Scholarships and Grants

Lewis & Clark Grants

These grants are awarded to students based on demonstrated financial need and overall strength as applicants to the College. All students who apply and qualify for need-based aid are considered for this funding source. Funds are limited—to receive full consideration, it is important to apply by the priority filing date. Renewal is contingent upon timely reapplication, continued demonstration of financial need, and satisfactory progress toward a degree.

Merit-Based Scholarships

Lewis & Clark’s merit-based awards recognize student achievement in a variety of fields. Recipients of these scholarships are selected without regard to income information. The amount of each scholarship varies. Find out more about merit-based scholarships for incoming students.

Continuing students may be invited to apply for additional scholarships.

Endowed Scholarship

These scholarships are funded by the annual income from financial gifts held in Lewis & Clark’s endowment. Scholarships are awarded to students who have strong academic records and demonstrated financial need. During the fall semester, each recipient is notified of the specific endowment gift that is providing the funding for his or her scholarship and may be asked to thank the donor by writing a note or participating in a donor recognition event.

Fir Acres Award

Named for the campus home of the College, the Fir Acres Award is given to students whose admission applications show a strong potential for making a positive contribution to the broader Lewis & Clark community. This award is renewable as long as the student is enrolled full-time, remains in good academic standing, and meets the terms of the satisfactory academic progress policy and other financial aid policies.

Cedar Award

Awarded to students based on an evaluation of information submitted on the FAFSA. The award is renewable as long as the student is enrolled full-time, remains in good academic standing, and meets the terms of the satisfactory academic progress policy and other financial aid policies.

Federal Pell Grants

These grants are awarded to students with exceptional financial need who meet the program’s specific requirements. To be considered for this funding source, students must complete the FAFSA. Award amounts are determined at the federal level. For 2022-23, Federal Pell Grants range in value from $700 to $6,894.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG)

Federal SEOG is awarded to students based on demonstrated financial need. Priority is given to Federal Pell Grant recipients with the greatest demonstrated financial need. Funding for this program is extremely limited so it is important to file your FAFSA by the priority filing date to be considered for this funding source.

Oregon Opportunity Grants

These state-funded grants are available to those Oregon residents determined by the Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC) to be eligible. The state also establishes the grant amounts. Funding is limited. If you are interested in being considered for this grant, please submit your FAFSA as soon after October 1st as possible but no later than May 1st. 

Note:  All Oregon Opportunity Grant amounts are subject to change based on the availability of state funding and OSAC’s determination of student eligibility.

International Student Grant

A need-based grant from institutional sources available to international students who demonstrate sufficient financial need. Students must reapply for financial aid with the college each year to be considered for this grant. The International Student Grant is renewable as long as the student continues to demonstrate sufficient financial need, remains in good academic standing, and meets the terms of the satisfactory academic progress policy and other financial aid policies.

LC/UWC Grant

A need-based grant from institutional sources awarded to help meet the demonstrated financial need of international and domestic students who attended a United World College as part of their secondary schooling. Students must reapply for financial aid with the college each year to be considered for this grant. The LC/UWC Grant is renewable as long as the student continues to demonstrate sufficient financial need, remains in good academic standing, and meets the terms of the satisfactory academic progress policy and other financial aid policies.

Tuition Remission/Tuition Waive

Tuition Remission, also known as Tuition Waive, is a benefit of employment extended to eligible Lewis & Clark employees, their dependents, and spouses. Applications for this benefit should be submitted to the Human Resources Office. The amount of Tuition Remission/Tuition Waive a student will receive in a given academic year must be taken into consideration when determining a student’s eligibility for federal and state aid programs.

Note: Students receiving Tuition Remission/Tuition Waive are not eligible to receive other institutional grants or scholarships.

Student Leadership Benefit

Students serving in specific leadership positions, such as Resident Advisors (RA), receive a room and board credit as a benefit of employment. The amount of this credit must be taken into consideration when determining eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid programs.

Veteran’s Benefits

The amount of veteran’s educational benefits a student will receive in a given academic year depends on their eligibility as determined by the Veteran’s Administration.

External Resources

Students must notify us of any external resource(s) they will receive in a given academic year regardless of the amount. Please see instructions for reporting external resources. The term “External Resources” refers to funds the student secured on their own which are awarded and administered by an organization other than Lewis & Clark. External resources can include scholarships awarded by high schools, religious, civic, or other organizations; state and federally funded scholarships or grants not listed in this guide or tuition benefits received from an employer.

To ensure proper accounting of the external resource, funds should be sent directly to our office. Although the entire resource amount may be sent in a single payment at the beginning of the academic year, it is College policy to divide scholarship funds equally between the fall and spring semesters. The scholarship donor may request a different distribution of the student’s funds by providing written instructions to our office with the scholarship payment.

For many students, the receipt of external resources will not necessitate a financial aid award revision. In some cases, however, a student’s demonstrated financial need is already being met in full with federal, state, and/or College resources before considering an external resource. In this situation, we are required to reduce federal need-based aid so that the student’s total award does not exceed demonstrated financial need. If such action is necessary, the College will reduce the need-based federal aid offered by the amount of the external resource(s) in the following order: Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan, Federal Work-Study, and Federal SEOG. The Federal Pell Grant is not affected by the receipt of external resource(s). College scholarships and grants will be reduced only if the total amount of external resource(s) and College aid exceeds the total cost of attendance budget used to determine eligibility for financial aid.

Sheryl Reed Smith Scholarship

Scholarships are awarded to Oregon students who have graduated from a Wallowa County high school. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic performance and demonstrated financial need. Awards are renewable.

The Helen Sanders Scholarship

The Sanders Scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students entering Lewis & Clark College. This need-based scholarship gives special consideration to students with a demonstrated interest in history or ethnohistory.

Steele-Reese Foundation Scholarships

Awards ranging up to $5,000 are available to Idaho students from Lemhi or Custer county high schools. Awards are based on academic performance and demonstrated need, and are renewable for three additional years.