Skip to content

Athens State scholarships and merit aid

Two prices: the posted one, and yours.

Posted price$25,209per year · 2025-2026 · cost of attendance
Yours?depends on the rules below

The short answer

Athens State is worth checking if your student has strong grades or scores. We found 6 published awards, and 3 are based on those numbers.

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
9 school sources to explore

Published rules, with the school sources close at hand. Confirm the details before you count on an award.

Step 1 of comparing your list

Check the rules that could cut this.

Check Athens State free in 30 seconds. Then see how it ranks against the rest of your list.

Checking merit aid at Athens State

We’ll email you this result and a few short merit-aid pointers. We store score ranges only, never your student’s name. Unsubscribe anytime. See our privacy policy.

The award collection

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 does your student land?

  1. President's Scholarship (Full-Ride)Full tuition and feesAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    President's Scholarship (Full-Ride)

    Full tuition and fees

    Published coverage or packageAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.7 cumulative or higher (transfer)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for President's Scholarship (Full-Ride)

    Who qualifies

    Completed at least 36 credit hours of college-level coursework; admitted to Athens State by May 1, 2026; transfer student (no freshmen admitted)

    How to keep it

    Page describes it as a 'Full-Ride Scholarship' covering full tuition and fees; specific per-term renewal GPA not stated on the page.

    Worth knowing

    Strongest automatic merit award. No separate scholarship application — admission triggers automatic consideration. Because Athens State is upper-division/transfer-only, eligibility is based on transfer GPA and completed hours, not high-school record or test scores.

  2. Excellence ScholarshipsUp to $2,000 annuallyAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Excellence Scholarships

    Up to $2,000 annually

    Variable or qualified amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.00 cumulative minimum (transfer)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Excellence Scholarships

    Who qualifies

    First-time undergraduate seeking first bachelor's degree; Fall or Spring start term; no separate scholarship application required

    How to keep it

    Annual award; renewal terms not stated on the page. Awarded on a first-come, first-served basis subject to fund availability.

    Worth knowing

    Automatic on the admission application but NOT guaranteed — 'awarded based on eligibility and availability of funds on a first-come, first-served basis.' Amount '$2,000' is quoted from the transfer-scholarships overview page; the dedicated Excellence page lists the 3.00 GPA rule but no dollar figure. Fall awarding begins April 1; Spring awarding begins November 1.

  3. Empowerment ScholarshipsUp to $2,000 AnnuallyAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Empowerment Scholarships

    Up to $2,000 Annually

    Variable or qualified amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.50 cumulative minimum (transfer)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Empowerment Scholarships

    Who qualifies

    First-time undergraduate seeking first bachelor's degree; SAI no greater than 6400 as determined by the FAFSA; Fall or Spring start; no separate scholarship application

    How to keep it

    Annual award; renewal terms not stated. First-come, first-served subject to fund availability.

    Worth knowing

    Has a financial-need component (SAI ≤ 6400 via FAFSA) layered on a low GPA bar — closer to need-aware merit than pure merit. CONFLICT: the dedicated Empowerment page states GPA 2.50 and 'SAI no greater than 6400'; the transfer-scholarships overview page states 'a GPA of 2.0' and 'expected family contribution (from the FAFSA) no greater than $5,500' (the older EFC framing). The dedicated page (GPA 2.50 / SAI 6400) is treated as current. Automatic consideration on the admission application.

  4. Compass Scholars Program (Teacher Pathway)$2,500 per semester (up to $7,500 per academic year; up to $27,500 over three years), plus an additional $5,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Compass Scholars Program (Teacher Pathway)

    $2,500 per semester (up to $7,500 per academic year; up to $27,500 over three years), plus an additional $5,000

    Variable or qualified amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.5+ institutional GPA and 2.75+ in teaching-field courses
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Compass Scholars Program (Teacher Pathway)

    Who qualifies

    Admitted to Athens State; pursuing teacher certification (education only); current FAFSA on file; attend a Compass 'Academy' each semester and meet an advisor each semester; open exclusively to first-time Compass Scholars

    How to keep it

    Funded for no more than 3 years from entering the program; 'Students must continue to meet all program criteria each semester to receive funding,' including a 2.5+ institutional GPA and a 2.75+ GPA in teaching-field courses.

