Large urban public in Philadelphia with an automatic merit pool gated by a February 1 admission deadline, but no published stat-driven tier ladder — Temple only guarantees admissions-awarded scholarships for the first two years.
Common merit-aid mistakes at Temple
Temple is explicit: 'All first-year students who complete their admissions application by Feb. 1 are automatically considered for merit scholarships.' Applying later — including for spring or rolling consideration — removes you from the automatic merit pool.
Temple states that scholarships awarded by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions are 'guaranteed for the first two years of a student's enrollment' — not four. Junior- and senior-year aid depends on continued eligibility under Temple's renewal policies, which most students learn only in award letters.
Temple is a public university whose published merit posture for out-of-state students is modest. Cross-shopping against Pitt, Pennsylvania State, Rutgers, and similar publics requires running the net-price calculator, not assuming Temple's name will produce a generous merit offer.
Who this school is for
Pennsylvania families looking for an affordable in-state public, especially North Philadelphia residents eligible for the Cecil B. Moore Scholars Program. Out-of-state students should model Temple closer to sticker, since the public merit posture is modest and partially time-limited.
Cost of attendance$41,762–$55,015 for 2025-2026Each 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$55,015
$33K
$18K
In-state, on-campus$41,762
$20K
$18K
Tuition & fees
Housing & food
Books
Personal
College of Liberal Arts base rate, dorm on-campus. Personal line combines travel & personal per source.
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.
Tier amounts not publicly published
Automatic Merit Scholarships (first-year)
AutomaticRenewable
View requirements+
Eligibility
Automatic consideration for first-year students who complete the admissions application by February 1. No separate scholarship application.
Renewal terms
Per Temple, scholarships awarded by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions are guaranteed for the first two years of enrollment, not all four. Most merit scholarships require a minimum cumulative GPA for renewal.
Notes
Temple does NOT publish a named tier ladder (Presidential/Dean's/Provost) with dollar amounts on its public site. The actual scholarship amount appears in the financial aid offer letter.
Amount based on the in-state tuitio…Amount based on the in-state tuition rate
Cecil B. Moore Scholars Program
ApplicationRenewable
View requirements+
Eligibility
First-year undergraduates who reside in specific zip codes in North Philadelphia surrounding Temple's Main Campus.
Renewal terms
Renewable per Temple's award terms.
Notes
Geography-restricted, community-based award targeting students in Temple's home neighborhood. One of the few named, dollar-anchored merit awards Temple publicly describes.
Named awards that don’t always surface on the main financial aid page. Each one has its own eligibility rules.
AmountNeed-based completion award (amount varies)EligibilityExisting Temple students approaching graduation who face a financial gap that could prevent completion.
Listed as need-based on Temple's scholarship page, not merit. Included here because it appears in Temple's main scholarship taxonomy and families often confuse the two categories.
February 1. Temple's scholarship page states: 'All first-year students who complete their admissions application by Feb. 1 are automatically considered for merit scholarships.' Applying after February 1 disqualifies you from automatic merit consideration.
Does Temple publish merit scholarship tiers and dollar amounts?
No. Unlike most automatic-merit schools, Temple does not publish a named tier ladder with stat cutoffs (no Presidential/Dean's/Provost grid). The actual scholarship amount is communicated in the student's financial aid offer letter.
Are Temple merit scholarships renewable for four years?
Not automatically. Temple says scholarships awarded by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions are 'guaranteed for the first two years.' Years three and four depend on continued eligibility — most awards require a minimum cumulative GPA. Confirm your specific renewal terms in the award letter.
What is the Cecil B. Moore Scholars Program at Temple?
A community-based program for first-year students who live in specific North Philadelphia zip codes near Temple's Main Campus. The award amount is anchored to Temple's in-state tuition rate — effectively covering tuition for eligible neighborhood residents.
How does Temple treat outside scholarships?
Temple lists outside scholarships through its ScholarshipUniverse portal but does not publish a specific displacement policy on the public scholarship pages. Families with material outside awards should request a written stacking determination from Student Financial Services before committing.
How Temple compares across our verified dataset
669 of 750 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.
Temple is one of them. The cohort minority (81 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 Temple’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.
