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.

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.