USA Scholarships
Richmond Scholars 2027 - Full Tuition, Housing & Food
The Richmond Scholars Program is the University of Richmond's most prestigious academic merit award, and the thing that separates it from most full-ride scholarships is that you do not apply for it. Every first-year admission application on file by 1 December 2026 is considered automatically, whichever plan you apply under. About 25 incoming students are selected each year, and the award covers full tuition plus on-campus housing and food, renewable for up to eight consecutive semesters of full-time enrollment. Richmond does not publish a single dollar value for the award, but its own 2026-27 cost figures put tuition at $70,725, housing at $8,705 and food at $10,110, so the package runs to roughly $89,540 a year. Scholars can also apply for a one-time enrichment grant of up to $5,500 for a faculty-mentored project, and they get priority course registration, guaranteed on-campus housing, a faculty mentor and Modlin Center arts vouchers. Selection turns on four criteria: academic achievement, engaged leadership, a strong sense of purpose, and interest in a diverse and inclusive community. Finalists are notified through the Spider Portal by 1 February 2027, interview with a faculty committee over Zoom in mid-February, and final selections are completed by 1 March 2027. International applicants get full consideration for every merit scholarship except Army ROTC.
What is the Richmond Scholars Program?
The Richmond Scholars Program is the University of Richmond's answer to the question of how you attract students who could go anywhere. It is the university's most prestigious academic merit award, it goes to about 25 incoming students a year, and it covers full tuition plus on-campus housing and food for up to eight consecutive semesters. What makes it unusual among full-ride awards is that there is nothing extra to fill in. Your first-year admission application is the scholarship application, and every file on record by 1 December 2026 is considered.
That date is the one thing to get right. Richmond runs four application plans, and two of them close after the Scholars cut-off. Early Decision I and Early Action both close on 1 November 2026, comfortably inside it. Early Decision II and Regular Decision close on 1 January 2027, a month too late, so a Regular Decision applicant who works to the published deadline drops out of scholarship consideration without ever being told. If you want a shot at this award and you are not ready to commit to a binding plan, Early Action is the sensible route: same 1 November close, no obligation to enrol.
On value, Richmond describes the award rather than pricing it, so the figure below is arithmetic from the university's own published costs rather than a number it advertises. For 2026-27, tuition is $70,725, housing is $8,705 and food is $10,110. Full tuition plus housing and food therefore lands around $89,540 a year, or roughly $358,000 across four years, against a total published cost of attendance of $92,320. The gap is books, personal expenses and loan fees, about $2,780, which stays with you. Scholars can also apply for a one-time enrichment grant of up to $5,500 for a faculty-mentored project, with application rounds closing on 15 October, 15 March and 1 August, plus priority course registration, guaranteed on-campus housing, a faculty mentor and vouchers for Modlin Center events.
Selection is slower and more human than most merit programmes. Four criteria drive it: academic achievement, engaged leadership, a strong sense of purpose, and interest in a diverse and inclusive community. Finalists are notified through the Spider Portal by 1 February 2027, and if you are not among them nobody writes to tell you, so watch the portal and the programme site rather than your inbox. Finalists then interview with a faculty selection committee over Zoom in mid-February, and the final list is settled by 1 March. International applicants should read the fine print carefully: Richmond gives them full consideration for every merit scholarship except Army ROTC, but admission review is need-aware for non-US citizens, the Certification of Financial Responsibility is mandatory, and the 1 December date is explicitly the one the financial aid office tells international students to work to. If you are weighing similar full-ride merit awards, the Jefferson Scholarship USA 2027 covers the University of Virginia equivalent a short drive up the road, the QuestBridge National College Match USA 2027 is the route many high-achieving low-income students take into Richmond and its peers, and the Stamps Scholars Program USA 2026 runs a comparable award across a network of partner universities. Current terms are on the Richmond Scholars prospective students page.
Eligibility
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✓First-year applicant entering Fall 2027The Richmond Scholars Program is for incoming first-year students only. Transfer students are not eligible for this award or the other first-year merit scholarships, though they can apply for need-based aid. You need a high school diploma or a recognised equivalent by the time you enrol.
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✓Admission application on file by 1 December 2026This is the gate that catches people out. Richmond states that every application on file by December 1 is considered for Richmond Scholars, regardless of application plan. Early Decision I and Early Action both close on 1 November, so they clear it comfortably, but Early Decision II and Regular Decision close on 1 January, which is a month too late. If you are applying under either of those plans and want Scholars consideration, you have to submit by 1 December anyway.
