Merit scholarships at Cornish are based upon your application, including an audition or portfolio review.  Each year, Cornish awards over $4 million in scholarships to students pursuing a bachelor’s degree.  Prospective students who are admitted to Cornish will receive notification if they have been awarded a Cornish merit scholarship via their offer letters.  

The Merit Scholarship will automatically, renew for a maximum of 4 years, as long as the student is registered for full time status and meeting SAP requirements.  

Students who receive scholarships from organizations outside of Cornish are welcome to apply these towards tuition or housing costs. Unlike many schools, bringing in outside scholarships will not reduce the amount of any merit scholarship a student receives.

The Office of Financial Aid maintains a scholarship database that is available through Compass. Check the “Financial Aid” tab in the top menu and navigate to “Resources” on the left-hand menu to find the database. We also recommend Fastweb.com or TheWashBoard.org. TheWashBoard.org is specifically for scholarships tailored towards Washington residents and students.

Also, Sallie Mae’s Scholarship Search gives you access to more than 5 million college scholarships. You can search for college scholarships that match your skills, activities, and interests based on your profile.

Made possible through the generosity of donors, these awards support new and continuing students in a variety of artistic pathways. While some endowed scholarships are available only to juniors and seniors, others are awarded to selected first-year students.