AIB Merit Scholarships
Merit scholarships are awarded to students based on the strength of
academic record and/or artistic portfolio, and can significantly lower
your cost of an AIB education. Whether you are applying as a first-time
freshman or transferring from another college, you should explore the
many scholarship opportunities available to you. Approximately 65
percent of newly enrolled students receive AIB Scholarship awards.
Merit Scholarships range from $1,000 to full tuition.
To be eligible, you must submit an application for admission and all
other required credentials to the AIB Office of Admission. You are
automatically considered for these scholarships during the application
review process and will be notified of your selection as a merit scholar
at the same time you are notified of your
admission decision.
All of the scholarships/awards listed below are available to
students who are U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents applying for
admission to AIB for Fall 2012 and Spring 2013. The
scholarships/awards (with the exception of the YAR Scholarship and
Pre-College Scholarship) are also renewable for the four years you
attend AIB, provided you maintain full-time enrollment of at least 12
credits and remain in good academic standing as defined by the AIB
catalog.
Guaranteed Freshman Scholarships
AIB guarantees that you, as a first-year applicant, will be
awarded a merit scholarship if you are accepted for admission and meet
the following criteria. Your eligibility is based on your academic GPA,
standardized test scores (SAT or ACT) on file at the time of your
admission decision, and/or the artistic strength of your portfolio.
Except where noted, these scholarships are renewable for up to four
years, provided that you maintain full-time enrollment (at least 12
credits) and remain in good academic standing as defined by the Lesley
Student handbook.
If you have:
- Both a High School GPA of 3.0 or higher and a SAT-CR + SAT-Math + SAT-Writing score of 1650 or higher (or ACT Composite of 24 or higher), you will receive an $14,000 Dean's Scholarship.
- Both an exceptional portfolio (as determined by the admissions staff) and a High School GPA of 3.0 or higher, you will receive an $13,000
Dean's Scholarship.
- A High School GPA of 3.5 or higher, you will receive a $11,000
AIB Scholarship.
- A SAT-CR + SAT-Math + SAT-Writing score of 1650 or higher (or ACT Composite of 24 or higher), you will receive a $11,000 AIB Scholarship.
- Both an exceptional portfolio (as determined by the admissions staff) and a High School GPA of 2.7 or higher, you will receive a $11,000
AIB Scholarship.
- An exceptional portfolio (as determined by the admissions staff), you will receive a $9,000 Portfolio Scholarship.
- Graduated (or will graduate) from a High School in the Massachusetts
cities of Boston, Brockton, Cambridge, Chelsea, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn
or Somerville, you will receive an $9,000 Urban Scholarship.
- Previously attended AIB's Young Artist Residency Program, you will receive a one-time $1,000 YAR Scholarship.
- Previously attended three or more pre-college classes at AIB, you will receive a one-time $1,000 Pre-College Scholarship.
In addition, select students are eligible for the $5,000 Centennial Scholarship.
Please note that qualified applicants are eligible to receive only
one award from among the Dean's Scholarship, AIB Scholarship, or Urban
Scholarship, whichever is the largest award. Students cannot receive more
than one of these awards in combination.
To ensure equitable merit scholarship decisions, all freshman
applicant high school grade point averages (GPAs) are recalculated. We
use an un-weighted 4.0 scale where an A equals 4.0, B equals 3.0, C
equals 2.0 etc. Only final full-year and semester grades available at
the time of the admission decision, from academic and artistic course
work beginning with grade nine, are considered. Certain courses,
including but not limited to Physical Education and Health, are not
considered in this recalculation.
Presidential Scholarship
Each year, one freshman is selected as an AIB Presidential Scholar. This
award is given to a student who has demonstrated extraordinary artistic
talent and exceptional academic strength. The Presidential Scholarship
amount for students entering in the fall of 2012 will be $20,000 per
year for four years. A student who takes a leave of absence for more
than one semester will lose the ability to have their Presidential
Scholarship renewed. In order to be considered for the AIB Presidential
Scholarship, please complete your application for admission prior to
February 15th. Several Presidential Scholar runners-up will receive
small grants in addition to the other merit awards for which they
qualify. Presidential Scholar recipients will be given two weeks from
the date of their award letter to accept
this award.
