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University of Alaska Fairbanks · Alaska

UAF scholarships and merit aid

UAF's automatic Nanook Pledge merit scholarship scales by GPA and residency ($2,000-$4,000/yr resident, up to $12,000/yr non-resident), and Alaska's top-10% students stack a $15,000 UA Scholars Award on top — no application for either. DRAFT.

Verified Jun 20263 months ago

The short answer

Is UAF worth a closer look?

UAF is worth checking if your student has strong grades or scores. We found 7 published awards, and 6 are based on those numbers.

Merit tiers76 based on grades or scores
First-year students with school awards34%First-year students, CDS 2024-2025
Research checkedJun 2026By our research team

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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.

$2,000-$4,000/year…$2,000-$4,000/year ($8,000-$16,000 over four years)

Nanook Pledge Scholarship — Alaska Resident rate

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
First-Year: 3.5+ → $4,000/yr; 3.2-3.49 → $3,000/yr; 3.0-3.19 → $2,000/yr. Transfer: prior college 3.8+ → $3,000/yr; 3.0-3.79 → $1,000/yr
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Admitted to a bachelor's program; no separate application (notified at admission). Admissions application and transcripts by June 15 (fall) / November 1 (spring).

How to keep it

Up to four years of continuous enrollment; must be full-time (12 UAF credits) fall and spring and meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (GPA 2.0+ and complete 67% of attempted classes). Amount may be reduced for students living off campus and changes if residency status changes; cannot exceed cost to attend (no refund if gift aid exceeds the bill).

Notes

Automatic merit award; selection based on previous academic success and the tuition rate you qualify for. Resident grid is effective fall 2026.

Source

$5,000-$12,000/year first-year…$5,000-$12,000/year first-year ($20,000-$48,000 over four years)

Nanook Pledge Scholarship — Non-Resident rate

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
First-Year: 3.8+ → $12,000/yr; 3.5-3.79 → $8,000/yr; 3.2-3.49 → $5,000/yr. Transfer: 3.8+ → $5,000/yr; 3.5-3.79 → $3,000/yr; 3.0-3.49 → $1,000/yr
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Non-resident tuition rate; admitted to a bachelor's program; automatic (notified at admission). Admission/transcripts by June 15 (fall) / November 1 (spring).

How to keep it

Up to four years; full-time (12 credits) + SAP (2.0 GPA, 67% completion); reduced if living off campus; cannot exceed cost to attend.

Notes

Higher amounts than the resident grid because they offset the higher non-resident tuition. The non-resident grid is labeled effective fall 2025/spring 2026 (one cycle behind the resident grid — see Section C).

Source

$1,000-$8,000/year first-year…$1,000-$8,000/year first-year ($4,000-$32,000 over four years)

Nanook Pledge Scholarship — WUE rate

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
First-Year (WUE rate): 3.8+ → $8,000/yr; 3.5-3.79 → $5,000/yr; 3.2-3.49 → $3,000/yr; 3.0-3.19 → $1,000/yr. Transfer: 3.8+ → $5,000/yr; 3.5-3.79 → $3,000/yr; 3.0-3.49 → $1,000/yr
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

For students on the WUE tuition rate; automatic; admission/transcripts by June 15 (fall)/November 1 (spring).

How to keep it

Up to four years; full-time + SAP; reduced if off campus; cannot exceed cost to attend.

Notes

For students using the Western Undergraduate Exchange tuition rate. Time on WUE does not count toward establishing Alaska residency.

Source

$15,000 (paid over eight semesters)

UA Scholars Award

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Alaska high school students in the top 10% of their class at the end of junior year, as determined/designated by their high school. No application — students are designated by their HS. To secure it, apply for admission to a UA university by August 15 after high school graduation.

How to keep it

Eight semesters of use (deferrable up to 2 years/4 semesters leave). Must be full-time (12+ credits) and maintain a 2.5 GPA each semester; continuing-eligibility credit checkpoints after every 2 terms (24/54/84 earned credits).

Notes

Explicitly stackable with the Nanook Pledge and Alaska Performance Scholarship; UAF says some UA Scholars assemble more than $50,000 in total funding. Usable at any of the three UA universities.

