Queens College offers a variety of merit-based scholarships to full-time freshmen, with an award of $2,300. Each fall, approximately 85 members of the freshman class receive scholarships. Most of the awards cover half the tuition for New York State residents, which is currently $4,600 per year. Recipients of these scholarships are required to be part of an honors program at Queens College. These incoming students interview in March or April to determine which honors programs they are eligible for and interested in, such the Freshman Honors Program, Honors in the Humanities, Honors in Math and Natural Science, and Honors in the Social Sciences.
Selection is competitive; scholarships are awarded on the basis of an applicant's high school record, test scores (SAT I and II), writing ability, letters of recommendation, and extracurricular activities. Most scholarships are renewable with continued high academic achievement. This application must be completed by all freshmen who wish to be considered for a Queens College Scholarship.
Freshman applicants who rank in or near the top 10 percent of their class and have a rigorous academic program, excellent grades, and SAT scores of at least 1250 are encouraged to apply. An essay and two teacher recommendations are required, and two SAT II subject tests are strongly recommended. In addition to filing this application, students must complete the CUNY Freshman Application, listing Queens College as their first choice.