CDM Scholarships & Grants

The CDM Scholarship Program provides funding to continuing students in the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media. CDM accepts applications for all scholarships and grants, except where noted*, annually from October 1-31. Scholarship money in these programs is made available through endowments, corporate donations, memorial funds, and internal organizational funds.

The program is very competitive. While all students are welcome to apply, the following characteristics are often shared by scholarship award winners:

Demonstrated high level of academic success
Active campus and/or off campus involvement
Leadership in work or student-run organizations
Service to others

Financial Aid Cost of Attendance Disclaimer (opens in a pop up window)

Scholarships Grants Additional Resources

Application Process

How to Apply

Applications and any additional supporting materials for the CDM Scholarship Program must be submitted in the Scholarship Connect tool. To be considered for any scholarship available as part of the CDM Scholarship Program, students must:

Create a general scholarship profile in Scholarship Connect. Profiles must be submitted annually after July 1st. This step is required.
Submit the CDM General Scholarship Application in the Scholarship Connect tool. Applications are accepted annually from October 1-31, except for programs indicated.* This step is required. Submitting this application automatically matches students to the following scholarships based on identifiable characteristics of the qualifying criteria for each scholarship (see details of each scholarship in the “Available Scholarships” section below):
- CDM General Scholarship
- Dr. Curtis J. and Mrs. Gina Crawford Endowed Scholarship
- Deutsche Boerse Systems, Inc. Tarik Bicakcic Memorial Scholarship
- Iron Galaxy Diversity in Gaming
- Kalt Endowed Scholarship
- Pradeep Nayar Experience Design Endowed Scholarship
- Dr. Steve C. Rubinow Endowed Scholarship
- Eugene P. Jarvis and Sasha L. Gerritson Scholarship
- SIM Chicago Scholarship
After submitting the CDM General Scholarship Application, students may answer additional questions and submit additional materials to be considered for the following scholarships. Submitting additional information for these scholarships is optional.
- Computer Science Society Scholarship
- Forest Foundation Thesis Post-Production Grant
- Brother Mike Hawkins Fellowship
- Professor Warren Krueger and Ronnveig Ernst Scholarship
- Fr. Ralph Pansza Renaissance Scholarship
- Amanda Tames Memorial Endowed Award

Important Dates

Scholarship Connect is open year round, but profiles must be submitted annually after July 1st.
The CDM Scholarships Program accepts applications annually from October 1-31 except on programs indicated.* To be considered for any CDM Scholarship, all questions for that scholarship must be answered and submitted by October 31.
Scholarship awards are generally made before the end of the calendar year and disbursed for the current academic year. Students may login to Scholarship Connect to view their status.

Available Scholarships

Brother Mike Hawkins Fellowship

Funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Brother Mike Fellowship was established in 2016 to honor the legacy of Mike Hawkins, who served as a Lead Mentor and manager of informal learning with the Digital Youth Network (DYN), an organization formerly housed within DePaul University’s Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM). In this capacity Brother Mike, as he was commonly known, influenced and inspired hundreds of youth to pursue their education further by leveraging their passion and honing in on their creativity.

The Brother Mike Fellowship will be awarded to CDM undergraduate and/or graduate students to support creative work that will be conducted in the spring and summer quarters. Individuals or teams may apply to complete an innovative technology-based service project that will engage Chicago youth. The projects are to be completed before the start of the following fall quarter.

view full description (pdf).

CDM Diversity Scholarship

The purpose of this scholarship is to provide recognition and financial assistance to students enrolled in CDM who are in good academic standing and who have financial need. The following criteria may also be taken into account when awarding this scholarship: whether the student is from a group that is underrepresented in the fields of computing and digital media; has demonstrated a commitment to supporting students from groups that are underrepresented groups in the fields of computing and digital media; or has demonstrated a commitment to working with students in groups that are underrepresented in the fields of computing and digital media.

CDM General Scholarship Fund

Additional scholarship funds are made available for CDM students through a general CDM scholarship.

Qualifying Criteria

Must be a continuing CDM student. First-term students do not qualify.
Must be in good academic standing

Computer Science Society Scholarship

This scholarship is made available through donations to the Computer Science Society (CSS) to provide recognition to a student for their contributions to the organization.

Qualifying Criteria

Undergraduate freshman, sophomore or junior status.
Must be a current member of the Computer Science Society.

Dr. Curtis J. and Mrs. Gina Crawford Endowed Scholarship

The Dr. Curtis J. and Mrs. Gina Crawford Endowed Scholarship was established by close DePaul friends, Dr. Curtis Crawford and his wife, Gina. Dr. Curtis Crawford is Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of XCEO, Inc. Dr. Crawford earned his Master of Business Administration from DePaul University in 1978 and an honorary doctorate from CDM in 1999. Dr. Crawford currently serves on DePaul's Board of Trustees.

