PPPA Scholarships

Scholarships

Thanks to generous gifts from WSU alumni and friends, the School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs is able to offer academic scholarships to eligible undergraduate and graduate students on the Pullman campus.

Each year, the department awards more than $45,000 in scholarships to our majors. The support provided by these funds helps students engage in activities that further expand their horizons and foster success.

$45,000+ awarded each year

How to apply

Undergraduate and graduate students who complete the WSU General Scholarship Application each year are automatically considered for more than 700 scholarships at the School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs, College of Arts and Sciences, and University-level.

Completed scholarship applications must be submitted no later than January 31 for the following academic year.

Incoming students who have applied for admission to WSU may submit a scholarship application while they are waiting for a decision.

Award notification

Scholarship recipients will be notified via email in late March.

General eligibility

For both undergraduate and graduate students

  • An incoming or continuing student in good standing at WSU Pullman.
  • Enrolled in or a stated intention to enroll in a degree program offered by the School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs.
  • A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA.
  • Some scholarships may have alternate or additional criteria.
  • Need-based scholarship also require a completed FAFSA or WASFA. Visit WSU Student Financial Services for information and deadlines for these forms.

Below are examples of the range of scholarships available at Washington State University.

Below are examples of the range of scholarships available at Washington State University.

Academic Achievement

For first-year and transfer students. Based on academic strength and financial need. Renewable for 4 years. Apply with WSU General Scholarship application.

Crimson Transfer Award

For Washington residents who are U.S. citizens transferring to WSU Pullman from another college or university. Renewable for an additional year. Admissions packet must be completed with all required transcripts submitted no later than the end of your first term of attendance at WSU.

Students can apply for additional scholarships through the WSU General Scholarship Application

Creighton Scholarship

Must be an enrolled tribal member, with preference given to NW tribes (Washington, Idaho, and Oregon). Not renewable, but can reapply every year. Apply with WSU General Scholarship application.

MOU Tribal Scholarship

For new incoming students who are members of a tribe that is signatory to a Memorandum of Understanding with WSU. Recipients receive financial support and are enrolled in the Tribal Nation Building Leadership (TNBL) program.

Eligible tribes include: Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Colville Confederated Tribes, Confederated Tribes of the Salish and Kootenai, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, Cowlitz Tribe, Kalispel Tribe, Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, Nez Perce Tribe, Quinault Tribe, and Spokane Tribe. .

Find the deadline, eligibility requirement, and the application on the TNBL website.

Muckleshoot Scholarship

Must be an enrolled tribal member with financial need. Not renewable, but may reapply each year. Apply through the WSU General Scholarship application.

NACI-Hanes Scholarship

Must be an enrolled member of the Spokane tribe. Not renewable but can reapply every year. Apply with WSU General Scholarship application.

Plateau Native American Scholarship

Must be associated with one of the following tribes: Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Colville Confederated Tribes, The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Kalispel Tribe, Klamath Tribe, Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, Nez Perce Tribe, Spokane Tribe of Indians, Yakama Indian Nation. Alternately, students with proof of ancestry from a tribe or tribes known as Plateau Salishan, Sahaptian, or Kootenai, as well as members of the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs or the Cowlitz Tribe who are of Sahaptian-speaking descent, are also eligible to apply.

Find the deadline, eligibility requirements, and the application on the WSU Native Programs website.

WSU General Scholarship Application

Women*s Center Student Achievement Scholarship

Requires a brief personal statement, two letters of recommendation, and your current academic transcript (unofficial is acceptable). Details on the Women*s Center website. Apply through the WSU General Scholarship application.

WSU Study Abroad Scholarship

Open to current students on any WSU campus. Apply for a study abroad program through WSU International Programs website and complete the scholarship questionnaire.

International Academic Award

International students are automatically considered for scholarships upon admission to WSU. Apply for admission and scholarships on the by January 31 on the Office of International Programs website.

International Year One Progression Award

International Programs automatically awards this scholarship to qualifying students who complete their Undergraduate Foundation program with a 3.5 GPA and continue on to degree-seeking study at WSU. Renewable for up to 2 years. Details available on the Office of International Programs website.

A sample of available awards

Our named scholarships reflect the interests and desires of its donors. Students who complete the WSU general scholarship application each year are considered for all funds which they qualify for. Both merit-based and need-based scholarships are available.

Potter Memorial Scholarship

Honors Frank Fraser Potter, a WSU philosophy professor from 1912–1949. Provides support for tuition expenses of junior- and senior-level students.

Judges Thomas & Marshall Neill Memorial Scholarship

Open to undergraduates in political science.

Young Philosopher Scholarships

Support for returning students in any degree program who have not yet reached junior status.

Claudius O. Johnson Memorial Scholarship

An endowed scholarship honoring history and political science professor and department chair Claudius Johnson, who served on the faculty for 40 years, and his wife, Mary, who taught physical education and became a civic leader in the Pullman community.

Mullen Endowed Scholarship

Established to honor William F. Mullen, a former WSU political science professor who was instrumental in the creation of the Black Studies program. Open to political science majors, with preference given for a focus on U.S. government and politics (especially the American presidency and the electoral political process), an interest in racial and ethnic minority politics, and/or a career in public service.

Judges Thomas & Marshall Neill Memorial Scholarship

Open to undergraduates in political science.

Morris Reed Scholarship

Established in honor of Morris Reed (’48), a political science and history alumnus and president of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society. Reed worked in the U.S. Department of State and served as the Pierce County deputy auditor.

Thorson Memorial Scholarship

Established by the family, friends, and colleagues of Winston B. Thorson, professor of history at Washington State University from 1943 to 1949. Open to undergraduate students pursuing a political science degree who have demonstrated scholastic excellence and outstanding character.

WSU General Scholarship Application

All WSU students are encouraged to apply for scholarships every year. The annual deadline is January 31 for the following academic year.

Incoming students who have applied for admission may submit a scholarship application while they are waiting for a decision.

Eligibility, terms, and conditions are available at the Student Financial Services website.

Support for Undocumented Students

Learn more about Washington state residency options, state financial aid, and the WSU general scholarship application, which is open to all students regardless of their national origin, religion, sex, race, color, or other protected categories, on the WSU Student Financial Services website.