    Worth knowing

    Restricted to teacher-certification (education) majors and requires a FAFSA on file, so it carries a need/eligibility component — not a general automatic merit award. The extra $5,000 is paid in the semester the student completes the student-teaching internship.

  5. Honors Program Tuition ScholarshipTuition scholarship (amount not published)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Honors Program Tuition Scholarship

    Tuition scholarship (amount not published)

    Published coverage or packageNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.5 or higher
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Honors Program Tuition Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    750-1,000-word essay on how the Honors Program will help you reach your academic and professional goals; agree to complete 16 hours of community service per year; complete an Honors Thesis/Project

    How to keep it

    Renewal/maintenance terms not stated on the Honors page; ongoing requirements include 16 hours of community service per year and Honors project work.

    Worth knowing

    CONFLICT on scope: the transfer-scholarships overview page calls this a 'Full tuition scholarship,' but the dedicated Honors Program page says only 'Honors Program participants will receive tuition scholarships' (does NOT say 'full'). Treated as a tuition scholarship of unstated amount until the aid office confirms whether it is full tuition. Competitive (essay required), not automatic.

  6. ASSIST Scholarship Program (STEM, need-based)Covers tuition, books, housing, and transportation (amount not published)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    ASSIST Scholarship Program (STEM, need-based)

    Covers tuition, books, housing, and transportation (amount not published)

    Published coverage or packageNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.7 minimum for previously earned college credit (transfer)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for ASSIST Scholarship Program (STEM, need-based)

    Who qualifies

    Enroll in a STEM major (Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, or Mathematics); attend at least half-time (6+ credit hours); demonstrate financial need via FAFSA; first bachelor's degree; submit online application answers

    How to keep it

    Renewal terms not specified; scholarship 'could be revoked' if a student's major changes to a non-STEM major.

    Worth knowing

    NEED-BASED (NSF S-STEM-style): requires demonstrated financial need via FAFSA and a STEM major. Included as a notable named award but it is not pure merit. No published dollar figure.

Lights up against Athens State's published cutoffs. Not an award offer; confirm with the financial aid office. Award terms and residency rules change; some awards differ for in-state and out-of-state students. Always confirm at the school’s source page.

This page covers one school.

Your playbook does this for every school on your list, sorted by what you’d pay.

Ready in under 10 minutes. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Get my playbook$79
  • Secure payment through Stripe
  • “it told me what to ask and what the renewal GPA looked like, which I was not going to find on my own”Melissa

What makes Athens State different

Athens State is an upper-division, transfer-only public university (juniors and seniors — no freshmen), so its merit is transfer-GPA-based: the President's Scholarship covers full tuition and fees automatically for admits with a 3.7 GPA, with smaller automatic Excellence/Empowerment awards up to $2,000/year.

Merit tiers63 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

More than one award path

Separate the two paths.

Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.

  1. Match the published criteria

    Use all requirements together, including residency and the entering class.

  2. Check the application dates

    Confirm the current admission and scholarship deadlines directly with the school.

  3. Know what happens next year

    Check renewal, credit requirements and how other aid affects the award.

The fine print / Three questions to carry forward

Before you count on it.

Does it apply to us? Confirm the entering year, residency and every eligibility condition.

Can we keep it? Check renewal GPA, credits and how long the award lasts.

Can we combine it? Ask how outside scholarships and other school awards change the offer.

Take Athens State's decision sheet

A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.

See what could change an award

What families often miss

  1. Athens State is an upper-division, transfer-only university — it does not admit first-time freshmen. Every merit award is keyed to your TRANSFER GPA and completed college credit hours (e.g., the President's Scholarship requires at least 36 completed credit hours), not high-school GPA or ACT/SAT.

  2. Both are awarded automatically on the admission application with no separate form, but the page states they are 'not guaranteed' and are awarded 'based on eligibility and availability of funds on a first-come, first-served basis' — applying and being admitted early (Fall awarding begins April 1; Spring begins November 1) matters.

