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The University of Alabama · Alabama

Alabama scholarships and merit aid

Public flagship with the clearest automatic out-of-state merit aid table in the country. Formula-driven awards from 25 ACT upward, plus one of the richest National Merit Finalist packages available at any U.S. public university.

Verified Jul 20262 months ago

The short answer

Is Alabama worth a closer look?

Alabama is worth checking if your student has strong grades or scores. We found 19 published awards, and 15 are based on those numbers.

See our full reasoning

Worth optimizing for if your student is high-stat out-of-state. The 2026 ladder has two mid-tiers many families miss, and the biggest test-prep payoff sits at 29 and 30 ACT.

Alabama is the strongest published merit play in the country for out-of-state applicants: predictable, formula-driven, automatic. UA's 2026 out-of-state table includes two mid-rungs many families miss — Capstone ($8,000 at 27 ACT) and Foundation in Excellence ($15,000 at 29 ACT) — so the ladder steps $6,000 / $8,000 / $10,000 / $15,000 / $24,000 / $28,000 from 25 to 32 ACT at a 3.5 GPA. The biggest single move is 29 to 30 ACT, worth +$9,000/yr (Foundation in Excellence to UA Scholar), followed by 28 to 29 at +$5,000/yr. Everything on the table is automatic with admission — but only official, single-test-date scores count (UA does not superscore for scholarships), and the December 4 priority deadline gates both the automatic tiers and the separate holistic competitive awards (UA Competitive Admissions, UA Competitive Achievement). One long-standing worry has a published answer: UA's own FAQ states external scholarships do NOT reduce UA scholarships; the cost-of-attendance cap applies to institutional funds, with outside sources explicitly excluded. The stacking trap at Alabama is internal — its big competitive packages (Academic Elite, Alabama Prestige) replace lesser UA awards rather than adding to them.

Merit tiers1915 based on grades or scores
First-year students with school awards40%First-year students, CDS 2025-2026
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team
Denny Chimes at the University of Alabama

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Published scholarships

These amounts and requirements come from the school’s own published pages. Open an award to see who qualifies and how to keep it.

Where you landAutomatic merit aid by ACT compositeEach bar marks the ACT score range that qualifies for the tier.
Presidential Elite ScholarTuition value for 8 semesters
ACT 36SAT 1600 · GPA 4.0+
Presidential Elite Scholar (Alabama residents)Tuition value for 8 semesters
ACT 36SAT 1600 · GPA 4.0+
Presidential Scholarship$28,000/yr
ACT 32–36SAT 1420–1600 · GPA 3.5+
UA Scholar$24,000/yr
ACT 30–31SAT 1360–1410 · GPA 3.5+
Presidential Scholarship (Alabama residents)Full in-state tuition
ACT 30–36SAT 1360–1600 · GPA 3.5+
Foundation in Excellence (out-of-state)$15,000/yr
ACT 29SAT 1330–1350 · GPA 3.5+
Foundation in Excellence (Alabama residents)$9,000/yr
ACT 29–36SAT 1330–1600 · GPA 3.0+
UA Collegiate Scholarship$10,000/yr
ACT 28SAT 1300–1320 · GPA 3.5+
Collegiate Scholarship (Alabama residents)$8,000/yr
ACT 28–29SAT 1300–1350 · GPA 3.0+
Capstone Scholarship (out-of-state)$8,000/yr
ACT 27SAT 1260–1290 · GPA 3.5+
Capstone Scholarship (Alabama residents)$7,000/yr
ACT 27–28SAT 1260–1320 · GPA 3.0+
UA Legends Scholarship (Alabama residents)$6,000/yr
ACT 26–27SAT 1230–1290 · GPA 3.0+
Crimson Legends Scholarship$6,000/yr
ACT 25–26SAT 1200–1250 · GPA 3.5+
Crimson Achievement Scholarship (Alabama residents)$5,000/yr
ACT 25–26SAT 1200–1250 · GPA 3.0+
UA Recognition Scholarship (Alabama residents)$4,000/yr
ACT 24–25SAT 1160–1220 · GPA 3.0+

Not on this ladder: National Merit Finalist Award, UA Competitive Admissions Scholarship (out-of-state), UA Competitive Achievement Scholarship, Alabama Prestige Scholarship (Alabama residents) — application required, holistic, or scored on a different axis.

