Scholarship is an additional grant Sims can receive to help with the financial aid while they are attending the university. Generally, Sims can earn scholarships by having high skills.
The Sims 2: University[]
A notification when teens view earned scholarships
In The Sims 2: University, players can send teen Sims to college, where they continue their lives as young adults. Playable teens may go to college at any time by using a telephone or computer, or the player may send them by using the "Send Sims to College" button on the neighborhood screen. Before that, the Sim should apply for scholarships, which is also done via a phone or computer. Scholarships are handed out based on different criteria, such as good grades or a high level in a skill. Working on any skill will help in college and the workforce anyway, and getting a particular scholarship, or any scholarship, is often a want. All teenagers going to college start with §500, and scholarships add to that. Colleges in The Sims 2: University do not charge tuition, and have no fees aside from the regular bills, so scholarships give Sims additional funds to use in their first semester at college.
Sims cannot take money from home or retain the money they have earned during their college years, except by buying items and placing those items in their inventory.
Types of Scholarships[]
| Name | Requirements | Award |
|---|---|---|
| Hogan Award for Athletics | 8 or more Body points | §750 |
| Bain-Gordon Communication Fellowship | 8 or more Charisma points | §750 |
| Kim Metro Prize for Hygienics | 8 or more Cleaning points | §750 |
| London Culinary Arts Scholarship | 8 or more Cooking points | §750 |
| Will Wright Genius Grant | 8 or more Logic points | §750 |
| Bui Engineering Award | 8 or more Mechanical points | §750 |
| Quigley Visual Arts Grant | 8 or more Creativity points | §750 |
| Young Entrepreneurs Award | Teen job level 3 | §750 |
| SimCity Scholar's Grant | A- or better at School | §1000 |
| Phelps-Wilsonoff Billiards Prize | High pool hidden skill | §1000 |
| Tsang Footwork Award | High dancing hidden skill | §1000 |
| Undead Educational Scholarship | Teen is a Zombie or a Vampire[TSNL] | §1500 |
| Orphaned Sims Assistance Fund | Teen has no living parents | §1500 |
| Extraterrestrial Reparation Grant | Teen has been abducted by Aliens | §1500 |
There are some scholarships which are hard to get, such as the Billiard Prize and the Footwork Award. A Sim can get the Footwork Award by practicing dancing until the "Bust A Move" option becomes available. If this option is available, the Sim either qualifies for the award or is close to qualifying. If The Sims 2: FreeTime is installed, the Sim can also work toward the Footwork Award by practicing on the ballet barre.
The Billiard Prize is not that easy. A Sim will have to play pool many times before qualifying for the award. Players can tell when the scholarship is available when Sims can perform both trick shots.
The Sims 3: University Life[]
In The Sims 3: University Life, young adults and older can apply for scholarships by taking an aptitude test from the university welcome kit. The university welcome kit can be bought from the buy mode or dropped off by university mascot the first time players start a new game. Taking an aptitude test is not required, but advised.
After taking the aptitude test, Sims will immediately receive the result. In an aptitude test, there are sub-scores for each major, ranging from 100 to 400. The maximum total score a Sim can earn is 2,400. The score a Sim can earn in a major depends on Sim's traits and skills, as well as their level in a career associated with the major.
Aptitude test scoring[]
The aptitude test result. The test taker receives a partial scholarship and several extra credits in some majors.
By earning a high enough score, Sims can gain either a partial or full scholarship, as well as extra credits in certain majors. Scholarships are applied toward tuition, and can give additional funds when Sims arrive at the college, while earning extra credits reduces the number of credits a Sim needs to take in order to graduate. Because the maximum number of credits Sims can take in one visit to the college is 36, while 48 credits are required to graduate, earning extra credits from the aptitude test helps Sims so they can graduate in one time at the college.
Scholarships are determined by the number of total points Sims accumulate from the test:
- 1200 points: Partial scholarship, worth §1,000
- 1800 points: Full scholarship, worth §2,500
- 2000 points: Sims gain "Nailed It" moodlet
The extra credits are determined by the number of points earned in the sub-score for each major. For example, a Sim may earn extra credits in Fine Arts, but not in Business.
- 250 points: Apprentice award, +6 credits
- 360 points: Distinguished award, +18 credits
Keep in mind that the extra credits and scholarships are earned separately. This means that Sims may earn a partial scholarship without earning high enough sub-scores to earn extra credits in any major, and may earn extra credits without earning a high enough overall score to gain a scholarship.
The scoring is calculated in the following:
- Base score (100) +
- Skill level x 27 +
- Career level x 39 +
- Traits x 83
For instance, a Sim who is artistic (83 points), work in culinary level 3 (117 points), and have sculpting skill level 3 (81 points) will earn 391 points, which is sufficient enough to earn a Distinguished Award with extra 18 credits toward Fine Arts major. Below is the list of factors in each major:
| Major | Traits | Careers | Skills |
|---|---|---|---|
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Business |
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Technology |
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Science and medicine |
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Fine arts |
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Communications |
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Physical education |
Notes[]
- The trait and skill factors in earning scores for aptitude test are different from the ones used in gaining performance at the college. For more information, see major.