Graduate CDM student in a program focusing on commerce, business, communication technology, or information systems.
Demonstrated academic success.
Student must exhibit financial need, typically demonstrated through the filing of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Additional consideration is given to African-American students.

Deutsche Boerse Systems, Inc. Tarik Bicakcic Memorial Scholarship

The Deutsche Boerse Systems, Inc. Tarik Bicakcic Memorial Scholarship was established by one of the world's leading exchange organizations, Deutsche Boerse Group. DB gives investors, financial institutions, and companies access to global capital markets through their reliable systems, services, and products specifically created to meet the needs of international financial markets.

Qualifying Criteria

Undergraduate CDM student in his/her senior year majoring in Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology or Network Engineering and Security.
Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
Student must exhibit financial need, typically demonstrated through the filing of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Iron Galaxy Diversity in Gaming

Iron Galaxy is committed to celebrating and elevating the diversity of the student body by supporting students marginalized by race, gender, ability, identity, or orientation. And to help the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media build the best possible gaming program, Iron Galaxy will engage with faculty, staff, and students, providing relevant and meaningful feedback on its gaming initiatives.

Preference for these two scholarships shall be given to students from underrepresented populations or students with a demonstrated interest in/commitment to, increasing the prevalence of, or improving the role of, underrepresented populations in the field of Game Design.

Qualifying Criteria

Iron Galaxy Diversity in Gaming Endowed Scholarship #1: currently enrolled undergraduate students in the BS-Game Design or BS-Game Programming majors
Iron Galaxy Diversity in Gaming Endowed Scholarship #2: currently enrolled graduate students in the MFA-Game Design or MS-Game Programming majors

Eugene P. Jarvis and Sasha L. Gerritson Scholarship

The purpose of this scholarship is to provide recognition and financial assistance to students enrolled in the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media who are in good academic standing and who have financial need. This scholarship is renewable for a second year, provided the student maintains good academic standing.

Qualifying Criteria

Must be an undergraduate CDM student with junior status
Must be in good academic standing, determined by a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000.
Student must exhibit financial need, typically demonstrated through the filing of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Additional consideration may be given to students majoring in computer science.

Kalt Endowed Scholarship

Established by Mr. David S. Kalt and the Kalt Family Foundation, the Kalt Endowed Scholarship pays tribute to David Kalt, the co-founder and CEO of optionsXpress Holding Inc., a comprehensive online options and stock brokerage that went public in January 2005. Mr. Kalt earned his Master of Science in Computer Science from CDM in 1995.

Qualifying Criteria

Must be an undergraduate CDM student.
Student must be in good academic standing, determined by a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000.
Student must exhibit financial need, typically demonstrated through the filing of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Laura Benhart Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Laura Benhart was a DePaul alumna and a treasured daughter, sister, and colleague. Laura's mother and her colleagues at Hyatt hope that in providing this scholarship we can ensure her memory endures and that recipients can learn about the wonderful person she was in life.

The purpose of this endowed fund shall be to provide recognition and financial assistance to students majoring in Cybersecurity or Computer Science who are in good academic standing, and have a financial need.

Qualifying Criteria

Currently enrolled in CDM’s Cybersecurity or Computer Science program
Good academic standing
Have financial need

Professor Warren Krueger and Ronnveig Ernst Scholarship

An annual $5000 scholarship funded by the College of CDM in memory of Professor Warren Krueger who served as a professor for 13 years in the College of CDM and his wife, Ronnveig Ernst.

Qualifying Criteria

Must be an undergraduate CDM student who has achieved at least sophomore standing
Demonstrated success in a computer science curriculum that emphasized the study of both theoretical computing and mathematics

Pradeep Nayar Experience Design Endowed Scholarship

Over the course of his career, Pradeep Nayar has held design leadership positions at the Chicago Tribune, Grainger, and Allstate, and ultimately became Vice President of Product and Design at the Hyatt Hotel Corporation. Pradeep contributed to the practice of Experience Design through his work and his speaking engagements about how designers could work best within Agile product teams and a data-informed, iterative approach to design. He was a driver of positive changes in how companies solved problems, working to teach others and change the hearts and minds of the establishment to do things the right way and to incorporate user empathy into their products.

Beyond being a master of the craft of design, Pradeep had a keen eye for discovering talent and was a mentor to hundreds of people, inspiring and helping many to become successful designers. He inspired others to believe in themselves, do the right thing, be positive, empathetic, and continuously learn new skills. Pradeep had an intrinsic ability to actively listen and connect with others and was an advocate for many people throughout their careers. He created positive environments to work in and authentically cared about everyone he worked with.

