These amounts and requirements come from the school’s own published pages. Open an award to see who qualifies and how to keep it.
Where does your student land?
Presidential ScholarFull Cost of Attendance plus a $5,000 annual stipendAutomaticRenewable
Published awardAcademic thresholds
Presidential Scholar
Full Cost of Attendance plus a $5,000 annual stipend
Published award termsAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.
GPA
3.7+ HS GPA (general eligibility floor)
ACT
36
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for Presidential Scholar
Who qualifies
Admitted to UNK with official transcripts and scores received by March 1
How to keep it
Listed among the renewable automatic merit scholarships; the page does not publish a specific renewal GPA. Initial award is based on the cumulative GPA at the end of the sixth semester (junior year), converted to a 4.0 scale.
Worth knowing
Top of the automatic ladder, for a 36 ACT. SAT-equivalent cutoffs are not published on the page; ask the aid office. The $5,000 figure is an annual stipend on top of full cost of attendance.
Regents ScholarshipFull Tuition AND room waiver for campus housingAutomaticRenewable
Published awardAcademic thresholds
Regents Scholarship
Full Tuition AND room waiver for campus housing
Published coverage or packageAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.
ACT
32+
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for Regents Scholarship
Who qualifies
Open to Nebraska Residents only; admitted with transcripts and scores by March 1
How to keep it
Renewable up to 120 credit hours.
Worth knowing
Nebraska residents only. Covers full tuition plus a room waiver for campus housing; no fixed dollar amount is published (value tracks tuition + housing). SAT equivalent not stated.
Published coverage or packageAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.
GPA
3.7+ HS GPA
ACT
22-23
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for Loper Recognition Scholarship
Who qualifies
Admitted with transcripts and scores by March 1; this is the entry rung of the automatic ladder
How to keep it
Renewable up to 4 years.
Worth knowing
Entry tier of the automatic ladder, for a 22-23 ACT and 3.7+ HS GPA. SAT equivalent not published.
New Nebraskan Scholarship (non-resident tuition waiver)Charges non-residents the in-state tuition rate ($234/credit hour). The page gives two conflicting savings figures: its FAQ says ~$264/credit hour, $7,920/year, $31,680 over four years; its savings table says $277/credit hour, $8,310/year, $33,240 over four years. Treat the lower FAQ figure (~$7,920/yr, ~$31,680/4yr) as the conservative estimate until UNK reconciles the page.Not automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
New Nebraskan Scholarship (non-resident tuition waiver)
Charges non-residents the in-state tuition rate ($234/credit hour). The page gives two conflicting savings figures: its FAQ says ~$264/credit hour, $7,920/year, $31,680 over four years; its savings table says $277/credit hour, $8,310/year, $33,240 over four years. Treat the lower FAQ figure (~$7,920/yr, ~$31,680/4yr) as the conservative estimate until UNK reconciles the page.
Published coverage or packageNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.
Start with the award’s published eligibility.
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for New Nebraskan Scholarship (non-resident tuition waiver)
Who qualifies
Any U.S. domestic undergraduate student who is NOT a resident of Nebraska, enrolled full-time (12+ credit hours). No additional application or deadline beyond applying for admission. Does not apply to exclusively online degree programs.
How to keep it
Must remain a full-time student (12+ credit hours each semester), meet the University's academic good standing policy, and successfully complete 24 or more semester hours each academic year. Eligibility ends upon receipt of a bachelor's degree.
Worth knowing
Not stat-based — it is an automatic out-of-state tuition discount for every qualifying non-resident, charging them the in-state rate. CONFLICT (same live page, unreconciled): the New Nebraskan page's own intro and 'What is the value of the scholarship?' FAQ say the waiver 'will save non-resident students $264 per credit hour ... $7,920 annually or $31,680 over a 4-year period,' while its savings table lists $277/credit hour, $8,310 annually, and $33,240 over four years. The two sets disagree on the per-credit-hour rate ($264 vs $277), the annual figure ($7,920 vs $8,310), and the four-year total ($31,680 vs $33,240). We lead with the lower FAQ figure and flag the discrepancy; a family should confirm the current number with the aid office. Stacks with the academic merit scholarships above: per UNK's FAQ, a non-resident may receive both a UNK Academic Merit Scholarship and the New Nebraskan Scholarship. Covers tuition only — not room, meal plans, or books.