Source

$500-$3,000/year

Alaska Adventure Award (non-residents, lower-GPA)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
First-Year: 3.0-3.19 → $3,000/yr; 0-2.99 → $1,000/yr. Transfer: prior college 2.6-2.99 → $500/yr
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Non-resident students only; students on the WUE tuition rate do NOT qualify. Automatic (notified at admission); admission/transcripts by June 15 (fall)/November 1 (spring).

How to keep it

Up to four years of continuous enrollment; full-time (12 credits) + SAP (2.0 GPA, 67% completion); reduced if living off campus; cannot exceed cost to attend.

Notes

Fills the lower-GPA band for non-residents who fall below the Nanook Pledge non-resident grid. Not available to WUE-rate students.

Source

$1,000-$5,000/year…$1,000-$5,000/year (renewable, 4 years total)

Nanook Fine and Performing Arts Scholarship

Apply separatelyCan continue
GPA
Not based on incoming GPA — awarded on artistic talent/potential
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Incoming first-year students admitted to a bachelor's in Art, Music, or Theatre & Film. Portfolio-based application evaluated by Fine Arts faculty. Deadline Nov. 15 (admission, transcripts, and scholarship application); decisions announced by Jan. 15.

How to keep it

Maintain eligibility by enrolling in 12+ UAF credits (full-time) fall and spring and meeting SAP.

Notes

Competitive, portfolio-based (not GPA). The page text references fall 2025 entry — confirm current cycle (see Section C).

Source

Up to $7,000/yr…Up to $7,000/yr (Level 1), $5,250/yr (Level 2), $3,500/yr (Level 3)

Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) — state award via ACPE

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
Level 1: HS GPA 3.5 OR ACT 25/SAT 1210; Level 2: GPA 3.0 OR ACT 23/SAT 1130; Level 3: GPA 2.5 OR ACT 21/SAT 1060 (all require the specified HS curriculum)
SAT
1210 (L1) / 1130 (L2) / 1060 (L3)
ACT
25 (L1) / 23 (L2) / 21 (L3)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Alaska high school students; state-funded, administered by the Alaska Commission for Postsecondary Education (ACPE). Submit the FAFSA each year by June 30. Initial eligibility determined by the Alaska school district.

How to keep it

Up to 8 semesters or 8 years from HS graduation; full-time 12+ credits for full award (half for 6-11 credits); FAFSA by June 30 each year; continuing checkpoints (24/54/84 credits, 2.5 GPA).

Notes

State scholarship, not an institutional UAF award, but documented on UAF's official scholarship pages and stackable. UAF's estimate is unofficial; the HS counselor/ACPE sets the actual amount.

Source

See what could change an award

Rules that could change the answer

These are the rules we would flag for your family. Each comes from UAF's published information.

  • Renewal ruleNanook Pledge Scholarship — Alaska Resident rate: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

    Up to four years of continuous enrollment; must be full-time (12 UAF credits) fall and spring and meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (GPA 2.0+ and complete 67% of attempted classes). Amount may be reduced for students living off campus and changes if residency status changes; cannot exceed cost to attend (no refund if gift aid exceeds the bill). A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

  • Aid capHard $22,740 cost-of-attendance ceiling

    Institutional aid at UAF cannot push the package past $22,740. Big outside wins can mathematically reduce institutional grant once the ceiling is reached.

What families often miss

  1. Scholarship amounts may be reduced for students not living in on-campus housing, and the award cannot exceed your cost to attend (no refund if your combined gift aid exceeds your bill).

  2. The award amount is based on the tuition rate you qualify for and may change if your residency status changes — resident, non-resident, and WUE grids each pay different amounts.

  3. Time spent on the WUE rate does not count toward establishing Alaska residency for tuition purposes; WUE-rate students also do not qualify for the Alaska Adventure Award.

  4. UAF states your award may be amended if you later receive aid from a Native corporation, the UA Foundation, a UAF department, a tuition waiver, military benefits, or any other scholarship/aid source.

  5. It requires no application (your HS designates you), it stacks with the Nanook Pledge and APS, but you must apply for admission to a UA university by August 15 after graduation to secure it.