- Having the genius trait really helps because it adds extra points for all majors.
- Skills, traits, and careers in Island Paradise and Into the Future are not associated with the majors, which means Sims will not benefit from mastering bot building skill, for example.
The Sims 4: Discover University[]
Scholarships return in The Sims 4: Discover University, most of which are only eligible for Teens and Young Adults, though some are available to Adults and Elders too. Each scholarship can only be applied for once. There are several types of scholarships: skill, needs, career, merit, and resident.
Eligibility[]
- Skill-based scholarships can be applied for when a Sim reaches level 3 in one of the required skills, with the chances of acceptance increasing at level 5 and level 9 those skills.
- Needs-based scholarships offer eligibility for Sims whose households have low wealth.
- Career-based scholarships are available to Sims who have reached a certain level in a career.
- Merit-based scholarships can be applied for by Sims who have been accepted for a distinguished degree.
- Resident grants are available for Sims living in most home worlds, with different worlds awarding different amounts.
Students are required to maintain good grades at university in order to continue receiving scholarships. However, students who are accepted for Athletics and E-Sports scholarships are not evaluated on academic performance, but rather must simply continue their participation in the relevant afterschool activity while they are attending university.
Applying[]
Sims can apply for scholarships using the phone, computer, or mailbox. Sims can also consult a guidance councilor using the computer to see which scholarships they are likely to be accepted for.
Meeting the requirements for a scholarship only makes Sims eligible for applying for it. There is no guarantee that they will be accepted, except for in the below situations:
- Reaching Level 3 of the Cheer Team or Football Team from The Sims 4: High School Years will grant a reward trait that guarantees an Athletics scholarship.
- Reaching Level 3 of the Chess Team or Computer Team from The Sims 4: High School Years will grant a reward trait that guarantees an E-Sports scholarship.
List of scholarships[]
| Scholarship | Award | Age eligibility | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athletics | §450 | Teen Young Adult |
Level 3 in the below skill: FitnessIf accepted, the student will automatically become a Soccer team player while at university. |
| E-Sports | §450 | Teen] Young Adult |
Level 3 in the below skill: Video gamingIf accepted, the student will automatically become an E-sports competitor while at university. |
| Friend of the Animals | §400 | Teen Young Adult |
Level 3 in one of the below skills: Pet training Veterinarian Riding
|
| Building the Future | §400 | Teen Young Adult |
Level 3 in one of the below skills: Handiness Rocket Science
|
| Alley Cat | §400 | Teen Young Adult |
Level 3 in one of the below skills: Bowling
|
| Future Star | §400 | Teen Young Adult |
Level 3 in one of the below skills: Guitar Piano Violin DJ Mixing Singing Pipe organ Acting Cross-stitch
|
| Food and Drink | §200 | Teen Young Adult |
Level 3 in one of the below skills: Cooking Gourmet cooking Baking Mixology
|
| The Great Outdoors | §200 | Teen Young Adult |
Level 3 in one of the below skills: Fishing Gardening Herbalism Flower Arranging Gemology
|
| Education for All | §500 | Teen Young Adult Adult Elder |
Sim must have less than §2,000 in cash, and a total property value below §25,000. |
| Helping Hand | §250 | Teen Young Adult Adult Elder |
Sim must have between §10,000 to §14,999 in cash, and a total property value between §80,000 to §99,999. |
| Workplace Scholar | §300 | Teen Young Adult |
Sim must currently be employed in a career at level 3 or above. High school, afterschool activities, and other degrees do not qualify for this grant despite technically functioning as careers. |
| Super Scout | §175 | Teen Young Adult |
Sim must currently be at least a level 2 Scout. The chances of being awarded this scholarship are increased for each subsequent level the Sim is. |
| Merit | §500 | Teen Young Adult Adult Elder |
Sims who have enrolled in distinguished degree programs can receive this grant, which increases for each concurrent distinguished degree program they are concurrently enrolled in. |
| Willow Creek Resident | §250 | Teen Young Adult |
Sims can apply for grants from the specific world they reside in. This can be done in every home world except for Tomarang and Ciudad Enamorada. The amount of the award varies between worlds. |
| Oasis Springs Resident | §250 | ||
| Newcrest Resident | §250 | ||
| Magnolia Promenade Resident | §200 | ||
| Windenburg Resident | §300 | ||
| San Myshuno Resident | §350 | ||
| Forgotten Hollow Resident | §200 | ||
| Brindleton Bay Resident | §250 | ||
| Del Sol Valley Resident | §300 | ||
| StrangerVille Resident | §250 | ||
| Sulani Resident | §250 | ||
| Glimmerbrook Resident | §200 | ||
| Britechester Resident | §350 | ||
| Evergreen Harbor Resident | §300 | ||
| Mt. Komorebi Resident | §250 | ||
| Henford-on-Bagley Resident | §300 | ||
| Tartosa Resident | §275 | ||
| Moonwood Mill Resident | §225 | ||
| Copperdale Resident | §250 | ||
| San Sequoia Resident | §300 | ||
| Chestnut Ridge Resident | §250 |