The starting point
Big Ten public flagship with one of the most generous out-of-state merit packages in the conference: the Chancellor's Tuition Scholarship for non-residents waives the entire nonresident tuition surcharge plus adds $4,000 per year, and the in-state Regents Scholar program covers full UNL tuition for top-stat Nebraska residents.
More than one award path. Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.
Awards to discuss
First 3 of 5 recorded awards, in chapter display order. This is a selection, not a ranking. Read the full chapter for all awards. Amounts retain the original units and conditions; confirm the entering year with the school.
Chancellor's Tuition Scholarship (in-state)
Up to $8,000/year (up to $4,000/semester) toward UNL tuition for up to four years · Variable or qualified amount
Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.
GPA: 3.500 minimum · ACT: 28 minimum (or SAT equivalent)
Eligibility: National Merit and National Recognition (First-Generation or Rural and Small Town Recognition) finalists qualify directly. Must select UNL as first-choice school through the National Merit Corporation if claiming via the National Merit pathway.
Renewal: ≥ 12 UNL credit hours per semester (registered by the sixth day of classes), 24 successfully completed credits per year, and a 3.500 cumulative GPA. National Merit Scholars receive an additional $500 stipend from the National Merit Corporation funded by the Cooper Foundation.
Other terms: Selection is on a holistic review on top of the academic floors. Stacks with departmental and Honors awards subject to UNL's COA cap.
https://admissions.unl.edu/cost/scholarships/chancellors-tuition-scholarship-in-state/
Chancellor's Tuition Scholarship (out-of-state)
Waiver of the nonresident portion of tuition (estimated at $19,230/yr) PLUS $4,000/year toward tuition · Variable or qualified amount
Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.
GPA: 3.500 minimum · ACT: 28 minimum (or SAT equivalent)
Eligibility: Out-of-state National Merit Finalists, National Recognition Program scholars, or holistic-review high-stat OOS admits.
Renewal: Same renewal as the in-state Chancellor's: 24 credits per year at 3.500 cumulative GPA, full-time enrollment.
Other terms: This is the headline OOS merit play at Nebraska. Combined waiver + $4,000 typically reduces a $30K+ OOS tuition cost to near-in-state levels. National Merit Scholars receive an additional $500 from the Cooper Foundation.
https://admissions.unl.edu/cost/scholarships/
Regents Scholar Tuition Commitment (in-state)
Full UNL undergraduate tuition for up to 120 credit hours, including summers and differential tuition (Business, Architecture, Engineering) · Variable or qualified amount
Not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules.
ACT: 32 minimum (or SAT equivalent)
Eligibility: Nebraska residents only. Selection is holistic on top of the 32 ACT floor; final official test scores from the February test date or earlier are due by May 1. Class rank and GPA factor into the final review.
Renewal: Maintain a cumulative UNL GPA of 3.500 (computed to three decimals, not rounded) or rank in the upper 25% of the relevant degree-granting college's class. Renewal determined at the end of each spring semester. Must enroll full-time (≥ 12 UNL credit hours) and have hours officially registered by the sixth day of classes.
Other terms: The richest in-state merit at UNL. Covers tuition for the minimum credit hours required to graduate (usually 120). Required student service fees, lab fees, and miscellaneous fees are NOT covered by the scholarship and remain the student's responsibility.
https://admissions.unl.edu/cost/scholarships/regents-scholar-tuition-commitment/
Ask before you decide
- Which entering-year policy and residency category apply to us? What are the admission and scholarship deadlines?
- What grades and credits are required to renew, and for how many terms?
- How would other school awards or outside scholarships change the offer?
Recorded stacking policy: When an outside scholarship arrives, Nebraska reduces self-help aid (loans or work-study) first so all aid stays within the cost of attendance, and — unlike most schools — does not reduce or cancel its campus-based scholarships for outside awards unless required by law (loan-first displacement). The Chancellor's Tuition Scholarship and Regents Scholar Tuition Commitment remain a separate constraint: they cannot be combined with any other tuition benefit or waiver from federal, state, or University sources; they replace, not stack with, other tuition-specific awards. Other merit, need-based grants, and outside scholarships layer on top within the cost of attendance.
Our unanswered questions / Family notes
