Prospective LEAD Students

Since its founding, there have been 758 LEAD Scholars. Here’s what it takes to join the 2024 cohort.

Prospective LEAD Students

Since its founding, there have been 758 LEAD Scholars. Here’s what it takes to join the 2024 cohort.

The LEAD Scholars program is a merit-based scholarship awarded to incoming University of Michigan students who embody leadership, excellence, achievement, and diversity. LEAD Scholars receive a minimum scholarship of $5,000 per year for U-M students on the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint campuses. The scholarship is renewable for a total of four years (eight semesters, fall and winter, undergraduate degree only).

In addition to the scholarship award, LEAD Scholars become part of a greater community with opportunities for networking with alumni, career guidance, and study groups that promote the connection and success of LEAD Scholars.

LEAD Scholars Program Requirements

The 2024 application for the LEAD Scholars program is now open for students entering U-M in fall 2024. The window for first-round consideration runs now through February 26, 2024.

To be considered for the LEAD Scholars program, admitted students must:

  • Be an incoming First Time in Any College (FTIAC) student at the University of Michigan’s Ann Arbor, Dearborn, or Flint campus (transfer students are not eligible for this scholarship)
  • Authorize consideration for scholarships on the U-M application
  • Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  • Have undergraduate status
  • Earn a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher
  • If testing, have an SAT total score of 1220 or higher or an ACT score of 27 or higher (students will be considered regardless of their ability to test or provide test scores, as the Test Flexible Policy is continuing for the 2024 recruitment cycle)

Please note: Students who do not meet the GPA and/or test-score thresholds may still be considered for the scholarship. The more we know about your academic pursuits, interests, and capabilities, as well as personal commitments, challenges, and how you navigate your life, the better we can help you in our selection process.

To continue receiving the LEAD scholarship in the second through fourth years of study, students must maintain good academic standing, defined as a U-M GPA of 2.0 or higher. In addition, Scholars are required to participate in the LEAD community by attending scheduled events, which will vary by year.

For questions about the LEAD Scholars program, please contact [email protected].

Looking for Additional Scholarship Opportunities?

Many of our alumni clubs and affiliate groups also offer scholarships to incoming and continuing U-M students from their regions.

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