Omaha World Herald/Kearney Hub ScholarshipFull tuition, room, board, fees, and books for four yearsNot automaticRenewable
Published awardOther selection criteria
Omaha World Herald/Kearney Hub Scholarship
Full tuition, room, board, fees, and books for four years
Published coverage or packageNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.
Start with the award’s published eligibility.
RenewableCheck the conditions
Open award details for Omaha World Herald/Kearney Hub Scholarship
Who qualifies
Up to three students in each incoming freshman class; competitive/limited, not automatic
How to keep it
Requires maintenance of a 3.5 cumulative grade point average.
Worth knowing
Full-ride-style award (tuition + room + board + fees + books) given to up to three incoming freshmen per class. Selection process and application steps are not detailed in the catalog; ask Admissions/Financial Aid how to be considered.
Lights up against Nebraska–Kearney (UNK)'s published cutoffs. Not an award offer; confirm with the financial aid office. Award terms and residency rules change; some awards differ for in-state and out-of-state students. Always confirm at the school’s source page.
Free Merit Check
Check the rules that could cut this.
The free Merit Check shows which Nebraska–Kearney (UNK) award your student's numbers reach, and the rules that could change it. About 30 seconds.
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“it told me what to ask and what the renewal GPA looked like, which I was not going to find on my own”Melissa
The fine print
Renewal ruleNew Nebraskan Scholarship (non-resident tuition waiver): renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out
Must remain a full-time student (12+ credit hours each semester), meet the University's academic good standing policy, and successfully complete 24 or more semester hours each academic year. Eligibility ends upon receipt of a bachelor's degree. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.
What makes Nebraska–Kearney (UNK) different
UNK runs a fully automatic ACT/GPA merit ladder — $2,000–$7,000/yr toward tuition (plus housing dollars at the top tiers) for anyone with a 3.7+ GPA and 22+ ACT — and waives out-of-state tuition for every non-resident via the New Nebraskan Scholarship, which stacks on top of the merit award.
Merit tiers86 based on grades or scores
First-year students with school awards27%First-year students, CDS 2023-2024
Research checkedJun 2026By our research team
More than one award path
Separate the two paths.
Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.
Match the published criteria
Use all requirements together, including residency and the entering class.
Check the application dates
Confirm the current admission and scholarship deadlines directly with the school.
Know what happens next year
Check renewal, credit requirements and how other aid affects the award.
The fine print / Three questions to carry forward
Before you count on it.
Does it apply to us? Confirm the entering year, residency and every eligibility condition.
Can we keep it? Check renewal GPA, credits and how long the award lasts.
Can we combine it? Ask how outside scholarships and other school awards change the offer.
A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.
See what could change an award+
Straight from the aid office
What Nebraska–Kearney (UNK)'s aid office says
Per the Financial Aid Office, University of Nebraska at Kearney, August 2026. How we verify
Fall 2026 freshman scholarship amounts
Which scholarship amounts apply to students who started fall 2026?
Students who started in fall 2026 receive the amounts released last August: Chancellors $7,000, Distinguished $5,000, Loper Achievement $4,000, and Loper Recognition $2,000.
“Students who started this fall 2026 semester would receive the amounts that were released last August. So, Chancellors for $7,000, Distinguished $5,000, Loper Achievement $4,000 & Loper Recognition $2,000.”
Fall 2027 scholarship amounts on website
Why do the website scholarship amounts differ from what fall 2026 students receive?
The scholarship amounts listed on the website have been adjusted for incoming freshmen for the fall 2027 semester, and the website reflects amounts for the next admissions cycle.
“The scholarship amounts listed on the website have been adjusted for our incoming freshman for the fall 2027 semester.”
Nebraska Career Scholarship typical award
How much is the Nebraska Career Scholarship generally awarded at?
The Nebraska Career Scholarship is generally awarded at $8,000.
“As for the Nebraska Career's, it is generally awarded at $8,000.”
Nebraska Career Scholarship reduction
Can the Nebraska Career Scholarship amount be reduced?
The scholarship may be reduced or offered at a lower amount due to other scholarship offers the student has received.
“However, there are occasions in which the scholarship must be reduced or offered at a lower amount, and that is due to other scholarship offers.”
What families often miss
UNK's automatic merit scholarships require that, by March 1, you are admitted AND UNK has received your official high school transcripts and scores. Miss the date and you fall out of the automatic ladder even if your GPA/ACT qualify.
