Scholarships

Just getting your feet wet with the financial aid process? This is your starting point. The financial aid process can be time consuming and tedious. Use the links below to get the process started easily.

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Scholarships

Villa Maria College is one of the most affordable, private educational institutions in Western New York. Our admissions and financial aid counselors are committed to working with each and every student to assist them in making their time with us as comfortable as possible, so that may devote their time and energies to their studies and toward earning a degree in their field of choice.

Attending college can be overwhelming, but paying for it shouldn’t be. The information that follows details the many scholarships available through Villa Maria College, as well as the many outside scholarships for which you may be eligible.

Our staff is ready to assist you in completing the financial aid process. If you have any questions or need assistance please call us at 716-961-1850.

Types of Scholarships

Every student has different financial needs and at Villa Maria College, your financial aid package will reflect that.

Academic Excellence Merit-Based Scholarships for Full-Time High School Students

Villa Honors Scholarship
An award up to $12,000 annually ($6,000 per semester) given to full-time Villa Maria College students with a high school average of 90 and above who earned a NYS Regents diploma or equivalent and are pursuing a bachelor’s degree. A GPA of 3.0 is required to maintain this award in subsequent years.

Presidential Scholarship
An award up to $10,000 annually ($5,000 per semester) given to full-time Villa Maria College students with a high school average between 85 and 89.

Villa Merit Scholarship:
An award up to $8,000 annually ($4,000 per semester) given to full-time Villa Maria College students with a high school average between 80 and 84.

College Transfer Merit-Based Scholarships

Felician Grant Scholarship
An award of $10,000 per year given to transfer students with a transfer GPA of 3.0 for full-time students.

Franciscan Grant Scholarship
An award of $7,500 per year given to transfer students with a transfer GPA of 2.5 full-time students.

Founders Grant Scholarship
An award of $6,000 per year given to transfer students with a transfer GPA of 2.0 full-time students.

Need-based assistance may be available. If you have any specific questions about Villa Maria College’s financial aid programs, please feel free to contact the Financial Aid office at (716) 961-1850.

Villa Scholarships

Alumni: Villa’s dedicated alumni support future Vikings by offering a graduate-funded scholarship
Buffalo Prep Scholarship: Generous scholarships are available to graduates of the Buffalo Prep program. Learn more here: Buffalo Prep Scholarship.
BOCES: Scholarships are available for current high school students who complete a BOCES program
Campus Ministry Mission & Service Scholarship: Learn more here
Cheerleading: Learn more about scholarship cheerleading here
Endowed: Funded by supports of Villa Maria College, endowed scholarships are available to support future Vikings
Esports: Learn more about scholarship esports here. Applications for the esports scholarship must be submitted before starting classes. The application can be found here.

For information on applying for any of the scholarships listed above, contact Aimee Murch, director of financial aid, at 716-961-1849.

Say Yes Buffalo

Students in the Say Yes Buffalo program from the Buffalo Public School system, as well as all city charter schools, may be eligible for a Say Yes scholarship. Say Yes scholarships will cover the remaining balance of a student’s tuition after state, federal, and/or institutional grants and scholarships have been applied. The award covers tuition only and does not include costs for room and board, books, and other fees.

For more information on the Say Yes Scholarship, visit www.villa.edu/sayyes.

Federal Grants

Pell Grant
Federal Pell Grants are available to students who do not already have a bachelor’s degree, have not depleted their lifetime PELL grant eligibility and who demonstrate high need. The eligibility for and amount a student may receive depends upon the student’s expected family contribution (EFC) which is determined from information provided on the FAFSA.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
The Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant is a federally-funded program administered by Villa Maria College. To qualify, students must have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), be Pell eligible, exhibit exceptional need and be registered for at least six credit hours as matriculated students.

State Grants

Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
The New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) helps eligible New York residents pay tuition at approved schools in New York State. Depending on the academic year in which you begin study, an annual TAP award can be up to $5,165. Because TAP is a grant, it does not have to be paid back. Undergraduate students enrolled in four-year programs may receive up to four years (eight payments) of assistance for full-time study. Although an estimate of a student’s eligibility may be included on their award letter, the state’s notification is their official approved award.

Enhanced Tuition Awards
The Enhanced Tuition Awards (ETA) program provides tuition awards to students who are New York State residents attending a participating private college located in New York State. Recipients will receive $6,000 through a combination of their TAP award, ETA award and a match from their private college.