View as table
TierACT compositeAward
Presidential Elite Scholar36Tuition value for 8 semesters + 1 year on-campus housing + $1,500/yr supplemental + $2,000 one-time research/study-abroad allowance
Presidential Elite Scholar (Alabama residents)36Tuition value for 8 semesters + 1 year on-campus housing + $1,500/yr supplemental + $2,000 one-time research/study-abroad allowance
Presidential Scholarship32–36$28,000/year
UA Scholar30–31$24,000/year
Presidential Scholarship (Alabama residents)30–36Full in-state tuition
Foundation in Excellence (out-of-state)29$15,000/year
Foundation in Excellence (Alabama residents)29–36$9,000/year
UA Collegiate Scholarship28$10,000/year
Collegiate Scholarship (Alabama residents)28–29$8,000/year
Capstone Scholarship (out-of-state)27$8,000/year
Capstone Scholarship (Alabama residents)27–28$7,000/year
UA Legends Scholarship (Alabama residents)26–27$6,000/year
Crimson Legends Scholarship25–26$6,000/year
Crimson Achievement Scholarship (Alabama residents)25–26$5,000/year
UA Recognition Scholarship (Alabama residents)24–25$4,000/year
Tuition value for 8 semesters…Tuition value for 8 semesters + 1 year on-campus housing + $1,500/yr supplemental + $2,000 one-time research/study-abroad allowance

Presidential Elite Scholar

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
4.0+
SAT
1600
ACT
36
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Alabama's top automatic tier. Same package structure for in-state and out-of-state applicants.

Source

$28,000/year

Presidential Scholarship

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.5+
SAT
1420–1600
ACT
32–36
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Admitted National Merit Semifinalists with a 3.5+ GPA after junior year are automatically eligible at the Presidential tier per UA's National Merit page.

Source

$24,000/year

UA Scholar

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.5+
SAT
1360–1410
ACT
30–31
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Source

$15,000/year

Foundation in Excellence (out-of-state)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.5+
SAT
1330–1350
ACT
29
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Mid-rung of UA's 2026 out-of-state table that older aggregator tables omit. Sits between Collegiate ($10,000 at 28 ACT) and UA Scholar ($24,000 at 30 ACT).

Source

$10,000/year

UA Collegiate Scholarship

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.5+
SAT
1300–1320
ACT
28
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

In UA's 2026 out-of-state table the Collegiate band is 28 ACT / 1300-1320 SAT only; a 29 ACT now maps to the higher Foundation in Excellence tier.

Source

$8,000/year

Capstone Scholarship (out-of-state)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.5+
SAT
1260–1290
ACT
27
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Mid-rung of UA's 2026 out-of-state table, between Crimson Legends and Collegiate; older aggregator tables omit it.

Source

$6,000/year

Crimson Legends Scholarship

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.5+
SAT
1200–1250
ACT
25–26
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Out-of-state entry tier. Kicks in at a 25 ACT with a 3.5 GPA, which is one of the lowest automatic merit thresholds at any public flagship.

Source

Tuition value for 8 semesters…Tuition value for 8 semesters + 1 year on-campus housing + $1,500/yr supplemental + $2,000 one-time research/study-abroad allowance

Presidential Elite Scholar (Alabama residents)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
4.0+
SAT
1600
ACT
36
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Alabama residents at the 4.0/36 ACT ceiling receive the same Presidential Elite package as out-of-state applicants. The lower in-state Presidential Scholarship (full in-state tuition only) starts at 30 ACT.

Source

Full in-state tuition

Presidential Scholarship (Alabama residents)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.5+
SAT
1360–1600
ACT
30–36
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Alabama residents only. Covers in-state tuition without the housing or supplemental allowances that come with the Presidential Elite Scholar package. The ACT threshold for the resident Presidential is 30, not 32 like the out-of-state version.

Source

$9,000/year

Foundation in Excellence (Alabama residents)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.0+
SAT
1330–1600
ACT
29–36
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Alabama residents only. Two qualifying bands: 3.0–3.49 GPA with a 30–36 ACT, or 3.5+ GPA with a 29 ACT.

