Each Cyrus of Persia Scholarship has its own set of criteria. The following are specific to the Farzaneh Family Cyrus of Persia Scholarship, which the University honors per their request.
To qualify for the Farzaneh Family Cyrus of Persia Scholarship all applicants must:
- Be accepted as a first-time, full-time undergraduate at the University;
- Be selected by the scholarship committee;
- Submit a FAFSA or RISE Act application and demonstrate financial need;
- Submit an Intent to Enroll form to the University Office of Admissions;
- Submit a written essay of 400-500 words discussing why the applicant believes they should be considered for the scholarship and why they think they can complete graduation requirements within four years;
- Have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher from the applicant’s prior educational institution;
- Plan to enroll at the University for thirty (30) credit hours per year;
- Acknowledge via the Fund application that the Donor's intent is to provide sufficient funding for university education, such that the selected recipient:
- Will endeavor not to apply for a student loan to support their education at the University; and
- Will endeavor not to work more than twenty (20) hours per week during the academic year in order that the recipient may focus on their studies
*All students meeting the requirements above are eligible to apply. In the selection process, however, preference is given to Iranian students or students of Iranian heritage as well as students who have recently completed high school and plan to enroll in the University as first-time freshmen.
For more information on this scholarship including how to apply, please email m-farzaneh@neiu.edu or reach out to Dr. Mateo Farzaneh at (773) 442-5821.