What is the scholarship deadline for Fall 2026 freshmen?

Merit scholarships are awarded automatically at the time of admission; updated test scores/GPA are accepted through February 1, 2026. The Official Campus Visit ($1,000/yr) and Changing Lives Essay ($500/yr) engagement awards have a May 1, 2026 deadline (November 15, 2026 for Spring 2027 entrants), and the National Recognition Scholarship certificate is due to Admission by February 1, 2026.

Do I need to file the FAFSA to get merit aid?

The merit grid itself does not state a FAFSA requirement, but the Aces Opportunity Grant and Hoosier Aces Grant both require filing the FAFSA by April 15, 2026, with UE's school code listed by August 1, 2026, and annual refiling by April 15 for renewal.

How much is the automatic merit scholarship?

For Fall 2026 freshmen: Presidential $30,000 (4.25+ weighted GPA or 30+ ACT/1390+ SAT), Dean's $27,000 (4.00 or 27/1280), Faculty $24,000 (3.75 or 25/1200), Academic $21,000 (3.50 or 23/1130), Aces $18,000 (3.25 or 21/1060), and Purple (below 3.25 / below 21/1060) with an amount that varies. UE uses your GPA or test score, whichever benefits you most.

How do I keep my scholarship all four years?

Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (minimum GPA plus earning at least 67% of attempted credit hours). Scholarships renew for a total of 4 years (8 fall/spring semesters, excluding summer; 5 years for the BS/MS Healthcare Administration and BS/MS Public Health programs). Full renewal of UE aid may also require continued residency in UE-approved housing. Award amounts stay flat — they do not increase with tuition.

Evansville (UE)· Renewal Rules

Keeping Evansville (UE)’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 20264 days ago· COWORK

At a glance

Renewable tiers: 15 of 15
One-time tiers: 0
Tiers with published renewal terms: 15
Renewal risk profile: low

Renewal risk profile

Evansville (UE)'s published renewal rules cluster around a 3.0 floor with no major-GPA gating, which is survivable for the typical freshman with steady study habits. The risk is non-renewal due to enrollment status (dropping below full-time), not GPA.

Academic Merit Scholarship (Fall 2026 Freshman Grid): See notes
Engagement Awards (Official Campus Visit & Changing Lives Essay): See notes
Aces Opportunity Grant: SAP standards
Hoosier Aces Grant: SAP standards
National Merit® Finalist Scholarship: See notes
National Recognition Scholarship: See notes
Baccalaureate to Doctor of Medicine (B/MD) Program Scholarship: See notes
TASL Scholars Program: See notes
John C. Moore Scholars Program: See notes
UE Teaching Fellows Scholarship: See notes
National Need for Nursing Scholarship: See notes
Changemaker Scholarships (High School Changemaker Challenge): See notes
Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship (UE add-on): See notes
Academic Merit Scholarships — Transfer Students (Fall 2026/Spring 2027 Grid): Full-time enrollment
Guaranteed Admission Scholarship (Transfer): See notes

