One of AUB's highest priorities is to raise money for scholarships. Scholarships open doors and create opportunities for men and women who will go on to pioneer new businesses, care for the sick and wounded, propose innovative solutions to address society's problems, inspire students in the classroom, and serve their communities. Scholarships are also an investment in Lebanon and the region.
For a gift of $100,000, you can establish an endowed scholarship that will provide support for AUB students in perpetuity. All gifts that are made to establish an endowment are fully invested. Only a portion of the money that the endowed fund earns is used to support the donor's designation. AUB's current spending policy stipulates that it spend 4 percent of the moving average market value of its portfolio over 20 quarters. This means that, for example, a $100,000 endowment would generate about $4,000 in its first year of return. It has been our experience – and it is our expectation – that AUB's portfolio will earn more than 4 percent a year. The additional funds are added to the principal. As a result, the size of the endowed fund should grow over time thereby generating more money on an annual basis.
For a gift of $10,000 a year for three years, you can establish a current scholarship. The $10,000 scholarship will be used to provide partial tuition support for 2-3 AUB students.
Donor-funded scholarships are a critical part of AUB's financial aid program, which assists almost 90 percent of students enrolled at AUB today. More than 50 percent of students on financial aid are also receiving support from donor-funded scholarships. Most scholarship recipients receive partial support from more than one scholarship fund. In 2023-24, 4,135 scholarships were awarded to 2,100 students.