Source

$8,000/year

Collegiate Scholarship (Alabama residents)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.0+
SAT
1300–1350
ACT
28–29
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Alabama residents only. Two qualifying bands: 3.0–3.49 GPA with a 29 ACT, or 3.5+ GPA with a 28 ACT.

Source

$7,000/year

Capstone Scholarship (Alabama residents)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.0+
SAT
1260–1320
ACT
27–28
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Alabama residents only. Two qualifying bands: 3.0–3.49 GPA with a 28 ACT, or 3.5+ GPA with a 27 ACT.

Source

$6,000/year

UA Legends Scholarship (Alabama residents)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.0+
SAT
1230–1290
ACT
26–27
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Alabama residents only. Two qualifying bands: 3.0–3.49 GPA with a 27 ACT, or 3.5+ GPA with a 26 ACT.

Source

$5,000/year

Crimson Achievement Scholarship (Alabama residents)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.0+
SAT
1200–1250
ACT
25–26
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Alabama residents only. Two qualifying bands: 3.0–3.49 GPA with a 26 ACT, or 3.5+ GPA with a 25 ACT.

Source

$4,000/year

UA Recognition Scholarship (Alabama residents)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.0+
SAT
1160–1220
ACT
24–25
See who qualifies and how to keep it
How to keep it

Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Alabama residents only. Entry tier of the in-state automatic ladder. Two qualifying bands: 3.0–3.49 GPA with a 25 ACT, or 3.5+ GPA with a 24 ACT.

Source

Tuition value for up to 5 years…Tuition value for up to 5 years (10 semesters) + 4 years on-campus housing at the regular room rate + $4,000/year supplemental for 4 years + $2,000 one-time research/international study allowance

National Merit Finalist Award

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

National Merit Finalist with at least a 3.5 GPA after completion of junior year, AND list The University of Alabama as college of choice with NMSC before May 1. December 4 priority application deadline; applications accepted through May 1 on a space-available basis.

How to keep it

Package runs through 5 years / 10 semesters, covering undergrad plus one year of graduate or law

Notes

One of the richest NMF packages at any U.S. public university. The critical step is listing UA as college of choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation before May 1; missing that step forfeits the package entirely.

Source

$6,000 up to tuition value

UA Competitive Admissions Scholarship (out-of-state)

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Holistic review of academic and non-academic application components (GPA, academic honors, leadership, volunteer and extracurricular activities, employment). Application and all supporting documents by the December 4 priority deadline; notification in late February. No published test-score threshold.

How to keep it

Renewable per UA's standard competitive-scholarship stewardship: cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

UA's holistic competitive layer for out-of-state freshmen, considered from the same admission application. Cannot be combined with the UA Competitive Achievement or Alabama Prestige Scholarships — students receive the highest of the competitive offers. The in-state version is valued at $3,000 up to tuition.

Source

Value of tuition for up to 4 years…Value of tuition for up to 4 years (8 semesters) + $1,000/year supplemental for 4 years + first year of on-campus housing at regular room rate

UA Competitive Achievement Scholarship

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Holistic review; UA highlights students with demonstrated academic excellence, especially national distinction in their intended professional or academic area. All first-time freshmen who meet the December 4 priority deadline are considered; notification in late February.

How to keep it

Renewable per UA's standard stewardship policy: cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Open to in-state and out-of-state freshmen. Coverage is tuition value, not full cost of attendance. Not combinable with the UA Competitive Admissions or Alabama Prestige Scholarships — the student receives the highest competitive offer.

Source

Tuition for 4 years…Tuition for 4 years + first year of on-campus housing at regular room rate

Alabama Prestige Scholarship (Alabama residents)

Apply separatelyCan continue
GPA
3.5+
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

In-state student attending an Alabama high school; unconditional admission to UA; application and all supporting documents by December 4. Awarded to at least one student from every high school in the state; selection is holistic (course rigor, GPA, leadership, honors, activities or work experience). No test-score threshold published.

How to keep it

Renewable per UA's standard stewardship policy: cumulative 3.0 UA GPA AND completion of at least 67% of cumulative UA credit hours attempted

Notes

Upgrade-only: students who previously received automatic merit, a competitive admissions scholarship, or program scholarships of lesser value are upgraded to the Prestige package rather than stacking awards.

Source

See what could change an award

Rules that could change the answer

These are the rules we would flag for your family. Each comes from Alabama's published information.

