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Alma award rules

Will the scholarship last four years at Alma?

We pulled the school’s grade, credit, and time limits into one place so you can see what it takes to keep the award.

Verified Jul 20262 months ago

The short answer

7 of 8 published awards are listed as renewable.

The exact rule can change by award. Check the award your student may receive before you count on the same amount every year.

What to do

Find the award name in the full research below. Save its grade, credit, and deadline rules with your college plan.

See every award rule, common mistake, and source

At a glance

Renewable tiers
7 of 8
One-time tiers
1
Tiers with published renewal terms
7
Renewal risk profile
low

Renewal risk profile

Alma's published renewal rules cluster around a 3.0 floor with no major-GPA gating, which is survivable for the typical freshman with steady study habits. The risk is non-renewal due to enrollment status (dropping below full-time), not GPA.

  • First-Year Merit Grid (Presidential / Trustee / Dean's / Tartan / Alma Scholarships): See notes
  • Merit Transfer Scholarships (Fall 2026 / Winter 2026): See notes
  • Scottish Hospitality Scholarship: See notes
  • FAFSA Filing Scholarship: See notes
  • Performance Scholarships (performing arts): See notes
  • Fine Arts Performance Scholarships (art & design): See notes
  • International Merit Scholarships: See notes

Renewal terms by tier

  • First-Year Merit Grid (Presidential / Trustee / Dean's / Tartan / Alma Scholarships)

    $28,000-$36,000

    Entry requirements: Presidential 3.80+ = $36,000/yr; Trustee 3.60-3.79 = $34,000/yr; Dean's 3.30-3.59 = $32,000/yr; Tartan 3.00-3.29 = $30,000/yr; Alma <3.00 = $28,000/yr GPA

    To keep it: Current-student section: 'Student's current awards renew based on the criteria in the documents above' (annual aid-program documents); awards continue for returning students at original levels.

    Source: https://www.alma.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/

  • Merit Transfer Scholarships (Fall 2026 / Winter 2026)

    $26,000-$32,000

    Entry requirements: <3.00 = $26,000/yr; 3.00-3.24 = $28,000/yr; 3.25-3.49 = $30,000/yr; 3.50+ = $32,000/yr (cumulative GPA from all previous institutions) GPA

    To keep it: Renew per the annual aid-program criteria for current students.

    Source: https://www.alma.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/

  • Scottish Hospitality Scholarship

    $3,000

    To keep it: Renewable for up to a total of $12,000 over four years.

    Source: https://www.alma.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/

  • FAFSA Filing Scholarship

    $1,000

    To keep it: Renewable for a total of up to $4,000 over four years.

    Source: https://www.alma.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/

  • Performance Scholarships (performing arts)

    $1,500-$2,000+

    To keep it: Base $1,500 renewable; Distinguished Awards $2,000+ replace standard performance awards previously offered.

    Source: https://www.alma.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/

  • Fine Arts Performance Scholarships (art & design)

    $1,500-$2,000+

    To keep it: Base scholarships renewable for four years.

    Source: https://www.alma.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/

  • International Merit Scholarships

    $28,000-$36,000

    Entry requirements: 3.80+ = $36,000/yr; 3.60-3.79 = $34,000/yr; 3.30-3.59 = $32,000/yr; 3.0-3.29 = $30,000/yr; <3.00 = $28,000/yr (GPA converted to U.S. 4.0 scale) GPA

    To keep it: Same structure as domestic merit awards; renew per current-student criteria.

    Source: https://www.alma.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/

How families lose this aid

  • Skipping the campus visit and leaving $12,000 on the table.

    The Scottish Hospitality Scholarship pays $3,000/year (renewable to $12,000 over four years) just for visiting — but College Game Day Saturday visits don't count, and you can only ever receive one such award no matter how many times you visit.

  • Not filing the FAFSA because you don't expect need-based aid.

    Filing the FAFSA itself earns a $1,000/year scholarship (up to $4,000 over four years), separate from any need-based aid.

  • Forgetting Spring Term costs.

    Students must complete two Spring Term courses in four years, with added charges ($2,220 tuition plus ~$1,080 food/housing in 2027) and 'typically, no financial assistance is offered for Spring Term classes.'

Renewal questions families ask

What merit scholarship will I get?
For 2026-2027 first-years: 3.80+ GPA = $36,000/yr (Presidential); 3.60-3.79 = $34,000 (Trustee); 3.30-3.59 = $32,000 (Dean's); 3.00-3.29 = $30,000 (Tartan); below 3.00 = $28,000 (Alma Scholarship). No separate application — decisions are made at admission.
What do transfers get?
A GPA-banded grid for Fall or Winter 2026 entry: $26,000 (<3.00), $28,000 (3.00-3.24), $30,000 (3.25-3.49), $32,000 (3.50+), plus $3,000 for visiting, $1,000 for filing the FAFSA, and $2,000 for Phi Theta Kappa scholars.
Do international students get merit aid?
Yes — the same $28,000-$36,000 GPA grid applies (GPAs converted to a 4.0 scale), with no separate application, and international students can earn the $3,000 Scottish Hospitality Scholarship through a virtual visit.

How Alma compares across our verified dataset

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

    Alma 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.

  • 132 of 749 verified schools publish a dedicated National Merit Finalist package.

    Alma is one of them. NMF packages typically carry their own stacking and renewal carve-outs separate from the standard automatic merit ladder; confirm those before assuming the headline NMF value is final.

Sources used on this page

Every renewal claim is checked against Alma’s own published materials.

More on Alma merit aid