Is there a thread that lists current automatic full tuition or full ride scholarships? I have found many threads on this subject, but they are all outdated. If not, I would love to start a thread that lists current schools that offer automatic full ride or full tuition scholarships. Thank you.
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I also don’t know of any updated source for this info.
Here are some schools that offer automatic full tuition and/or full rides, but you have to look at the details of course.
For example, some require being an NMF, others require state residency. Some may also require a minimum GPA each semester to keep receiving the award all years of college.
U Alabama
U Alabama Huntsville
U Alabama Birmingham
U Oklahoma
U Idaho
Baylor
Auburn
Miami Ohio
Abilene Christian
Ole Miss
Utah State
Louisiana Tech
Many of the FL publics participate in the Benaquisto scholarship program
Here is a start of a list of full tuition or better merit scholarships for stats or NM status:
Note: check with college to find out what HS GPA is used.
Alabama A&M University
3.25 HS GPA, 23 ACT or 1130 SAT https://www.aamu.edu/admissions-aid/financial-aid/scholarships/
3.75 HS GPA, 28 ACT or 1310 SAT (full ride)
3.25 college GPA (transfer students)
renewal: 3.10 college GPA (3.50 college GPA for full ride) in 30 credits/year
Arizona State University
NMF or NHRP (“National Scholar”) https://scholarships.asu.edu/estimator
renewal: 3.0 college GPA in 9 credits/semester https://students.asu.edu/scholarships/renewal
many Florida public universities
NMF (full ride “Benacquisto”) https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/PDF/factsheets/FIS_FAQ.pdf
renewal: 3.0 college GPA
note: Florida public universities may require summer term enrollment, which is not covered
University of Alabama
in-state: 3.50 HS GPA, 30 ACT or 1360 SAT https://scholarships.ua.edu/freshman/in-state/
out-of-state: 4.0 HS GPA, 36 ACT or 1600 SAT https://scholarships.ua.edu/freshman/out-of-state/
NMF out-of-state or NMSF in-state: https://scholarships.ua.edu/freshman/nationalscholars/
renewal: 3.0 college GPA https://scholarships.ua.edu/policies/
University of Alabama Birmingham:
in-state: 3.5 HS GPA, 30 ACT or concordant SAT https://www.uab.edu/students/paying-for-college/scholarships/act-gpa-based-scholarships-alabama-residents
University of Alabama Huntsville
in-state: 3.50 HS GPA, 30 ACT or 1390 SAT https://www.uah.edu/admissions/undergraduate/financial-aid/scholarships/freshmen/freshmen-al-merit-tuition-scholarships
out-of-state: 4.00 HS GPA, 30 ACT or 1390 SAT, or 3.50 HS GPA, 34 ACT or 1520 SAT https://www.uah.edu/admissions/undergraduate/financial-aid/scholarships/freshmen/freshmen-non-al-merit-tuition-scholarships
renewal: 3.00 college GPA https://www.uah.edu/admissions/undergraduate/financial-aid/scholarships/merit-tuition-scholarships
Prairie View A&M University:
3.50 HS GPA, 26 ACT or 1260 SAT (full ride) https://www.pvamu.edu/faid/types-of-aid/scholarships/university-scholarships/
renewal: 3.2 college GPA in 30 credits/year
Tuskegee University
3.5 HS GPA, 25 ACT or 1200 SAT https://www.tuskegee.edu/programs-courses/scholarships/freshman-scholarships
renewal: 3.0 college GPA in 30 credits/year (3.25 if the full ride at 3.7 HS GPA, 28 ACT or 1300 SAT)
Hey @ucbalumnus, I just wanted to point out that a couple of the HBCUs that you have listed are not truly “automatic” just based on the stats alone. Both of my kids were well beyond the statistical threshold for the highest scholarships (full ride) that Alabama A&M (AAMU) and Tuskegee offers, and both of my kids applied very early (Mid-August) during there respective admissions seasons. My daughter was given an OOS fee waiver and a $4,500 a year scholarship in 2018 and my son was offered a $4,500 a year scholarship this year from AAMU. Tuskegee is also not “automatic” for stats as I know several students (including my daughter) who were not offered anything close to what Tuskegee’s website shows.