  • Cutoff cliffOne ACT point can move the award by +$2,000/yr (Crimson Legends → Capstone)

    Alabama publishes a tier ladder where crossing OOS 3.5 GPA · 26 → 27 ACT changes the marginal value by +$2,000/yr (Crimson Legends → Capstone).

Straight from the aid office

What Alabama's aid office says

Per Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, The University of Alabama, August 2026. How we verify

GPA used for scholarships

Which GPA does Alabama use for scholarship eligibility?

The GPA printed on the student's transcript, taken as-is. The office does not recalculate it — so whether that number is weighted or unweighted depends on how your high school reports GPA on the transcript.

“Scholarship eligibility is based on the GPA that is listed on the student's transcript.”
Superscoring

Does Alabama superscore the SAT or ACT for scholarships?

No. Scholarship eligibility uses the highest single-sitting composite score, not a superscore built from multiple test dates.

“We do not use super scores for scholarship eligibility. We go based on the highest composite score.”
Merit + competitive awards

If a student earns both an automatic merit award and a competitive scholarship, do they stack?

No — the student receives the single award with the highest monetary value, not both.

“Merit and competitive scholarships are not stackable. If a student was eligible for both, they would received the one with the highest monetary value.”

Worth confirmingAlabama's published engineering pages state that College of Engineering scholarships DO stack with Undergraduate Admissions merit awards (except National Merit packages). Read the office's statement as covering university-level merit and competitive packages; if a departmental award is in play, ask that department to confirm stacking in writing.

Outside scholarships

Does an outside (private) scholarship reduce what Alabama awards?

No. Outside scholarships stack on top of UA merit and competitive awards — the office confirmed the UA-awarded amount is not affected. (Questions about how outside money interacts with loans go to the Financial Aid office.)

“Merit and competitive scholarships can be stacked with external scholarships. The amount he is awarded for scholarships would not be affected.”
Keeping the scholarship

What does a student have to do to keep the scholarship each year?

Maintain a 3.0 cumulative UA GPA, earn at least 67% of all UA credit hours attempted, and stay full-time — which the office defines as 12 or more credit hours per semester.

“They must maintain a 3.0 GPA and earn at least 67% of all UA credit hours attempted. Students are considered a full-time student by taking 12 or more credit hours each semester.”

What families often miss

  1. The package is automatic in the sense that it requires no separate UA scholarship application, but the student MUST list The University of Alabama as their college of choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation before May 1 and maintain at least a 3.5 GPA after completion of junior year. December 4 is the priority application deadline; late applications are accepted only through May 1 on a space-available basis. Missing the NMSC college-of-choice step forfeits the entire package, which is worth roughly a quarter-million dollars over 5 years. This is the single most expensive mistake a qualifying family can make at Alabama.

  2. December 4 is UA's priority deadline for scholarships, not just admission. For the automatic merit tiers, UA counts GPAs through the end of junior year, and the application plus official score reports must all be in by December 4. For the holistic competitive layer — the UA Competitive Admissions Scholarship ($6,000 up to tuition OOS, $3,000 up to tuition in-state), the UA Competitive Achievement Scholarship (tuition + $1,000/yr + first-year housing), and the in-state Alabama Prestige Scholarship — the December 4 deadline is the gate for consideration, with notifications in late February.

  3. UA's automatic merit tiers use the composite or total score from a SINGLE test date, submitted officially by the testing agency — UA explicitly does not superscore for scholarship purposes, and self-reported scores don't count. A student whose 30 ACT superscore is built from two 29-composite sittings lands in the $15,000 Foundation in Excellence tier, not the $24,000 UA Scholar tier. The Witt University Fellows (Academic Elite) eligibility gate is also non-superscored: 32 ACT or 1420 SAT from one sitting. Plan retakes to move the single-date composite, not the section scores.

  4. It does not. UA's published rule on the Academic Elite page is that students who win it "cannot combine this award with any previously awarded merit scholarship or scholarship package. The student will receive the higher scholarship package." The Witt selection replaces, not adds to, the automatic tier. Families budgeting against an Academic Elite + Presidential Elite combined total will overestimate net aid by the value of the smaller package.

See award cutoffs and special programs

What your stats actually unlock at Alabama

Verified against UA's published 2026 in-state and out-of-state automatic merit tables (accessed July 2026). Only official, single-test-date scores count — UA does not superscore for scholarships.

