Students in a classroom

Cornerstone 1: Scholarships

We Will Open Doors

In the Miami University mission statement, we say that we are an institution “deeply committed to student success,” that empowers its students “to become engaged citizens who use their knowledge and skills with integrity, and compassion to improve the future of our global society.”

Today, we have the opportunity to embody and model this commitment, integrity, and compassion. Pandemic, inflation, fluctuating employment statistics, global recessions, and more have not only challenged the morale of families and prospective students, they have transformed what was already a financial challenge for most into an impossibility for many.

Our charge is to ensure access and affordability for qualified students, regardless of circumstances. With a more robust complement of scholarship opportunities for a wider range of students, we will put the Miami Experience within reach.

Together, we will break down barriers to learning, empowering new perspectives and new voices that strengthen our own and change communities and the world.



This scholarship meant a lot to my family. I come from a blended family and it’s been financially very tough on us. My parents have put us all through school independently, so being able to have a scholarship and pursue my career without having to have a lot of financial burden on myself and my parents has made this experience so much more meaningful to me. I'm extremely grateful to the donors that have supported me throughout my college career. – Tyler Gray ’24, Architecture, VP of National Organization of Minority Architecture Students, Miami Chapter

Cornerstone News

How will we meet this bold goal to improve access?

We will create and fund additional need-based and merit scholarships, as well as competitive honors programs designed to recruit high-performing students and expand upon our reputation for excellence in scholarship.

We will dramatically increase the achievability of a Miami education while maintaining our academic standards. Although 75% of our students receive some form of financial assistance and 16% qualify for Pell Grants, we are able to meet only a fraction of the student financial need that exists—a need that is steadily growing. Need-based scholarships will dramatically increase our capacity to accept highly qualified students.
True diversity and inclusion enrich the Miami Experience for everyone by including voices from a wide range of experiences and building a community that looks more like today’s world while building a model for a more equitable future. We will increase access for these students by creating scholarships to build our diversity and cultivate inclusion.
This is Miami’s most prestigious cohort and scholarship program, enrolling 20 students per year recruited from the top 1% across the nation. This is a rigorous, faculty-led program that spans all academic divisions and majors. Tuition, fees, housing, and meals are provided, as well as a one-time academic enrichment stipend. This program is designed to compete with Goldwater, Truman, and Rhodes scholarships for our most exceptional students.
Designed to compete for the top 5% of students nationally, the University Honors College is an academic and co-curricular living community. We will enroll more than 200 students per year, with a plan to reach 800–1,000 students across four years. These students will receive half- to full-tuition scholarships and housing, as well as a dedicated faculty director, study abroad benefits, and internships or experiential learning opportunities.
This intensive one-year cohort program focuses on a cutting-edge, interdisciplinary theme (e.g. Health and Society, Design Thinking and Technology) that interweaves coursework with co-curricular projects. By providing tuition support, customized career counseling, and the opportunity to reside in a Living Learning Community, we establish an academic and social base to transform potential into focused, sustainable achievement.
A new approach creates a pipeline of Miami-educated teachers and boosts collaboration between undergraduates and high school students