Roberta B. Willis Scholarship – Need and Merit-Based Scholarship
Connecticut Office of Higher Education
Up to $5,250 a year for Connecticut students with strong high school records and financial need who attend a four-year Connecticut public or nonprofit private college.
- How much
- Up to $5,250 a year for a four-year program; up to $4,650 a year for a two-year program
- Who qualifies
- Connecticut resident; high school senior in the top 20th percentile of the junior-year class, or college undergraduate in the top 20th percentile of the high school senior-year class, and/or SAT 1200+ or ACT 25+. SAI at or below OHE's annual cutoff (cutoff not published on the page). Must attend a four-year Connecticut public or nonprofit private college. By statute: working on a first associate or bachelor's degree, at least 6 credits a semester.
- For high school seniors, students starting college, undergrads
- Need-based: your FAFSA decides how much you get.
- When to apply
- Due February 15, 2027 Annual; February 15 for both the counselor-submitted application and the FAFSA (OHE's page states the February 15 deadline without a year; February 15, 2027 assumed for the 2027-28 award year).
- How to apply
- Ask your high school counselor to submit a Roberta B
- Willis Scholarship application on your behalf by February 15, and file the FAFSA by February 15
- What you'll need
- FAFSA + state application + school nomination + transcript
- Last checked
- October 24, 2026, against the official page (portal.ct.gov), page 2 and page 3
The details
The need-and-merit part of Connecticut's Roberta B. Willis Scholarship program (CGS 10a-173). Awards go to Connecticut residents who meet a merit test (top 20th percentile of the high school junior-year class for high school seniors, or of the senior-year class for college undergraduates, and/or SAT 1200+ or ACT 25+) and whose federal Student Aid Index (SAI) is at or below the cutoff OHE sets each year. Up to $5,250 a year in a four-year program and up to $4,650 a year in a two-year program, at a four-year Connecticut public or nonprofit private college. By law, awards follow a sliding scale set annually by OHE, and recipients cannot also get the Willis need-based grant. The school disburses the award toward tuition, required fees and a fixed allowance for books and supplies.
More money from Connecticut
- Roberta B. Willis Scholarship – Need-Based GrantUp to $4,500 for full-time study (part-time prorated)
- CHESLA Opportunity Scholarship$3,000 full-time; $1,500 at least half-time
- CHESLA Undergraduate Scholarship$3,000 full-time; $1,500 at least half-time
- CHESLA Certificate Scholarship$1,250
- Connecticut Tuition Waiver for Residents 62 and OlderFull tuition (space-available unless in a degree program at UConn/CSU)
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.