About our Scholarships

Explore our top scholarships.

To learn what competitions you have been nominated for please see your invitation letter.

About the Award

The James Edward Oglethorpe (JEO) competition recognizes your outstanding record of academic achievement and great potential to contribute to the community life of Oglethorpe University. Up to four full-tuition scholarships will be awarded following the JEO competition at Scholarship Weekend. JEO Scholars can study in any discipline and are encouraged to pursue leadership opportunities. All participants at Scholarship Weekend are guaranteed a renewable, annual merit award of at least $18,000!

Each James Edward Oglethorpe Scholar will receive:

  • A four-year full-tuition scholarship, valued at over $165,000.
  • A stipend toward a study-abroad course or a professional internship with one of Atlanta’s top companies.
  • An invitation to enroll in an Honors course during your first semester at Oglethorpe.
  • The opportunity to live in Honors housing in Dempsey Hall during your first year.
  • A personal college advisor to assist with academic planning, co-curricular learning, and social support during your first year.

All JEO Scholars will be required to accept or decline their awards by May 1; all full-tuition scholars will be required to live on-campus in Oglethorpe University housing all four years.

About the Competition

Three primary activities will help determine the winners of the JEO scholarship. These three components (outlined below) seek to identify students who are effective communicators, emerging leaders, and dynamic community participants.

Seminar:

Oglethorpe professors and small groups of scholarship candidates gather for a discussion-based seminar that centers on a topic of common interest. In December, you will be notified of the seminar options and will be asked to go online to rank your preference. Shortly before the competition, you will download and review a reading related to your assigned topic. As a participant, you will get to experience an Oglethorpe classroom setting at the same time that our faculty members can observe the qualities that you bring to the discussion at hand.

Essay:

Following the discussion session, each candidate has an opportunity to respond in writing to the seminar. The prompt for this essay will be related to the seminar discussion, and the scholarship committee will review this writing sample as a further indication of your thought processes and self-expression.

Interview:

Members of the Oglethorpe alumni community meet individually with candidates for a one-on-one personal interview.

There are two available dates to participate in the James Edward Oglethorpe (JEO) competition for academics and leadership. You may choose to participate on Saturday, January 20, 2024 OR Saturday, February 17, 2024.

How to Qualify

Oglethorpe considers academic achievement and co-curricular involvement in nominations for the JEO Scholarship competition. Students must apply Early Action by December 1 in order to be considered. Apply through the Common App or at apply.oglethorpe.edu/apply.

About the Award

The OU Theatre scholarship honors your commitment to performing and understanding the field of theatre. This award is the result of exciting collaboration between Oglethorpe University and its professional theatre company partners in the city of Atlanta. Scholars may also be interested in Oglethorpe’s minor in Shakespeare and Renaissance Studies! Two full-tuition winners will be named OU Theatre Scholars following Scholarship Weekend. All participants in Scholarship Weekend are guaranteed a renewable, annual merit award of at least $18,000.

Each OU Theatre Scholar will receive:

  • A four-year full-tuition scholarship, valued at over $165,000.
  • A stipend toward a study-abroad course or a professional internship with one of Atlanta’s top companies.
  • An invitation to enroll in an Honors course during your first semester at Oglethorpe.
  • The opportunity to live in Honors housing in Dempsey Hall during your first year.
  • A personal college advisor to assist with academic planning, co-curricular learning, and social support during your first year.

OU Theatre Scholars will be required to accept or decline the award by May 1; all full-tuition scholars will be required to live on-campus in Oglethorpe University housing all four years. Continued dedication to theatre is expected, including a major or double-major in Theatre or English and participation in at least 2 productions each academic year.

About the Competition

Three primary activities will help determine the winners of OU Theatre scholarship. These three components (outlined below) seek to identify students who are talented thespians, interdisciplinary learners, and effective communicators.

Seminar:

Oglethorpe faculty and associates will lead a discussion that considers a theme and texts from Shakespeare or theatre studies. Candidates will be asked to download and review an assigned reading as they prepare for the weekend. During the seminar, students will discuss issues raised in the reading and may experiment with staging scenes discussed in the text.

Essay:

Following the seminar, participants will be asked to write a 3-4 page paper based on the seminar discussion that must be submitted by the week after the competition. More information about the essay requirements will be given during the seminar.

