Scholarships

A Way to Give and Have a Lasting Impact for Bethel Students

"I chose to attend Bethel... because of its outstanding community atmosphere and its strong Christian background. This scholarship immensely helped me and my family feel that Bethel would be affordable enough to attend." -Andrew

Every student's story is different, but the ability to afford college is increasingly difficult and widespread. Financial pressures have forced some students to leave Bethel or transfer to secular schools to continue their education. Scholarships and other forms of financial aid make it possible for students to choose and complete a Christ-centered education at Bethel.

Benefits to Scholarship Donors

• Honor a loved one by creating a scholarship in their name.
• Recognize an area of interest or passion.
• Enjoy an opportunity to meet scholarship recipients at our annual Scholarship Celebration.

Benefits to Bethel Students

• Bethel can make tuition costs manageable by offering financial aid that doesn't have to be repaid.
• Scholarships give students the opportunity to excel in their area of interest and become Christ-like leaders in their places of work and ministry.

Types of Scholarships

There are a number of ways alumni and friends can support Bethel students through scholarships-whether through gifts given presently to endowed or annual scholarships, or through scholarships funded through a bequest in a will or trust.

• Endowed Scholarships

  The strength of any scholarship program is the money that is available in endowment.

  Bethel alumni and friends can create a named endowed scholarship in honor of a loved one or program they are passionate about with funds given currently or through an estate plan or will. Bethel will then award annually a portion of the earnings of the endowed fund to students as specified by the donor through a named scholarship while leaving the principal intact. An endowed scholarship will begin to award scholarships to students when the principal reaches $25,000.

• Estate Gift Scholarships

  As part of your estate-through your will, trust, or other gift vehicle-you can specify your Bethel University gift to be designated for student scholarships. This is an ideal way to fund an endowed scholarship or to add to an existing endowed scholarship. Oftentimes, these are scholarships in honor or in memory of a loved one, or to support a program at Bethel that is particularly meaningful to the donor. Donors that choose to include Bethel in their will or trust become members of Bethel's Royal Heritage Society.

• Annual Scholarships

  Annual scholarships are funded annually and customized by Bethel alumni and friends to be awarded to students as specified by the donor (select major, academic program, financial need, academic standing, etc.). A restricted scholarship is named by the donor and can be established with a minimum gift of $1,500 for at least three years. Additional gifts can be added to the scholarship each year to extend the life and impact of the awards.

Contact Us

To learn more about creating a scholarship and making a difference in a Bethel student's life, please contact us today.

Brothers Establish Scholarship for First-Generation, Underprivileged Students

Growing up, Sam and Matt Lacy didn't have much. They lived in a trailer park in west Texas with their parents, who both worked to hold down steady jobs but still had to cash welfare checks to make ends meet. It was a lifestyle they were expected to inherit-so the Lacy brothers surprised everyone, including themselves, when they became the first in their family to graduate from college, a feat made possible largely by scholarships.
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