Qualifying Criteria

Currently enrolled in CDM’s Human Computer Interaction or Experience Design program
Good academic standing
Have financial need

Fr. Ralph Pansza Renaissance Scholarship

On February 26, 1997, a special committee, appointed by the Dean of CDM, gathered to decide the criteria that will be used to award an annual $5,000 scholarship to an undergraduate student, in the name of Father Ralph Pansza.

Father Ralph Pansza passed away in February 1997. At the time of his death, he was serving as the Senior Technical Advisor in DePaul´s Information Services Division. He was often described as a true "Renaissance man" with valuable expertise in computing accompanied by active involvement in the arts and his community.

Qualifying Criteria:

Undergraduate or graduate CDM student with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
Must demonstrate strengths in the following areas via essays:
- Computing
- Service to others
- Artistic endeavors

Additional Application Criteria

Applicants must submit a portfolio of artistic work. This portfolio may include examples of visual art, performance of music, recording of performance art, composure of music, web design, photography, or any other artistic creations.

Dr. Steven C. Rubinow Endowed Scholarship

The purpose of this scholarship endowment is to provide recognition and financial assistance to graduate students enrolled in the School of Computing within the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media.

Qualifying Criteria

Must be a CDM student enrolled in a School of Computing graduate program.
Must be in good academic standing, determined by a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.500
Must exhibit financial need, typically demonstrated through the filing of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

SIM Chicago Scholarship

The purpose of this scholarship is to provide recognition and financial assistance to full-time undergraduate students enrolled in the School of Computing in the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media who are entering their junior or senior year.

Qualifying Criteria

Undergraduate student in School of Computing major.
Must have junior or senior status.
Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5.

Amanda M. Tames Memorial Endowed Award

The Amanda M. Tames Memorial Endowed Award was established by her parents, Angela and Roger Tames. The purpose of the scholarship is to provide recognition and financial assistance to a talented female student in the School of Cinematic Arts.

Qualifying Criteria

Must be a full-time Undergraduate female student in the School of Cinematic Arts who is entering her senior year and a declared major in either Animation, Digital Cinema, or Film and Television.
Must be in good academic standing, determined by a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000
Must submit a sample of creative work that demonstrates strength in the field of Cinematic Arts.
Must submit a 500-word essay
Must exhibit financial need, typically demonstrated through the filing of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Available Grants

Students must apply to the Forest Foundation grant through Scholarship Connect (see “Application Process” above).

The application process for the School of Cinematic Arts MFA Thesis and Undergraduate Production grants as well as the IMPACT Summer Grant is detailed in each grant’s description, below.

The Forest Foundation Thesis Post-Production Grant

The Forest Foundation Thesis Post-Production Grants are intended for students pursuing an MFA in Film and Television Directing or an MFA in Documentary in the School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) at CDM. These grants are used to offset costs related to completing student thesis films. The grants are restricted to projects that have already begun or have finished production, and are to be used primarily for post, sound mix, score and music, color correction, or festival entry fees.

Qualifying Criteria

Must be a currently enrolled MFA Film and Television Directing or MFA Documentary student at CDM in the post-production phase of thesis
Minimum 3.5 GPA

Application Process

Applications for this grant must be submitted in Scholarship Connect. Follow the Application Process listed above.

All applications must include the following materials:

Synopsis
Cast and crew list
Description of work completed to-date
Description of work still to be completed
Budget top sheet and budget narrative (the budget narrative explains how you arrived at the sum of each line item, justifying the expense)
Online link (such as Vimeo) to a rough cut or finished film
Specific dollar amount requested from designated funds from The Forest foundation (Choose one your film qualifies for):
- $3,000 – MFA Film and Television Directing Students – Finishing Funds
- $1,000 – MFA Film and Television Directing Students with a film about the advancement of Medicine and/or Science
- $1,000 – MFA Documentary filmmaker

IMPACT Summer Grant*

Through the generosity of an anonymous faculty donor, School of Design students are invited to submit proposals to imagine, develop, and deploy cutting-edge visual and interactive designs that have a positive cultural or social impact. Projects may involve graphic designs, websites, apps, games, toys, installations, wearable computing, experiences, and so on. Projects may have a cultural and artistic focus or may be driven to have a social impact by empowering or serving the needs of individuals, organizations, or communities.

Qualifying Criteria

All current undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Design (students majoring/minoring in Graphic Design, Game Design, User Experience Design, Industrial Design, Designing for Physical Technology, Digital Communication and Media Arts, Human-Computer Interaction, Experience Design, Human Centered Design) are eligible, including those who graduate in June 2023.
Teams can include members from other CDM schools or DePaul colleges, but must include at least one School of Design students.

view full description (pdf).

School of Cinematic Arts MFA Thesis Grant*

MFA Thesis Grants are intended for students pursuing an MFA in the School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) at CDM. These grants are used to offset costs related to completing student thesis films. The grants are restricted to projects that have already begun or have finished production, and are to be used primarily for post, sound mix, score and music, color correction, or festival entry fees.

