The Graduate School

Graduate School Scholarships and Financial Aid

A graduate education is an excellent investment in your future, from which you will gain expanded opportunities, higher earning potential, and the lifelong joy of learning.  As part of its mission to graduate true leaders of character and integrity, HCU offers a wealth of scholarships, as well as financial aid, to support your education. Tuition and fees are also comparatively low, which helps to make your graduate experience surprisingly affordable.

Scholarships

Select your program from the list below. These scholarships are available for new incoming degree-seeking graduate students who are enrolling in an on-campus program, unless otherwise specified. Your admissions file must be complete, and your scholarship application(s) must be submitted by the dates below to be considered for scholarships.

Scholarship deadlines *unless otherwise specified

  • Priority Spring – Oct. 15
  • Spring – Nov. 1
  • Priority Summer – March 15
  • Summer – April 1
  • Priority Fall – June 15
  • Fall – July 1

Deadline Exceptions

The following scholarships have a deadline of March 1 and only accept applications once a year:

  • Guild Scholarship (Online students are eligible)

The following scholarships have a deadline of April 1 and only accept applications once a year:

  • William Lane Craig Scholarship (Online students are eligible)
  • Hartmann Hall, Riverside, and Bice Scholarships (Online students are eligible)
  • Master of Fine Arts: Studio Art Program Scholarship

Scholarships By Degree Program

Scholarships are available for each of HCU's Graduate School programs. Select your intended program of study below to review the available scholarship opportunities!

PLEASE NOTE: For scholarship application consideration, you must first submit an application for admission before applying for scholarships.

  • Texas Business Hall of Fame Scholarship App available in January! The Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation was founded in 1983. It honors the contributions of six outstanding business leaders each year in our state by celebrating their story at its annual Induction Dinner. Recipients of this prize demonstrate excellence in business innovation, community service and civic responsibility. One recipient from HCU’s graduate business programs will be awarded The Stewart Morris Award of $15,000 this year!
  • Texas Business Hall of Fame Scholarship App available in January! The Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation was founded in 1983. It honors the contributions of six outstanding business leaders each year in our state by celebrating their story at its annual Induction Dinner. Recipients of this prize demonstrate excellence in business innovation, community service and civic responsibility. One recipient from HCU’s graduate business programs will be awarded The Stewart Morris Award of $15,000 this year!
    Texas Business Hall of Fame Innovative Leadership Award App available in January! Calling all student entrepreneurs, business leaders, and innovators. We want to know, what would you do with $15,000? How would you use that money to help your business and contribute to a better tomorrow for Texas? The Texas Business Hall of Fame wants to help you achieve those goals. TBHF is a non-profit organization that celebrates the contributions and accomplishments of transformative business leaders in the state of Texas. Each year, TBHF selects talented students from our high-education university partners to receive $15,000 grants to put towards their entrepreneurial pursuits. This is the first award in the history of TBHF in which the recipient will be hand-picked by our Legends, a group of 100+ transformative business leaders who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, including this year’s six inductees: Mark Cuban, John Paul DeJoria, John C. Goff, Morton H. Meyerson, Gerald Smith, and Randall Stephenson. This award is more than just a cash prize. It is an opportunity to network with and learn from some of the greatest minds in Texas business. The recipient will also be invited to attend our annual Induction Dinner in Dallas this October. TBHF believes that today’s students are the next-generation business leaders that will bring passion and innovation to the entrepreneurship ecosystem. To be eligible for this award, you must be the CEO or Team Leader of a startup that is headquartered in the state of Texas and currently be enrolled in classes.
  • Cole Scholarship Amounts range from 25%-100% of Tuition (Initial Application Deadline is April 1, Secondary Application Deadline is June 1)
    MA Bridging Class Scholarship Some students will take 3-24 hours of MA level credit to be eligible to proceed into their doctoral level courses. Funding will cover $600 per 3-hour class of these MA Bridging hours.

