Concordia College International Scholarships 2027: Awards, Costs and Deadlines

Concordia College international scholarships start with the International Excellence Scholarship, a merit award of $13,000 to $19,000 a year that every admitted international first-year or transfer student is considered for. Concordia, a private liberal arts college in Moorhead, Minnesota, adds $500 a year if you apply by a priority date, then invites students who can pay their share to a scholarship interview for more aid. Two #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarships a year cover at least half of tuition.

Concordia is upfront about the family share: after scholarships, international students should expect to pay $24,000 to $33,000 a year, plus about $3,600 they can earn on campus. For fall 2027 entry, aim for the first priority date of 15 November 2026 or the second of 15 January 2027, and apply through the Concordia portal or the Common App with the International Student Financial Affidavit.

Key facts about Concordia College international scholarships

1. College: Concordia College, a private liberal arts college in Moorhead, Minnesota.
2. Main award: International Excellence Scholarship, $13,000 to $19,000 a year (2026-27 figures), renewable for four years.
3. Priority bonus: an extra $500 a year for applying by 15 November or 15 January.
4. Scholarship interview: extra need-based money for admitted students who show they can pay $24,000 to $33,000 a year.
5. #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship: two a year, at least 50% of tuition ($16,450 in 2026-27), renewable.
6. Full-need awards: Davis UWC Scholars and ELCA International Women Leaders.
7. North Star Scholarship: at least $25,000 a year for international students finishing high school in one of eight US Midwest states.
8. Financial form: the International Student Financial Affidavit (ISFA) in the applicant portal. No CSS Profile.
9. Testing: SAT and ACT optional.

Concordia College cost of attendance

These are Concordia’s published costs for 2026-27 (entry in August 2026). The 2027-28 figures were not out when we checked; expect a small rise.

Health insurance is already inside Concordia’s fees line, which is not the case at many US colleges. That makes the total easier to plan for.

What your family pays

Concordia states that international students’ total costs range from $24,000 to $33,000 a year after scholarships, plus about $3,600 from on-campus work. The range depends on your merit award, the priority bonus and any interview award. Concordia uses this same range as the ability-to-pay test for its scholarship interview.

Concordia scholarships for international students

International Excellence Scholarship

This is the award most international students get. It is merit-based, uses your academic record, and arrives with your admission letter. For fall 2026 entry the top merit award reached $19,000 a year, with need-based funds possible on top. It renews for up to four years.

#YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship

Concordia joined the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship group, and it gives two of these awards each year. Each covers at least half of tuition and is renewable. It replaces your other Concordia scholarships, so it only helps if it is larger than your existing package. You need to show interest in intercultural learning, complete a Concordia Scholarship Interview about leadership, and still be able to pay at least $24,000 to $32,000 a year from your own or outside funds.

North Star Scholarship

The North Star Scholarship is for international students already at US high schools in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin or Illinois. You need an F-1 or similar visa in good standing, a 3.0 cumulative GPA, a formal campus visit and one of these English results: TOEFL iBT 71, IELTS 5.5, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 450, or ACT English plus Reading of 31. The Office of Admission may help with travel for the visit.

Is Concordia need-blind for international students?

No. Concordia does not describe itself as need-blind for international applicants, and its scholarships depend on your family’s ability to pay. To be invited to the scholarship interview, you must show you can pay $24,000 to $33,000 a year. The #YouAreWelcomeHere award has the same kind of condition. Concordia gives partial aid, not full rides, apart from the full-need Davis UWC and ELCA programmes.

Who is eligible

You can be considered for Concordia’s international scholarships if you:

1. Are a citizen of a country other than the US, without US permanent residency.
2. Apply for first-year or transfer admission.
3. Submit the International Student Financial Affidavit (or the ACAC ISAFA form).
4. Can prove English proficiency.
5. Can show family or sponsor funds of $24,000 to $33,000 a year for the interview awards.

Eligibility edge cases

• US citizens living abroad: if you do not send test scores, choose “applying test optional” on the application.
• Government or sponsor-funded students: complete the International Student Financial Certification (ISCF) form.
• Transfer students: test scores are optional but can raise academic scholarships.
• Students at US high schools in the Midwest: check the North Star Scholarship first, as it is larger.

Concordia College deadlines for fall 2027

(based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens) Concordia’s how-to-apply page lists 15 November and 15 January as its priority dates. Interview awards in the second pathway depend on funds left, so the first priority date gives you the best chance.

