In a nod to the increasingly stronger ties of the "town-and-gown" relationship, York University's newly named "Good Neighbor Scholarship" will fully cover 50 percent of tuition for qualified students from York County, beginning in Fall 2024.

 

The potential savings of a 50-percent tuition scholarship for a York University student from York County could be as much as $11,250 per academic year (two semesters). 

 

This scholarship is targeted at students graduating from any York County high school who will be first-time students enrolling as full-time seated undergraduate students at York University. The scholarship recipients must maintain a grade-point average of 2.5 to remain eligible for the scholarship. Though the incoming freshmen must be full-time students, they will not be required to live on campus. Whether commuting from home or residing on campus, the Good Neighbor students will receive the full benefit of the half-tuition scholarship.

 

Transfer students may also qualify for the Good Neighbor Scholarship if they are York County residents and first-time enrollees at York University. The qualifications would be the same as those required of the freshman recipients. Students transferring from other institutions of higher education are eligible regardless of their current class level, freshman to senior, as long as they meet the criteria cited in this article.

 

"We are delighted to make this scholarship available to students within this geographic sphere of our influence," President Sam Smith said. "This is an exciting new outreach to students in York County who wish to get a quality degree in higher education while staying close to home. That we are recruiting students from so many high-quality high school programs in our vicinity makes this even more of a win-win offer."

 

To be considered for a "Good Neighbor Scholarship," applicants will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to the community by being an active member of a local club or participate annually in a local event. Further, when special university/community events are planned, "GNS" students may be asked to attend as representatives of the YU student body. Also, the scholarship cannot stack on top of any other scholarships.

 

"We've received feedback that we've missed out on many students in recent years because of costs," according to Roni Miller, vice president of enrollment at York University. "We want it understood that we love students and families from York County, and we love their commitment to their hometowns and home county. That's what York County is all about--being good neighbors to good neighbors. We hope this will encourage more local grads to consider attending here."