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University of Miami · Florida

University of Miami Merit Aid

A selective private research university in Coral Gables that awards all first-year merit automatically during admission review, with no separate application. The top Premier Scholarships (Stamps, Singer, Hammond, Weeks, Jenkins) cover full tuition or full cost of attendance, while the President's Scholarship reaches up to $30,000/year and the Canes Achievement Award up to $20,000/year. All merit decisions are final with no appeals or matching.

Verified Apr 2026Analyst pt-browser
Merit tiers7See requirements
Get merit aid35%First-year students, CDS 2025-2026
Last verifiedApr 2026Analyst pt-browser

Who this school is for

Families targeting a selective private university (18% admit rate, 1350-1450 SAT) where merit is holistic with no published stat cutoffs. About 35% of first-year students with no financial need receive institutional non-need merit averaging $23,560, and all applicants are considered automatically. Critical to know: UM does not match competing offers, does not increase awards on appeal, and does not award merit after admission. Early Decision I and Early Action applicants (November 1 deadline) get priority consideration for the top Premier Scholarships. Tuition-restricted merit cannot be combined with other tuition-restricted aid (athletic, employee tuition benefits), making stacking limited for students with multiple institutional awards.

Tuition / cost of attendance: Approximately $98,118 for 2025-2026. On-campus COA: tuition $63,456, fees $1,974, food and housing $25,030, books $1,326, personal $4,254, transportation $2,040, loan fees $38. Optional University-sponsored health insurance adds $4,230. Off-campus and commuter budgets differ. Transportation allowance is higher for students from Alaska, Hawaii, or international locations ($4,080). Source

Institutional merit aid tiers

Every tier below is sourced to the school’s own published financial aid pages. Renewal terms apply only if the student maintains the stated GPA.

Full cost of attendance: tuition and fees, on-campus housing, meal plan, University health insurance, textbooks, laptop allowance, plus a $12,000 enrichment fund for study abroad, research, and unpaid internships

Stamps Scholarship

ApplicationRenewable for up to 8 semesters (10 for Architecture). Requires full-time enrollment (minimum 12 credit hours per semester), 24+ credit hours per academic year, and minimum 3.0 GPA calculated after the second semester of attendance.

RequirementsCompetitive. Early Decision I or Early Action applicants who submit all materials by November 1 are automatically considered. Semi-finalists complete Zoom interviews with the selection committee in January. Finalists are selected based on application, supporting documents, and interview, then meet with the Stamps Family Charitable Foundation. Awards announced by early March. No published GPA/SAT/ACT cutoffs.

The most prestigious merit award at UM. Scholars gain access to on-campus and national Stamps Scholar communities, research funding, cultural and leadership programs, conferences, and networking events. The $12,000 enrichment fund is subject to Provost approval.

Source

Full cost of tuition per year

Isaac Bashevis Singer Scholarship

ApplicationRenewable for up to 8 semesters (10 for Architecture). Requires minimum 3.0 GPA per academic year.

RequirementsCompetitive. For exceptional, academically accomplished high school seniors. Early Decision I or Early Action applicants (November 1 deadline) are automatically considered. Open to all incoming first-year students regardless of citizenship. No published stat thresholds.

Named after the Nobel Prize-winning author. One of several Premier Scholarships at UM. Covers tuition only, not room, board, or fees.

Source

Full cost of tuition per year

Ronald A. Hammond Scholarship

ApplicationRenewable for up to 8 semesters (10 for Architecture). Requires minimum 3.0 GPA per academic year.

RequirementsCompetitive. Recognizes academic excellence and community commitment. Limited to U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents only. Early Decision I or Early Action applicants (November 1 deadline). No published stat thresholds.

Source

Full cost of tuition per year

Marta S. and L. Austin Weeks Scholarship

ApplicationRenewable for up to 8 semesters (10 for Architecture). Requires minimum 3.0 GPA per academic year.

RequirementsCompetitive. For exceptional, academically accomplished high school seniors. Limited to U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents only. Early Decision I or Early Action applicants (November 1 deadline). No published stat thresholds.

Source

Full cost of attendance including a semester stipend

George W. Jenkins Scholarship

ApplicationRenewable for up to 8 semesters (10 for Architecture). Requires minimum 3.0 GPA per academic year.

RequirementsCompetitive. Requires strong academics, significant financial need, and a history of overcoming adversity. Requires high school counselor nomination. Limited to residents of AL, FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, or VA only. Early Decision I or Early Action applicants (November 1 deadline).

The only Premier Scholarship that explicitly requires demonstrated financial need and a counselor nomination. Regional residency restriction limits the applicant pool.

Source

Up to $30,000 per year

President's Scholarship

ApplicationRenewable for up to 8 semesters (10 for Architecture). Requires minimum 3.0 GPA per academic year, full-time enrollment (minimum 12 credit hours per semester), and 24+ credit hours per academic year.

RequirementsHolistic review. All first-year applicants are automatically considered at the time of admission. No separate application required. No published GPA/SAT/ACT cutoffs. Awarded to the most academically competitive admitted students below the Premier Scholarship tier.

Tuition-restricted: cannot be combined with other merit or talent-based tuition-restricted aid such as athletic scholarships or employee tuition benefits.

Source

Up to $20,000 per year

Canes Achievement Award

ApplicationRenewable for up to 8 semesters (10 for Architecture). Requires minimum 3.0 GPA per academic year, full-time enrollment, and 24+ credit hours per academic year.

RequirementsHolistic review. All first-year applicants are automatically considered at the time of admission. No separate application required. No published stat cutoffs.

Tuition-restricted: cannot be combined with other merit or talent-based tuition-restricted aid. This is the broadest merit tier, reaching more students than the Premier or President's levels.