How to apply, step by step

1. Apply online: through the Concordia portal or the Common App.
2. Upload your academic records: high school transcripts or other academic documents. Unofficial copies are fine for admission; originals or certified copies come after acceptance.
3. Send proof of English: Concordia lists accepted tests and levels on its English proficiency page. Check it before you book a test.
4. Complete the ISFA: in your application portal. The ACAC ISAFA form is accepted instead. Sponsored students use the ISCF form.
5. Add optional items: proof of financial support, recommendation letters, a personal statement, and ACT (code 2104) or SAT (code 6113) scores if they help.
6. Watch your status portal: interview invitations and dates appear there.
7. Do the Concordia Scholarship Interview: a virtual interview that can add money toward unmet need.
8. Ask about #YouAreWelcomeHere: after admission, ask your admission representative for the interest form.

Documents checklist

Preparing for the Concordia Scholarship Interview

The interview decides extra money, so prepare for it like an exam. For #YouAreWelcomeHere, Concordia asks about leadership in your school or community and how you would use it at Concordia, including projects, research or work that build intercultural learning.

1. Have two leadership stories ready: what you led, what went wrong, what you changed.
2. Name a plan for Concordia: a club, research topic or campus job.
3. Explain your funding: know how your family or sponsor will pay its share each year.
4. Test your connection: the interview is virtual.

A sample answer opening (invented for illustration): “In my last year I started a homework club for younger students in our building. Twelve children came the first week, and by the end of term the parents were running it with me.”

If you add recommendation letters, ask referees to describe a specific time you led or helped others, since the interview covers the same ground.

After you are admitted

• Check your merit award: it comes with your admission letter.
• Send proof of funds: Concordia needs it before it can issue your I-20.
• Send original or certified documents.
• Plan campus work: up to 20 hours a week during the school year. Concordia estimates about $3,600 a year at around 10 hours a week.
• Loans, if needed: private loans for international students need a co-signer who is a US citizen or permanent resident with good credit.

Costs the scholarships will not cover

• Your family share of $24,000 to $33,000 a year.
• Flights and the visa and SEVIS fees.
• Personal spending beyond the $3,900 estimate for personal costs and travel.
• Winter gear for Minnesota.
• Summer housing if you stay in the US between years.

Common mistakes

• Applying after 15 January and losing the $500 a year priority bonus and the early interview slot.
• Not showing ability to pay, which blocks the scholarship interview.
• Taking #YouAreWelcomeHere without checking that it is larger than your current package, since it replaces other awards.
• Looking for the North Star Scholarship when you finished school outside the eight listed states.
• Filing the CSS Profile, which Concordia does not ask for.

How Concordia compares with similar US options

For fully funded choices, see our list of the best American scholarships for international students, and for awards you can add once enrolled, our scholarships for college students guide.

Who should apply, and who should not

Apply if your family can pay $24,000 to $33,000 a year and you want a liberal arts college with clear, published scholarship amounts. Concordia’s figures are more transparent than most, which makes it easy to plan your budget before you apply.

Look elsewhere if you need a full scholarship and are not a UWC graduate or an ELCA-endorsed woman leader. Concordia’s other awards are partial.

FAQ about Concordia College international scholarships

How much is the Concordia College International Excellence Scholarship?

$13,000 to $19,000 a year for 2026-27, based on your academic record, renewable for four years. Applying by a priority date adds $500 a year.

Does Concordia College Moorhead give full scholarships to international students?

Only through the Davis UWC Scholars and ELCA International Women Leaders programmes, which meet full need. Other awards are partial, and families should expect to pay $24,000 to $33,000 a year.

What is the Concordia College deadline for international students?

The first priority date for fall 2027 is 15 November 2026 and the second is 15 January 2027. The North Star Scholarship deadline is 1 March 2027.

Does Concordia College require the CSS Profile?

No. International applicants complete the International Student Financial Affidavit (ISFA) in the applicant portal, or the ACAC ISAFA form.

Sources and updates

Checked on 25 October 2026 against Concordia College’s official pages: Costs and Financial Aid for international students (2026-27 costs, International Excellence Scholarship, interview, Davis UWC, ELCA, talent awards, work), the #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship page, the North Star Scholarship details page, the International Student Aid page (forms and loans) and the international How to Apply page (priority dates, documents, ISFA, test codes). Concordia had published fall 2026 dates only, so check the How to Apply page for confirmed fall 2027 dates.

Jude Chinecherem

I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.