Scholarships and Grants

Financial Aid Application Procedures

Scholarships

Scholarships are merit-based programs awarded by Ringling College to students who are accepted and meet specific GPA requirements. Scholarships are free to students and do not have to be repaid. The scholarship programs Ringling College offers are based on high school and previous college Grade Point Averages; submitted portfolios; and information from the admissions application. At Ringling College scholarship eligibility is determined at the point of acceptance and students are notified of their scholarship offer within their acceptance packet.

Third-party, private scholarships are offered by various local, regional and national organizations, businesses, and foundations. Students may search for third-party, private scholarships through numerous websites such as Fastweb and Tuition Funding Sources.

Grants

Grants are need-based programs awarded by Ringling College, the federal government (for domestic students) and the state of Florida (for Florida residents). Eligibility is determined from information on the FAFSA and grant funds are free to students and do not have to be repaid. Students who submit a FAFSA and are eligible for grant programs will be notified of their awards by the financial aid office through the annual Financial Aid Notification Letter or email. How can students search for third-party scholarships and grants?

Learn more about applying for scholarships at Ringling College, and how to find out about scholarship and grant opportunities.

Applying for Scholarships and Grants:

The only application Ringling College requires is the FAFSA. Please be advised that the College must receive a completed FAFSA by the priority deadline of March 15th to be considered for scholarship renewal as well as receipt of any new scholarships and grants. During the evaluation process, we will consider students for all eligible programs. However, please be aware that scholarship and grant dollars are limited and we attempt to allocate the funds in the most equitable manner possible.

To renew your Ringling Scholarship or Grant each year you need to complete the FAFSA by March 15. You also need to maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA for scholarships and a 2.0 cumulative GPA for grants. You must also meet Satisfactory Academic Progress.

If you did not receive a scholarship upon entry to Ringling College, it is possible to get scholarships in other years. All students who complete their FAFSA by March 15, the priority deadline, are individually analyzed for scholarships in subsequent years.

Ringling College accepts third party scholarships. The award will be credited to your bill once we have received the funds from the grantor. If you are receiving any kind of financial aid from any sources other than the College, you must report the scholarship to the financial aid office. You should provide a copy of the notification letter you received from the organization offering you the scholarship. We will then be able to apply it to your account as anticipated aid.

There are many organizations, foundations, and businesses which offer third-party scholarships to students. Students may search for third-party, private scholarships through numerous websites such as Fastweb and Tuition Funding Sources.

Contact

Office of Financial Aid
Ulla Searing Student Center
941-359-7534
8:30 am-4:30 pm
finaid@ringling.edu
Schedule an Appointment
View your Financial Aid Awards

Types of Scholarships and Grants

Ringling College Aid Programs

Accepted students’ Admissions Applications are automatically reviewed for merit scholarships. Merit scholarships are based on various measures of achievement, including portfolio score and Grade Point Average (GPA). Financial need is not a factor in determining merit scholarships. Incoming students who have completed the application process by March 15th for the following fall semester are considered for one of the following merit scholarships. Eligibility for Need-based Grants is considered when students complete the FAFSA application.

Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 GPA for merit scholarships. Ringling Need-based Grant Requirements: Must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. The cumulative GPA will be reviewed annually at the end of the spring semester. If the GPA requirement is not met, the scholarship will be revoked, and the Office of Financial Aid will notify the student. Scholarship amounts are prorated based on hours enrolled each semester.

The Presidential Scholarship is awarded to the strongest student applicant in each of the majors and is based on the merit of their Admissions Application. This award is not based on need and is awarded for four years. Please note that the Presidential Scholarship cannot be combined with other Ringling scholarships and grants and will replace all existing Ringling awards.

The Creative Excellence Scholarship is awarded to new students exhibiting an extraordinary level of both academic and creative talent. This award is not based on need and is awarded for four years.

The Deans’ Scholarship is awarded to new students who demonstrate displaying a superior level of academic and creative talent. This award is not based on need and is awarded for four years.

The Faculty Scholarship reflects the commitment Ringling College faculty has to ensuring our students thrive and flourish both creatively and academically. This award is not based on need and is awarded for four years.

The Ringling College Scholarship is provided to new students demonstrating a solid dedication to cultivating creative and academic achievements. This award is not based on need and is awarded for four years.

The Pathway Scholarship is awarded to new students exhibiting a strong commitment to achieving academic and creative success. This award is not based on need and is awarded for four years.

The Trustee Scholarship is awarded to outstanding rising seniors at Ringling College. Candidates for these awards are nominated by faculty and Student Life staff. Candidates are then selected by the Board of Trustees. Awards are based on academic and artistic achievement, leadership, and contributions to Ringling College and the community. This award is not based on need and is a one-time scholarship.

The Office of Advancement and Office of Financial Aid award endowed scholarships through the generosity of individual donors supporting Ringling College. These funds are awarded based upon criteria supplied by each donor—amounts will vary. Throughout the year, the Financial Aid office will replace the student’s Merit Ringling scholarships (i.e. Deans’, Faculty, Pathway, etc.) with named endowment scholarships. Students whose scholarships are replaced by endowments will be asked to write a thank you letter to their donor. Please note that the Endowed Scholarships cannot be combined with other Ringling merit-based scholarships and will replace existing Ringling Merit Scholarships.

The Ringling College Grant is provided to eligible students who file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and demonstrate financial need. Awards vary in amount based on demonstrated need. This grant program is offered in addition to other financial aid programs for which students are eligible.

Federal Aid Programs

The Federal Pell Grant is a federally funded program based on need. Unlike a loan, a grant does not need to be repaid. The Federal Pell Grant is open to undergraduates who are U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents and who have not earned a bachelor’s degree. Eligibility is determined by financial need.