Student profileLikely outcome
OOS · 3.5 GPA · 25-26 ACTCrimson Legends — $6,000/yrEntry tier of the OOS ladder; one of the lowest automatic merit thresholds at any public flagship.
OOS · 3.5 GPA · 27 ACTCapstone — $8,000/yrA mid-rung of the 2026 OOS table that older aggregator tables omit.
OOS · 3.5 GPA · 28 ACTCollegiate — $10,000/yr
OOS · 3.5 GPA · 29 ACTFoundation in Excellence — $15,000/yrA mid-rung of the 2026 OOS table that older aggregator tables omit; +$5,000/yr over the 28 ACT Collegiate tier.
OOS · 3.5 GPA · 30-31 ACTUA Scholar — $24,000/yrBiggest single-step jump in the ladder: +$9,000/yr over 29 ACT.
OOS · 3.5 GPA · 32-36 ACTPresidential Scholarship — $28,000/yr
Any · 4.0 GPA · 36 ACT / 1600 SATPresidential Elite — tuition value + 1 yr housing + $1,500/yr supplemental + $2,000 one-timeSame package for in-state and out-of-state.
NMF, lists UA #1 with NMSC by May 15 yrs tuition value + 4 yrs on-campus housing + $4,000/yr supplemental + $2,000 stipendReplaces (does not stack with) the automatic tiers. The NMSC #1-choice deadline is non-negotiable.
In-state · 3.0 GPA · 30 ACTFoundation in Excellence (residents) — $9,000/yrResidents get two GPA bands per tier; at 3.5+ GPA the same $9,000 unlocks at 29 ACT.
In-state · 3.5 GPA · 30 ACTPresidential (Alabama residents) — full in-state tuition

Cliff math: what each threshold is actually worth

Marginal annual value of crossing each ACT line, calculated against UA's published 2026 out-of-state table (accessed July 2026). Useful for deciding whether another test-prep round is worth it.

ThresholdMarginal value
OOS 3.5 GPA · 26 → 27 ACT+$2,000/yr (Crimson Legends → Capstone)
OOS 3.5 GPA · 27 → 28 ACT+$2,000/yr (Capstone → Collegiate)
OOS 3.5 GPA · 28 → 29 ACT+$5,000/yr (Collegiate → Foundation in Excellence)Foundation in Excellence is the mid-rung older aggregator tables omit; a single ACT point here is worth $20,000 over four years.
OOS 3.5 GPA · 29 → 30 ACT+$9,000/yr (Foundation in Excellence → UA Scholar)Largest single-step gain in the OOS ladder. If your student is at 28 or 29, a retake to 30 is the highest-value test-prep target at Alabama.
OOS 3.5 GPA · 31 → 32 ACT+$4,000/yr (UA Scholar → Presidential)
OOS 4.0 GPA · 35 → 36 ACTPresidential ($28,000/yr) → Presidential Elite (tuition value + first-year housing + supplemental). Roughly $8,700/yr more in tuition value alone at 2026-27 rates, over $50,000 total across four years with housing and stipends.The 36 vs 35 gap at 4.0 GPA is the second-largest cliff in the ladder. A 32 ACT / 1420 SAT (single test date) with a 3.5 GPA also opens eligibility to apply for the Witt University Fellows Program, the gate to UA's Academic Elite Scholarships.
NMF: list UA #1 with NMSC by May 1, vs miss the dateRoughly $50,000/yr swing (loss of the entire NMF package — ~$250K total over 5 years).Single most expensive scholarship deadline at Alabama. Not on the .edu's main scholarship page.

Alabama Presidential Elite Scholar

Alabama's top automatic merit tier. Same package for in-state and out-of-state students at 4.0 GPA / 36 ACT / 1600 SAT (single test date): value of tuition for up to four years or eight semesters, first year of on-campus housing at the regular room rate, $1,500/yr supplemental for four years, and a $2,000 one-time research/international-study allowance after the first year. Renewable with a 3.0 cumulative UA GPA and completion of at least 67% of attempted credit hours. Coverage is tuition value, not full cost of attendance. Important: the competitive Academic Elite award (Witt University Fellows) does NOT stack; students who win it receive the higher of the two packages, not both.

