Columbia Central

Open Doors Scholarship

for continuing students

The Open Doors Scholarship is a four-year program that was established to recognize the achievements of students graduating from a Chicago Public School and to assist in defraying the cost of tuition.

• Scholarship Terms
  • The Open Doors Scholarship is renewable each year up to 120 credit hours (BA), 128 credit hours (BFA, BS, BMus), or four years*, whichever is reached first. The total credit hours include all transferable college credit hours and credit hours earned at Columbia College Chicago. For the scholarship to be renewable, the recipient must:
    • Be enrolled full-time each semester;
    • Not interrupt enrollment;
    • Maintain a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average;

    *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 credit hour and four-year limits are not based on degree completion, and the same limits apply to students pursuing double majors;
  • Award is applied toward tuition only.
  • Funds are awarded during Fall and Spring semesters only
  • 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 limited to courses for which a student registers through MyColumbia and does not cover Columbia Online course;
  • The rules governing other sources of financial aid (federal, state, institutional and other grants, gifts, or loans) will apply.

IMPORTANT DATES

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