,000
Eligibility: Transfer students who are members of Phi Theta Kappa, as verified on official transcript

Star Scholars Award: $2,000
Eligibility: Transfer students who are part of the community college partnership program.

*The President's Transfer Scholarship for Community College Graduates is a scholarship competition by invitation only based on G.P.A. and ACT/SAT scores.

LCMS Servant Award: $500
Students whose parent or guardian is employed full-time in a recognized Lutheran-affiliated school, church or agency.
Requirements: Provide annual verification of employment of parent/guardian

Lutheran High School Award: $1,000
Requirement: Proof of graduation from a Lutheran high school

Trailblazer Award: Up to $2,000
Eligibility: First-generation freshmen and transfer college students

Legacy Award: $500
Eligibility: Freshmen and transfer students whose mother, father or grandparent graduated from CUC 

Homeschool Award: $1,000
Eligibility: Freshmen and transfer students who graduated from a recognized home school program.

CUC Visit Day Award: $500
Eligibility: Visited CUC campus during individual, group, or open house visit – renewable award)

Each year Concordia University Chicago invites new students to audition for music scholarships. These performance-based scholarships are awarded to students demonstrating musical talent and potential. 

Visit the Music Scholarship page for more information. 

 

We encourage students to apply for outside scholarships (not awarded by Concordia University Chicago, but applied to your tuition). There are numerous scholarships available through religious, civic and corporate organizations. 

Many scholarships—but not all—are based on financial need. They may also be awarded to students who meet other specific eligibility requirements, such as pursuing a particular major or demonstrating a specific interest, talent or hobby. 

Explore scholarship opportunities with your local chamber of commerce, local fraternal organizations and places of employment. Local donors often prefer to help students from their own communities.

You can also complete an online profile with a reputable scholarship search engine. It might help to create a designated email address just for this process, so you can safely turn off the spam filter. Search engines usually send automated responses, which could be filtered out as spam if sent to your main email address.

Please click on the links below to view our recommended scholarship search sites.

Scholarship Lists

Direct Application Links

Lutheran and Church Professional Scholarship Opportunities

Unfortunately, there are some scholarship scams online, so be cautious before providing personal information. Legitimate scholarship searches are generally free.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) cautions students to look for these telltale statements:

  • “The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back,”

  • “You can’t get this information anywhere else,”

  • “I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship,”

  • “The scholarship will cost some money.”

The College Scholarship Fraud Prevention Act provides protection against fraud in student financial assistance. If you have a question about a particular opportunity, feel free to contact the Office of Financial Aid.

Grants and Work Study

In order to determine eligibility for any need-based grants, loans or student employment, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be completed each year.

Federal and State Grants:

Federal Pell Grant Program – A grant based on financial need, awarded by the federal government. The maximum Pell Grant is currently $7,395 for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant – Additional federal grant funding allocated to the University; awarded to Pell Grant recipients showing exceptional financial need.

Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) – Awarded by the state of Illinois to qualified Illinois residents. The award amount is based on enrolled credit hours; amounts vary from 3 to 15 enrolled credit hours. 

Grant funding is only available to eligible undergraduate students who have not yet earned their first bachelor’s degree. For more information, please visit ISAC’s website.

Federal Work Study:

Federal Work Study (FWS): Provides on-campus part-time jobs for undergraduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn up to $2,000 to help pay their education expenses.

Concordia University Chicago is grateful for current service members and veterans and is supportive of those who would like to start or continue their education. Multiple financial programs are available to assist veterans and their dependents in achieving a college education.

Learn more

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Costs 2026-2027
Tuition $38,840
Required fees $1,058
Room $6,960
Board $5,260
Total $52,118

Threshold Scholarships/ Awards

Freshmen Academic GPA 

 Rank Scholarship Base Amount   Leadership Scholarship Total Non-Church Pro   Church Pro Leadership Award Total Church Pro
3.90 and above 1 Pillars Scholarship $15,000 and $10,000 $25,000 or   $11,000 $26,000
3.89 to 3.50 2 Regents Scholarship $14,000 and $10,000 $24,000 or   $11,000 $25,000
3.49 to 3.00 3 Faculty Scholarship $11,000 and $9,000 $20,000 or   $10,000 $21,000
2.99 to 2.75 4 Cougar Award $9,000 and  $7,000 $16,000 or   $8,000 $17,000
2.74 and below 5 Maroon & Gold Award $7,000 and $6,000 $13,000 or   $7,000 $14,000

 

Transfer Academic GPA ** Rank Scholarship/ Award 2026-2027 Amount Leadership Scholarship Total Non-Church Pro Church Pro Leadership Award Total Church Pro
3.75 and above 1 Pillars Scholarship $17,500 and $5,000 $22,500 or $6,000 $23,500
3.40 to 3.74 2 Regents Scholarship $15,000 and $5,000 $20,000 or $6,000 $21,000
3.00 to 3.39 3 Faculty Scholarship $12,500 and $5,000 $17,500 or $6,000 $18,500
2.50 to 2.99 4 Cougar Award $9,000 and $5,000 $14,000 or $6,000 $15,000
2.49 and below 5 Maroon & Gold Award $8,000 and ------ $8,000 or $2,000 $10,000

*unweighted high school GPA

**cumulative GPA of all prior coursework

 

Additional Awards

Type 20206-2027 Amount
Legacy Award - Freshmen and Transfer
(at least one parent or grandparent must be a CUC graduate - one award per student) 		 $500
Lutheran High School Award - Freshmen and Transfer
(must be a graduate of a Lutheran high school) 		 $1,000
Homeschool Award – Freshmen and Transfer
(graduated from a recognized home school program) 		 $1,000
Trailblazer Award – Freshmen and Transfer
(First-generation student as defined by CUC) 		 $2,000 => 3.0 GPA $1,000 < 3.0 GPA 
LCMS Servant Award – Freshmen and Transfer
(at least one parent must have full-time employment status in a LCMS organization - required application is included in student acceptance packet.  Signed application must be submitted for award to be posted by Financial Aid.)  		 $500
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Award - Transfer Only (community college honor society – official documentation required)  $2,000
Star Scholars Award – Transfer Only
(community college partnership program) 		 $2,000
CUC Visit Day Award
(Visited CUC campus during individual, group, or open house visit – renewable award)		 $500