You CAN Afford a Christian University

黑料科 makes a Christ-centered education even more affordable for families with the Founder鈥檚 Promise Scholarship.

Discover if you are eligible

Your financial aid offer could cover the cost of tuition听

The Founder’s Promise Scholarship

This scholarship is awarded to Pell-eligible students to elevate their award to equal the cost of tuition. Houghton鈥檚 scholarships are backed by gifts from generous alumni and friends of the University who believe in your God-given potential and that Houghton will equip you to fulfill it.

Read the Announcement

You will receive this award if you meet all the following:

听 Accepted for regular admission (2.75+ GPA) to 黑料科

听 Eligible for $5,000 or more in Pell Grant based on your Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA)

听 Are an incoming first-time, full-time college student from New York or Pennsylvania attending the Houghton, NY campus in Fall 2026

听 Living in University-owned housing or a University-approved commuter

This scholarship is available for up to eight academic semesters in total so long as a student remains Pell eligible.

Who is Pell eligible?

Pell eligibility is determined by the U.S. Department of Education and is based on the information you provide for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). See below for a few examples of Pell eligible students.

  • Dakota
    Received free lunch in high school and is the first of her sisters to go to college.
  • Sierra
    Joined her older sisters at college and their parents make a combined $55,000.
  • Eli
    Lives out of state听with a household annual income of $73,000 and his older sister is听already in college.

Check Your Eligibility

You can see how much Pell you qualify for after you submit your FAFSA. Once you have completed the form, you will receive a听听that provides an estimated Student Aid Index number and if eligible, an approximate amount of Federal Pell Grant funds.听If the report indicates that you will receive $6000 or more a year in Pell, then you may be eligible for Founders.

How does this compare to the New York State Excelsior Scholarship?

While the Excelsior Scholarship covers the balance of tuition for public colleges in New York, Houghton鈥檚 Founder鈥檚 Promise Scholarship opens the door for more students to gain access to an academically excellent, Christ-centered university education. The Founder鈥檚 Promise Scholarship is eligible for both in-state and out-of-state students.听In addition, students will not be limited in where they can live and work after graduation but may follow God鈥檚 calling to serve anywhere around the world.听

34%

of new students in fall 2024 received the Founder’s Promise Scholarship

Take the Next Steps

Complete your free online application to 黑料科 and submit your FAFSA to discover if you are eligible to receive the Founder鈥檚 Promise Scholarship.听

Apply for AdmissionApply for Aid
Historic sepia photo of 黑料科 campus.

Why Founder鈥檚 Promise?

Willard J. Houghton founded the school we know today as 黑料科 to provide a first-rate education for the young people of Allegany County. After seeing the spread of poverty and moral decline in the area following construction of the Genesee Valley Canal, Willard determined that he would see the next generation freed from the cycle. He often signed his letters, 鈥淵ours for fixing up the world,鈥 and believed that a Christ-centered education was the first step to investing in a trajectory altering experience for the young people who would change the world.听

Today, Houghton鈥檚 mission continues through high-quality programs designed to equip students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds to expand their career and life opportunities through the intentional integration of Christian formation and academic excellence. This not only changes the life of the student, but also alters the future trajectory of their family and their community for generations. The Founder鈥檚 Promise Scholarship is a continuation of Willard J. Houghton鈥檚 original mission for the institution: to ensure that cost is not a barrier for a student to receive a high-quality and Christ-centered university education.听

Historic black and white photography of Willard Houghton.

Have Questions?

The Student Financial Services team is committed to helping you understand the cost of college for your family. Contact 585.567.9328 or SFSO@houghton.edu to connect.

The Founder鈥檚 Promise Scholarship is calculated after all other funds are applied. This includes federal and state grants, donor funded, presidential, Luckey, merit aid and any other Houghton-funded options. While the value of the award may fluctuate over time, the maximum award is determined during the initial year of eligibility and will continue as long as you remain eligible. Total grant and scholarship awards will not exceed the cost of tuition.