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✓Richmond's minimum academic courseworkCandidates need at least 16 units of secondary school coursework: four in English, three in college preparatory mathematics including Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry, and two each in history, laboratory science and a second language. Richmond says competitive candidates typically exceed these minimums with four units across all five core areas at the highest level their school offers.
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✓The four selection criteriaRichmond Scholars are chosen on academic achievement, engaged leadership, a strong sense of purpose, and interest in building a diverse and inclusive community. The university also notes that success in a highly rigorous curriculum, published research and state or national academic accolades can move the needle in what it calls a highly competitive process.
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✓Open regardless of citizenshipRichmond welcomes applications from all students regardless of citizenship or residency, and international students receive full consideration for every merit scholarship except Army ROTC. One caveat matters: admission review is need-aware for non-US citizens and non-permanent residents, so ability to pay is weighed, and the University of Richmond Certification of Financial Responsibility is required from every applicant in that group.
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✓English proficiency if English is not your first languageRichmond accepts IELTS, TOEFL and the Duolingo English Test. The requirement is waived if you have been enrolled in an academically rigorous, English-medium secondary school for at least four years, among other waiver routes.
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✓Test scores optional, with one exceptionFor the class entering in Fall 2027 you may apply with or without SAT or ACT scores, and Richmond superscores both for students who submit them. Students in non-traditional high school settings, including home-schooled and online school students, are still required to submit ACT or SAT results.
Benefits
- Tuition Covered in full, listed at $70,725 for 2026-27
- On-campus housing Covered, estimated at $8,705
- Food Covered, estimated at $10,110
- Approximate annual value About $89,540 at 2026-27 rates
- Renewal Up to eight consecutive semesters of full-time enrolment
- Enrichment grant One-time, up to $5,500 for a faculty-mentored project
- Priority course registration Included
- Guaranteed on-campus housing Included
- Faculty mentor and scholar programming Included
- Modlin Center arts vouchers Included
- Separate scholarship application None, admission application is the application
- Books, personal expenses and travel Not covered, about $2,780 in indirect costs
- Summer study Not covered, awards apply to the regular academic year
- Presidential Scholarship One-third tuition, apply by 1 January
- Oliver Hill Scholars Half tuition, inclusive of the Presidential award, plus up to $5,500 enrichment grant
- Bonner Scholars Program $3,600 a year for 10 hours of weekly service, plus up to $4,500 for summer internships
- Davis United World College Scholars Up to $30,000, need-based, for UWC graduates
- Need-based aid Full demonstrated need met for admitted students, CSS Profile required
- Automatic consideration Yes for Presidential, Oliver Hill and Davis UWC
- Army ROTC scholarships Full tuition, but the one merit award closed to international students
- Transfer students Not eligible for first-year merit scholarships
Document checklist
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✓Common Application or Coalition ApplicationRichmond accepts both, with a $50 application fee. Fee waivers are available through the admission office. Within a week of applying you get access to the Spider Portal, where your checklist lives and where some materials can be self-reported.
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✓The Richmond Question essayOne essay response is required, chosen from three prompts on the 2026-27 application: making a space better for other people, learning by doing, or what shaped you into the person joining a Spider community. Minimum 350 words, maximum 650. It can be submitted with the application or through the Spider Portal before your credential deadline.
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✓Official high school transcriptAn official transcript covering grades 9 to 11, sent by a school official through the Common Application, Coalition Application, a service such as Naviance, Parchment or Scoir, or by email or post. A final transcript is due once you enrol.
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✓Secondary School ReportCompleted by a school official. It profiles your high school and summarises where you stand academically within your graduating class. Any version of the form is accepted, including the Common Application and Coalition Application versions.
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✓One recommendation letterOne letter from a school official is required, ideally your school counsellor. Up to two extra recommendations will be read, though Richmond warns it cannot track or acknowledge them individually. Outside recommenders such as former teachers, coaches or employers can email letters to [email protected].
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✓Senior progress gradesRichmond wants evidence of how your final year is going: first quarter, trimester, semester or in-progress grades depending on your school calendar. These are accepted after the credential deadline, and a missing set will not stop your file being read, but they must be on file before a decision is released.
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✓SAT or ACT scores, if you choose to submitOptional for Fall 2027 entry. Scores must be on file by the credential deadline for your plan. Richmond superscores both tests. The SAT code is 5569 and the ACT code is 4410. Unofficial scores can be used for review, but enrolling students who applied with scores must send an official report before the Fall term starts.
