The University of Alabama’s merit scholarships are highly sought after, but the application process and competition for these awards can feel daunting. This guide covers the basics and provides insider tips to help students stand out in the crowded field. Beyond the general stats, we offer strategies you won’t find on the school’s official site, along with a realistic assessment of your chances and the true costs you’ll need to consider.

What Are Merit Scholarships Like at the University of Alabama?

Merit scholarships reward students for academic or extracurricular excellence, not financial need. At the University of Alabama’s main campus in Tuscaloosa, numerous merit-based awards are available, but the process is more competitive than it may first appear.

>>RELATED: Merit Scholarship Guide: How to Find Them and Get Them

University of Alabama Merit Scholarship Programs

The university offers a series of automatic merit scholarships and competitive scholarships to incoming freshmen and current students. Opportunities differ for in-state vs. out-of-state students, international students and transfer students. 

Here’s a closer look at the University of Alabama’s top undergraduate scholarships:

• Presidential Scholarship: Offers full tuition for four years, valued at approximately $112,000 for out-of-state students and $48,000 for in-state students over four years. This highly competitive scholarship often requires near-perfect academic records. A student with a 4.0+ GPA and 1600 SAT or 36 ACT will be named a Presidential Elite Scholar and will also receive a year of free on-campus housing, a $2,000 study grant, and a supplemental scholarship of $1,500 annually.
• Foundation in Excellence Scholarship: Provides $15,000 per year for out-of-state students and $9,000 for in-state, covering a significant portion of tuition costs for students with strong academic records and leadership qualities.
• Collegiate Scholarship: Offers $10,000 per year for out-of-state students and $8,000 per year for in-state students..
• Capstone Scholarship: Provides $8,000 per year for out-of-state students and $7,000 per year for in-state students.
• UA Legends Scholarship: Offers $6,000 per year to in-state students.
• Crimson Achievement Scholarship: Offers $6,000 per year for out-of-state students and $6,000 per year for in-state students.
• National Merit Finalist Scholarship: Reserved for high-achieving students, this scholarship provides full tuition (valued at approximately $112,000 for out-of-state students) and additional perks like housing stipends and a one-time technology allowance.

While these awards are generous, they don’t cover everything, which we’ll explore below.

Eligibility Criteria: How Competitive Are You?

Unlike the generic eligibility criteria found on the University’s website, let’s break down what it really takes to qualify:

• GPA & Test Scores: While the minimum GPAs might be listed as 3.0 to 3.5, realistically, students with 4.0 GPAs and SAT scores of 1400+ dominate the merit scholarship pool. Aim high to be competitive.
• Additional Factors: Beyond academics, leadership roles, community service, and other extracurriculars matter more than you might think.

Top 10 Colleges for Freshman Year Merit Aid*

How to Apply for University of Alabama Merit Scholarships

The University of Alabama automatically considers you for some merit scholarships when you apply for admission, but the competition is fierce, and there are several factors to consider if you want to maximize your chances.

• Apply Early

  Applying early can significantly boost your chances of securing a merit scholarship. The University of Alabama does not offer a formal Early Decision option, which is binding at some schools, but it does have an Early Action process. Early Action is a non-binding application option that allows students to receive admission decisions sooner. Submitting your application through Early Action, which has a deadline of November 15, not only increases your chance of admission but also enhances your likelihood of receiving merit-based scholarships. Since many scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis or have early deadlines, getting your application in by this date is crucial.

  Some scholarships, especially those with higher value, are limited and may be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, applying early ensures you’re in the running before funds start running out.

• Maximize Your Opportunities by Applying Strategically

  While the University automatically considers applicants for merit scholarships, it’s essential to understand that the highest awards are reserved for students with exceptional academic records, test scores, and leadership achievements. For competitive scholarships, submitting additional documents like recommendation letters, personal statements, or a resume highlighting extracurricular activities can help you stand out.

• Leverage Multiple ScholarshipsDon’t limit yourself to just the University of Alabama’s merit scholarships. There are thousands of external scholarships available that you can stack with your merit awards to offset uncovered costs, like room and board or additional fees. Start researching and applying for these external scholarships as early as possible. Many students underestimate how much additional funding they can gather this way.Key strategies include:
  • Look beyond academic scholarships: Scholarships for athletics, arts, leadership, and community service may complement your academic award.
  • Check renewal criteria: Merit scholarships at Alabama are often renewable for up to four years, but they typically require you to maintain a specific GPA or enrollment status. Make sure you’re aware of these requirements to keep your scholarship throughout your academic career.

