Catherine McAuley Scholarship

Committed to affordability and student success, Mount Mercy offers unique opportunities like the Catherine McAuley Scholarship to help you propel yourself forward while giving back to your community.

Paying no tuition is just the beginning

The Catherine McAuley Scholarship is more than a financial pathway to success.

As a McAuley Scholar, you will engage with a supportive community alongside staff and peer mentors, who are committed to achieving success through service, mentorship, leadership, professional skill development, and educational opportunities.

  • Pay no tuition*
  • Be part of a community that understands the importance of service in living a purposeful life
  • Develop real world skills that will ensure you’re on the path to a meaningful career
  • Build leadership skills, develop strong relationships, and promote positive change in the world
  • Engage with staff and peer mentors to unlock resources to help you succeed—both during and beyond your time at Mount Mercy
  • Earn a degree with minimal out-of-pocket costs

*The Catherine McAuley Scholarship will be combined with your institutional and state aid to cover your entire tuition and fees cost. Room, board, and books may be covered by federal aid, federal student loans, or a small remaining balance paid for by the student.

Become a scholar

The McAuley Scholarship helps you unlock tuition support and a committed community. The eligibility requirements for becoming a McAuley Scholar are listed below.

  • Iowa resident and graduate from an Iowa high school
  • Admitted as a new first-year student to Mount Mercy
  • Residing all four years on Mount Mercy’s campus during the academic year
  • Eligibility is based on results from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Please complete the FAFSA by July 1 to be considered for the Catherine McAuley Scholarship.

Renew your scholarship

As a McAuley Scholar, you’ll have the chance to make a difference on and off campus. The McAuley Scholarship can last for your whole four years on the Hill, if you continue to meet the following renewal requirements.

  • Maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA at the end of each academic year
  • Successfully complete at least 24 credit hours each academic year
  • Reside all four years on Mount Mercy’s campus during the academic year
  • Complete the McAuley Scholars: Service & Success course during the fall semester of your first year at Mount Mercy
  • Complete the FAFSA each year by July 1 to confirm your eligibility
  • Meet regularly with the program director, the director of career services, and your assigned peer mentor
  • Complete service hour requirements each academic year. This could include service:
    • To the community through ongoing engagement with a local non-profit organization
    • To the university through pre-arranged opportunities with staff and faculty
    • To our Mount Mercy community through one of the numerous pre-approved student leadership positions on campus
alma bernal

Being a McAuley Scholar has benefited me to this day. We graduated and they helped with our LinkedIn pages, and we have a constant connection to Career Services.

Macey McAtee ’20, Social Work
Case Manager Fellow | Lydia’s House

Join our welcoming, supportive community.

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