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):

Freshman Merit Scholarship/Award: $7,000 - $15,000
Requirements: Maintain good academic standing

Freshman Leadership Scholarship: $6,000 - $10,000
Requirements: Maintain good academic standing

*President's Freshman Honor Scholar Award: $37,740
Requirements: Full tuition award up to 18 credits per semester, participate in CUC Honors Program and maintain annual GPA of 3.75 at CUC

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

The Music Scholarship: Award amounts vary
Requirements: Participate in music activities at CUC, but you need not major in music

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.

Transfer Merit Scholarship/Award: $8,000 - $17,500
Requirements: Maintain good academic standing

Transfer Leadership Scholarship: Up to $5,000
Requirements: Maintain good academic standing

Transfer Church Pro Leadership Award: Up to $6,000
Requirements: Provide annual verification of intent to pursue a church profession by the congregation pastor

*President's Transfer Scholarship for Community College Graduates: $37,740
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 Freshman Honors Scholar Award and the President's Transfer Scholarship for Community College Graduates are scholarship competitions by invitation only based on G.P.A. and ACT/SAT scores.

 

More about financial aid:

  • If you’re interested in applying for a music scholarship, please review some additional information. 

  • Use our Net Price Calculator to see how affordable Concordia University Chicago is for you.

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 2024-2025 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