Columbia Central

Dean's Scholarship

for incoming students

The Dean's Scholarship was established to recognize the outstanding academic achievements of incoming freshman and transfer students.

• How to be Considered

  No separate application is required.

  • All incoming freshman and transfer students who are admitted are automatically considered.
  • Awards are based on review of applicants' high school and/or college transcript and admissions application.
• How to Secure Your Scholarship

  To secure your scholarship for the Fall 2026 semester, please complete all of the following steps by the deadlines stated below:

  • By May 1, 2026: Confirm that you will be attending Columbia College Chicago by paying your $250 tuition deposit.
    
  • By July 1, 2026: Submit any missing documents that are required to secure your financial aid. To review if you have any missing documents, log into MyColumbia (my.colum.edu), click on MyFinancials, and click on Missing Documents after December 1, 2025. If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact Columbia Central by phone at 312-369-7140, or chat live with us at colum.edu/columbia-central.
  • By August 15, 2026: Register full-time for Fall 2026 courses. After you pay your $250 tuition deposit, you will receive information on completing course registration. Please note, your scholarship offer is valid only if you begin attendance in the Fall 2026 term.
  • Once you register, you will receive a bill that itemizes your tuition and fees. If any portion of your bill is not covered by secured financial aid or a secured third-party payment, you must either pay that amount in full or establish an automated payment plan by, or within seven days of registration if you register for classes after August 1. Payment plan information is available at colum.edu/paymentplan.
• Scholarship Terms
  • The Dean's Scholarship is renewable each year up to 120 attempted credit hours or four years*, whichever is reached first. The total credit hours include all transferable college credit hours, Advanced Placement credit hours, CLEP credit hours, and credit hours earned at other colleges and universities under dual enrollment. For the scholarship to be renewable, the recipient must:
    • Be enrolled full-time each Fall and Spring semester;
    • Not interrupt enrollment;
    • Meet the terms of Columbia's Satisfactory Academic Progress policy, including maintaining a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average and a 67% completion rate of all credits attempted.
      *Please note: Freshmen will need to enroll an average of 15 credit hours for a BA and an average of 16 credit hours for BFA, BS and BMus each Fall and Spring semester to graduate within four years.
  • The attempted credit hour and four-year limits are not based on degree completion, and the same limits apply to students pursuing double majors.
  • Funds are awarded during the Fall and Spring terms only.
  • Scholarship is applied toward tuition only.
  • Students who interrupt their enrollment or enroll less than full-time will forfeit any remaining scholarship funds.
  • Recipients of the Dean's Scholarship are not eligible for the Chicago STAR Scholarship, Columbia ChiArts Award, Columbia CPS Award, Columbia Creatives Award, Columbia Senn Award, Columbia Curie Award, Columbia Dyett Award, Columbia Kelvyn Park Award, Columbia Lane Tech Award, Columbia Westinghouse Award, Columbia OneGoal Award, Columbia Excellence Award, Columbia C.H.A.M.P. Award, Columbia Art in Motion Award, Columbia Leo High School Award, Columbia St. Augustine Award, Columbia St. Mary Award, Columbia Instituto del Progreso Award, Chicagoland Transfer Award, Opportunity Scholarship. 
  • Scholarship may be used toward a study abroad program through one of Columbia's student exchange programs, excluding Summer semesters. Please note: Recipients who enroll in an independent study abroad program not associated with Columbia will forfeit their scholarship during the semester spent abroad but will retain future eligibility if all other scholarship terms are met.
  • Scholarship is based on academic and financial need information provided to the college at the time of admission. Any subsequent, additional or clarifying data that significantly alters this information may make a recipient ineligible to receive this scholarship.
  • The rules governing other sources of financial aid (federal, state, institutional and other grants, gifts, or loans) will apply.