Honors

Scholarships

Carthage is committed to attracting and nurturing promising students in addition to academically and financially supporting their scholarly endeavors. The College and the Honors Program provide this support for incoming first-year and transfer students. For more information, please refer to the "Carthage Scholarships and Financial Assistance" brochure, available from the Office of Admissions. Information on Carthage scholarships and financial assistance is also available online.

First-Year Students
Transfer Students
Continuing Students
Graduate Students


First-Year Students

The following scholarships designed for incoming first-year students are competitive and require a special application (due by December prior to enrollment). All are renewable for up to four consecutive years, as long as the recipient is a full-time undergraduate student and maintains a particular cumulative grade-point average.

The Presidential Scholarship Program
This program offers the most prestigious awards granted by Carthage, totaling more than $2 million per year. The program is open to all academic majors and includes 35 major scholarships ranging from 50 percent tuition to full tuition, room and board. Successful applicants have extraordinary records of academics, extracurricular activities, and achievements. Learn more about the Presidential Scholarship Program.

The Math/Science Scholarships
Students considering a major in mathematics or a natural science are encouraged to apply for these awards. Carthage offers one annual full-tuition and two $20,000 per year renewable scholarships to high school seniors who have been accepted at Carthage, demonstrate ability in science and math, and show commitment to the values embodied by a liberal arts education. Learn more about the Math/Science Scholarship.

The Modern Languages Scholarships
One Chinese, two French, two German, and one Japanese language scholarship each cover $20,000 per year and incorporate all Carthage assistance. After the initial year, the scholarship may be renewed for three consecutive years as long as the students maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. A double major in another subject area is acceptable and can be completed in four years. Learn more about the Modern Languages Scholarship.


Transfer Students

Each May and December, Carthage invites transfer students to compete for one full-tuition scholarship and one $17,000 annual scholarship. The December competition also is open to freshmen planning to enter Carthage during spring semester. Participation in either competition requires an on-campus interview and impromptu essay. Get more information about transfer student scholarship options.


Continuing Students

Research & Creativity Awards
Each year, the Honors Program sponsors a competition to reward excellence in creativity and research by Carthage students. Projects submitted for consideration for these awards may take the form of:

  • an essay
  • an original experiment
  • a musical composition
  • a video
  • a lesson plan
  • a computer program
  • a painting
  • almost anything involving creative work and/or original research

Projects may be either a student's personal work or course-related material. Projects may be individual or collaborative. Amounts awarded vary from year to year, but the following is typical:

  • First Place Award of $500
  • Three Honor Awards of $150 each

Awards will be determined by an interdisciplinary faculty jury and announced at the Honors Convocation. Some entries may also be put on display in Hedberg Library or in Siebert Chapel. Learn more about how to submit your project.


Prestigious National Fellowships for Graduates

In recent years, some of Carthage's very best students have benefited from the rigorous application process for national competitions, such as the Mellon, Truman, Fulbright, and Rhodes Fellowships. The faculty and the director of the Honors Program actively seek and assist those students who may benefit academically, professionally and financially from this process. In recent years, Carthage Honors students have been awarded both Truman and Fulbright Scholarships.

"The Honors Program gave me the opportunity to take my educational experience to the next level. It allowed me to become involved in areas of academia that I would otherwise not have explored, and broadened my understanding of the world around me."

Chaz Rzeplinski, '09