Undergraduate Financial Scholarships

All high-achieving, highly motivated students should apply for LR’s prestigious Presidential Scholarship, which offers automatic admission to Fritz Honors College and covers the cost of tuition at Lenoir-Rhyne for eight regular semesters. All recipients are required to live on campus.

Apply by submitting the “Scholarship Programs and Fritz Honors College Application” via your admission portal. All application material is due by December 15.

Many applicants invited to join the Fritz Honors College will also be awarded a Fritz Honors College Scholarship valued at $2,000 per year.

Apply by submitting the “Scholarship Programs and Fritz Honors College Application” via your admission portal. All application materials are due by December 15.

The Business Scholars program provides scholarships and personalized engagement opportunities for four years to incoming students.

These funds are offered in addition to the federal, state and LR financial assistance for which the student is qualified, but cannot be combined to exceed the cost of tuition or combined with other top merit awards.

Scholars will have access to exceptional leadership training, networking opportunities and authentic and relevant field work associated with their desired career path. Scholars have traveled the world to learn from business professionals and seek to understand how they can use their leadership skills responsibly and ethically to make a positive difference in the world.  

The Nursing Scholars program enhances the undergraduate experience of Lenoir-Rhyne University’s high-performing students with an interest in earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Throughout the program, students will receive personalized academic support, enrichment opportunities, and a learning community with other top-academic pre-nursing students. Additionally, students admitted to the program will earn conditional admission into the College of Nursing directly out of high school.

The Teaching Scholars program provides scholarships for four years to incoming freshmen.

These funds are offered in addition to the federal, state and LR financial assistance for which the student is qualified, but cannot be combined to exceed the cost of tuition or combined with other top merit awards.

As early as your first year of college, scholars accepted into the program will be placed in Hickory-area school districts to serve as tutors, small group leaders and instructional assistants.

If you have a parent that is an ordained Lutheran Minister, you may be eligible for a scholarship from LR.

A matching gift program, LR will match a scholarship of up to $500 received from an undergraduate's Lutheran church. Your home church congregation can complete a form to apply for this matching gift Friends in Faith scholarship.

If your parents or grandparents are graduates of Lenoir-Rhyne, you are eligible for a $1,000 scholarship — just for being a legacy.

All admitted students are considered for the LR Scholars Award, which provides financial awards based on academic performance. The scholarship is awarded at the time of admission.

Available exclusively for undergraduate North Carolina ELCA students, the Martin Luther Fellows program rewards outstanding student contributions to church and community. Your home church congregation can complete a form to apply for your consideration.

If you are a Phi Theta Kappa - Community College Honor Society member, you may be eligible to receive a $1,000 scholarship through LR.

Lenoir-Rhyne’s appreciation and commitment to theatre are evident through scholarship funding over four years of study if you qualify. An audition and/or technical theatre interview is required. For more information, contact Lindsay Weitkamp at lindsay.weitkamp@lr.edu.

These renewable scholarships up to $3,500 per year are available to students majoring or minoring in music. An audition is required, and students must demonstrate academic achievement and significant ability in their instrument or voice. 

Students are required to follow the music major or minor course of study. Music majors and minors will participate in either the Wind Symphony/Wind Ensemble or A Cappella Choir, a secondary ensemble, and take private lessons in their primary instrument or voice each semester.

Scholarships up to $2,000 per year are available to non-music majors who successfully participate in the “Spirit of LR” Marching Band.

Scholarships up to $2,000 per year are available to non-music majors who successfully participate in the LR A Cappella Choir.

Live in-person auditions are preferred, but auditions may be submitted by unedited video or audio files in situations where distance presents a significant challenge.

• Vocalists: Voice students should prepare two contrasting pieces, preferably memorized. One selection may be from the standard vocal "classical" repertoire. A second selection can be in a foreign language or a different style such as musical theater.
• Keyboard: Keyboard students should be prepared to perform two short pieces or one more substantial selection. Organists may certainly include hymn preludes as well as standard “recital” literature.
• Instrumentalists: Brass, percussion and woodwind students should select two contrasting pieces which demonstrate your command of the instrument and of musical expression. Standard recital literature and etudes are both appropriate audition material. Percussionists may wish to perform on several of the standard instruments. Instrumentalists should also be prepared to play a chromatic scale and several major and minor scales.

Barry Goldwater Scholarship

The Barry Goldwater Scholarship is for sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, math or engineering. Undergraduate research experience is essential. The minimum GPA is 3.0 out of 4.0; many recipients and Honorable Mentions have a 3.7+ GPA. 

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

This grant program enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad – thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness. The Gilman Scholarship Program is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding. 

Boren Scholarship 

Boren awards provide U.S. undergraduate and graduate students with resources and encouragement to acquire language skills and experience in countries critical to the future security and stability of the United States. In exchange for funding, Boren award recipients agree to work in the federal government for a period of at least one year. 

Fulbright Student Program

As a U.S. student program fund, the Fulbright Student Program funds students who are looking to pursue international graduate study, research, or teaching English. Programs are worldwide and benefits include airfare, room and board, and health insurance. Some countries include tuition coverage, language study, and books Must have an undergraduate degree, and cannot yet hold a Ph.D. 

Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation

The Truman Scholarship is for college students who want to attend graduate school to prepare for careers in government or elsewhere in public service. Awardees could be given up to $30,000 for graduate or professional school, participate in leadership development activities and have special opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government. You must be a junior in the upper quarter of the class. 

Marshall Scholarship

The Marshall Scholarship helps finance young American students to study in the United Kingdom. Up to 50 students are selected on an annual basis to study at the graduate level in any field of study at any U.K. institution of higher learning. 

Mitchell Scholarship

The Mitchell Scholarship is designed to introduce and connect students to the island of Ireland and connect future American leaders who demonstrate intellectual achievement, leadership, and commitment to service. Must have an undergraduate degree before beginning study as Mitchell scholar. 

Rhodes Scholarship

Supporting exceptional students from around the world, the Rhodes Scholarships are postgraduate awards providing the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford. Must complete your undergraduate degree before starting at Oxford. 

Udall Undergraduate Foundation

This Udall Undergraduate Foundation provides scholarships to college sophomores and juniors who are interested in leadership, public service and are committed to issues related to/around Native American nations or to the environment. Must be a sophomore or junior.