Xavier University
Open search dialog
Student Financial Services

Institutional Aid Awarding Policy

The majority of Xavier University scholarship and grant funds are restricted to tuition only. Exceptions include funds such as Athletic Grants, the Housing Grant, Residence Assistant (RA) Grants, and endowed scholarship funds, which may be applied for charges other than tuition, depending upon the donor’s instructions. Generally, Xavier funds are restricted to fall and spring semesters only.

Xavier Scholarship Details

Entrance Merit Scholarship

Students accepted to the standard undergraduate program may be offered a Merit Scholarship upon entrance to Xavier. Merit Scholarships include: Community Engaged Fellowship, Trustee, Presidential, Deans, Buschmann, Leadership, and Transfer.

The following eligibility rules apply to entrance Merit Scholarships:

  • Merit Scholarships are renewable for up to 8 semesters at the amount initially awarded. Students who graduate in less than 8 semesters forfeit any unused scholarship semesters.
  • Merit Scholarships are tuition restricted. If a student is awarded a Community Engaged Fellowship, Tuition Exchange or FACHEX grant, dependent tuition remission, or any other Xavier grant or scholarship of higher value than the original Merit Scholarship, the higher scholarship will replace the original Merit Scholarship.
  • Students must be enrolled full-time to receive the Merit Scholarship. Full-time enrollment is defined as 12-18 credit hours. The merit scholarship will not be increased to cover charges in excess of 18 credit hours.
  • Students must be enrolled in an undergraduate program of study.
  • Merit Scholarships are for use during the standard academic year of fall/spring semesters and are not available for use in the summer.
  • Students cannot receive more than half of their annual scholarship award amount per semester (fall/spring).
  • If the student requires a partial or full fifth year of full-time undergraduate enrollment due to a special or unforeseen circumstance, they must appeal for continuation of their Merit Scholarship by contacting the Office of Student Financial Services. Appeals are not guaranteed to be approved.
  • Merit Scholarships do not have a required GPA for renewal, and are not suspended for unsatisfactory grades, however a student cannot be awarded additional Xavier scholarships while not in good academic standing.
  • Students who withdraw from Xavier during the refund period may have their Merit Scholarship prorated to their remaining charges. This counts as a semester of use. (Please refer to our Dewar Tuition Insurance page for information regarding treatment of the Merit Scholarship in the case of an approved claim.)
  • Students who advance to a graduate program at Xavier before using all of their undergraduate Merit Scholarship eligibility cannot transfer unused scholarship semesters to their graduate program.
  • Students who sit out for a semester or more can receive the remaining semesters of their original Merit Scholarship eligibility upon re-enrollment.
  • Merit Scholarship amounts are fixed and do not increase proportionally to any tuition increases that may occur in subsequent years.

Tuition Remission Employment Benefits and Xavier Scholarships

Tuition Remission benefits combined with any other Xavier-funded aid program cannot exceed 90% of the cost of tuition. Students receiving a full tuition remission benefit are not eligible for additional Xavier-funded aid to cover remaining tuition costs, housing, food, study-abroad fees, or other university charges. Students who are awarded merit scholarships and then receive an employee tuition remission benefit of 90%, would not receive the dollar value of the merit scholarship but would retain the right to use that fund should tuition remission be unavailable in future years. Students who receive a tuition remission benefit that is less than 90% can utilize their merit scholarship funds up to 90% but not more.

FACHEX and Tuition Exchange

Each year Xavier determines how many undergraduate dependents of employees can be certified to be considered for the Tuition Exchange and/or FACHEX program. The actual number of students certified to be considered is dependent upon the number already in the programs and the university’s budget. The value of the award is determined by the importing institution. Generally, the award is for the fall and spring semesters only. This is not a guaranteed award. If awarded, the FACHEX or Tuition Exchange grant replaces the merit scholarship. Additionally, FACHEX and Tuition Exchange awardees are not eligible for any other Xavier grants or scholarships.

ROTC Scholarships

For incoming freshmen who are awarded a merit scholarship and subsequently receive a ROTC scholarship, the value of the merit scholarship will be honorary only, since the ROTC scholarship and incentives will be valued at more than the original scholarship offer. If a student loses eligibility for the ROTC scholarship, the merit scholarship would be reinstated, assuming the enrollment requirements are met.

Catholic Identity Scholarships

Qualifying students will receive only ONE of the following opportunities:

  • Catholic High School Scholarship
    Incoming freshmen who attended a Catholic high school may be awarded this tuition-restricted scholarship, which is renewable for up to 8 semesters of undergraduate enrollment.
  • Jesuit High School Scholarship
    Incoming freshmen who attended a Jesuit Catholic high school may be awarded this tuition-restricted scholarship, which is renewable for up to 8 semesters of undergraduate enrollment.
  • St. Xavier 1831 Scholarship
    Incoming freshmen in the 2024 graduating class of St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati may be awarded this tuition-restricted scholarship, which is renewable for up to 8 semesters of undergraduate enrollment.
  • Catholic Heritage Award
    Incoming freshmen who indicate Catholic identity on their admission application may be awarded this tuition-restricted scholarship, which is renewable for up to 8 semesters of undergraduate enrollment.

