The Scholars in Arts & Sciences effort began in the fall of 1985 with the support of twenty farsighted friends, and by 2008 that number had grown to several hundred. Still, the need was great.
The 2009 announcement of Opening Doors to the Future: The Scholarship Initiative for Washington University Arts & Sciences began a five-year effort to raise $33 million to support undergraduate and graduate students in Arts & Sciences. As part of Leading Together: The Campaign for Washington University, the Arts & Sciences scholarship program raised an astonishing $93 million, far exceeding our original $66 million goal. In 2022, WashU furthered its commitment to scholarship with Make Way: Our Student Initiative to increase support for all talented students seeking a WashU education.
WashU adopted a “no-loan” financial aid policy in fall 2023. This decision was part of WashU’s sustained commitment to removing financial barriers for admitted undergraduate students. Federal loans for undergraduate students were removed from all financial aid packages and replaced with donor-funded scholarships and university grants, ensuring that all admitted students can obtain a world-class WashU education without going in to debt.
“We are deeply committed to making a WashU education accessible for all talented students who earn admission,” Chancellor Andrew D. Martin said. “We have worked hard to make good on our promise to remove financial barriers for all admitted undergraduate students, regardless of their socioeconomic backgrounds. We want to get them here, support them during their time here, and prepare them to do great things. Now, when they graduate from WashU, they will do so debt-free.”
Our success so far is a testament to the generosity of our alumni and friends, and the efforts of dozens of volunteers around the nation. Scholarship support allows some of the best students in the world to attend Washington University. By helping students prepare for their future careers through your gift of a scholarship, you make an investment that will benefit society for generations to come.