Source

Alabama Presidential Scholarship

The OOS Presidential ($28,000/yr at 32-36 ACT or 1420-1600 SAT with a 3.5+ GPA) is automatic with admission and renewable for 8 semesters with a 3.0 cumulative UA GPA. Admitted National Merit Semifinalists with a 3.5+ GPA after junior year are automatically eligible for the Presidential Scholarship. The in-state version covers full in-state tuition starting at 30 ACT / 1360 SAT with a 3.5 GPA. The Presidential is the single highest-leverage automatic tier for the median high-stat OOS applicant; it's the line where Alabama's package starts to dominate peer SEC schools' published merit math.

Source

Alabama National Merit Finalist Package

One of the richest published National Merit packages at any U.S. public university: value of tuition for up to five years or 10 semesters (undergraduate plus one year of graduate or law study), four years of on-campus housing at the regular room rate, a $4,000/yr undergraduate supplemental scholarship for four years, and a $2,000 one-time research/international-study allowance. Requirements per UA's National Merit page: at least a 3.5 GPA after completion of junior year and listing The University of Alabama as college of choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation before May 1. December 4 is the priority application deadline; applications are accepted through May 1 on a space-available basis. The package replaces, rather than stacks on, the automatic tiers. Coverage is tuition value, not full cost of attendance.

Source

Alabama Foundation in Excellence Scholarship

The most-missed rung of UA's 2026 out-of-state table: $15,000/yr for out-of-state freshmen with a 29 ACT or 1330-1350 SAT (single test date) and a 3.5+ GPA. It fills the gap between the $10,000 Collegiate tier at 28 ACT and the $24,000 UA Scholar tier at 30 — a 29 ACT is worth $5,000/yr more than a 28, and older aggregator tables omit this tier entirely. Alabama residents have their own Foundation in Excellence tier at $9,000/yr (3.0-3.49 GPA with a 30-36 ACT, or 3.5+ GPA with a 29 ACT). Renewable for 8 semesters with a 3.0 cumulative UA GPA and 67% credit-hour completion.

Source

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Out-of-state families who want predictable, formula-driven merit dollars instead of holistic review. Alabama's OOS tiers are published in full, automatic on stats, and renewable for 8 semesters. It works especially well for middle-income families across the country who want private-school-style merit dollars at a public-flagship sticker price.

Cost of attendance$35,392–$60,400 for 2026-2027Each bar is the full published cost for that scenario, sized against the highest figure so totals compare at a glance.
Out-of-state, on-campus$60,400
In-state, on-campus$35,392
  • Tuition & fees
  • Housing & food
  • Books
  • Travel
  • Personal
  • Loan fees

Official page updated to 2026-2027; figures supersede the 2025-2026 input total.

Alabama cost-of-attendance source

Cost and graduation facts

Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at Alabama, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.

Average annual net price by family income at Alabama, academic year 2021-22 — in-state, Title-IV aid recipients only
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$19,169
$30,001–$48,000$19,884
$48,001–$75,000$22,258
$75,001–$110,000$25,658
$110,001+$26,729
All income levels (average)$22,420

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
$12,180
Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
$34,172
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$22,420

That works out to roughly a 33% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $33,382 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

Alabama is a public school; Scorecard's net price figure covers in-state, Title-IV-aid-recipient payers only — there is no comparable federal figure for out-of-state students.

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
73%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
89%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$22,750 (~$241/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$59,221
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
20%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
35%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

UA's published FAQ states that external scholarships, military benefits, and college savings plans do NOT impact scholarships at UA. The cost-of-attendance cap on UA's own institutional scholarships explicitly excludes outside sources of aid.

Verified policy language (2026-07-14), from UA's scholarship FAQ: "Do external scholarships, military benefits or college saving plans impact scholarships at UA? No." UA's institutional-scholarship COA cap is a separate, UA-internal rule: institutional scholarships are reduced to prevent exceeding the full cost of attendance, with federal entitlement funding excluded (Pell Grant, VA benefits) — and UA's Academic Elite page adds that this cap "does not affect any outside sources of aid such as veteran benefits, PACT, external agency and scholarships, privately funded scholarships, federal grants and loans." The real stacking risk at Alabama is UA-to-UA: the three competitive freshman packages (Competitive Admissions, Competitive Achievement, Alabama Prestige) may not be combined with each other, prestigious competitive packages replace rather than stack on automatic merit (the student receives the higher package), and an Academic Elite winner who is also a National Merit Finalist has the Academic Elite supplemental reduced by the value of the NM stipend. No page publishes a dollar-for-dollar displacement schedule for outside awards; UA's only published statement is the FAQ's "No."