    Please use the following link to learn more details about the deadlines associated with the Doctor of Ministry program:  https://hc.edu/houston-theological-seminary/dmin/

  • The Guild Scholarship Deadline: March 1st! The Guild Committee awards scholarships to new and current students. This scholarship is awarded for the summer and fall admission. An additional scholarship application is required, along with two recommendation letters. Read More.
  • The Guild Scholarship Deadline: March 1st! The Guild Committee awards scholarships to new and current students. This scholarship is awarded for the summer and fall admission.  This scholarship is for certified teachers who will be getting a master’s in a specialization that keeps them in a classroom teaching. An additional scholarship application is required, along with two recommendation letters. Read More.
  • William Lane Craig Scholarship Deadline: April 1st! The William Lane Craig Scholarship is awarded to two (2) MA in Apologetics students per year to help with the cost of tuition. Both online and residential students are eligible for the scholarship. The applicant must maintain a 3.5 GPA and good standing within the Graduate School for the duration of the scholarship period (2 semesters) and take at least 5 units per semester. The scholarship will be disbursed over the course of 2 semesters, offering $500 per semester that will be applied to tuition.
    Hartman Hall Scholarship Deadline: April 1st! The Hartman Hall Scholarship is available to students who are participating in a missionary internship program, working with international or ethnic congregations in the Houston area. Two recommendations are required. Download the recommendation form.
    The Guild Scholarship Deadline: March 1st! The Guild Committee awards scholarships to new and current students. This scholarship is awarded for the summer and fall admission. An additional scholarship application is required, along with two recommendation letters. Read More.
  • Hartman Hall Scholarship Deadline: April 1st! The Hartman Hall Scholarship is available to students who are participating in a missionary internship program, working with international or ethnic congregations in the Houston area. Two recommendations are required. Download the recommendation form.
    The Guild Scholarship Deadline: March 1st! The Guild Committee awards scholarships to new and current students. This scholarship is awarded for the summer and fall admission. Scholarship recipients are identified by the Guild Scholarship Selection Committee. An additional scholarship application is required, along with two recommendation letters. Read More.
    Baptist General Convention of Texas Scholarship BGCT scholarships are awarded to students who are active members of a church associated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Scholarships are $100 per credit hour for graduate students.

    Graduate Initial Application

    Graduate Renewal Application
  • Hartman Hall Scholarship Deadline: April 1st! The Hartman Hall Scholarship is available to students who are participating in a missionary internship program, working with international or ethnic congregations in the Houston area. Two recommendations are required. Download the recommendation form.
    Bice Scholarship Deadline: April 1st! The Bice Scholarship is available to HCU alumni who are entering, or currently enrolled in, the HCU Master of Arts in Christian Leadership. Candidates will be selected and approved by the Director of Theological Graduate Programs, Dean of the School of Christian Thought, and the Provost. Two recommendations are required. Download the recommendation form.
    Riverside Scholarship Deadline: April 1st! The Riverside Scholarship is available to HCU alumni who are entering, or currently enrolled in, the HCU Master of Arts in Christian Leadership. Candidates will be selected and approved by the Director of Theological Graduate Programs, Dean of the School of Christian Thought, and the Provost. Two recommendations are required. Download the recommendation form.
    The Guild Scholarship Deadline: March 1st! The Guild Committee awards scholarships to new and current students. This scholarship is awarded for the summer and fall admission.  Scholarship recipients are identified by the Guild Scholarship Selection Committee. Additional scholarship application required, along with two recommendation letters. Read More.
    Baptist General Convention of Texas Scholarship BGCT scholarships are awarded to students who are active members of a church associated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Scholarships are $100 per credit hour for graduate students.

