Scholarships
The university is committed to reducing financial stress and enhancing the academic journey for students. Thanks to generous donors, the UA Foundation coordinates the administration and awarding of over $6.2 million in scholarships annually.
Important Information for Students
- The Benefits of Filling Out a Profile
Applications are not required for scholarships in AWARDED. That said, some scholarships require additional information to meet donor-set criteria. Students are encouraged to fill out the optional profile in order to be eligible for those scholarships that require additional information.
- AWARDED Provides:
- An easier, more streamlined experience for students
- Improved communication and updates for applicants
- Faster and more efficient scholarship selection and awarding
- Strategic Deadlines for Greater Flexibility
- AWARDED provides strategic deadlines, allowing students to be considered for scholarships throughout the year.
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Eligibility
Scholarships are available to students attending UAA, UAF or UAS, including all community campuses. There are many scholarship options, including those based on merit, financial need, field of study, life circumstances, outstanding achievement, or any combination of these criteria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do UA Foundation scholarships come from?
UA Foundation scholarships come from private donors, both individuals and corporations.
Who is eligible for scholarships?
All UA students are eligible for scholarships.
How many scholarships are available?
The UA Foundation manages over 1,200 scholarship funds with a variety of requirements. There is something for everybody. Filling out a profile on AWARDED will broaden your opportunity for scholarships.
How many students compete for the available scholarships?
All UA students are eligible for some kind of scholarship managed by the UA Foundation. The competition for each one depends on the requirements for each particular scholarship.
Will receiving a scholarship affect my financial aid?
Yes, scholarships affect your total student aid package because you may not receive more aid than the amount it costs for you to attend college.
Are taxes withheld for UA Foundation scholarships?
Students may not be taxed on the scholarships they receive. This is why they are sent directly to the university and not to the student.
How do I search for scholarships?
There are many resources for your scholarship search. See our scholarship search advice for links and ideas.
When do I start looking for and applying for scholarships?
Early and often. See our scholarship search advice for links and ideas.
How do I know what scholarships I am eligible for?
All of the UA Foundation scholarships you are eligible for will be listed in your AWARDED student dashboard once you have UAOnline student access upon admission.
Will I still be eligible for a scholarship if I make any status or enrollment changes during the academic year?
The list of scholarships you qualify for will change whenever you make changes to enrollment. If you make changes to your program status during an academic year that you have received a scholarship, you may not qualify to receive the whole amount of your scholarship, if you change away from any of the scholarship requirements. For example, if you change majors in November for a scholarship that requires your previous major, you will no longer qualify for it during the spring semester. But, you may qualify for a different scholarship.
Are international students eligible for UA Foundation scholarships?
Some UA Foundation scholarships apply to ALL UA students. There are also some UA Foundation scholarships made specifically for international students.
How do I apply for scholarships and who makes selections?
For most UA Foundation scholarships, your admission to UA is all you need to do to be considered for scholarships when you meet all other criteria. There are some scholarship requirements that cannot be determined by your student record alone. You can complete the AWARDED student profile to be considered for those additional scholarships. Likewise, some scholarships have special requirements, like an essay or letter of recommendation. If you meet all other requirements, you will be given access to the supplemental questions through your AWARDED dashboard.
Who do I contact to find out if I have been awarded a scholarship?
You can see the list of UA Foundation scholarships you are eligible for or have already received in your AWARDED dashboard. You can also check your UAOnline account or contact your university’s Office of Financial Aid.
Do I need to submit a FAFSA to be considered for scholarships?
Some UA Foundation scholarships require a student to complete the FAFSA, but not all. Be aware that some forms of state or private aid require FAFSA completion, even if your income is considered too high for federal aid.
What will my scholarship pay for?
Most scholarships will pay for any charges to your student account at your university’s Office of the Bursar. Some older scholarships might be limited to paying for tuition and fees.
How will I be paid the scholarship?
Since scholarships do not count as income and cannot be taxed, the scholarship will be paid directly to the university rather than to the student.
When will I be paid the scholarship?
UA Foundation scholarships are processed by the university Office of Financial Aid at the beginning of each semester, before the payment deadline.
If I would like to write a thank you letter to the donor of my scholarship, who should I send my letter to?
Your AWARDED dashboard will have a link to a student impact questionnaire where you can thank your donor and tell them what their scholarship means to you.
UA Foundation scholarships come from private donors, both individuals and corporations.
Who is eligible for scholarships?
All UA students are eligible for scholarships.
How many scholarships are available?
The UA Foundation manages over 1,200 scholarship funds with a variety of requirements. There is something for everybody. Filling out a profile on AWARDED will broaden your opportunity for scholarships.
How many students compete for the available scholarships?
All UA students are eligible for some kind of scholarship managed by the UA Foundation. The competition for each one depends on the requirements for each particular scholarship.
Will receiving a scholarship affect my financial aid?
Yes, scholarships affect your total student aid package because you may not receive more aid than the amount it costs for you to attend college.
Are taxes withheld for UA Foundation scholarships?
Students may not be taxed on the scholarships they receive. This is why they are sent directly to the university and not to the student.
How do I search for scholarships?
There are many resources for your scholarship search. See our scholarship search advice for links and ideas.
When do I start looking for and applying for scholarships?
Early and often. See our scholarship search advice for links and ideas.
How do I know what scholarships I am eligible for?
All of the UA Foundation scholarships you are eligible for will be listed in your AWARDED student dashboard once you have UAOnline student access upon admission.
Will I still be eligible for a scholarship if I make any status or enrollment changes during the academic year?
