The Drexel Promise
Our commitment to providing local community college students a pathway to a private education.
Drexel is proud to serve as an anchor institution in Philadelphia, holding a strong and consequential connection to our surrounding communities and focusing on developing programs that will create a brighter future for students in our area.
Beginning in fall 2023, The Drexel Promise will provide students who have earned an associate degree at an accredited community college in either Pennsylvania or New Jersey with a renewable scholarship for 50% of the cost of tuition as they work to complete their bachelor's degree as a Drexel Dragon.
By providing much-needed support and opportunity, The Drexel Promise will work to reduce financial barriers and their resulting inequities for aspiring community college students within our local communities. Through this Promise, more area learners will achieve the dream of upward educational mobility and discover new ways to maximize their potential as learners, innovators, and achievers.
The Value of Earning an Associate Degree
Drexel recognizes the commitment and dedication it requires for students to take the time and earn an associate degree at a two-year school before proceeding to a 4-year institution. The Drexel Promise is both a recognition of this achievement and an opportunity to encourage students currently enrolled in a Pennsylvania or New Jersey community college to take the extra step and complete their two-year degree.
Earning your associate degree sets you up for success! Consider the benefits:
- Guaranteed Scholarship – The Drexel Promise award covers half of your tuition, and can be combined with possible federal and state financial assistance, all of which help to make Drexel an affordable option to earn your bachelor's degree.
- Strong Academic Foundation – The time and effort you have already put into earning your associate degree means you are set up for further academic success.
- Future Earnings – Studies have shown that students who earn an associate degree before pursuing and graduating from a four-year institution have increased potential for lifetime economic success.
How to Apply
Applicants to a full-time, on-campus program starting in fall 2023 or later should indicate on their application that they have earned or will earn an associate degree from an eligible Pennsylvania or New Jersey community college before starting their program at Drexel. No additional forms or applications are required; however, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will need to verify your eligibility before your scholarship can be finalized.
All Promise eligible applicants must meet Drexel's criteria for admission and receive an offer of acceptance from the University in order to receive the scholarship.
Financial Aid Applications
Applicants who are eligible to receive The Drexel Promise Scholarship are not required to complete a CSS Profile; however, all domestic applicants are encouraged to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to determine their eligibility for federal and/or state funding. The Drexel Promise scholarship cannot be combined with any other Drexel need-based grant or merit scholarship (with the exception of the Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship for eligible recipients).
In order to continue to receive the award in future years, students must maintain full-time enrollment and a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA. The scholarship will only be applied during class terms and for a maximum of 12 academic quarters.