Qualifying Criteria

Only degree-seeking students who meet the following criteria may apply:

MFA student at CDM in the Thesis Phase of the program
Minimum 3.5 GPA
Currently enrolled
In post-production phase of thesis
Students who hold a full time or part time university faculty or staff position are not eligible for an MFA Thesis Grant.

Application Process

To be considered for an MFA Thesis Grant, the following must be submitted by 11:59pm on the due date for each application period:

Submit a PDF of the following materials at MyCDM > MFA Grants:
Synopsis
Cast and crew list
Work completed to date
Work still to be completed
Budget top sheet and budget narrative: the budget narrative explains how you arrived at the sum of each line item, justifying the expense.
Specific dollar amount requested: a maximum of $5,000 or 50% of the budget if budget is under $10,000.
Online link (such as Vimeo) to a rough cut or finished film.

Please submit the requested materials as a single document.

Applications Periods and Deadlines

There are three annual application periods. To be considered for a thesis grant, the application materials must be submitted by the dates specified below.

Fall: Sept. 15th through Oct. 15th
Winter: Jan. 15th through Feb. 15th
Spring: Apr. 15th through May 15th

Application Review and Notification

After submission of the application, students may be contacted and invited to interview with a faculty committee to discuss the request. The interview may be necessary to clarify issues regarding the application.

The MFA production grants are extremely competitive. The review committee rejects many excellent student proposals due to the high volume and quality of applicants. The selection process includes assessing a student’s vision, creativity, ingenuity, technical and narrative execution, and overall promise of the project as a representation of our program. The decisions are based on the merits of each application and the quality of the filmmaking.

Students will be notified via email of the result of their grant application prior to the start of each quarter.

Questions or Concerns

For more information about the MFA Thesis Grant, please contact MFAAdmins@cdm.depaul.edu.

If you are having technical issues regarding your application, contact development@cdm.depaul.edu.

NOTE: You will generally receive an answer within two (2) business days during regular business hours.

Undergraduate Production Grant Spring 2023*

Undergraduate Production Grants are used to offset costs associated with producing ambitious short films outside of coursework. Grant recipients must meet regularly with faculty and staff committee members over the course of the year and meet production milestones throughout the process, including to improve initial scripts/treatments/boards, and review progress. Continued disbursement of funds will be dependent on meeting those deadlines. Students must reapply annually.

Qualifying Criteria

Current enrollment in any undergraduate cinema or animation production degree program at CDM
Principle producer or director of the proposed project
Possess all necessary intellectual property rights to story material
Undertaking the project outside of coursework requirements
Key crew positions filled by current DePaul students, per SCA Student Production Handbook

Application Process

To be considered for the Undergraduate Production Grant, log into MyCDM to submit your application including the following documents by 11:59p.m. on December 19, 2022.

Upload one .pdf or .zip file containing all the paperwork listed below. The file must be labeled with the project title. Links to Google Drive or other community platforms are not acceptable.

If compressing multiple documents into one .zip file, each document within the file must be named with the person’s last name and the name of the type of document. ex: Jones_budget.pdf, Jones_script.pdf.

Submissions must include the following:

Your name and DePaul email address, Film title, 1-2 sentence Logline.
A personal statement explaining your project and your goals for producing it, such as: What is your film about? Why did you make this film? What do you hope to accomplish with this film? Who is your target audience?
Treatment, not to exceed 1 page.
Film production budget for using these grant funds, not to exceed $5,000. The budget must NOT include post-production costs such as editorial/finishing, film festival entry fees or related marketing expenses. The Undergraduate Production Grant is for production expenses only.
Script, not to exceed 15 pages. Scripts must NOT include elements not allowed per the SCA student production handbook, such as fire, driving shots, animals, or filming in large bodies of water.
Your film’s principal crew list: Director, producer, cinematographer, sound, editor, production designer.

Application Period and Deadlines

Undergraduate Production Grant applications are reviewed once a year. To be considered, application materials must be submitted during the following application period: November 21, 2022 through December 19, 2022 at 11:59p.m.

Application Review and Notification

The Undergraduate Production Grant is a very competitive opportunity focusing on production of student projects of any genre including scripted and unscripted. The award committee is seeking projects that demonstrate a detailed level of preparation, a distinctive creative voice and a clear path to project completion.

After submission of the application, select projects will be invited to pitch before the awards committee. Not all applicants will be invited to pitch. Award recipients will be determined after the pitch date and will be notified by email. For funds to be disbursed, students will be required to first meet with the committee chair and Manager of Production. Funds are disbursed as reimbursements for previously approved expenses after filing paperwork including receipts.

Questions or Concerns

For more information about the Undergraduate Production Grant, please contact ugradprodapp@depaul.edu