The list of scholarships you qualify for will change whenever you make changes to enrollment. If you make changes to your program status during an academic year that you have received a scholarship, you may not qualify to receive the whole amount of your scholarship, if you change away from any of the scholarship requirements. For example, if you change majors in November for a scholarship that requires your previous major, you will no longer qualify for it during the spring semester. But, you may qualify for a different scholarship.
Are international students eligible for UA Foundation scholarships?
Some UA Foundation scholarships apply to ALL UA students. There are also some UA Foundation scholarships made specifically for international students.
How do I apply for scholarships and who makes selections?
For most UA Foundation scholarships, your admission to UA is all you need to do to be considered for scholarships when you meet all other criteria. There are some scholarship requirements that cannot be determined by your student record alone. You can complete the AWARDED student profile to be considered for those additional scholarships. Likewise, some scholarships have special requirements, like an essay or letter of recommendation. If you meet all other requirements, you will be given access to the supplemental questions through your AWARDED dashboard.
Who do I contact to find out if I have been awarded a scholarship?
You can see the list of UA Foundation scholarships you are eligible for or have already received in your AWARDED dashboard. You can also check your UAOnline account or contact your university’s Office of Financial Aid.
Do I need to submit a FAFSA to be considered for scholarships?
Some UA Foundation scholarships require a student to complete the FAFSA, but not all. Be aware that some forms of state or private aid require FAFSA completion, even if your income is considered too high for federal aid.
What will my scholarship pay for?
Most scholarships will pay for any charges to your student account at your university’s Office of the Bursar. Some older scholarships might be limited to paying for tuition and fees.
How will I be paid the scholarship?
Since scholarships do not count as income and cannot be taxed, the scholarship will be paid directly to the university rather than to the student.
When will I be paid the scholarship?
UA Foundation scholarships are processed by the university Office of Financial Aid at the beginning of each semester, before the payment deadline.
If I would like to write a thank you letter to the donor of my scholarship, who should I send my letter to?
Your AWARDED dashboard will have a link to a student impact questionnaire where you can thank your donor and tell them what their scholarship means to you.
Scholarship Search Information - Important Things to Know
While many scholarships are awarded based on academic merit, some scholarships also focus on other characteristics such as leadership, athletic ability, artistic or musical talent, geographical residency, non-traditional student status, military affiliation or financial need.
Some scholarships and aid stack. You can receive multiple scholarships. There are limits associated with ROTC or tuition-only scholarships, but other than that, go for more awards. If you have questions about limits, ask your Financial Aid Office.
Many scholarships pay year after year. Some scholarships are renewable for multiple years. You may have to reapply each year, so keep a record of your awards and reapply if needed.
Don't pay to hunt for scholarships renewing scholarships. There are many free resources. Don’t fall for a scam that asks you to pay them to find scholarships for you.
Improve your scholarship potential:
While many scholarships are awarded based on academic merit, some scholarships also focus on other characteristics such as leadership, athletic ability, artistic or musical talent, geographical residency, non-traditional student status, military affiliation or financial need.
Some scholarships and aid stack. You can receive multiple scholarships. There are limits associated with ROTC or tuition-only scholarships, but other than that, go for more awards. If you have questions about limits, ask your Financial Aid Office.
Many scholarships pay year after year. Some scholarships are renewable for multiple years. You may have to reapply each year, so keep a record of your awards and reapply if needed.
Scholarships are available to students attending any UA campus.
Remember deadlines! UA Foundation scholarships are awarded each semester, so look for the times when you can update your student profile and check your scholarship dashboard to see if you qualify for specialized scholarship application questions.
- Some regional or national scholarships have deadlines starting in October.
- By March 15th, 75% of the scholarship deadlines have passed.
- Allow yourself time to complete required essays, resumes, letters of recommendation, and other materials that may go with your application.
Don't pay to hunt for scholarships renewing scholarships. There are many free resources. Don’t fall for a scam that asks you to pay them to find scholarships for you.
Improve your scholarship potential:
- Achieve and maintain at least a 3.0 grade-point average (GPA)
- Be involved Be a leader Discover and nurture your talents
- Be sure to indicate the academic year you are applying for, and always include your address.
- Start with your high school counselors or career center.
- In some cases, you may need to obtain application materials directly.
- Bookmark these sites:
- scholarships.com
- fastweb.com
- finaid.org/scholarships
- collegeboard.com
- US Dept. of Labor: careeronestop.org/toolkit;training/findscholarships.aspx
- US Dept. of Education: www2.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/index.html
- MyKaleidoscope.com
- Completing the FAFSA opens opportunities for federal, state, and institutional aid.
- Common Misconceptions:
- Approximately 40% to 50% of students who skip the FAFSA do so because they believe they are ineligible, while general estimates show that a vast majority, roughly 85% of those who actually file, go on to receive some form of financial assistance.
- Even high-income families should apply, as aid eligibility also considers family size, number of children in college and specific assets.
How to submit a survey or profile:
Your AWARDED dashboard will have a link to a student impact questionnaire where you can thank your donor and tell them what their scholarship means to you.
How to write a personal letter to the donor:
The student impact questionnaire provides questions you can answer to help you find something meaningful to say to your donor.
How to submit a video:
Your student impact questionnaire will have room for you to provide a link to your thank you video or photos. Please make sure your files allow access for anyone with the link.
Your AWARDED dashboard will have a link to a student impact questionnaire where you can thank your donor and tell them what their scholarship means to you.
How to write a personal letter to the donor:
The student impact questionnaire provides questions you can answer to help you find something meaningful to say to your donor.
How to submit a video:
Your student impact questionnaire will have room for you to provide a link to your thank you video or photos. Please make sure your files allow access for anyone with the link.
For Additional Support
UA Financial Aid General Information
UAA Office of Financial Aid
UAF Financial Aid Office
UAS Financial Aid Office