By applying early, strategically compiling your application, and seeking out additional funding sources, you can better position yourself to take advantage of the University of Alabama’s merit scholarship offerings.

Real Talk: What Merit Scholarships Don’t Cover

While the University promotes generous tuition coverage, here’s what’s often missed:

• Housing & Meal Plans: Expect to pay out-of-pocket for these, as they are not typically covered by merit aid.
• Books, Fees, and Travel: These hidden costs add up quickly. You’ll need additional funding sources or personal savings to cover them.

Insider Tips to Get a University of Alabama Merit Scholarship

Here are the best insider tips from families of students who won scholarships from the University of Alabama. We asked them in our private Road2College Facebook Group called “Paying for College,” and here are their responses.

• Angie M. – “It’s all about the test scores, particularly for OOS students. The GPA threshold is 3.5 but the amount is largely determined by the test score. Alabama does NOT superscore for merit. Start testing early to allow plenty of time to retake. Also, Alabama often offers an additional scholarship to engineering students that stacks on top of the merit scholarship.”
• Brandi W. – “In-state students have a few extra scholarships. Alabama Prestige Scholarship is awarded to at least one qualified applicant per in-state high school and is extremely valuable…full tuition plus first-year housing. There is also a needs-based in-state award called Alabama Advantage Scholarship.”
• Steve H. – “Have current Bama student with a 4+ GPA and a 32 composite when she applied and it was super easy to get the Presidential scholarship award. So good grades and ACT prep are the big keys for them. I think every school my youngest daughter is looking at (in particular Mississippi State and Tennessee for Pre-Veterinary) allows ACT scores to be submitted as late as February of their graduation year. Both MSU and UTK allow super-scores in the scholarship equation. Bama does not.”
• Michaela F. – “We got a fantastic offer from them that went up a few times until the final decision was made. Early application, including SAT scores, and high GPA worked for us.”
• Jenna H. – “Well, besides their automatic merit, my best advice is to wait to commit, which I know is a problem maybe for housing, but my daughter got in there last year and didn’t get any automatic merit. But then they suddenly gave her a pretty nice amount in like March or maybe April. She ultimately chose someplace else, but it became a very affordable option at that point.”
• Dana C. – “My daughter applied early! Test optional. Spent a lot of time on her essay and resume. Received GREAT competitive merit.”
• Leigh S. – “It’s pretty numbers-driven: GPA and scores. Look at their charts online and plan accordingly.”
• Jennifer M. – “Prepare for the SAT/ACT. UA doesn’t super score for auto merit. Try to get that out of the way between the summer leading into junior year and spring of junior year. If the student is a NMF even better.
• Sally D. – “For the general merit scholarship do well on the ACT or the SAT and have a high GPA. For supplemental scholarships have additional extracurriculars or other activities that set you apart and demonstrate leadership or special areas of interest.” 
• Amy W. – “Have your student study and prepare for the junior year PSAT. National Merit Finalists get what is basically a full ride.”
• Sarah H. – “Test prep like crazy to get those scores up.”
• Bruce G. – “A lot of SAT prep.”
• Andrea H. – “Do very well on standardized exams.”
• Selena S. – “Get 32 composite and have a weighted GPA 4.1+”
• Amanda B. – “National Merit is pretty much a full ride, great ACT scores, GPA, etc help. Applying for one of the ‘learning communities’ Blount, Randall Research, University Fellows, etc might be of some help as well. They have one of the largest alumni association-based scholarship programs in the country so there are funds there as well.”
• Sara J. – “My tip is to get the highest GPA and SAT possible. Everything is clearly spelled out on their website.

Get Merit Scholarship Info From All Schools In One Place

Want to easily research merit scholarships for all schools without having to google each college’s common data set?

Check out our R2C Insights tool. It’s an easy-to-use resource that combines government college data (IPEDS) with common data set information.

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Having this information all in one place saves you time otherwise spent searching individual college websites. It also allows you to filter, sort, and compare ANY criteria or combination of criteria that’s important to your family.

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Merit scholarship information for other schools: