Graduating student in their cap and gown hold a piggy bank in one hand, and their graduation cap in the other.

Covering the cost of college can feel overwhelming for many students. The O’Neill School has dozens of scholarships available for its undergraduate and graduate students to help ease that burden. Yet every year, thousands of dollars in O’Neill scholarships go unclaimed.

Assistant Dean of Student Services Suzann Lupton and Director of Student Services Debbie Koliba are working hard to change that.

“We often find that students sometimes assume they won’t qualify for scholarships, or they don’t understand the process,” Koliba says. “We want to clear up any confusion so students can apply.”

The scholarship application process

Applications for the next academic year open in September and often don’t close until March 1.

Students must be admitted to O’Neill IUPUI to apply for a scholarship and enrolled in O’Neill courses to receive funding. That means an incoming student can—and should—fill out their application as soon as possible.

To apply, students sign in to IUPUI’s Scholarship Portal at one.IU.edu. They fill out one application each year that matches them to scholarships from both O’Neill and IUPUI.

Lupton says 60%–70% of O’Neill’s scholarships automatically match to applicants. The remaining scholarships may require one extra step.

“For some of our larger scholarships, we might require someone to upload a resume, a letter, or additional materials, but it’s a very simple process,” Lupton insists.

High-profile graduate opportunities go unfilled

Koliba says their biggest challenge comes with some of O’Neill’s biggest opportunities for graduate students.

“It’s not that we don’t have the funding available to help these students,” she explains. “The problem is that we don’t have students applying for some of our more unique opportunities. So that money just sits unused.”

Lupton admits those fellowships require a more extensive commitment than most other scholarships, but they also come with a big payoff—not only financially, but also in terms of students’ futures.

“These opportunities really serve as pipelines into good jobs,” Lupton says. “These are the positions in which our students make the connections that launch their careers. Many are actually offered jobs after their internships end.”

Peterson Fellows Program Scholarship

O’Neill graduate students can apply for this three-semester fellowship with the Indianapolis Mayor’s Office, receiving $15,000 during that time. Peterson Fellows work on projects that address a specific challenge in Indianapolis while supporting the city’s strategic plan and vision. Fellows spend one semester with the Mayor’s Office, one with the Indianapolis Airport Authority, and one with IndyGo.

Lawrence M. Borst Internship

The recipient of this graduate student internship works with Indiana’s Senate Finance Committee or another group designated by Senate leadership. The two-semester experience requires interns to work 20 hours per week during the fall semester and then full time in the spring when the legislature is in session. They receive $5,000 in the fall and a biweekly stipend of $750 in the spring. This opportunity also has partial tuition remission for up to 9 credit hours in the fall and 6 credit hours in the spring.

Indy Chamber HobNob Policy Internship

This unique internship allows an O’Neill graduate student interested in public policy, advocacy, political action, and civic engagement to experience the inner workings of the Indiana Statehouse. During the spring semester, the HobNob intern receives a $5,000 stipend and must work 30–35 hours per week during the four months of the legislative session. Students may apply for a 15-hour schedule with a reduced stipend. They’re also required to attend the Chamber’s annual HobNob event each fall.

Johnson Community Service Scholarship

For graduate students interested in pursuing a career in the public service or not-for-profit sectors, this scholarship can provide some much-needed financial support. They only have to demonstrate their commitment to their future career path by showing that they’ve completed an internship with a community nonprofit or government agency.

Other scholarships

Those four scholarships aren’t the only ones that can help O’Neill students foot the bill for their studies. The school offers many more that provide support for its students.

Undergraduate scholarships:

O’Neill’s undergraduate students have 20 different scholarships available to them each year. Of those, eight are only for undergrads. Those include:

The Jason Baker Legacy Scholarship: Created in memory of O’Neill IUPUI alumnus and Marion County Sheriff Deputy Jason M. Baker who was killed in the line of duty, this fund is open to students pursuing a degree in public safety and is renewable throughout their time at O’Neill.
Washington Leadership Program Scholarship: For undergraduate students interested in living and interning in Washington, D.C., through O’Neill’s Washington Leadership Program, this fund provides financial assistance to help cover program costs.

Dual scholarships:

A dozen of O’Neill’s scholarships are available to both undergraduate and graduate students. The Paul H. O’Neill Fellowships are designed to help students in a variety of different ways and are renewable. Lupton encourages students to not be intimidated by language within a scholarship’s description. Simply apply and let the committee work out the rest.

Other scholarships of note available to all O’Neill students include:

First Generation and Diversity Scholarship: O’Neill IUPUI is committed to supporting students who face additional barriers to their college education. That’s why the school offers scholarships specifically designed for its first-generation students and those who are part of underrepresented communities. The number, amount(s), and recipient(s) of the scholarship are determined by the scholarship committee.
Indianapolis World Police and Fire Games: Current full-time and retired police officers and firefighters in the state of Indiana are eligible to receive money to support undergraduate or graduate coursework at IUPUI.

To read more about the many scholarships available to students, visit the Cost and Finances section of oneill.iupui.edu.