Source

More school data

From the Alabama Common Data Set 2025-2026:

Merit penetrationHow likely is merit aid here?From Alabama’s Common Data Set: the share of first-year students who receive institutional merit and the average dollar amount when they do.
40%of admitsget merit
Average award$16,895Covers ~28% of $60,400 cost of attendance

At Alabama, roughly 1 in 3 first-year admits receive institutional merit aid. The average award is $16,895 — about 28% of total cost.

Where you standACT composite landscapeThe mid-50% admit band shows where most admitted students score. The merit zone shows the score range that qualifies for at least one automatic merit tier.

Merit starts at ACT 24+, inside the 22–31 admit band. A typical admit already qualifies for at least entry-tier merit.

SAT mid-50%1100–136025th / 75th percentile
ACT mid-50%22–3125th / 75th percentile
Receive institutional merit40%First-year students
Average merit award$16,895Across recipients

Source: Common Data Set

Other Alabama scholarships worth checking

These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.

Amount8 recipients per class: 4 years tuition + 1 year on-campus housing + $9,000/year supplemental for 4 years ($36,000 total). The single top recipient receives an enhanced package: $9,000 yr 1 + $19,000/year yrs 2–4 ($66,000 supplemental total) + a $5,000 one-time research/study allowance.EligibilityCompetitive; requires acceptance into the Witt University Fellows Program and continued WUFP membership. Eligibility to apply requires at least a 3.5 high school GPA and a minimum non-superscored 32 ACT or 1420 SAT (gate published on UA's Witt University Fellows page at honors.ua.edu). The applicant pool typically exceeds 1,000 students for 8 awards.

Cannot stack with prior merit. UA's published rule: "students awarded an Academic Elite Scholarship cannot combine this award with any previously awarded merit scholarship or scholarship package. The student will receive the higher scholarship package." A National Merit Finalist selected as an Academic Elite Scholar has the supplemental scholarship reduced by the value of their NM stipend.

Source

AmountResearch placement program (not a direct cash scholarship)EligibilityLives under UA's Honors College. Distinct application. The program is more about research placement with faculty mentors than about cash awards, but it substantially boosts graduate school and fellowship prospects.

Families chasing merit dollars alone sometimes skip this; students planning to apply for Rhodes, Marshall, or Goldwater later should apply.

Source

AmountVaries (departmental)EligibilityAwarded by the UA College of Engineering to admitted students pursuing STEM majors. Separate from the main automatic OOS tier ladder.

Specific named tiers are published on the College of Engineering scholarship page and are not included in the Foundation Scholars or Presidential tier calculations.

Source

Alabama merit aid FAQ

  • Does the University of Alabama give automatic merit scholarships?

    Yes. Alabama publishes full automatic merit tables for both residents and non-residents, keyed to GPA and a single-test-date ACT/SAT score. The 2026 out-of-state ladder runs from Crimson Legends ($6,000/yr at 25 ACT / 3.5 GPA) through Capstone ($8,000), Collegiate ($10,000), Foundation in Excellence ($15,000), UA Scholar ($24,000), and Presidential ($28,000 at 32 ACT), topping out at Presidential Elite (tuition value plus first-year housing at 36 ACT / 4.0 GPA). Awards are assigned automatically with admission — no separate scholarship application — but the application and documents must be in by the December 4 priority deadline.

  • What GPA and test score do you need for a full ride at Alabama?

    Alabama's closest published equivalents to a full ride are the Presidential Elite Scholar (4.0+ GPA with a 36 ACT or 1600 SAT from a single test date: tuition value for 8 semesters, first year of on-campus housing, $1,500/yr supplemental, $2,000 one-time allowance) and the National Merit Finalist package (tuition value for up to 10 semesters, 4 years of housing, $4,000/yr supplemental). Both cover tuition value plus housing — not the full cost of attendance, so budget for food, books, and personal costs. Alabama residents with a 3.5 GPA and 30 ACT get full in-state tuition through the resident Presidential Scholarship.

