Columbia Central

Degree Completion Assistance Grant

for continuing undergraduate students

The Degree Completion Assistance Grant provides financial support to juniors and seniors who are nearing graduation, and who can demonstrate that receiving assistance from the grant will help them in achieving their academic goals. Preference is given to seniors who demonstrate significant financial need.

• How to Apply

  Visit Internal Scholarships and click on APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS to access the Degree Completion Assistance Grant application. Only complete applications submitted by the deadline will be reviewed by the award committee. 

  There is one part to the application.

  PART 1: ESSAY

  • Introduce yourself to the Grant Committee and tell them how receiving the Degree Completion Assistance Grant would impact you and your education.

   Access online applications through Internal Scholarships.

• Grant Terms
  • Application must be submitted by June 1, 2026 (11:59 pm) for review by the committee
  • Maximum amount of this one-year grant is $3,000 per term/$6,000 per academic year
  • Grant is applied toward tuition only
  • Students' awards that are applied toward tuition may not exceed the amount of their tuition costs
  • Recipients must maintain undergraduate enrollment during the 2026-27 academic year
  • Recipients must remain in good standing during the 2026-27 academic year
  • Recipients who graduate in Fall 2026 will receive a one-semester grant up to $3,000
  • Students who are not selected to receive the grant may apply in subsequent years provided they continue to meet eligibility criteria
  • Recipients must have submitted all outstanding documents to Columbia Central before the grant can be disbursed. Students can review missing documents in the MyColumbia portal under Missing Documents
  • Grant is limited to courses for which a student registers through MyColumbia
  • Grant may be used toward a study abroad program through one of Columbia's student exchange programs, excluding Summer sessions. Please note: Students who plan to enroll in an independent study abroad program not associated with Columbia will forfeit their grant during the semester spent abroad
  • The rules and regulations governing other sources of financial aid (federal, state, institutional and other grants, gifts, or loans) will apply
  • Columbia College Chicago reserves the right to withhold the scholarship in any year in which, at the sole discretion of the scholarship committee, suitable candidates cannot be found among applicants

IMPORTANT DATES

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