Scholarships Awarded by the Admissions Office
The Admissions Office awards a limited number of scholarships for admitted freshmen who apply by the priority deadlines and receive their decision on our February Decision Day. No separate application is needed, and no additional materials or updated information can be submitted for review.
The review process incorporates the same holistic approach used in admissions decisions. Scholarships are awarded based on grades and standardized test scores, as well as extracurricular involvement, leadership, community service, and your personal essay. Our incoming freshman class is always outstanding in all of the above-mentioned areas, which makes awarding scholarships challenging!
With scholarships limited and no pre-set criteria, students with similar test scores, grades, extracurricular activities, and more may receive different scholarship decisions. In 2021, UF Admissions awarded scholarships to approximately 10 percent of admitted freshmen.
If selected for one of our merit-based scholarships, students will be notified via email and status page update by mid-March.
UF does not send notifications to students not selected for scholarships. If you do not hear from us, this means we were not able to offer you a scholarship.
Presidential Scholarships
The Office of Admissions currently offers a limited number of merit-based Presidential scholarships designed for in-state, high-achieving students:
Presidential Scholarship: $5,000 per year (Fall/Spring, total $20,000 over 4 years)
Presidential Gold Scholarship: $8,000 per year (Fall/Spring, total $32,000 over 4 years)
Presidential Platinum Scholarship: $10,000 per year (Fall/Spring, total $40,000 over 4 years)
UF’s Presidential scholarships can be combined with Bright Futures and the Benacquisto Scholarship offered by the Florida Department of Education.
Out-of-State Tuition Waiver
The Office of Admissions currently offers a limited number of merit-based tuition waivers designed to reduce the out-of-state tuition for selected students:
Alumni Scholarship – up to $8,000 per year (Fall/Spring, total up to $32,000 over 4 years)
Sunshine Scholarship – up to $16,000 per year (Fall/Spring, total up to $64,000 over 4 years)
Gator Nation Scholarship – up to $20,000 per year (Fall/Spring, total up to $80,000 over 4 years)
If a student’s residency is updated to in-state for tuition purposes after being awarded a merit-based tuition waiver, they will no longer be eligible, and the award will be cancelled.
The out-of-state fee waiver cannot be combined with another tuition-wavier scholarship (offered by the School of Music, for example) since both scholarships waive the same portion of non-resident tuition.
Admissions Honors Scholarship
For students offered the opportunity to join the University Research Scholars Program, a $2,000 residential tuition waiver will be awarded ($500 waived each fall and spring term). No separate application is needed, and no additional materials or updated information can be submitted for review.
This residential tuition waiver applies to tuition for both Florida residents and non-Florida residents alike, so residency for tuition purposes classification is not considered. This award can combine with the merit-based scholarships listed above (Presidential and Out-of-State Tuition Waivers) but would reduce the amount billed to any Florida PrePaid account.
Southern Scholarship
The Southern Scholarship Foundation supplies housing for academically gifted students who need financial assistance to attend college. Applicants must be Florida residents who are willing to work for their college education and share the responsibilities of living cooperatively in a house with other students. The university has two scholarship houses for men and four houses for women. Students should contact the Southern Scholarship Foundation at (352) 377-1282 or TTurner@southernscholarship. More information: www.southernscholarship.org.
Note: The Southern Scholarship is awarded by the Southern Scholarship Foundation.
Scholarships Available at UF
Bright Futures Scholarships
The Florida Department of Education offers the Florida Bright Futures Scholarships for high school graduates. For more information, refer to Florida Student Financial Aid or call (888) 827-2004 prior to your high school graduation. Additional questions can be directed to the UF’s Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships (SFA).
National Merit Finalists/Benacquisto Scholarship
UF offers a $500 annual National Merit Scholarship to National Merit Finalists who indicate UF as their first-choice institution with the National Merit Corporation by their deadline of May 31. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation sends periodic rosters of finalists who have indicated UF as first choice beginning in early March and continuing monthly through the beginning of June.
UF’s National Merit Scholarship qualifies as a college-sponsored scholarship under the requirements for the Benacquisto Scholarship, which is offered by the Florida Department of Education and covers the remaining institutionally posted cost of attendance (minus Bright Futures and the qualifying National Merit Scholarship) for in-state residents.
The Benacquisto Scholarship Program is a state-funded program that is appropriated by the legislature each year, so funding is subject to change. For more information, view the Benacquisto Scholarship requirements.
Lombardi and Stamps Scholarships
The Honors Program offers the John V. Lombardi Scholarship and the Stamps Family Scholarship for incoming students who rank at the top of their class and demonstrate service to the community, extracurricular involvement, leadership and high moral character. The application cycle for these awards begins in the fall of each year; students should apply during their senior year in high school. Each Florida high school can nominate up to two students for these awards.
Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars
The Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars program provides financial resources and individual support with the primary goal of graduating first generation, low-income undergraduate students. By addressing systemic barriers and challenges, the Machen Florida Opportunity Scholars program provides a full grant and scholarship financial aid package as well as a comprehensive support program to ensure students thrive at UF. To be eligible, students must first be admitted into the University of Florida as a first-year student. Upon completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), students are invited to complete the MFOS Supplemental Form if they meet the initial eligibility criteria. Specifically, the program supports students whose annual family income is less than $40,000 and assets are less than $25,000.
United World Scholarships
United World Scholarships, awarded for up to eight semesters, attract academically talented world citizens from the United World College environment to the University of Florida’s freshman population. To qualify, a student must have graduated from one of the United World Colleges and be admitted to the UF Honors Program. Additional information is available from United World Colleges online at www.uwc.org.