    Graduate Initial Application

    Graduate Renewal Application
  • The Guild Scholarship Deadline: March 1st! The Guild Committee awards scholarships to new and current students. This scholarship is awarded for the summer and fall admission. An additional scholarship application is required, along with two recommendation letters. Read More.
  • Hartman Hall Scholarship Deadline: April 1st! The Hartman Hall Scholarship is available to students who are participating in a missionary internship program, working with international or ethnic congregations in the Houston area. Two recommendations are required. Download the recommendation form.
    Bice Scholarship Deadline: April 1st! The Bice Scholarship is available to HCU alumni who are entering, or currently enrolled in, the HCU Master of Divinity. Candidates will be selected and approved by the Director of Theological Graduate Programs, Dean of the School of Christian Thought, and the Provost. Two recommendations are required. Download the recommendation form.
    Riverside Scholarship Deadline: April 1st! The Riverside Scholarship is available to HCU alumni who are entering, or currently enrolled in, the HCU Master of Divinity. Candidates will be selected and approved by the Director of Theological Graduate Programs, Dean of the School of Christian Thought, and the Provost. Two recommendations are required. Download the recommendation form.
    The Guild Scholarship Deadline: March 1st! The Guild Committee awards scholarships to new and current students. This scholarship is awarded for the summer and fall admission. Scholarship recipients are identified by the Guild Scholarship Selection Committee.  An additional scholarship application is required, along with two recommendation letters. Read More.
    Baptist General Convention of Texas Scholarship BGCT scholarships are awarded to students who are active members of a church associated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.
  • Hartman Hall Scholarship Deadline: April 1st! The Hartman Hall Scholarship is available to students who are participating in a missionary internship program, working with international or ethnic congregations in the Houston area. Two recommendations are required. Download the recommendation form.
    The Guild Scholarship Deadline: March 1st! The Guild Committee awards scholarships to new and current students. This scholarship is awarded for the summer and fall admission.  Scholarship recipients are identified by the Guild Scholarship Selection Committee. An additional scholarship application is required, along with two recommendation letters. Read More.
    Baptist General Convention of Texas Scholarship BGCT scholarships are awarded to students who are active members of a church associated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Scholarships are $100 per credit hour for graduate students.
  • MFA Scholarships The Master of Fine Arts program scholarships are awarded to outstanding applicants. To be eligible for scholarship consideration, applicants must submit a scholarship application and an essay. Scholarship recipients will be identified by the Scholarship Selection Committee.
  • MFA Scholarships The Master of Fine Arts program scholarships are awarded to outstanding applicants. To be eligible for scholarship consideration, applicants must submit a scholarship application and an essay. Scholarship recipients will be identified by the Scholarship Selection Committee.

Graduate Assistantships

Graduate Assistantships are scholarships given for one year that range from $2500 – $5000. With an assistantship you will be assigned a staff or faculty mentor and will be expected to assist with academic work such as teaching, grading, research or other duties. Applicants are considered on a rolling basis. To apply, send a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and email of interest to The Graduate School at GradAdmissions@HC.edu. An interview and additional information may be requested.

Financial Aid

Financial aid, simply defined, is money which helps students pay for their educational costs. Aid may be in the form of loans, grants, scholarships, employment opportunities, or a combination of all of these. More than $26 million in such aid is awarded to HCU students annually.

Although the primary responsibility for meeting postsecondary educational expense rests with students and their families, many families have limited resources and are unable to meet these costs. For this reason, several financial aid programs have been established to assist students who can establish need.

To apply for financial aid:

  • All Financial Aid Applicants must apply to the HCU Graduate School
  • April 1 is the preferred annual deadline to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the federal processor. List the HCU school code number 003576 on your FAFSA. Electronic FAFSA filers must either print, sign, and mail the FAFSA signature page to the processor, or acquire a PIN number to sign the application electronically. You may acquire a PIN Number by going to the FAFSA website, and requesting your PIN Number.
  • Submit all requested documents to the Financial Aid Office to complete your aid application. Documents must be received by the Financial Aid Office by April 1 to receive priority funding. The next academic year’s FAFSA may not be completed until January 15 immediately preceding that academic year at the earliest. You will be notified of the documents that are needed to complete your aid application.

Financial aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis as funding permits. The amount of the student’s award is based on financial need, and annual limits as specified by program limits. Financial need is determined by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid annually.

NOTE: Federal financial aid is currently not available for students entering a non-degree program such as a certificate or licensure-only program.