Rooted In Excellence Scholarship

Four Years. Free Tuition. A Guilford Education.

The Scholarship provides full tuition for qualifying North Carolina students from families earning $75,000 or less.

You may qualify if you:

Are a North Carolina resident
Have a family income of $75,000 or less*
Have a 3.25+ weighted high school GPA
Commit to live on campus
Maintain a 2.75 cumulative GPA at Guilford

Students and a child gather in a circle on a sunny Guilford College campus lawn.

What does Free Tuition Mean?

Your tuition is fully covered. You also contribute to your Guilford education.
The RIE scholarship covers 100% of tuition for eligible students.

It does not cover:
Room
Board
Student fees
Books and supplies
Transportation
Personal expenses

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Could you be a Rooted In Excellence Scholar?
REQUIREMENT	WHAT YOU NEED
Residency	North Carolina resident
Family income	$75,000 or less
High school GPA	3.25+ weighted GPA
Enrollment	Traditional first-year undergraduate
Housing	Live on campus
Renewal GPA	2.75 cumulative GPA (annual or semester review??)
Duration	Up to four years

Meeting these requirements does not replace the admission or financial-aid application process.

Student Mallory Cerkleski and a friend pick flowers and take a selfie.

What does this mean for my family?

See what the Rooted In Excellence Scholarship could mean for you

Give families a hypothetical example.
Family income: $60,000
Student GPA: 3.6
North Carolina resident
Lives on campus
Then:
Tuition: $0
Room, board and fees: $XX,XXX
Other financial aid: May reduce remaining costs
And importantly:
Seems like we need some sort of legal boilerplate: Your actual financial-aid package will depend on your family's specific circumstances.
If the College can build an actual net-price calculator around the program, even better.

Three students laugh together while hanging out on the patio of Binford Hall.

Why Living on Campus Matters

At Guilford, we believe a liberal arts education happens both inside and outside the classroom.
Then briefly explain:
Faculty relationships
Student organizations
Athletics
Service opportunities
Leadership
Community
Residential learning
Campus traditions

Research generally shows that students who live on campus tend to have stronger outcomes in areas such as retention, graduation and GPA than comparable students who live off campus.
But: I would link that sentence to actual research. Don't make the web page say “research shows” without giving families somewhere to go.

More than affordability. It's access with purpose.

The Rooted In Excellence Scholarship reflects Guilford's belief that a college education should open doors — and that education carries a responsibility to serve others.

Social Mobility
Education can change the trajectory of a student's life and family.

Community
Students learn by living and working alongside people with different experiences and perspectives.

Service
Guilford prepares students to use what they learn to contribute to their communities and the world.

That gives Jean's quote from the release somewhere to live.

You're not on your own once you get here.

Guilford's TRIO Student Support Services program provides additional support to eligible students, including first-generation college students, students with financial need and students with documented disabilities.

Academic advising
Tutoring
Mentoring
Career preparation
Workshops
Individual support
Help navigating college

One program helps you afford Guilford. Another helps you succeed here.

A group of students around a table in Milner Hall

Free tuition isn't the only aid available

Don't assume you can't afford Guilford.

The Rooted In Excellence Scholarship is one part of Guilford's broader financial-aid program. Students and families with household incomes above $75,000 may still qualify for need-based and merit-based aid.

A student sits under a tree to read on the Quad.

A student takes a study break on the Quad in front of Duke Hall.

Ready to become a Rooted In Excellence scholar?

Step 1 - Apply to Guilford.
Step 2 - Complete your FAFSA/financial-aid application.
Step 3 - Submit any additional information Guilford requests.
Step 4 - Receive your admission and financial-aid decisions.
Step 5 - Join the Guilford community.

Need help? - Talk with an Admission Counselor

Guilford College students perform an experiment during a Chemistry lab.