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Outside scholarship stacking policy

UM merit scholarships are tuition-restricted and cannot be combined with other merit or talent-based tuition-restricted aid (athletic, employee tuition benefits). Outside scholarships reduce self-help aid (loans, work-study) first before need-based grants. Total aid from all sources cannot exceed cost of attendance.

UM's terms and conditions state that tuition benefits may not be combined with other merit or talent-based tuition-restricted aid, including the President's Scholarship, athletic scholarships, and Canes Achievement Award. When outside scholarships arrive, UM first fills any gap between the institutional EFC and federal EFC, then reduces need-based loans and work-study before reducing need-based grant eligibility. If total aid including outside scholarships exceeds cost of attendance, University funds may be adjusted, and merit or talent-based aid may be reduced to stay within the COA cap. Students must report all outside scholarships via the Outside Scholarship Documentation Submission Form. UM merit scholarship decisions are final: the university does not increase awards on appeal, does not match competing offers, and does not award new merit scholarships after admission.

Source

Common Data Set snapshot

From the University of Miami Common Data Set 2025-2026:

SAT mid-50%1350–145025th / 75th percentile
ACT mid-50%30–3325th / 75th percentile
Receive institutional merit35%First-year students
Average merit award$23,560Across recipients

Source: Common Data Set

Lesser-known scholarships at University of Miami

Named awards that don’t always surface on the main financial aid page. Each one has its own eligibility rules.

AmountFull tuition, on-campus housing, and meal planEligibilitySelect incoming first-year music majors only. Merit and talent-based, awarded on ability demonstrated through live audition. No separate scholarship application required.

Awarded to form specific chamber ensembles at the Frost School. Not available outside the Frost School of Music. One of the few non-Premier awards that covers room and board in addition to tuition.

Source

Amount$1,000 to $2,000 per yearEligibilityNational Merit Finalists who are accepted, enroll, and name the University of Miami as their first-choice institution. Maximum award given only if demonstrated financial need exceeds $2,000.

Modest compared to NMF packages at peer institutions. The award is need-sensitive: students without demonstrated need receive the lower end. This is a college-sponsored National Merit award, not a separate institutional merit scholarship.

Source

AmountTuition gap funding (amount varies)EligibilityFirst-year students who are City of Miami residents with financial need, enrolled in STEM or in-demand occupation programs. Applications through the Miami Foundation.

Funded externally through the Miami Foundation, not by UM directly. Limited to specific programs and residency. Available while applications are open.

Source

Worked stacking example

Out-of-state student receives the President's Scholarship ($30,000/year) and a $5,000 outside scholarship from a local community foundation.

President's ScholarshipTuition-restricted institutional merit$30,000
Outside community scholarshipReported via Outside Scholarship Submission Form; displaces loans/work-study first$5,000
Total aidagainst $98,118 cost of attendance$35,000
Out of pocket$63,118

Common mistakes at University of Miami

  1. UM explicitly states that all scholarship decisions are final. The university does not increase awards, does not match competing offers from other schools, and does not reconsider students for merit after admission. There is no appeal process for merit scholarship amounts.

  2. While all applicants are considered for merit, the Premier Scholarships (Stamps, Singer, Hammond, Weeks, Jenkins) require Early Decision I or Early Action applications by November 1. Regular Decision applicants are still considered for the President's Scholarship and Canes Achievement Award, but miss the most competitive tier entirely.

  3. UM's college-sponsored National Merit award is only $1,000 to $2,000 per year, and the maximum is given only when demonstrated need exceeds $2,000. At schools like USC or Fordham, NMF packages are far more generous. Families relying on NMF status to fund a UM education should not count on this award as a meaningful discount.

  4. UM's terms and conditions explicitly state that tuition-restricted merit awards (President's Scholarship, Canes Achievement Award) cannot be combined with other merit or talent-based tuition-restricted aid, including athletic scholarships and employee tuition benefits. The student receives the higher award, not both.

University of Miami merit aid FAQ

  • Does the University of Miami require a separate scholarship application?

    No. All incoming first-year students are automatically considered for merit scholarships when they apply for admission. There is no separate scholarship application. However, the Premier Scholarships (Stamps, Singer, Hammond, Weeks, Jenkins) require Early Decision I or Early Action application by November 1 for consideration.

  • What GPA and test scores does my student need for a merit scholarship at UM?

    UM does not publish GPA, SAT, or ACT cutoffs for any merit tier. All awards are holistic, factoring in academic record, rigor, and personal qualities. The admitted class middle 50% is 1350-1450 SAT and 30-33 ACT with a 3.75 average unweighted GPA, but meeting these stats does not guarantee any award. Roughly 35% of freshmen with no financial need receive some institutional merit averaging $23,560 per year.

  • Can my student appeal or negotiate a UM merit scholarship?

    No. UM's published FAQ states that all scholarship decisions are final. The university does not increase awards, does not match competing offers from other institutions, and does not transfer scholarships between students. If a student is dissatisfied with the merit offer, the only options are to enroll at the offered amount or decline.

  • How does an outside scholarship affect my student's UM financial aid package?

    Outside scholarships must be reported via the Outside Scholarship Submission Form. For students with demonstrated need, UM reduces loans and work-study first before touching need-based grants. However, if total aid from all sources exceeds cost of attendance ($98,118 for 2025-2026), University funds, including merit or talent-based aid, may be reduced to stay within the cap. Students without financial need see their outside scholarships offset loans first.

  • Is the Foote Fellows Honors Program a scholarship?

    No. The Foote Fellows Honors Program is an academic program, not a scholarship. It provides academic flexibility, dedicated advising, research opportunities, and seminar access, but it does not come with a separate financial award. Foote Fellows may hold any merit scholarship they were independently awarded at admission.