YSTAR Program

The YSTAR Scholarship is funding provided through the Youngstown Foundation to Youngstown City Schools graduates* (East, Chaney, and Youngstown Rayen Early College, Wilson Alternative and Virtual Academy) to attend YSU.

*Graduates must also meet eligibility requirements as outlined below.

The scholarship amount is based on the students’ AGI per their FAFSA data:

"Last-Dollar" Award (AGI ≤ $75,000): 

Tuition charges 
Mandatory fees 
Residence Hall charges* 
Meal Plan* 
Book/laptop allowance*

Flat Amount Award (AGI $75,001+): 

$5,000 a year
Book/laptop allowance*

*Some restrictions and limitations may apply

Maximum 12 semesters of funding

Please note: There is no separate YSTAR application. For more information, refer to the “Maintaining Eligibility” section.

"Last-Dollar" Award Calculation

(AGI ≤ $75,000)

START	General and Instructional Tuition Fees
ADD	Mandatory Fees
ADD	University Residence Hall/Meal Plan Charges (if applicable)
ADD	Bookstore charges (if applicable)
EQUALS	Total balance due to YSU
SUBTRACT	Federal Grant funding (Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, etc.), if applicable
SUBTRACT	State Grant funding (Ohio College Opportunity Grant), if applicable
SUBTRACT	YSU Scholarships for Excellence, if applicable
SUBTRACT	Additional institutional scholarship or grant funding, if applicable
SUBTRACT	Outside donor/organization scholarship/grant funding, if applicable
EQUALS	The remaining balance to be covered by YSTAR, if any

Flat Amount Award (AGI $75,001+)

$5,000 per year
Can be used toward any tuition, fees, or charges up to Cost of Attendance (COA).
If attending the Fall and Spring semesters, the scholarship will be split evenly: $2,500 Fall / $2,500 Spring
If attending the Summer, Fall, and Spring semesters the scholarship will be split as follows:
- $1,000 Summer / $2,000 Fall / $2,000 Spring
Book/laptop allowance

Initiatives like this wouldn't be possible without the partnership and support of The Youngstown Foundation - Thank You!

Eligibility Requirements; students must

Be admitted to a YSU associate or bachelor's degree program
Graduate with a minimum 2.75 high school GPA**
Enroll at YSU within one year of high school graduation
Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident
Complete the FAFSA annually
Complete the YSU Foundation Scholarship Application
Enroll in at least six credits per semester
Attend mandatory Y-STAR comprehensive onboarding session prior to the start of fall classes.

**Students who start at Youngstown State University within one year after graduating from high school may still earn YSTAR scholarship money later, even if their high school GPA did not meet the requirements when they entered YSU. To qualify, they must earn the required GPA for their chosen program while attending YSU as a continuing student.

Maintaining Eligibility; students must

Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 at YSU or the minimum required for their major program
Complete the FAFSA annually
Complete the YSU Foundation Scholarship Application annually
Actively participate in YSTAR programming on campus

YSTAR onboarding Sessions

All YSTAR students must attend one onboarding session for Fall 2026. Available dates include:

Monday, June 8th
Monday, June 29th
Monday, July 13th

All sessions held 4-5PM; additional details will be sent via email prior to the session.

After signing up, please mark your calendar and plan to attend.

Helpful resources

Check this section often for new updates and resources