Presidential Scholarship

For exceptionally strong incoming freshman students, the Pine Honors College offers three different awards. This application pertains to the Pemberton Presidential and Presidential Scholarships. You can find more information here: https://www.eiu.edu/honors/Freshman_scholarships.php

Who is the ideal EIU Presidential Scholar?
We are seeking to build a diverse class of Presidential Scholars who exemplify the best qualities of the excellent students who are part of the Pine Honors College. Presidential Scholars come from all majors and areas of academic interest.

Presidential Scholars demonstrate outstanding qualities, including but not limited to: true uniqueness, intellectual rigor, a passion for problem-solving, brash creativity, visionary leadership, an open-minded attitude, curiosity, grit, and determination in the face of obstacles. In short, we want the best ambassadors for the values we uphold in the Honors College.

The Pemberton Presidential Scholarship: The most prestigious of Honors College scholarships, the Pemberton Presidential Scholarship covers on-campus room and board (approximately $15,000 per year) and up to approximately $14,000 per year towards tuition and fees for four years. Each freshman Honors College class will include approximately five Pemberton Presidential Scholars. This particular scholarship cannot be combined with automatic merit awards that students would otherwise receive from EIU.

The Presidential Scholarship: The Presidential Scholarship is up to $14,000 per year for four years, which is approximately the amount for tuition and fees for a full-time student taking 15 semester hours. The award is not limited to tuition costs, however. Each freshman Honors College class will include up to fifteen Presidential Scholars. This particular scholarship cannot be combined with automatic merit awards that students would otherwise receive from EIU.

To retain their awards, all Honors scholarship recipients are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.40; maintain full-time consecutive enrollment; and remain in good academic and disciplinary standing with Eastern Illinois University, the University Honors Program, and the Presidential Scholars Program.

In evaluating applications, we consider high school transcripts, extracurricular and volunteer activities, and personal essays. We are looking in particular for leadership potential, ambition to make the most of college, and intellectual maturity. The financial need of academically eligible students may also be considered. All applications are reviewed by the Honors Council (a faculty and student body).

Eligibility requirements for the Pemberton Presidential Scholarship and the Presidential Scholarship:

First-time freshman with a minimum 3.75 high school GPA (on a 4.00 scale) or first-time freshman with a minimum 3.5 high school GPA (on a 4.00 scale) and an SAT of 1230 or an ACT of 26.

Please note: When you apply for the Presidential Scholarship, you will automatically be considered for the Honors Award for Incoming Freshmen and thus do not need to complete the Honors Award application.