In a variety of ways, The Citadel Foundation plays a vital role in enhancing the quality of a Citadel education.  One of its most important ongoing efforts is to secure scholarship funds, which enable the college to attract and retain the students who best represent The Citadel's commitment to academic excellence, physical discipline, dedicated military service, and upright moral character.

The ability to recruit and retain the "best and brightest" from the talent pool of young students dramatically improves the character and composition of the Corps of Cadets as a whole.  Thanks to the enduring support of our scholarship donors, The Citadel is able to award over $4.5 million in scholarships annually to more than 800 cadets.  Because many of the scholarship funds are endowed in perpetuity, the generosity of these donors will continue to benefit many generations of cadets, enhancing academic excellence and leadership within the Corps for all time.

With colleges across the nation actively recruiting the brightest and most promising students, The Citadel must remain competitive, armed with the resources to ensure that those who have the desire and potential to excel in The Citadel’s disciplined academic environment will have every opportunity to flourish.

Investing in the Corps of Cadets through the scholarship endowment truly is a timeless gift, one that will continue to pay the highest of dividends far into the future of this great institution.  The cadets of today are the leaders of tomorrow, and we are grateful for the enduring commitment our scholarship donors have made to preserve the Long Gray Line.

Fast Facts—Scholarship Support at The Citadel:

• Through funds donated by alumni, parents, and friends, the college is able to provide more than $4.5 million in scholarships annually.
• This support translates into more than 40 percent of our cadets receiving non-public scholarship aid.
• Scholarships range from full-ride, merit-based awards to financial support for dedicated cadets who need additional support to complete their Citadel education.
• Endowed scholarships free up funding for the college that would otherwise be needed to retain our student population.  Through careful resource allocation and diligent cost-saving efforts, The Citadel continues to provide a truly unique, high-caliber college education at a reasonable price—one reason U.S. News and World Report consistently ranks The Citadel among the best values in the South.

Types of Scholarship Support

In order to allow The Citadel the maximum flexibility to recruit and retain outstanding students, five primary scholarship funds have been established. Five funds in particular--The Citadel Scholars Fund, Citadel Brigadier Foundation Memorial Fund, Citadel Leadership Scholars Fund, Armed Forces Scholars Fund, and the Graduate Assistantship Fund--offer a simple way to provide scholarships to specific segments of The Citadel community.

Additionally, benefactors may choose to give to the President's Honorary Scholarship Fund, initiated in 1955 by General Mark Clark as a repository for all gifts to The Citadel's general scholarship program that are not intended for specifically named scholarship funds.

Citadel Scholars
The Citadel Scholars Fund at The Citadel Foundation allows The Citadel to recruit top academic students - nationally and internationally - who want to excel scholastically and prepare for a lifetime of leadership. Based on SAT and high school records, prospective freshman cadets will be invited to campus for a scholarship competition, including an interview with the Faculty Scholarship Committee. Top academic students will be named "Citadel Scholars" and receive scholarship funds to cover all tuition and student fees. Citadel Scholarships are renewable for four years, as long as the cadet continues to meet the eligibility requirements. Gifts to the fund may be made at any time and in any amount. Each named Citadel Scholar requires a gift of $350,000 to the Citadel Scholars Fund.

Citadel Brigadier Foundation Scholars
Link to http://www.citadel.edu/tcbf/
Endowed athletic scholarships will enable the College to broaden the diversity of student-athletes who would benefit from a Citadel education and enhance pride in The Citadel's athletic programs. Gifts for Citadel Brigadier Foundation Scholars will be endowed at the Brigadier Foundation Memorial Fund. Gifts to the fund may be made at any time and in any amount. Each full-award named Citadel Brigadier Foundation Scholar requires a gift of $250,000 to the Citadel Brigadier Foundation Memorial Fund.

Citadel Leadership Scholars
True to its mission, The Citadel recruits young people for the Corps of Cadets who have demonstrated the qualities of leadership, academic achievement, self-discipline, and service - qualities that will enable them to excel in The Citadel's unique military environment. Each year, many excellent candidates, due to a lack of financial aid, do not attend The Citadel. The Citadel Leadership Scholars Fund offers partial scholarships to outstanding prospective students. Gifts to the fund may be made at any time and in any amount. Each named Citadel Leadership Scholarship requires a minimum contribution of $100,000 to the Citadel Leadership Scholars Fund.

Armed Forces Scholars
Since its founding, The Citadel has educated and trained leaders for the armed services. The Armed Forces Scholars program seeks to fund a portion of the difference between the amount a cadet pays to attend The Citadel and an ROTC Scholarship. Eligible candidates will have been accepted to The Citadel and will have been awarded an ROTC Scholarship by one of the branches of the U.S. military. Gifts to the fund may be made at any time and in any amount. Each named Armed Forces Scholarship requires a gift of $75,000 to the Armed Forces Scholarship Fund.

Graduate Assistantships
Recognizing the growing importance of graduate students at the college, the Graduate Assistantship Fund has been established to enable awards providing partial support students pursuing graduate and professional degrees. Graduate assistantships in The Citadel's College of Graduate and Professional Studies will allow faculty members to recruit students for each assistantship in a competitive process. Gifts to the fund may be made at any time and in any amount. Each named Graduate Assistantship requires a gift of $75,000 to the Graduate Assistantship Fund.

Individual Named Scholarships
Donors who wish to have specific requirements for the granting of the scholarship award have established individual Named Scholarships over the years.

President's Honorary Scholarship Fund
The President's Honorary Scholarship Fund was initiated in 1955 as a repository for all gifts to the general scholarship program of The Citadel that are not for specifically named scholarship funds. The President's Honorary Scholarship Fund was establish by General Mark Clark and is supported by contributions from General Clark, alumni, and friends of The Citadel. Scholarships are available to cadets who possess attributes in accord with the high standards of The Citadel. The first award from this fund was made in 1956.

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