We answer questions about methods of payment, waivers, tuition, when and how to apply for scholarships, Bright Futures, where to research scholarships, tips and techniques and more.
No, there are not fixed criteria for UCF merit scholarships. A variety of factors, but especially high school academic performance, ACT, SAT, or CLT results, application timing, leadership and extracurricular involvement, play a role in awarding scholarship offers.
Undocumented students studying in the United States are not eligible for federal student aid. Information on financial assistance available to undocumented students can be obtained by visiting our Office of Student Financial Assistance website.
Undocumented students, with or without DACA, can be eligible for in-state tuition if they meet the requirements stated in Florida Statute F.S. 1009.26. These requirements include:
Undergraduate Admissions can only offer one scholarship to any one student. Typically, we will offer you the highest award for which you qualify.
No, you must begin your enrollment at UCF no later than the fall semester for which the scholarship was awarded.
Your merit scholarship does not apply to the first summer semester after high school at UCF. However, students may request future summer semester scholarship disbursements from the Office of Student Financial Assistance.
Your scholarship may be combined with other non-Undergraduate Admissions awards including Florida Bright Futures, Florida Pre-Paid, private scholarships and need-based assistance. Scholarship funds will first be applied toward the balance of your tuition and fees. If any funds remain after your student account is paid, they will be applied to any outstanding university debts. Once your student account is cleared, any remaining funds will be disbursed directly to you within the first two weeks of the beginning of each fall and spring semester. Excess funds may be received by mail or electronic funds transfer. You may make arrangements for direct deposit through Student Accounts.
No. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions does not require the FAFSA to be submitted to receive a merit scholarship. You and your family may wish to still submit the FAFSA to be considered for need-based aid, and you should review the filing requirements for any other scholarships to which you are applying.
Please contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance for more information regarding the FAFSA and financial aid.
Yes, you must still submit the nonrefundable enrollment deposit even if you are offered or accept your scholarship.
Yes, we accept credit cards for tuition, as well as at locations across the campus. You can also use your UCF ID card, which also operates as a bank card. Please visit the UCF Card Services website for more information about the UCF Card.
There are a number of waivers the university offers that may apply to out-of-state students. Please check with the Registrar’s Office for information on eligibility and requirements for these waivers.
Known as the “grandparent tuition waiver,” out-of-state students who earn a designated SAT, ACT or CLT score and meet other requirements set forth by the Florida Board of Governors may be eligible to have UCF’s out-of-state tuition fees waived if they have a grandparent who legally resides in Florida.
The waiver would apply to 110% of a degree program’s required credit hours. Waivers awarded by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, including the Grandparent Waiver, may not be combined with other admissions merit-based scholarships.
The Grandparent Waiver Instructions and Application form is available on the Forms Website.
NOTE: Recipients of the Grandparent Waiver must submit a $200 Enrollment Deposit by the May 1 deposit deadline. Since UCF has a limited number of waivers to award, students who do not submit a $200 Enrollment Deposit by the deadline may have their Grandparent Waiver revoked.
A strong academic record in high school and a competitive ACT, SAT or CLT score are factors in choosing scholarship recipients, but timing is key. Applying early means there are more scholarship opportunities available to you, so apply during your senior year from September to December.
We also value leadership, extracurricular activities and community service, but no single factor guarantees or excludes you from getting a scholarship. We consider each applicant on an individual basis.
Merit scholarship funding is limited. On average, just 25% of admitted students are offered a merit scholarship. Awarding is based primarily upon the student’s academic credentials. It is typical of students awarded a scholarship to have earned test scores and grades above the incoming fall FTIC average of 1332 SAT, 28 ACT, 95 CLT and 4.25 GPA. Most awardees will have presented only A’s and B’s throughout their high school career, however, no one factor guarantees or excludes a student from being awarded a merit scholarship.
Admitted First-Time-in-College (FTIC) students for summer and fall who met the November 1 Scholarship Priority Deadline were evaluated by the Scholarship Committee in the first round of scholarship reviews. If scholarship funding remains after the initial award round, the Scholarship Committee may review admitted FTIC students whose application files were completed after November 1 st .
Students may submit an appeal to the Scholarship Committee if one of the following conditions are met:
Appeals must include academic credentials that were not available during the initial scholarship review.
The deadline to submit a scholarship appeal and supporting documentation was March 15, 2024. All students who have appealed will be notified of their appeal decision by April 1, 2024.
Due to limited merit scholarship funding, no further scholarship appeals will be accepted for summer or fall 2024.
Start by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) prior to March 1 of your senior year in high school — you can apply online at fafsa.ed.gov.
Not sure if you qualify? Still apply, as you could receive financial assistance that is not need-based.