  3. A transfer-overview page labels Honors a 'Full tuition scholarship,' but the dedicated Honors Program page only promises 'tuition scholarships' and adds obligations (3.5 GPA, a 750-1,000-word essay, 16 service hours/year, an Honors thesis). Confirm the exact award with the aid office before counting on full tuition.

  4. The President's full-ride (full tuition and fees, 3.7 GPA) is automatic with no separate application — but only if you 'apply and be admitted by May 1, 2026 for full consideration.' Miss the admission deadline and you miss the automatic consideration.

  5. Compass Scholars is exclusively for teacher-certification (education) students and requires a FAFSA; ASSIST is exclusively for STEM majors and requires demonstrated financial need. Both can be revoked or are unavailable if you're outside the eligible major.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Community-college and other transfer students (juniors/seniors) finishing a first bachelor's degree — Athens State admits no first-time freshmen, so merit is keyed entirely to your transfer GPA and completed credit hours, not high-school stats or test scores.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $25,209 for 2025-2026. Source

Cost and graduation facts

Federal reporting on what happened to students who enrolled at Athens State — independent of anything the school markets.

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$18,051 (~$191/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$50,273
See other scholarships and cost examples

Other Athens State scholarships worth checking

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

AmountVaries by awardEligibilityOver 100 different endowed scholarships; 'Requirements vary by award based on the donor's requests.'

Separate application required (opens January 1; review begins March 31). Specific named awards and amounts live in a Foundation PDF (athensedu.org), not on the main site; not individually verified here.

Source

AmountNot publishedEligibilityPTK members transferring from two-year partner schools; prior PTK membership/induction required.

Athens State actively recruits PTK transfers (named to the PTK Transfer Honor Roll) and is Alabama's only PTK alumni association, but NO specific PTK scholarship dollar amount or GPA cutoff is published on the official PTK page — it directs students to the general scholarships page. Aid-office confirmation needed.

Source

Athens State merit aid FAQ

  • Does Athens State give merit scholarships to freshmen?

    No — Athens State is an upper-division, transfer-only university serving juniors and seniors and does not admit first-time freshmen. Merit is based on your transfer (college) GPA and completed credit hours, not high-school stats or test scores.

  • What's the biggest automatic merit award?

    The President's Scholarship, a full-ride covering full tuition and fees, awarded automatically (no separate application) to admitted transfer students with a 3.7 GPA or higher who have completed at least 36 credit hours, if admitted by May 1, 2026.

  • Do I need a separate application for the main merit scholarships?

    No. The President's, Excellence, and Empowerment awards are considered automatically when you submit your admission application. Honors, Foundation/Alumni, Compass Scholars, and ASSIST require separate applications or essays.

  • What is the scholarship deadline?

    For the President's full-ride, apply and be admitted by May 1, 2026. Excellence/Empowerment awarding begins April 1 (Fall) or November 1 (Spring) on a first-come, first-served basis. Foundation & Alumni applications open January 1 with review beginning March 31.

  • Do outside scholarships reduce my Athens State aid?

    Athens State's public pages do not publish an outside-scholarship displacement or stacking policy. Ask the Financial Aid office directly how an outside award affects your institutional aid and whether total aid is capped at the cost of attendance.

See sources and other schools

How Athens State compares

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

    Athens State 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.

Sources used on this page

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

Compare with similar schools

  • Troy merit aid. Alabama public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • UAB merit aid. Alabama public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • UAH merit aid. Alabama public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • University of Montevallo merit aid. Alabama public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.

Keep exploring Athens State merit aid

The next chapter

Where does Athens State fit in your plan?

You have the school’s rules. Now put them in the context of your student and the rest of your list.

  1. Check your student’s numbers, free
  2. Explore another school
  3. See how the research becomes a plan

Ready to work through your whole list? Get my playbook

Inside the sample

Jordan’s playbook

Same student.
Four schools.
Four very different bills.

An illustrative student profile, with a school order, scholarship research and a to-do list. Open the sample to see how it works.

Open the sample playbook