Cambridge Rindge & Latin Merit Scholarship
Up to two full four-year tuition scholarships will be awarded to
graduates of the Cambridge Rindge & Latin School. Recipients may
enroll in either Lesley College or the Art Institute of Boston (AIB).
The Headmaster and guidance team will nominate six students for
consideration. Nominations should be in the form of a letter of
recommendation. Minimum academic criteria include a 3.3 academic GPA in a
strong college prep curriculum, with a combined SAT CR + Math + Writing
score of at least 1650, or an ACT Composite score of at least 24.
Nominations and all admission application materials should be
received no later than February 28th. The University Scholarship
Committee reviews all nominations and selects finalists. Finalists are
interviewed by members of the University Scholarship Committee together
with the Headmaster. Up to two Lesley University Cambridge Rindge and
Latin Merit Scholars and one alternate are selected.
Boston Arts Academy Merit Scholarship
One full tuition, four-year scholarship will be awarded to graduates of
the Boston Arts Academy (BAA) to pursue studies at The Art Institute of
Boston at Lesley University. Recipients must enroll full-time at The Art
Institute of Boston (AIB).
BAA's Headmaster and Visual Arts faculty will nominate two or three
students for consideration. Nominations should be in the form of a
letter of recommendation. Minimum academic criteria include a 3.0 GPA
while taking a college preparatory curriculum, a 1500 or better SAT Math
plus Verbal plus Writing score (or a 21 or better ACT Composite score).
Most importantly, students admitted to the Art Institute of Boston will
need to demonstrate significant artistic promise, as evidenced by a
portfolio submitted for admission.
Nominations should be received no later than February 15 of each
year. Students' admission application materials will need to be
submitted by this date as well. Nominations will be reviewed by a
scholarship committee comprised of representatives from the AIB faculty,
AIB Admission Office, and a Lesley University representative. The
committee will interview each of the candidates during this process.
Notifications of the award recipient will be sent by April 15th of each
year.
Candidates who are not selected for this full scholarship do qualify
for the Lesley University Urban Scholarship and may qualify for a Dean's
Scholarship.
Guaranteed Transfer Merit Scholarships
AIB guarantees that you, as a transfer applicant, are
awarded a merit scholarship if you are accepted for admission and meet
the following criteria. Your eligibility is based on the strength of
your academic performance as indicated by your cumulative academic GPA
at your current/previous institution(s) and/or the artistic strength of
your portfolio.
Members of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society who have graduated from an accredited two-year institution will receive an annual $12,000 Phi Theta
Kappa Scholarship.
If you have both an exceptional portfolio (as determined by the admissions staff) and
a cumulative academic GPA of 2.7 or higher (must have completed at
least one semester of 12 credits at an accredited academic institution),
you will receive a $10,000 Transfer Merit Scholarship.
You will receive a $10,000 Lesley University Community College Scholarship if you are graduating with an Associate's Degree from any accredited Community College in the United States. In addition, select transfer students are eligible for the $5,000 Centennial Scholarship.
While students may see themselves as eligible for more than one
scholarship, they will be awarded only one - the merit scholarship which
best reflects their strengths. Your merit scholarship will be applied
to the cost of tuition only and cannot be used for room and board, and
fees. Students selected as participants in the Tuition Exchange Program
(TE) or the Council of Independent Colleges Program (CIC) and awarded a
tuition scholarship via that program will receive that award only - any
other Lesley Merit scholarship will be replaced by the TE or CIC tuition
scholarship. Part-time students, students enrolled in Lesley’s Adult
Learning Division or off-campus programs, and students with a previous
bachelor’s degree are not eligible.
International Students
Art Institute of Boton Merit Scholarships are available to
international students on an individualized basis. Incoming freshman and
transfer students will be notified of a merit scholarship award at the
point of admission.
Scholarships that Extend to Graduate Study!
The Lesley Dividend...
One Free Semester of Graduate Study!
AIB students interested in pursuing an interest in art education or
art therapy often find that a master's degree is a necessary,
professional credential. For those who choose to immediately continue
their studies at Lesley, the Lesley Dividend provides tremendous
assistance. Qualified AIB students can receive up to 12 free credits of
graduate study in one of Lesley's on-campus master's programs. To
qualify, you must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.6
upon completion of your undergraduate studies.
For more information, visit the Lesley Dividend page.
Learn more about the need-based financial aid offered by AIB and Lesley University on our financial aid page.
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