I believe that there are more high level applicants than scholarships available at the top thresholds and they look at several factors to choose the scholarship recipients at each level. I suspect that my household’s EFC (higher than the average HBCU applicant), and my family’s out of state status may have played a factor, but that is just speculation on my part. AAMU and Tuskegee show scholarship thresholds that you have to have to be considered, but they are not “automatic” from my personal experience.
Well, that’s not very nice of them (to prospective students), since their web sites do not really say that the scholarships are competitive beyond meeting the listed stat thresholds.
What happened to the Mississippi HBCUs like Mississippi Valley State that were previously on this list? Thanks.
Didn’t have time to look through all of the Mississippi non-flagship universities. Maybe later.
These things change very quickly, and I expect more than usual changes this year due to COVID19 effects to the college admissions scene. One has to not only go by the web site, but inquire directly to the Office of Admissions. Sadly, many websites do not feature the most accurate info, not just college ones, and often outdated sites and info come up in searches even if updated by the school in the current school site.
When we were hunting merit, I started with a Wikipedia list of every college in a particular state (looking in Midwest only so that narrowed it down). Then went to each school’s website and checked out their auto merit info. Tedious, but I had time to kill.
A lot of Midwest schools have auto merit and a lower price to start with, and it’s the directionals/middle of nowhere schools that are looking to sweeten the deal for high stats students.
Some schools I found to have some good deals were Southeast Missouri State, University of Nebraska-Kearney, University of Central Arkansas.
I think this year there will be very few “automatic scholarships”. I agree with @cptofthehouse because of COVID there are currently 41 million people out of work (I am quite sure there are a few families who have students applying to colleges this year). Some people are working in industries that will never bounce back. There will be families willing to sign up for schools that are affordable after “scholarship discounts” that may not be the equivalent of full tuition or a full ride.
I think schools with small endowments and public universities will take hit because there will be a short fall in funding. I also think some schools will no longer meet 100% demonstrated need and some will become need-sensitive/need aware.
I was watching the news the other day when the presidents of Ithaca and Cornell were talking about having a way for students to be on campus because much of the local economy is dependent on the colleges. Syracuse was talking about the millions of dollars lost and how that will cut even deeper if students don’t return to school in the fall.
It is going to be more important than ever that this fall, families take a bottoms up approach in making sure that there are affordable options on the college list.
A quick correction regarding Arizona State University NMF or NHRP (“National Scholar”) scholarship: at the undergraduate level, the renewal requirements are 3.0 college GPA and 30 credits per academic year (which translates to 15 credits per semester to avoid having to enroll in the summer session). 9+ credits per semester is the credits requirement at the graduate level.
University of Arizona is also worth looking at (as top award or combination of awards can pretty much cover tuition)
Maximum (in or out-of-state) stats-based award: 4.0 HS “core” GPA and 1420 SAT (roughly in line with full tuition)
Minimum in-state stats-based award: 3.0 HS “core” GPA and 1100 SAT (just for info, far from covering tuition by itself)
Minimum out-of-state stats-based award: 2.75 HS “core” GPA and 1100 SAT (just for info, far from covering tuition by itself)
https://financialaid.arizona.edu/types-of-aid/scholarships/incoming-transfer
NMF get up to 5K on top of stats-based award (which can help to reach full tuition if not getting maximum award in the first place).
https://financialaid.arizona.edu/types-of-aid/scholarships/2020-2021-terms-and-conditions (under National Scholars Tuition Award)
Renewal: 3.0 college GPA and 30 credits per academic year
https://financialaid.arizona.edu/types-of-aid/scholarships/2020-2021-terms-and-conditions
University of Kentucky
NMF or NHRP get the “Patterson” scholarship which is full tuition + an extra 10K discount on housing the first year.
https://www.uky.edu/financialaid/scholarship-incoming-freshmen
HS GPA 3.8 and 1450 SAT can get full tuition + an extra 10K discount on housing the first two years, but it is not automatic.
HS GPA 3.5 and 1390 SAT can get full tuition, but also not automatic
https://www.uky.edu/financialaid/scholarship-incoming-freshmen
Renewal: 3.0 college GPA and 12 credits per semester
https://www.uky.edu/financialaid/academic-scholarships-faq