  6. It is portfolio-based (not GPA), and the admission + transcripts + scholarship application are all due Nov. 15, with decisions by Jan. 15.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Any admitted UAF freshman with a 3.0+ GPA (auto Nanook Pledge), top-10% Alaska high schoolers (UA Scholars), non-residents wanting WUE + Nanook Pledge stacking, and arts students with a portfolio. DRAFT.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $22,740 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at UAF, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.

Average annual net price by family income at UAF, academic year 2021-22 — in-state, Title-IV aid recipients only
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$7,992
$30,001–$48,000$6,065
$48,001–$75,000$11,323
$75,001–$110,000$15,526
$110,001+$17,512
All income levels (average)$10,892

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
$8,736
Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
$22,320
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$10,892

That works out to roughly a 51% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $22,407 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

UAF is a public school; Scorecard's net price figure covers in-state, Title-IV-aid-recipient payers only — there is no comparable federal figure for out-of-state students.

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
38%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
74%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$20,291 (~$215/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$48,866
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
31%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
25%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

Merit awards can stack (UA Scholars explicitly combines with Nanook Pledge and APS), but the Nanook Pledge cannot exceed your cost to attend and is not refunded if gift aid exceeds your bill; receiving outside aid can trigger amendment of your award.

The UA Scholars page says the award can be used with the Nanook Pledge and APS. The Nanook Pledge terms cap the award at cost to attend with no refund. The Alaska-resident scholarship page warns your award may be amended if you later receive aid from a Native corporation, the UA Foundation, a UAF department, a tuition waiver, military benefits, or any other scholarship/aid source.

Source

More school data

From the UAF Common Data Set 2024-2025:

Merit penetrationHow likely is merit aid here?From UAF’s Common Data Set: the share of first-year students who receive institutional merit and the average dollar amount when they do.
34%of admitsget merit
Average award$5,302Covers ~23% of $22,740 cost of attendance

At UAF, roughly 1 in 3 first-year admits receive institutional merit aid. The average award is $5,302 — about 23% of total cost.

As filed in UAF's CDS Section H2A: of 695 first-time, full-time degree-seeking freshmen, 234 had no financial need and received institutional merit (non-need) scholarship or grant aid, averaging $5,302. Across all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates: 747 of 2,484, averaging $5,781. Athletic awards are excluded per the CDS definition.

Receive institutional merit34%First-year students, Common Data Set 2024-2025
Average merit award$5,302Across recipients, Common Data Set 2024-2025

Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025 (verified 2026-07-23)

Other UAF scholarships worth checking

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

Amount$500-$4,000/year (max $16,000 total)EligibilityNeed-based (state, ACPE); Alaska resident 365+ days, FAFSA required, half-time minimum, no prior bachelor's, SAP.

Need-based, not merit; FAFSA required.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibility400+ donor scholarships matched via the AWARDED General Scholarship Application; deadline Feb 15 for most.

Single application matches all eligible foundation awards.

Source

UAF merit aid FAQ

  • What is the scholarship deadline?

    For the automatic Nanook Pledge and Alaska Adventure Award, submit your admission application and transcripts by the admission deadlines: June 15 (fall) / November 1 (spring). The Nanook Fine & Performing Arts Scholarship is due Nov. 15. Most Foundation scholarships (AWARDED) are due Feb. 15. UA Scholars must apply for admission by August 15 after graduation.

  • Do I have to apply for the Nanook Pledge?

    No. It is automatic — recipients are notified at the time of admission, based on previous high school or college GPA and your tuition rate.

  • Can scholarships be combined at UAF?

    Yes — the UA Scholars Award can be used with the Nanook Pledge and the Alaska Performance Scholarship; UAF notes some students assemble more than $50,000. However, the Nanook Pledge cannot exceed your cost to attend, and outside aid may cause your award to be amended.

  • How much does UAF cost?

    For 2026-27 (12-credit basis), the estimated tuition+fees+housing+food is $11,370/semester ($22,740/year) for Alaska residents, $18,858/semester ($37,716/year) for non-residents, and $13,230/semester ($26,460/year) at the WUE rate (plus ~$1,128 books, ~$2,500 personal, ~$1,000 transportation per year).

See sources and other schools

How UAF compares

  • 235 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use cost-of-attendance cap displacement.

    UAF is in a recognizable cluster (235 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

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

    UAF 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 UAF’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.

Compare with similar schools

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