Renewal terms by tier

Academic Merit Scholarship (Fall 2026 Freshman Grid)
$18,000-$30,000
Entry requirements: 3.25+ weighted for named tiers (4.25+ = Presidential $30,000; 4.00 = Dean's $27,000; 3.75 = Faculty $24,000; 3.50 = Academic $21,000; 3.25 = Aces $18,000; below 3.25 = Purple, amount varies) GPA · 1060+ for named tiers (1390+ Presidential; 1280 Dean's; 1200 Faculty; 1130 Academic; 1060 Aces; below 1060 Purple) SAT · 21+ for named tiers (30+ Presidential; 27 Dean's; 25 Faculty; 23 Academic; 21 Aces; below 21 Purple) ACT
To keep it: Awards are renewable for up to three additional years provided the student continues to meet renewal criteria. Amounts remain the same value in subsequent years.
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships-for-entering-freshmen-fall-2026.cfm
Engagement Awards (Official Campus Visit & Changing Lives Essay)
$500-$1,000
To keep it: Listed as renewable awards with 4-year values ($4,000 visit / $2,000 essay).
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships-for-entering-freshmen-fall-2026.cfm
Aces Opportunity Grant
Full tuition (gap-filling; covers tuition and fees with other gift aid)
To keep it: Renewed for a total of 4 years (8 fall/spring semesters; excludes summer) if student maintains SAP, files FAFSA annually by April 15, meets credit hour requirements for on-time state award, and continues to meet the AGI threshold.
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/aces-opportunity-grant-2026.cfm
Hoosier Aces Grant
Full tuition + fees + $10,000 toward housing/meals (gap-filling)
Entry requirements: 3.75 (weighted) or higher (or test alternative) GPA · minimum 1200 (alternative to GPA) SAT · minimum 25 (alternative to GPA) ACT
To keep it: Renewed for a total of 4 years (8 fall/spring semesters; excludes summer) with SAP, annual FAFSA by April 15, on-time state award credit hours, continued AGI threshold, and continued -1500 SAI. If SAI/credit-hour criteria lapse, the year-1 grant amount is awarded instead.
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/hoosier-aces-grant-2026.cfm
National Merit® Finalist Scholarship
Full tuition
To keep it: UE scholarships renewed for a total of 4 years (8 fall/spring semesters) for students meeting renewal requirements (page-wide statement).
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships-for-entering-freshmen-fall-2026.cfm
National Recognition Scholarship
$33,000
To keep it: UE scholarships renewed for a total of 4 years (8 fall/spring semesters) for students meeting renewal requirements (page-wide statement).
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships-for-entering-freshmen-fall-2026.cfm
Baccalaureate to Doctor of Medicine (B/MD) Program Scholarship
$35,000
To keep it: UE scholarships renewed for a total of 4 years (8 fall/spring semesters) for students meeting renewal requirements (page-wide statement).
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships-for-entering-freshmen-fall-2026.cfm
TASL Scholars Program
Full tuition
To keep it: UE scholarships renewed for a total of 4 years (8 fall/spring semesters) for students meeting renewal requirements (page-wide statement).
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships-for-entering-freshmen-fall-2026.cfm
John C. Moore Scholars Program
Full tuition
To keep it: UE scholarships renewed for a total of 4 years (8 fall/spring semesters) for students meeting renewal requirements (page-wide statement).
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships-for-entering-freshmen-fall-2026.cfm
UE Teaching Fellows Scholarship
Full tuition (junior and senior years)
To keep it: Tuition coverage applies during the junior and senior year per the page.
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships-for-entering-freshmen-fall-2026.cfm
National Need for Nursing Scholarship
$25,000
To keep it: UE scholarships renewed for a total of 4 years (8 fall/spring semesters) for students meeting renewal requirements (page-wide statement).
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships-for-entering-freshmen-fall-2026.cfm
Changemaker Scholarships (High School Changemaker Challenge)
$23,000-Full tuition
To keep it: UE scholarships renewed for a total of 4 years (8 fall/spring semesters) for students meeting renewal requirements (page-wide statement).
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships-for-entering-freshmen-fall-2026.cfm
Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship (UE add-on)
Housing, meals, and a $1,500 travel grant (UE portion; Lilly covers tuition, fees, book stipend)
To keep it: Not stated on the freshman page beyond the page-wide 4-year renewal statement.
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships-for-entering-freshmen-fall-2026.cfm
Academic Merit Scholarships — Transfer Students (Fall 2026/Spring 2027 Grid)
$18,000-$27,000
Entry requirements: College GPA: 3.75+ = $27,000; 3.5-3.74 = $25,000; 3.0-3.49 = $22,000; less than 3.0 = $18,000 GPA
To keep it: Amounts remain the same value in subsequent years; total of all UE scholarships/gift aid will not exceed full-time tuition equivalency.
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships-for-transfer-students-2026-2027.cfm
Guaranteed Admission Scholarship (Transfer)
$20,000 minimum
To keep it: Not stated beyond page-wide policies.
Source: https://www.evansville.edu/student-financial-services/scholarships-for-transfer-students-2026-2027.cfm

