Scholarship

Syracuse University attracts some of the brightest students from around the world. But for three out of four applicants, the path to paying for a Syracuse education is unclear. Through The Syracuse Promise initiative, you can bring the future into focus for a new generation of top students—creating the opportunity for them to pursue their dreams and realize their full potential.

Expanding Our Commitment to Student Success and Affordability

The Syracuse Promise will bolster the University’s longstanding practice of meeting the demonstrated financial need for every domestic first-year student and reducing their debt load. In fact, the University has already reduced the average student debt load by more than 10 percent in the past few years. But while 78 percent of students receive some sort of financial aid, the University is still forced to turn away top students—or worse—to lose students midway through their college careers due to financial constraints. The Syracuse Promise meets this challenge head on by increasing the number of endowed scholarships and further reducing student debt.

A strong endowment provides sustainable, permanent funding for students, faculty and programs. While current-use gifts meet immediate needs, endowed funds grow over time through investment and continued giving. With more endowed scholarships, the University can further reduce financial barriers, compete with other institutions offering significant aid packages and provide more students with the means to pursue higher education at Syracuse.

Endowment Match Program

As part of The Syracuse Promise: Our Commitment to Student Success and Affordability, the University is offering a match program for eligible endowed gifts to scholarship. Through this match, you can make a real difference for the next generation of Syracuse University students.

You can establish a new, named undergraduate or graduate endowed scholarship with a minimum gift of $100,000, payable over three to five years. The University will match 50% of your gift and place it in an endowed fund. For a $100,000 gift, this becomes a $150,000 scholarship endowment fund.

Your gift matched 1:2

Endowed scholarship funds are managed to grow over time, providing a perpetual annual scholarship award for current and future generations.

Directing Your Scholarship

You become part of The Syracuse Promise by establishing a permanent endowed scholarship. The scholarship can be named in your honor—or in honor of a family member, mentor or friend. If you wish, you can designate the scholarship to support students in one of Syracuse University’s schools or colleges, or for students to study abroad.

The Syracuse Promise

The Syracuse Promise is a series of commitments which, at their core, ensure we’re positioned to foster success, innovation, creativity, research and discovery for every Syracuse student.

We also carry that promise through to our alumni, supporting their continued career development and professional success—building a proud Orange community that gives back and elevates future generations.

Join The Syracuse Promise Today

To learn more about how you can support student scholarships and financial aid, please contact Lynn Vanderhoek, Vice President, Principal Gifts and Strategic Initiatives at lavander@syr.edu or 315.443.9236.