Competitive Admissions Scholarships | Automatic Merit Scholarships | Additional Scholarship Opportunities
The University of Alabama offers some of the most generous scholarship opportunities in the country for qualifying students. To maximize your scholarship opportunities, you should complete the following steps:
- Step One: Apply for admission and scholarships.
- Step Two: Complete additional scholarship applications in the Alabama Scholarship Award Manager (ASAM).
- Step Three: Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- Step Four: Explore additional scholarship opportunities.
Learn more about how to complete these steps and the scholarship opportunities they provide below.
STEP 1: APPLY FOR ADMISSION & SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarships Included in Your UA Undergraduate App
Your admission application includes your scholarship application for many scholarship opportunities. As a first-time freshman applicant, you must submit the following to be considered for admission:
- Application for admission
- Official high school transcript
- Optional submission of official ACT or SAT test score
The following scholarships are included in your admission application:
- All automatic merit scholarships
- Most competitive scholarships awarded by Student Financial Aid and Scholarships (including the UA Competitive Admissions Scholarship and the UA Competitive Achievement Scholarship)
Please refer to the Scholarships and Financial Aid timeline for deadline information relevant to your intended entry term.
Automatic Scholarships
2026 Out-of-State Freshman Automatic Merit Scholarships
| Scholarship | Test Score* | GPA | Yearly Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimson Legends | 25-26 ACT or 1200-1250 SAT | 3.50+ | $6,000 |
| Capstone | 27 ACT or 1260-1290 SAT | 3.50+ | $8,000 |
| Collegiate | 28 ACT or 1300-1320 SAT | 3.50+ | $10,000 |
| Foundation in Excellence | 29 ACT or 1330-1350 SAT | 3.50+ | $15,000 |
| UA Scholar | 30-31 ACT or 1360-1410 SAT | 3.50+ | $24,000 |
| Presidential | 32-36 ACT or 1420-1600 SAT | 3.50+ | $28,000 |
| Presidential Elite | 36 ACT or 1600 SAT | 4.0+ | Tuition+ |
+PRESIDENTIAL ELITE
A student with a 4.0+ GPA and 36 ACT OR 1600 SAT will be selected as a Presidential Elite Scholar and will receive:
- Value of tuition for up to four years or eight semesters for degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate or law studies
- First year of on-campus housing at regular room rate (based on assignment by Housing and Residential Communities)
- $1,500 per year supplemental scholarship for four years
- $2,000 one-time allowance for use in research or international study (after completing one year of study at UA)
Deadline
- Spring 2026: UA will consider the following for admitted students that submit an admission application and all supporting documents by December 15:
- GPAs after completion of a student’s junior year
- Test scores through December 15 of a student’s senior year
- Summer/Fall 2026: UA will consider the following for admitted students that submit an admission application and all supporting documents by the December 5 priority deadline:
- GPAs after completion of a student’s junior year
- Test scores through December of a student’s senior year
Notifications
For students enrolling in the summer or fall semester, freshman automatic merit scholarship information will be made available in early February.
2026 Out-of-State UA Competitive Admissions Scholarship
All students who have submitted an application and all supporting documents by the listed deadline are evaluated holistically, based upon academic and non-academic information provided on their admission application. Academic components considered include high school GPA and academic honors. Non-academic items include leadership experience, volunteer experience, extracurricular activities, employment and non-academic honors.
This scholarship has a value of $6,000 up to tuition.
Deadline
To ensure priority consideration, students should submit an application and all supporting documents according to the deadline for their entry term.
- Spring 2026: November 3
- Summer/Fall 2026: December 5
Notifications
- Summer/Fall Admits:
Several factors go into a student’s competitive award, and it will not be uncommon for students admitted by an earlier date to receive a later notification. If you do not receive a notification for an early round, your scholarship application will roll to the final round for further review.- Release Date: Notifications can be expected in late February.
- Spring Admits:
- Release Date: Notifications can be expected in mid-December.
Step 2: Complete Scholarships In Alabama Scholarship Award Manager (ASAM)
Students may apply for additional competitive scholarships not included in the admission application through ASAM. These scholarships involves a separate application or require additional information and are awarded by the Alumni Association, the academic colleges, and departments across campus.
Students will gain access to ASAM via myBama once they are admitted. Only scholarships for which a student may be eligible will appear in ASAM. To apply for these potential scholarship opportunities, a student must be admitted by the competitive scholarship deadline for their applicable semester (listed below) and have completed the scholarship applications in ASAM by that deadline. Students should complete their admission application in a timely manner to ensure time to complete opportunities that may be available in ASAM.
December 5 is the deadline to complete scholarship applications in ASAM and submit any additional requested materials for summer and fall admits.
November 3 is the deadline to complete scholarship applications in ASAM and submit any additional requested materials for spring admits.
Please visit the Scholarships FAQ page for additional details about UA’s competitive and automatic scholarships.
Step 3: Complete Your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
The Student Financial Aid staff is dedicated to making the federal aid process as straightforward as possible. Financial assistance available through this office includes federal aid – grants, loans, work study and information about student employment. Please visit The University of Alabama Student Financial Aid website for more information.
STEP 4: ADDITIONAL SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
- National Alumni Association
- National Merit Scholarships
- Academic Common Market
- Academic Elite
- UA Competitive Achievement Scholarship
- External Scholarships
- The Craig H. Neilsen Foundation Neilsen Scholarship Program
- Questions about this program should be directed to Brent Hardin at bhardin@ua.edu