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University of Florida Online · Florida

UF Online scholarships and merit aid

UF Online's core value is structural — Florida residents pay 75% of standard in-state tuition ($129.18/credit hour all-in) and remain eligible for Bright Futures — while UF's merit scholarships have NO automatic stat-based awarding and are committee-selected from the November 1 admission pool.

Verified Jul 20262 months ago

The short answer

Is UF Online worth a closer look?

UF Online awards automatic merit on admission. UF Online does not publish a GPA or test chart, so you cannot self-calculate the dollars.

Merit tiers61 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJul 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.

$1,000-$10,000 per year…$1,000-$10,000 per year ($4,000-$40,000 over 4 years)

UF Merit Scholarships — In-State (Florida Merit / Presidential / Presidential Gold / Presidential Platinum)

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

No separate application — all admitted students who apply by the November 1 freshman admission priority deadline are considered; recipients selected by committee each spring and notified by email by mid-March; designed for high-achieving in-state students; limited number

How to keep it

Stated as totals over 4 years (Fall/Spring); specific renewal criteria are not published on the page opened.

Notes

SFA states explicitly: 'The merit scholarship review process is comprehensive and there is no automatic awarding of UF scholarships based on test scores or GPA.' This page is university-wide; whether each award is available to UF Online enrollees is not stated — UF Online pages say online students are eligible for consideration for institutional aid.

Source

Up to $4,000-$20,000 per year…Up to $4,000-$20,000 per year (up to $16,000-$80,000 over 4 years)

Out-of-State Tuition Scholarships (Alumni / Sunshine / Gator Nation / UF Distinguished Scholar)

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Merit-based tuition scholarships for selected non-resident students; limited number; cannot be combined with another out-of-state tuition scholarship since both waive the same portion of non-resident tuition

How to keep it

Stated as totals over 4 years (Fall/Spring). If a student's residency is updated to in-state after award, eligibility ends and the award is cancelled.

Notes

Tiers: Alumni up to $10,000/yr; Sunshine up to $16,000/yr; Gator Nation up to $20,000/yr; UF Distinguished Scholar up to $8,000/$6,000/$4,000 per year.

Source

100% of tuition and applicable fees…100% of tuition and applicable fees (Florida Academic Scholars) or 75% (Florida Medallion Scholars)

Florida Bright Futures Scholarship (state program, usable at UF Online)

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

High school academic achievement criteria set by the State of Florida; must submit the Florida Financial Aid Application during the last year of high school (after October 1 and prior to graduation); FAFSA NOT required for Bright Futures; Florida residents

How to keep it

Renewal requirements detailed on SFA's Bright Futures program details page; SFA provides a Renewal Predictor calculator. Bright Futures may only be used toward coursework that applies toward the student's degree program.

Notes

UF Online students are explicitly eligible: 'UF Online students are eligible for consideration for federal, state and institutional aid, including the Bright Futures scholarship for Florida residents.' Awards are per credit hour; both levels include summer awards.

Source

Standard institutional in-state cos…Standard institutional in-state cost of attendance MINUS Bright Futures MINUS the National Merit award

Benacquisto Scholarship (state program for National Merit Scholars)

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Florida resident; U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen; standard Florida high school diploma or equivalency; National Merit Scholar (via NM $2500, corporate-sponsored, or college-sponsored Merit Scholarship — 'Special' corporate and 'Presidential' awards do NOT qualify); enroll full-time in a baccalaureate program the fall term after high school graduation

How to keep it

State program; the Benacquisto award is not available to fund summer coursework.

Notes

Offset formula means the award shrinks dollar-for-dollar by Bright Futures and the National Merit stipend.

Source

$6,000 annual stipend for up to fou…$6,000 annual stipend for up to four years (plus four fully-funded summer enrichment trips)

Stamps Scholars Program

Apply separatelyCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

First-time-in-college students admitted to the UF Honors Program through Early Action receive invitations to apply

How to keep it

Up to four years of study; specific renewal criteria not stated on the page opened.