  • Do I need to apply separately for Alabama's automatic out-of-state scholarships?

    No. Admitted students are automatically reviewed using their verified GPA and official test scores, and the appropriate tier is assigned as part of the admission offer. The competitive layer — the UA Competitive Admissions Scholarship, UA Competitive Achievement Scholarship, and in-state Alabama Prestige Scholarship — is also evaluated from the same admission application (December 4 priority deadline), with notification in late February. Only programs like the Witt University Fellows (Academic Elite) and specific Honors College or departmental awards involve separate processes.

  • Is the National Merit Finalist package stackable with Presidential Elite?

    The NMF package is its own benefit tier, not an additive stack on top of Presidential Elite. A student who is both a 4.0/36 ACT candidate and an NMF who lists Alabama as college of choice with NMSC before May 1 effectively receives the NMF terms (5-year tuition value + 4 years of housing + $4,000/year supplemental + $2,000 research stipend), which replaces rather than adds to the lower automatic tiers.

  • How does Alabama handle outside scholarships?

    UA's published FAQ answers this directly: external scholarships, military benefits, and college savings plans do NOT impact scholarships at UA. The cost-of-attendance cap that limits UA's own institutional scholarships explicitly excludes outside sources — veteran benefits, PACT, external agency and privately funded scholarships, and federal grants and loans. The caution runs the other direction: a UA scholarship could affect the outside award's own rules, so check with the external scholarship provider.

  • Do my automatic scholarships renew for all four years?

    Yes. Alabama's automatic merit and competitive scholarships renew for 8 semesters (4 years) as long as the student maintains at least a cumulative 3.0 UA GPA and completes at least 67% of the total UA credit hours attempted. Students who miss the standard move through a published warning status before losing the award, and only one appeal is allowed.

  • Is the National Merit Finalist package really worth up to 5 years of tuition?

    Yes. The published terms cover tuition value for up to 10 semesters (5 years), which includes the undergraduate degree plus one year of graduate or law school at Alabama. Combined with 4 years of on-campus housing at the regular room rate and the $4,000/year supplemental scholarship, the total published value is one of the highest NMF packages at any U.S. public university. The catch is listing UA as college of choice with NMSC before May 1, which is not optional.

See sources and other schools

How Alabama compares

  • 14 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use no-displacement displacement.

    Alabama is in the small minority (14 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

  • 665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

    Alabama is one of them. The cohort minority (84 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.

  • 63 of 749 verified schools publish a marginal-value cliff table we can quantify.

    Alabama is one of them. Most schools won't tell families what one ACT point is actually worth. At the schools that do, a strategic retake is sometimes mathematically more valuable than test-optional positioning.

Sources used on this page

Every claim is checked against Alabama’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.

How Alabama compares

Families looking at Alabama typically also evaluate four SEC peers:

  • Spirit of Auburn at Auburn. Auburn restructured its Fall 2026 ladder. Top-tier Presidential Excellence is now full tuition and fees for 4.0 GPA / 35-36 ACT Alabama residents, comparable to or richer than Alabama's Presidential Elite at the equivalent stat band. Auburn's December 1 Early Action deadline is firmer than Alabama's holistic December 4 process. Out-of-state Auburn ladder ($7,000-$17,000/yr) is well below Alabama's automatic OOS tiers.
  • Ole Miss 1848 Award. Ole Miss is the better play for out-of-state high-stat applicants; the non-resident fee elimination at 32 ACT and 3.75 GPA covers ground Alabama doesn't.
  • Mississippi State merit aid. Smaller school, less out-of-state-aggressive merit, but a stronger fit for in-state families with mid-3.0 GPAs that fall outside Alabama's automatic Presidential range.
  • Kentucky's Singletary and Presidential tiers. Kentucky's structure is essay-and-stats hybrid; Alabama's is more purely automatic. If your student is a strong writer, Kentucky may pay more for the same numbers.
  • LSU TOPS and academic awards. TOPS is Louisiana-resident only; for out-of-state families, Alabama's automatic ladder is significantly more aggressive.
Want a side-by-side comparison? Build a personalized playbook and we’ll compare likely costs across Alabama and any peers you want to evaluate.

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