Zach Wendling
LINCOLN — The University of Nebraska is officially expanding its newest full-ride scholarship to include up to 50 Nebraska students who ace or perform the highest results on the ACT or SAT college admissions tests.
NU welcomed 17 freshmen across its campuses as inaugural “Presidential Scholars,” for scoring a perfect 36 on the ACT or the equivalent on the SAT this fall. Students who ace the ACT will continue to automatically qualify for the program, with the remaining spots among the 50 scholarships will be open to students who score 32-35 on the ACT, or similarly on the SAT.
The Presidential Scholars Program covers the full cost of attendance for NU undergraduates from Nebraska, including tuition and fees, housing and food, and personal expenses for up to four years of study. Students also receive a $5,000 stipend each year.
Eligible Nebraska students can apply for the program immediately. More information is available at nebraska.edu/presidential-scholars.
“Our state’s future will be bright when our most driven and passionate young people attend college here in Nebraska,” President Jeffrey Gold said in a statement. “This is an investment in our state that underscores two deeply ingrained Nebraska values: hard work and excellence at the highest level.”
NU officials joined Gov. Jim Pillen to announce the program in February, which began with a $5 million endowment. It came in part to seek to keep high-performing students from leaving the state.
The NU Board of Regents requested a $3 million addition to NU’s state-aided budget from the Nebraska Legislature for the next two years to expand the program.
The state’s budget will be debated in the spring before going to Pillen for approval.
“It is essential we compete to keep our kids here. The Presidential Scholarship Program provides that pathway,” Pillen said in a statement. “When our brightest make the commitment to attend an institution of higher learning in Nebraska, then it is more likely they will stay.”