Donated Scholarships

Students who receive donated funds from a third-party organization may need to have their Xavier scholarship and grant funds adjusted if the donor specifies the donated funds are to be used for tuition only and the combination of Xavier funds and donated funds exceeds that amount. Donated funds that are not tuition-restricted may be used in conjunction with Xavier aid and other federal funds up to the total Cost of Attendance (COA).

Xavier Grant Details

Muskie Program Grant (MPG)

This grant is awarded to incoming freshmen and is renewable for up to 8 semesters of full-time undergraduate enrollment. The grant is tuition-restricted and cannot be applied to any other university charges.

Housing Grant

This grant may be awarded to incoming freshmen for use toward on-campus housing costs only. The grant can be renewed as long as the student continues to reside in campus housing. The student will forfeit the grant if they move off campus or home with parents.

Early Filer Grant

This tuition-restricted grant will renew for up to 4 years, regardless of when or if the student files the FAFSA in subsequent years. Only students who are United States citizens or eligible non-citizens qualify to be awarded an Early Filer Grant.

Event/Visit Grant

This grant is available to incoming freshmen students who attend a qualifying Xavier event (i.e., Muskies on the Road, eXperience Cincinnati, XU Preview) during the recruiting cycle. A student can only receive one event grant, even if they attend more than one event. This grant is tuition-restricted and renews for up to 4 years of full-time undergraduate enrollment.

Family Grant

This grant is available to families with more than one dependent undergraduate student enrolled full-time at Xavier during the same semester. Two siblings enrolled full-time would each receive a $1,000 family grant per academic year ($500/semester). If three or more siblings enroll simultaneously, each student will receive a $5,000 family grant per academic year ($2,500/semester). These tuition-restricted grants are applied to the fall and spring semester tuition only.

The Family Grant is not automatically awarded as we are unable to identify siblings. Families must request the grant by emailing the Financial Aid Office with the names of all enrolled dependents. Family Grants are awarded only for the current academic year and cannot be applied retroactively to prior years for which the grant was not requested.

Study Abroad Programs and Grants

Students who participate in a Xavier-sponsored study abroad program and are charged directly by Xavier, will have use of their merit scholarship during a fall or spring study abroad semester.

Students who participate in a non-Xavier sponsored study abroad program are not eligible to use any Xavier-funded grants or scholarships, including study-abroad grants, for the period during which they study abroad. That semester would not count as one of the eight semesters of merit scholarship use.

Study abroad grants awarded to students are to be used in the semester of student’s study abroad program. Only one study abroad grant can be used per study abroad program regardless of the duration of the program.

Study abroad grants are not available to students attending Xavier on full tuition remission, Tuition Exchange/FACHEX, or any combination of Xavier-funded scholarships comprising 90% of the student’s full-time tuition cost.

Xavier University Grant

Students who have remaining financial need after all other scholarships, grants, and loans have been awarded may qualify for need-based grants from Xavier University. The amounts of these grants vary depending upon the level of financial need. Students must file the FAFSA each year by Xavier's priority deadline to be considered for renewal.

Grant and Scholarship Restrictions

Any of the following financial aid opportunities may replace previously awarded Xavier grants and/or scholarships including, but not limited to, entrance merit scholarships, Muskie Program Grants, Catholic identity scholarships, and study abroad grants. Questions about grant restrictions should be directed to the Office of Student Financial Services.

  • Athletic Scholarships
  • Community Engaged Fellowship
  • FACHEX (Faculty and Staff Children Exchange Program)
  • McAuley Art Scholarship
  • McAuley Music Scholarship
  • ROTC
  • St. Francis Xavier Scholarship
  • Tuition Exchange
  • Tuition Remission
  • Any combination of Xavier-funded scholarships comprising 90% of the student’s full-time tuition cost

Gift Cards and Other Monetary Awards

College-funded gifts, cash advances, and/or cash equivalents (e.g., gift cards) provided to an enrolled student must be included as Estimated Financial Assistance (EFA) and accounted for in the student’s financial aid package. Any amount given by the university due to the student’s enrollment must be counted; there is no minimum. If the student is packaged up to their total Cost of Attendance and has no room for additional awards, the cash or gift cards may replace other awards or loans previously packaged. The student will be responsible for paying any balance that results from the return of financial aid.

Post-enrollment and graduation gifts/prizes may also have to be considered retroactively as EFA for the student’s most recent term of enrollment.