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✓Extra paperwork for non-US citizensEvery non-US citizen and non-permanent resident must submit the University of Richmond Certification of Financial Responsibility for admission consideration, plus proof of English proficiency where required. If you also want need-based aid, file the CSS Profile with Richmond code 5569 by the financial aid deadline for your plan.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the Richmond Scholars Program?
It is the University of Richmond's most prestigious academic merit award, given to about 25 incoming first-year students each year. The award covers full tuition plus on-campus housing and food, and is renewable for up to eight consecutive semesters of full-time enrolment. Scholars also get a one-time enrichment grant of up to $5,500, priority course registration, guaranteed on-campus housing, a faculty mentor, Modlin Center arts vouchers and programming run by the Office of Scholars and Fellowships. The current programme dates to a 2004-05 review that merged older awards such as the Oldham, Boatwright, Science and Artist designations into one, and a further revision in 2017-18 made housing and food part of every Richmond Scholar award rather than only some.
How much is the Richmond Scholars award worth?
Richmond describes the award as full tuition plus housing and food rather than a fixed sum, and it does not publish a single dollar value. You can work it out from the university's own 2026-27 cost of attendance figures: tuition is $70,725, housing is $8,705 and food is $10,110, which comes to $89,540 a year in direct costs, or roughly $358,000 across four years. The remaining $2,780 of the published $92,320 cost of attendance covers books, personal expenses and loan fees, which the scholarship does not pay. Confirm the current rates with the admission office before you rely on the arithmetic, since tuition is reset annually.
When is the Richmond Scholars deadline for 2027 entry?
Your admission application has to be on file by 1 December 2026. That date applies regardless of which application plan you use. Early Decision I and Early Action close on 1 November 2026, so they clear it. Early Decision II and Regular Decision do not close until 1 January 2027, which falls after the Scholars cut-off, so applicants under those plans who want scholarship consideration have to submit a month early.
Do you need a separate application for Richmond Scholars?
No. Your first-year admission application is the scholarship application, and no extra form, essay or nomination is required. The same is true of the Presidential Scholarship and the Davis United World College award. The exceptions are the Bonner Scholars Program, which needs its own application by 8 May, and Army ROTC and the music and theatre or dance awards, which are handled by their departments.
Can international students apply for Richmond Scholars?
Yes. Richmond welcomes applications regardless of citizenship or residency, students from more than 80 countries study there, and the financial aid office states that international students and non-US citizens receive full consideration for all merit-based scholarships with the exception of Army ROTC. It also tells international applicants to submit by the 1 December Richmond Scholars deadline for full scholarship eligibility. Two conditions come with it: admission review is need-aware for non-US citizens and non-permanent residents, so ability to pay is part of the decision, and the University of Richmond Certification of Financial Responsibility is required from everyone in that group. The average financial aid award to international students in 2025-26 was $69,900.
How many Richmond Scholars are selected each year?
Richmond puts the number at 25 incoming students a year. Cohorts vary a little around that figure: the Richmond Scholar Class of 2025 had 27 students, of whom 93 per cent graduated with Latin honours, 85 per cent took part in undergraduate research and 36 per cent were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. With that few places against a national and international applicant pool, treat it as a long shot worth taking rather than a plan.
Do you need SAT or ACT scores for Richmond Scholars?
No, with one exception. Richmond is test optional for students entering in Fall 2027, the policy covers scholarship review as well as admission, and the university superscores the SAT and ACT for anyone who does submit. Students in non-traditional high school settings, including home-schooled and online school students, must still send ACT or SAT scores. Worth knowing: the Richmond Scholars selection page still carries older wording about scores being optional for students entering in 2024 and names the October ACT and November SAT as the last accepted sittings. The admission office page for 2027 applicants is the current one, and it ties score deadlines to the credential deadline for your application plan, so follow that and check anything ambiguous with the admission office.
What is the difference between Richmond Scholars and the Presidential Scholarship?
Size and timing. Richmond Scholars is the top award, covering full tuition plus housing and food for about 25 students, and it requires your application by 1 December. The Presidential Scholarship is worth one-third of tuition, goes to a wider group of students with outstanding records in a rigorous curriculum, and carries a 1 January deadline. Oliver Hill Scholars sits between them at half tuition, inclusive of the Presidential award, and it is open only to students already eligible for a Presidential or Richmond merit scholarship. All three are renewable for up to eight semesters and none needs a separate application form.
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