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Author: Paula Van Brocklin
It’s graduation season for high school students – a time to celebrate accomplishments, cherish childhood friendships, and rejoice in one final summer before “adulting.” But once the high school diploma is framed and the cap and gown are tucked away in the closet, joy may turn to anxiety for some students and families as they ponder how to pay for college.
College expenses can be stressful and require careful planning. Many students help cover the costs with part-time jobs, work study, state and federal grants and loans, and university-sponsored scholarships. But even with all those resources, funds may still fall short.
Iowa State University offers students financial aid packages that typically include a mix of grants, loans, and work opportunities. Students who declare a major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) may also apply for numerous scholarships to help shoulder the cost of college.
During the 2024-25 academic year, LAS awarded more than $3.5 million in scholarships to more than 1,700 students.
LAS scholarships are funded by the college and donors, mostly alumni. Several departments within the college also offer scholarships to students in their majors. Scholarships are both merit- and need-based, but some donors have specific criteria in mind for the students who receive their scholarships.
“There are hundreds of (donor) scholarships available and some of them have really niche criteria,” said Emily Wagner, LAS scholarship coordinator. “It could be a specific major, a GPA range, whether you have siblings, just things you don’t think about … If you think you don’t qualify for scholarships, I wouldn’t think that because there are so many different things that factor into it.”
Wagner added that many of the donor scholarships have the potential for renewal, offering students funds year after year until they graduate.
LAS also offers scholarships for student teaching, study abroad programs, conference travel, and unpaid internships. Funding varies due to a student’s financial need, but it’s likely that students who apply for these scholarships will receive them.
“We try to support students as much as possible in all aspects, but in those areas, we are able to support a high number of students,” Wagner said.
Students interested in pursuing undergraduate research may apply for the LAS Dean’s High-Impact Awards for Undergraduate Research. Certain selection criteria apply, and award amounts vary. Since 2018, the college has awarded more than $639,000 in research grants.
LAS also offers Success Grants to students whose financial situation is dire. Funded by alumni and friends of the college, LAS Success Grants provide emergency funds to students experiencing short-term financial challenges and meet specific criteria.
“There have been quite a few students that we’ve been able to help in a big way, whether they just needed a little extra funding to finish out their degree and graduate, or if they had a financial emergency come up,” Wagner said. “For one student, we banded together with their department and our LAS team to help them with funding because their parent was going through a hard time with their business.”
It’s easy for students to apply for LAS scholarships through OneApp, an online application tool. First-year students will get access to OneApp after they are admitted to Iowa State. The app opens for new students around Oct. 1 each year. Existing students are also encouraged to apply annually for scholarships using OneApp.
“Since we use OneApp, it’s really easy to go in and get (the application) completed,” Wagner said. “It automatically matches you on the back end with scholarships that you qualify for. So, although you may not see all those opportunities because you’re not applying for them individually, there are hundreds of scholarships available.”
Wagner estimates that applying for scholarships through OneApp takes about an hour.
“It’s not a long time for a potentially high return,” she said.
There are likely hundreds of stories LAS students could share about the important role scholarships have played in their college careers. Following are four students whose lives were positively impacted by LAS scholarships:
“The study abroad scholarships allowed me to worry less about how I was going to afford going on the trip and focus more on how I was going to immerse myself into the culture I was going to be a part of. In general, the scholarships ease my worries of paying for college, which decreased my already stressful work and student load.”
“With the help of the money received from this scholarship, I was able to study abroad in Stockholm, Sweden, during the summer of 2024. I’m extremely grateful to LAS for the scholarship opportunity. It can be difficult to fund experiences such as study abroad, but the scholarship made things significantly easier. I hope that LAS continues to provide these opportunities for students, as they are invaluable tools to making experiences happen.”
“The Thomas and Janice Kreamer Humanities Scholarship has greatly assisted me in my academic career at Iowa State by funding my textbook expenses each semester. As a history major, on average, each course I take has two required pieces of literature that are fundamental to my learning and understanding of course material. However, the expense of these books can add up quickly. Thanks to the generosity of my scholarship, I do not need to worry about the financial burden of acquiring these course materials and I can focus on what I came to Iowa State to do – learn.”
“I’m working on my second career as a non-traditional adult student. I’ve been a professional musician my entire life, but I’ve always wanted to study psychology and help people figure themselves out. It’s something I’ve been working on for myself, and I just want to contribute to the world in this way, as best as I can. I’ve very grateful for the scholarships, as they help ease the financial and mental burden of money.”
las@iastate.edu
© Iowa State University of Science and Technology 2025
