The Simmons Distinguished Scholar Award is the largest award at Simmons University. It covers full tuition, mandatory fees apart from health insurance, and room and board for four years, and it replaces any smaller merit scholarship already offered.
Simmons lists the eligibility for this award as first-year and international, so students applying from abroad compete on equal terms. Applicants who are not native English speakers need to evidence English proficiency. The academic bar is a GPA of at least 3.50 with college preparatory, AP, honours or IB coursework, and test scores of 28 on the ACT or 1300 on the SAT are optional. Selection also looks for community involvement and a clear passion for your chosen field.
The work is a formal essay of 300 to 500 words on your leadership style, submitted through the Common Application or by email by 1 December alongside your admission application. Finalists hear by the end of January, interview in February, and recipients are told by 1 March.
Two limits to note. Transfer, Dix and spring semester applicants cannot be considered, and the Simmons undergraduate programme is women-centred, welcoming students from marginalised genders including those who identify as women or outside the gender binary.