How families lose this aid

Assuming UE awards can stack past full tuition.
The freshman, transfer, and gift-aid policy pages all state: 'The total of all UE scholarships/gift aid will not exceed the equivalency of full-time tuition (12-18 credit hours/semester).' Institutional merit + special + additional awards together can never exceed tuition.
Assuming the merit award grows as tuition rises.
Both grids state amounts 'remain the same value in subsequent years' — the scholarship is flat for all four years while tuition can increase ('Rates are subject to change without notice').
Missing the income/residency gates on the Aces grants.
Both the Aces Opportunity Grant and Hoosier Aces Grant are only for Indiana students with family AGI under $60,000 who are eligible for Indiana state grant funding and file the FAFSA by April 15, 2026; Hoosier Aces additionally requires a 3.75 weighted GPA (or 25 ACT/1200 SAT) and a -1500 SAI.
Skipping the FAFSA or filing it late when counting on the Aces grants.
Both grants require the FAFSA by April 15, 2026 (UE school code listed by August 1, 2026), and renewal requires refiling by April 15 every year; missing the credit-hour requirements for the on-time state award can drop the award to its year-1 value.
Moving off campus without checking the aid-renewal housing policy.
The renewal page warns: 'the full renewal of UE aid may require continued residency in UE-approved housing.' Several awards (Teaching Fellows, Ridgway, Changemaker first place) explicitly require on-campus residency.
Missing the May 1, 2026 engagement deadlines for free renewable money.
The $1,000/yr Official Campus Visit award and $500/yr Changing Lives Essay award both have a May 1, 2026 deadline for Fall 2026 applicants — $6,000 of 4-year value lost if you don't visit and submit in time.
Failing renewal by ignoring the credit-completion rule.
Renewal of all UE scholarships requires Satisfactory Academic Progress, which includes both a minimum GPA and earning at least 67 percent of all attempted credit hours; scholarships run a maximum of 4 years (8 semesters) or until first-degree requirements are met.

Renewal questions families ask

What is the scholarship deadline for Fall 2026 freshmen?: Merit scholarships are awarded automatically at the time of admission; updated test scores/GPA are accepted through February 1, 2026. The Official Campus Visit ($1,000/yr) and Changing Lives Essay ($500/yr) engagement awards have a May 1, 2026 deadline (November 15, 2026 for Spring 2027 entrants), and the National Recognition Scholarship certificate is due to Admission by February 1, 2026.
Do I need to file the FAFSA to get merit aid?: The merit grid itself does not state a FAFSA requirement, but the Aces Opportunity Grant and Hoosier Aces Grant both require filing the FAFSA by April 15, 2026, with UE's school code listed by August 1, 2026, and annual refiling by April 15 for renewal.
How much is the automatic merit scholarship?: For Fall 2026 freshmen: Presidential $30,000 (4.25+ weighted GPA or 30+ ACT/1390+ SAT), Dean's $27,000 (4.00 or 27/1280), Faculty $24,000 (3.75 or 25/1200), Academic $21,000 (3.50 or 23/1130), Aces $18,000 (3.25 or 21/1060), and Purple (below 3.25 / below 21/1060) with an amount that varies. UE uses your GPA or test score, whichever benefits you most.
How do I keep my scholarship all four years?: Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (minimum GPA plus earning at least 67% of attempted credit hours). Scholarships renew for a total of 4 years (8 fall/spring semesters, excluding summer; 5 years for the BS/MS Healthcare Administration and BS/MS Public Health programs). Full renewal of UE aid may also require continued residency in UE-approved housing. Award amounts stay flat — they do not increase with tuition.

Rules that bite at Evansville (UE)

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

renewalAcademic Merit Scholarships — Transfer Students (Fall 2026/Spring 2027 Grid): renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out
Amounts remain the same value in subsequent years; total of all UE scholarships/gift aid will not exceed full-time tuition equivalency. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

How Evansville (UE) compares across our verified dataset

669 of 751 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.
Evansville (UE) 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.
133 of 751 verified schools publish a dedicated National Merit Finalist package.
Evansville (UE) is one of them. NMF packages typically carry their own stacking and renewal carve-outs separate from the standard automatic merit ladder; confirm those before assuming the headline NMF value is final.

Sources used on this page

Every renewal claim is checked against Evansville (UE)’s own published materials.