FSEOG is a federally funded program for Pell eligible students with exceptional financial need. Funds are highly limited.

Ringling College is pleased to participate with all Veterans’ educational benefits. The Post 9/11 GI Bill ® Yellow Ribbon Program provides additional financial assistance to veterans and dependents who qualify for 100% of Post-9/11 GI Bill® educational benefits.

To be considered for the GI Bill® programs, students must provide a copy of their VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and complete a request for certification form with the Ringling College’s (VA) certifying official in the Office of Advising, Records, and Registration. Once your VA COE is received and the student completes a request for certification form with Ringling College Certifying Official, Ringling College can post an anticipated amount for VA funds to your tuition bill based on the appropriate program funding. The VA certifying official will review and submit certification of the student’s courses to the VA for payment.

Eligible students must maintain satisfactory academic progress for all terms they are enrolled in to continue to receive benefits. Details of satisfactory academic progress and veteran policies can be found in the Academic Catalog.

Visit the Military/Veteran Affiliated Services webpage for details.

Information to consider: The Johnny Isakson and David P. Roe, M.D. Veterans Health Care and Benefits Improvement Act of 2020 requires educational institutions to make certain disclosures to students using federal military and/or VA educational benefits. Ringling College emails new incoming students estimated award notices. Returning students can view award notices in NetPartner when logged into their account. You can access a personalized VA tuition and yellow ribbon financial plan by contacting your VA Certification Official. Additional financial information is available on the NCES College Navigator site.

Florida State Aid Programs

Florida Residency

Florida law permits U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to be classified as a Florida resident for state student tuition assistance programs. The applicant or the dependent applicant’s parent/legal guardian must be a legal resident of the State for at least 12 months preceding the first day of classes of the term for which Florida residency is sought.

Florida Student Assistance Grant Program [FSAG]
A state-funded program for permanent Florida residents who have lived in the state of Florida for at least one year, who demonstrate financial need, and who are actively pursuing a degree. Florida residents should be sure to request release of their data to the Florida Department of Education by completing the releases/certification section on the FAFSA.

Failure to Meet the Minimum Renewal GPA

  • If a student does not meet the minimum institutional cumulative GPA, a probationary award may be granted.
  • To be eligible for renewal the following year after probation, the student must have earned the required credits and an institutional cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Failure to Meet the Minimum Renewal Credit Hours

  • A student who does not meet the annual minimum number of credit hours required for renewal may not receive funding the following academic year.
  • To be eligible for funding in a subsequent year, the student must apply for restoration and meet the general eligibility requirements for restoration and have earned an institutional cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Effective Access to Student Education (EASE)
A state-funded program for permanent Florida residents who have lived in-state at least one year and who are pursuing a degree at an eligible nonprofit private university in Florida. The amount varies from year to year, depending upon the state funding allocation. Typically the grant amount is approximately $2,000 per year. Ringling College requests that students file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) so we can determine whether the student qualifies for other financial aid. The Florida State Department of Education does not require students to file a FAFSA to qualify for EASE or Bright Futures. To qualify, complete the Florida Residency Statement available on our website under the ‘Forms and Tax Information’ tab.

Failure to Meet the Minimum Renewal GPA

  • If a student does not meet the minimum institutional cumulative GPA, a probationary award may be granted.
  • To be eligible for renewal the following year after probation, the student must have earned the required credits and institutional cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.


Failure to Meet the Minimum Renewal Credit Hours

  • A student who does not meet the annual minimum of 12 hours per semester (or equivalent) requirement for renewal (for one or both semesters), may not receive funding the following academic year.
  • To be eligible for funding in a subsequent year, the student must apply for restoration and meet the general eligibility requirements for restoration and have earned an institutional cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.


Ringling College’s EASE Grant Performance Measures on Access Rate, Affordability Rate, Graduation Rate, Retention Rate and Postgraduate Employment Rate are specifically listed on the ICUF Dashboard.

Florida Bright Futures Program

This is a Florida Lottery-Funded scholarship rewarding students for their academic achievements during high school by providing funding for them to pursue postsecondary educational and career goals in Florida. 

Ringling College does accept Bright Futures. The amount you will be credited will be calculated at a per credit hour rate, not a percentage. The credit hour rate is based on the average cost of tuition at a state university or college. The amount will be determined by the state after July 1st prior to the award year. The College accepts Florida Academic Scholars and Florida Medallion Scholars. The College does not accept Gold Seal Vocational Scholars, which is reserved for a technical or certificate program. 

Florida Prepaid College Plan

This program allows parents in the state of Florida to begin paying for college before their children enroll. The program is a 529 investment plan managed by the Florida Prepaid College Board. If you are unsure if you have contributed to the plan or if you are unsure of which plan you have contributed to, [tuition, dormitory, and or fees] visit Florida Prepaid College Plan.

Even though Ringling College is a private institution, we will accept Florida PrePaid at a rate calculated according to the Florida statute. The amount is determined by the state after July 1st prior to the award year. That amount is equal to the average rates payable to Florida state universities and colleges in Florida under your beneficiary’s plan. To use the PrePaid plan at Ringling College, a Transfer Form must be completed. Visit Florida Prepaid or call 1-800-552-GRAD (4723) for a transfer form.

 

Vocational Rehabilitation

A state program available to students with disabilities. Eligible students should contact their local Vocational Rehabilitation Office.

Third-Party Aid Programs

Third-party, private scholarships are offered by various local, regional, and national organizations, businesses, and foundations. Students may search for third-party, private scholarships through numerous websites such as Fastweb and Tuition Funding Sources