Source

75% of standard in-state tuition…75% of standard in-state tuition ($129.18 per credit hour total tuition + required fees)

UF Online Reduced Tuition (structural, all Florida-resident UF Online students)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
See who qualifies
Who qualifies

Florida residency for tuition purposes; enrolled in UF Online. Non-Florida residents pay $552.62 per credit hour total (tuition $500.00 + required fees $52.62)

How to keep it

Standing rate, not an award; 'Tuition and fees for UF Online remain unchanged for the 2025-2026 academic year.'

Notes

Not a scholarship, but the headline saving: 'UF Online tuition for Florida residents is set at 75% of standard in state tuition' vs $212.71/cr residential. UF Online students do not pay the Activity & Services, Health, Athletics, or Transportation fees.

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 UF Online's published information.

  • Outside awardsNo published displacement order

    UF Online's policy doesn't specify whether outside scholarships hit loans, grants, or only the COA ceiling. Get a written aid-office answer before chasing private awards.

What families often miss

  1. SFA is explicit: 'there is no automatic awarding of UF scholarships based on test scores or GPA' — merit recipients are committee-selected each spring from students who applied for admission by November 1.

  2. There is no separate merit application — 'all admitted students who apply by the November 1 freshman admission priority deadline are considered.' Apply later and you're out of the merit pool.

  3. An out-of-state tuition scholarship 'cannot be combined with another out-of-state tuition scholarship... since both scholarships waive the same portion of non-resident tuition' — and if the student later gains Florida residency, the award is cancelled outright.

  4. Benacquisto pays in-state COA MINUS Bright Futures MINUS the National Merit award — it backfills rather than stacks — it cannot fund summer coursework, and 'Special' corporate or 'Presidential' NM awards don't qualify at all. (Confirm current program funding with OSFA — state appropriations have varied.)

  5. 'Florida Bright Futures may only be used toward coursework that applies toward a student's degree program' — stray electives outside the degree plan aren't covered.

  6. Bright Futures requires the FFAA 'during their last year in high school (after October 1 and prior to graduation)' — the FAFSA alone does not register you for Bright Futures (and conversely, no FAFSA is required for Bright Futures).

  7. Per the SFA UF Online cost page, 'Your financial aid budget will not be increased to cover these optional costs' — though existing aid may be used to pay for the package.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Florida residents who want the UF degree at the lowest sticker price (and can layer Bright Futures on top); high-achieving freshmen who apply by November 1 for committee-selected merit; out-of-state students hoping for one of the limited non-resident tuition scholarships.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $21,696 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at UF Online, academic year 2021-22 — in-state, Title-IV aid recipients only
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$1,477
$30,001–$48,000$2,286
$48,001–$75,000$5,171
$75,001–$110,000$8,947
$110,001+$12,923
All income levels (average)$4,815

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
$3,876
Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
$16,579
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$4,815

That works out to roughly a 73% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $17,843 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

UF Online 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
85%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
95%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$15,000 (~$159/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$71,588
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
19%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
7%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

UF Online's own language only says an outside scholarship that pushes total aid above what the federal processor deems you eligible for 'may' cause a reduction, that the effect 'depends on the type of other aid you are receiving,' and tells students to check with a OneStop financial aid advisor to find out how or if it will affect their package. The school does not publish a defined displacement mechanism or ceiling; confirm treatment with the aid office before counting on stacking.

