Tuition & Financial Aid

Scholarships

Nine out of ten Rivier students receive financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, work study, and loans. The amount of aid received is based on financial need and academic achievement and potential.

Rivier offers a number of merit scholarships to new, full-time undergraduate day students. These are based on academic achievement and are renewable each year, providing the student meets all renewal criteria. With the exception of the Honors Scholarship, a separate application is not required for any of these awards. Our Financial Aid Office automatically considers all qualified applicants for these scholarships. Students eligible for more than one institutional non-need based scholarship or grant will receive the higher dollar value award only.

High school students graduating in May/June and enrolling in a degree program for the fall semester may be considered for the following scholarships:

Founders Scholarship

Qualifications: You have been named a National Merit Finalist
Amount: Full funding

Trustee Scholarship

Qualifications:

  • You are your school's valedictorian or salutatorian OR
  • You have an SAT I score of 1800 or better AND
  • You rank in the top quarter of your class OR have a minimum grade point average of 85 as calculated by the Admissions Office

Amount: $32,000 <$8,000 annually> for residents and $28,000 <$7,000 annually> for commuters over four years

Presidential Scholarship

Qualifications:

  • You have an SAT I score between 1650-1799 AND
  • You rank in the top quarter of your class OR have a grade point average of 85 or higher as calculated by the Admissions Office

Amount: $28,000 <$7,000 annually> for residents or $24,000 <$6,000 annually> for commuters over four years

Deans' Scholarship

Qualifications:

  • You have an SAT I score of 1500-1649 AND
  • You either rank in the top third of your class or have a grade point average of 83 or better as calculated by the Admissions Office

Amount: $24,000 <$6,000 annually> for residents and $20,000 <$5,000 annually> for commuters over four years

Catholic High School Grant

Qualifications: You are a Catholic high school graduate who does not qualify for a higher merit scholarship.

Amount: $20,000 <$5,000 annually> for resident students; $16,000 <$4,000 annually>  for commuters over four years

The Samuel A. Tamposi Sr. Scholarship

Qualifications:

  • You demonstrate an exemplary work ethic and determination to succeed
  • You are a senior graduating from a high school in the New Hampshire towns of Nashua, Amherst, Brookline, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Merrimack, or Milford
  • A separate scholarship application is required; the submission deadline is May 1

Amount: $12,000 <$3,000 annually> over four years

Achievement Award

Qualifications: You demonstrate special achievement or talent in high school
Amount: $20,000 <$5,000 annually> for residents, $16,000 <$4,000 annually> for commuters

Legacy Scholarship

Awarded to international students and is renewable for four years of full-time study as a day student. The scholarship amount is $28,000 <$7,000 annually>.

Opportunity Grant

This scholarship is awarded to students whose family’s financial situation has changed drastically due to job loss, divorce, serious illness, or death. Students are encouraged to complete an appeal form and submit any requested documentation to the Financial Aid Office. Award amounts will vary depending on the individual circumstance. 

Family Incentive Grant
This grant is awarded to members of the same household who attend the University as full-time students for the same period; $2000 per year is given to each student.

Transfer students to Rivier University's full-time day programs may be considered for the following scholarships and grants if they meet the eligibility requirements for each award.

Transfer Scholarship

Qualifications: You have earned a GPA of 2.5 after 15 credits at one college or university
Amount: $6,000 <annually> for a GPA of 3.5 or more, $5,000 <annually> for a GPA of 3.0-3.49, and $4,000 <annually>  for a GPA of 2.5-2.99

Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to students transferring to a Rivier University undergraduate day program, fulltime, who have demonstrated a high level of academic achievement at another accredited college or university and are a member of Phi Theta Kappa. PTK members transferring to Rivier with a combined GPA of 3.5 or better are awarded a $2,000 scholarship. A minimum GPA of 3.5 must be maintained at Rivier for this scholarship to be awarded in the succeeding year. This scholarship is limited to $4,000 over 2 years.

Alumni Scholarship

Awarded to first time Rivier students who enroll full-time at Rivier University and who are children of Rivier alumni. The $2,000 awards are renewable annually provided the recipients maintain their full-time enrollment status and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.

Family Incentive Grant

This grant is awarded to siblings who attend the University as full-time students for the same period; $2000 per year is given to each sibling.