Eligibility
- All applicants must be permanent US residents or US citizens.
- First Year Students: Must meet IU Indianapolis regular admission requirements and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.
- Historically underrepresented students in higher education.
Transfer students
Transfer students are only considered for fall semester and must meet the IU Indianapolis regular admission criteria. Preference is given to transfer students who have completed 12 credit hours, but no more than 30 credit hours. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale and be enrolled as a full-time student.
Current IU Indianapolis students
Current IU Indianapolis students may apply if they have a minimum GPA of 3.2. They may not have more than 30 credit hours and must meet all other guidelines.
The application for transfer and current IU Indianapolis students opens January 1, 2025 until March 1, 2025.
Steps to Apply
To be considered for the Norman Brown Diversity and Leadership Scholarship (NBDLSP), you must first submit an Indiana University General Scholarship Application for the 2025-2026 academic year by completing the following steps:
Go to One.IU
Search “Scholarships” in the taskbar.
Click on the “IU Scholarships” task and log in
You must complete your General Application first to see a list of all recommended scholarship opportunities.
If the Norman Brown Scholarship is not recommended, you can search for it under "Opportunities" and clicking on "Ours."
Search: Norman Brown Scholars
Tips to Apply
Student engagement in school and community activities are considered in the selection process. On the general application you will be asked to list your volunteer/community service, leadership experience, and extra-curricular activities. Below are some helpful suggestions as you compete this section:
Use the drop down list for activity type, then identify by name the actual activity on the next line under “other.”
Make sure you select each year that you participated in that particular activity.
Utilize the limited space to provide as much detail as possible.
As part of the application process, you will be required to answer two essay questions:
(1) How have you demonstrated the Norman Brown Diversity & Leadership Scholarship's tenets of diversity, service, and leadership in your school, social, or family life?
(2) What personal experience(s) has shaped your understanding of the importance of diversity? Please be specific. When addressing these questions, please consider the following recommendations:
Stay focused on the essay topic.
Use the essays as an opportunity to introduce yourself to the committee.
Consider the power of storytelling. Instead of listing all your accomplishments and activities, demonstrate how you have grown or what you have learned from these experience(s)
- Check your essay for spelling errors.
- Use correct grammar and punctuation.
- Ask someone to review your essay responses before submission.
You will be required to provide email addresses for two different individuals that can serve as recommenders. When considering who to ask for a reference, you should be mindful of the following:
Identify individuals who can speak specifically to your academic potential and school/community involvement.
- Plan ahead and ask for letters well in advance of the deadline.
- Notify your recommenders that they will be receiving an email link from Indiana University.
- Follow up with recommenders.
- Remember to say “Thank You” to your recommenders!
Selection Process
A selection committee will review all application materials and make award decisions. Determining factors include:
- Academic Achievement
- Employment or Volunteer/Service Experiences
- Demonstrated Leadership
- History of Overcoming Disadvantages
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity
Housing
For first time, incoming freshman the award is $5,000 tuition/$8,000 housing (housing stipend is only offered if students chooses to live on campus). The total is up to 13,000 an academic year and is renewable for up to 8 semesters. For current transfer students, the amount is $5,000 per academic year.