Audition:

Candidates must prepare two contrasting Shakespearean monologues, one comedic and one dramatic, each no more than 90-120 seconds in length. Total audition time is not to exceed 4 minutes. Memorization is expected, and any props should be basic and required by the monologue (such as a piece of paper for a letter). Candidates will perform in the same “street clothes” worn for the seminar. Auditions will take place in a group setting.

All activities related to the OU Theatre scholarship will take place on Friday, February 16, 2024. Learn more about Oglethorpe’s Theatre Program.

How to Qualify

Oglethorpe considers academic achievement and co-curricular involvement in Theatre in nominations for the OU Theatre Scholarship competition. Students must apply Early Action by December 1 in order to be considered. Apply through the Common App or at apply.oglethorpe.edu/apply.

About the Award

The Hammack Business Scholarship competition is named for the Q. William “Bill” Hammack, Jr. School of Business at Oglethorpe University. The Hammack Business Scholarship recognizes students’ outstanding record of academic achievement, pursuit of business-related opportunities, and desire to continue their study in the field of business at Oglethorpe University. One full-tuition scholarship will be awarded following the Hammack competition at Scholarship Weekend.

The Hammack Scholar will receive:

  • A four-year full-tuition scholarship, valued at over $165,000.
  • A stipend toward a study-abroad course or a professional internship with one of Atlanta’s top companies.
  • An invitation to enroll in an Honors course during your first semester at Oglethorpe.
  • The opportunity to live in Honors housing in Dempsey Hall during your first year
  • A personal college advisor to assist with academic planning, co-curricular learning, and social support

The Hammack Scholar will be required to accept or decline the award by May 1; all full-tuition scholars will be required to live on-campus in Oglethorpe University housing all four years. Continued dedication to the field is expected, including a major in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Accounting, or Human Resource Management.

About the Competition

The Hammack Business Scholarship Competition seeks to identify students who are emerging leaders, bold thinkers, and dynamic community members. Students will participate in several activities and events throughout the competition, and they may also be assessed on their meaningful interactions with Oglethorpe University business faculty and current students. A full schedule of events will be released well in advance of the competition. Previous competitions have included components such as the following:

Presentation:

Each student is asked to search out an article from a reputable news source pertaining to a relevant business issue of interest to him/her.  Students will be expected to give a brief presentation (2-3 minutes) on the content of the article and expand on its connections to business decision-making.

Simulation:

Working in teams of four students with an OU business student-mentor, the Computer Simulation Competition allows assessment of a student’s interpersonal and leadership skills as well as the ability to grasp and apply his/her understanding of the basic foundations of business.

Writing Assessment:

Students’ written communication and analytical skills will be assessed using a post-computer simulation writing assignment. This assignment will be based on a prompt given after the simulation and due one week after scholarship weekend.

All activities related to the Hammack Business Scholarship will take place on Friday, February 16, 2024. Learn more about Oglethorpe’s Hammack School of Business.

How to Qualify

Oglethorpe considers academic achievement and co-curricular involvement (such as Future Business Leaders of America, Distributive Education Clubs of America, Career, Technical and Agricultural Education, 3DE, etc.) in nominations for the Hammack Business Scholarship competition. Student must apply Early Action by December 1 in order to be considered. We encourage students to include information about their involvement and/or interest in Business in their application. Apply through the Common App or at apply.oglethorpe.edu/apply.

About the Award

The J. Fred and Catherine B. Agel Leadership Scholarship, a four-year full-tuition scholarship, will be awarded annually to an incoming freshman during Oglethorpe’s annual scholarship weekend.

Each Agel Leadership Scholar will receive:

  • A four-year full-tuition scholarship, valued at over $165,000
  • An invitation to enroll in an Honors course during your first semester at Oglethorpe
  • The opportunity to live in Honors housing in Dempsey Hall during your first year
  • personal college advisor to assist with academic planning, co-curricular learning and social support during your first year

There is no separate competition for the Agel Leadership Scholarship. Instead, winners are identified through a combination of their applications and their participation in other Scholarship Weekend activities.

How to Qualify

Oglethorpe considers academic achievement and co-curricular involvement in nominations for the Agel Leadership Scholarship. Students must apply Early Action by December 1 in order to be considered. Apply through the Common App or at apply.oglethorpe.edu/apply.