Application Process
STEP 1: NOMINATION AND COMMON APPLICATION SUBMISSION
By December 1
Students interested in applying for the Presidential Scholarship must be nominated via the online Nomination Form by one of the following by 11:59 PM (EST) December 1:
- Chief academic officer of their high school (principal, president, headmaster)
- Guidance counselor or an official school designee
- Representative from a home school entity
- Representative from a non-profit organization dedicated to helping high school students with the college search process
- Commanding Officer (for Veterans who have been out of high school for more than two years)
Students interested in applying for the Presidential Scholarship must submit a complete application for admission to Villanova University through the Common Application by 11:59 PM (EST) December 5. If you need assistance with the Common Application or the Villanova Supplement to the Common Application, please contact the Office of University Admission.
STEP 2: PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION ACCESS
Once the online Nomination Form is submitted, the nominee will immediately receive a confirmation email, which includes a link to an interest form. Upon completion of this interest form, the student will receive an email with a link to access the Presidential Scholarship application. The application consists of eight short-answer questions, which must be answered and submitted by January 2.
Emails will come from presidentialscholarship@villanova.edu. Please make sure that all email accounts are set up to receive messages from this email address. Some high school email accounts may filter our emails to junk mail or block them altogether.
Nominators and nominees will receive immediate confirmations by email. Please contact our office if you do not receive a confirmation email.
Students will not have access to the Presidential Scholarship Application until they have applied to Villanova, have received the nomination confirmation email, and have completed the online form indicating their interest in being considered for the Presidential Scholarship.
STEP 3: PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION SUBMISSION
By January 2
A link to the Presidential Scholarship Application will be sent to the student via email once the nomination is received and the student has completed the online form indicating their interest in consideration for the Presidential Scholarship.
Please note: The Presidential Scholarship Application cannot be submitted until the student has applied to Villanova University through the Common Application.
- To apply, eight short essays must be completed (limit of 200 words per essay).
- Essay responses can be prepared in a document and saved to your computer until they are ready for submission.
- Once you submit, your application submission is final.
- You will receive a message on your browser that the application has been submitted successfully and your checklist will be updated with a green checkmark to show that your Presidential Scholarship application has been submitted.
- Failure to confirm that your application has been successfully uploaded may result in your application not being submitted to the Presidential Scholarship Committee for review.
- The Presidential Scholarship Application must be submitted online by 11:59 PM (EST) January 2.
Application for the Presidential Scholarship in no way ensures acceptance to Villanova University.
STEP 4: REVIEW OF PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS
January-February
The Presidential Scholars Program (PSP) selection committees review all University Admissions Common Application materials, as well as the Presidential Scholarship short essays. Applicants can view their status (Finalist, Non-finalist) on their Applicant Status Page when decisions are released. Applicants will receive an email when decisions are released.
STEP 5: ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEW PROGRAM AND DECISION NOTIFICATION
February-March
Finalists are required to participate in an on-campus Interview Program. All finalists will be notified of the selection committees' decisions following the Interview Program.