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UAF· Renewal Rules

Keeping UAF’s Merit Aid for Four Years

What the financial-aid office actually requires after freshman year: minimum GPA, credit-hour pace, and the cliffs that quietly downgrade families mid-degree.

Verified Jun 20268 days ago· COWORK

At a glance

Renewable tiers
7 of 7
One-time tiers
0
Tiers with published renewal terms
7
Renewal risk profile
moderate

Renewal risk profile

UAF's renewal bar is achievable for steady students but isn't generous. Most awards require a cumulative GPA in the 3.0–3.4 band plus full-time enrollment. Audit the strictest tier on this school's list before assuming the four-year value is locked in.

  • Nanook Pledge Scholarship — Alaska Resident rate: Full-time enrollment
  • Nanook Pledge Scholarship — Non-Resident rate: 2.0 GPA
  • Nanook Pledge Scholarship — WUE rate: Full-time enrollment
  • UA Scholars Award: 2.5 GPA
  • Alaska Adventure Award (non-residents, lower-GPA): 2.0 GPA
  • Nanook Fine and Performing Arts Scholarship: Full-time enrollment
  • Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) — state award via ACPE: 2.5 GPA

Renewal terms by tier

  • Nanook Pledge Scholarship — Alaska Resident rate

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

    Entry requirements: 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 GPA

    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).

    Source: https://www.uaf.edu/finaid/akresident.php

  • Nanook Pledge Scholarship — Non-Resident rate

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

    Entry requirements: 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 GPA

    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.

    Source: https://www.uaf.edu/finaid/nonresident.php

  • Nanook Pledge Scholarship — WUE rate

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

    Entry requirements: 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 GPA

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

    Source: https://www.uaf.edu/finaid/nonresident.php

  • UA Scholars Award

    $15,000 (paid over eight semesters)

    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).

    Source: https://www.uaf.edu/admissions/apply/ua-scholars.php

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

    $500-$3,000/year

    Entry requirements: First-Year: 3.0-3.19 → $3,000/yr; 0-2.99 → $1,000/yr. Transfer: prior college 2.6-2.99 → $500/yr GPA

    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.

    Source: https://www.uaf.edu/finaid/nonresident.php

  • Nanook Fine and Performing Arts Scholarship

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

    Entry requirements: Not based on incoming GPA — awarded on artistic talent/potential GPA

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

    Source: https://www.uaf.edu/finaid/akresident.php

  • Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) — state award via ACPE

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

    Entry requirements: 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) GPA · 1210 (L1) / 1130 (L2) / 1060 (L3) SAT · 25 (L1) / 23 (L2) / 21 (L3) ACT

    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).

    Source: https://www.uaf.edu/finaid/akresident.php

How families lose this aid

  • Missing the Nanook Fine & Performing Arts deadline.

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

Renewal questions families ask

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.
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).

Rules that bite at UAF

The renewal trip wires we'd flag in a custom playbook, derived from UAF's own tier rules and not generic advice.

  • renewalNanook 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.

How UAF compares across our verified dataset

  • 669 of 751 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

    UAF is one of them. The cohort minority (82 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 renewal claim is checked against UAF’s own published materials.

More on UAF merit aid