Benedictine University introduces the Promise Program for new freshman and transfers starting fall 2024. This financial aid opportunity provides all first-time undergraduate students and their families the certainty that a private, Catholic, liberal arts education can be financially affordable.
The Promise Program will be offered at both Benedictine campuses. At the Lisle campus, it is known as the Eagle Promise and is open to all Illinois residents. At the Mesa, Arizona campus it will be called the Redhawk Promise, and is open to all Mesa residents.
How it works in Illinois: If a student鈥檚 eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant and the State of Illinois MAP Grant does not equal the full cost of the student鈥檚 full-time tuition and standard student fees, Benedictine University will cover the remaining difference with an institutional scholarship(s) and/or award(s).
How it works in Mesa: The Mesa Redhawk Program is similar with a few differences. For example, there isn鈥檛 a MAP Grant in Arizona, so if a Mesa student鈥檚 eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant does not equal the full cost of the student鈥檚 full-time tuition, Benedictine University will cover the remaining difference with an institutional scholarship(s) and/or award(s).
Both programs lock tuition for all first-time undergraduate students, keeping the same first semester tuition until they complete their undergraduate degree and graduate.
The Promise Program is available to first-year freshman and transfer/degree completion undergraduate students enrolling for the first time for the 2024-25 academic year. For more information on the Promise Program, including a detailed Q&A, see Benedictine University鈥檚 website: Lisle Campus (Eagle Promise) /eagle-promise/ or Mesa Campus (Redhawk Promise) /redhawk-promise/.
According to Dr. Joseph Foy, PhD, who became president of Benedictine University in July this year: 鈥淚n the Rule of St. Benedictine, the Hallmark of Community is a call for us to serve the common good. In order to follow that call, we created the Promise Program specifically for students seeking a Catholic liberal arts education who, even with some financial assistant, cannot make their financials work. Thanks to the Promise Program, now they can.鈥
Current Benedictine University undergraduate students who enrolled for the spring 2024 semester and prior are not eligible for the Promise Program. Tuition for these students is locked, and they can apply for the many endowment scholarships Benedictine sets aside for current students.