Verified policy language (2026-07-02): Will an additional outside scholarship affect my award? If an outside scholarship results in your receiving more aid than the federal processor indicates you are eligible to receive, you may lose other aid. This will depend upon the type of other aid you are receiving. If you receive an outside scholarship, check with a financial aid advisor in the OneStop to find out how or if it will affect your total package. Separately, the school's own award-stacking rules: Two explicit rules found: (1) an out-of-state tuition scholarship cannot be combined with another out-of-state tuition scholarship because both waive the same portion of non-resident tuition, and it is cancelled if the student becomes a Florida resident; (2) the Benacquisto Scholarship is an offset award — it equals in-state COA minus Bright Futures minus the National Merit award, so other aid directly reduces it. (per https://www.sfa.ufl.edu/types-of-aid/scholarships/)

Source

Other UF Online scholarships worth checking

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

AmountFull need met with grants and scholarships (no work or borrowing)EligibilityFlorida-resident, Florida-HS-graduate, first-time-in-college freshmen; first-generation (neither parent with a bachelor's); family income below $55,000 and assets below $35,000; FAFSA before Fall enrollment; 12+ credit hours/semester

Need-based, not merit. Renewal: 24 credits/year, 2.0 GPA, SAP, FAFSA, rising income caps ($60,500/$66,000/$71,500 in years 2-4), plus required workshops/mentoring by year.

Source

AmountVariesEligibilityAutomatic consideration with: FAFSA filed, financial need, 3.0 GPA, and donor-specified criteria

Includes dozens of endowed funds (e.g., Lombardi Scholarship, duPont, Follett Bookstore credit) and county/school-specific awards.

Source

AmountAmount/structure not detailed on the page openedEligibilityVeterans, active duty U.S. Armed Forces, active drilling Florida National Guard, and non-traditional students enrolling in an online bachelor's program at a state university

UF Online-specific; see the program page for terms.

Source

AmountWaiver of out-of-state tuition and feesEligibilityOut-of-state students with a grandparent who is a Florida resident may qualify

Apply via the admissions residency process.

Source

AmountVariesEligibilityUF Online students may be eligible for a variety of tuition waivers (see the waiver programs page)

Listed on the UF Online financial-aid page; details not on the page opened.

Source

UF Online merit aid FAQ

  • What is the merit scholarship deadline?

    Apply for freshman admission by November 1 — that application doubles as merit consideration. Committee selections happen each spring with email notifications by mid-March.

  • How much does UF Online cost for 2026-27?

    The SFA 2026-27 UF Online COA totals: $21,696 in-state (off-campus), $12,106 in-state living with parents, $34,400 out-of-state. Tuition/fees alone are projected at $3,876 in-state / $16,580 out-of-state for 30 credit hours ($129.18 vs $552.62 per credit hour).

  • Can UF Online students use Bright Futures?

    Yes — 'UF Online students are eligible for consideration for federal, state and institutional aid, including the Bright Futures scholarship for Florida residents.' Florida Academic Scholars get 100% of tuition and applicable fees; Medallion Scholars get 75%.

  • What merit money exists for in-state students?

    A limited number of committee-selected awards: Florida Merit ($1,000 or $2,000/yr), Presidential ($5,000/yr), Presidential Gold ($8,000/yr), Presidential Platinum ($10,000/yr), each running four years.

  • What about out-of-state students?

    Limited merit-based tuition scholarships reduce non-resident tuition: Alumni (up to $10,000/yr), Sunshine (up to $16,000/yr), Gator Nation (up to $20,000/yr), and UF Distinguished Scholar (up to $4,000-$8,000/yr). Only one OOS tuition scholarship per student; a grandparent who is a Florida resident may alternatively unlock a full out-of-state fee waiver.

  • Is there extra money for first-generation or military students?

    Machen Florida Opportunity Scholarships meet full need with grants/scholarships for low-income, first-generation Florida freshmen (income below $55,000). The Free Seat Program serves veterans, active duty, Florida National Guard, and non-traditional online students.

See sources and other schools

How UF Online compares

  • 133 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use unclear or unpublished displacement.

    UF Online is in a recognizable cluster (133 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

  • 133 of 749 verified schools publish no clear displacement order.

    UF Online is one of them. The right move is the aid-office email script below, not a guess.

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

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

Compare with similar schools

  • Florida merit aid. Florida public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • Florida State merit aid. Florida public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • FIU merit aid. Florida public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • FAMU merit aid. Florida public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.

Keep exploring UF Online merit aid