Every published merit rung is keyed to an ACT cutoff (22-36). The page lists no test-optional or GPA-only path and no SAT equivalents, so a strong ACT (or SAT, if accepted — confirm with the aid office) is effectively required for the automatic award.
The Regents Scholarship (full tuition + room waiver, 32+ ACT) is explicitly 'Open to Nebraska Residents.' Out-of-state students at the same ACT get the Chancellor's/Distinguished tiers instead, plus the New Nebraskan in-state-tuition waiver.
Most tiers say 'toward tuition' (with a smaller 'toward campus housing' piece at the top). UNK's 2025-26 resident cost of attendance is $28,536 (on/off campus) including food/housing, books, transportation and personal costs — a $2,000-$7,000 tuition award covers only part of that.
UNK requires outside scholarship checks to be reported (via MyBLUE 'Outside Scholarship Notification'), and by law must adjust federal aid if the total creates an excess. Not reporting can cause a later aid reversal.
See costs and school data+
Who this school may work for
Test-submitting students with a 3.7+ GPA and 22+ ACT who want a predictable, no-essay automatic award; especially strong for out-of-state students, who get in-state tuition automatically and can still earn a merit scholarship on top.
Cost and graduation facts
Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at Nebraska–Kearney (UNK), what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.
Average annual net price by family income at Nebraska–Kearney (UNK), academic year 2021-22 — in-state, Title-IV aid recipients only
Family income
Average net price paid
$0–$30,000
$13,066
$30,001–$48,000
$13,350
$48,001–$75,000
$14,547
$75,001–$110,000
$16,703
$110,001+
$20,664
All income levels (average)
$16,242
Sticker price vs. what students actually pay
Total cost of attendance (sticker), AY 2021-22
$25,808
Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
$8,676
Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
$15,284
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$16,242
That works out to an average 37% discount off the sticker price above — both figures come from the same federal AY 2021-22 Scorecard report, not a number the school itself published.
Nebraska–Kearney (UNK) is a public school; Scorecard's net price and cost of attendance figures cover 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
58%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
80%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$19,500 (~$207/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$50,105
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
38%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
38%
See other scholarships and cost examples+
If your student brings another scholarship
Institutional awards stack with each other (the non-resident New Nebraskan tuition waiver can be held alongside a UNK Academic Merit Scholarship). For OUTSIDE/private scholarships, UNK is required by law to adjust FEDERAL aid first if outside awards create an excess (over-award) — implying outside money displaces federal aid before institutional merit, though the page does not spell out an explicit order beyond 'federal aid.'
New Nebraskan FAQ states a non-resident 'may qualify for and receive a UNK Academic Merit Scholarship as well as the New Nebraskan Scholarship,' so institutional awards stack. The Outside Scholarships page states 'By law, UNK must adjust federal aid if outside scholarships result in excess awards,' and that all outside scholarship checks are reported and applied to the financial aid package; the university sends an updated offer letter if aid changes. The page names only FEDERAL aid as what gets adjusted, so merit scholarships appear protected, but the explicit displacement order is not published.
From the Nebraska–Kearney (UNK) Common Data Set 2023-2024:
Merit penetrationHow likely is merit aid here?From Nebraska–Kearney (UNK)’s Common Data Set: the share of first-year students who receive institutional merit and the average dollar amount when they do.
27%of admitsget merit
Average award$8,301
At Nebraska–Kearney (UNK), roughly 1 in 4 first-year admits receive institutional merit aid. The average award is $8,301.
As filed in Nebraska–Kearney (UNK)'s CDS Section H2A: of 898 first-time, full-time degree-seeking freshmen, 240 had no financial need and received institutional merit (non-need) scholarship or grant aid, averaging $8,301. Across all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates: 889 of 3,672, averaging $7,903. Athletic awards are excluded per the CDS definition.
Receive institutional merit27%First-year students, Common Data Set 2023-2024
Average merit award$8,301Across recipients, Common Data Set 2023-2024
Other Nebraska–Kearney (UNK) scholarships worth checking
These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.
AmountVaries (not published)EligibilityIncoming freshmen selected on ACT scores, high school GPA, a letter of recommendation, and a writing sample.
Held for four years if the student remains in the Honors Program, in good standing, and maintains a 3.25 cumulative GPA. Dollar amounts are not published on the catalog page.
Do I have to apply separately for UNK merit scholarships?
No. The automatic merit scholarships (Presidential, Regents, Chancellor's, Distinguished, Loper Achievement, Loper Recognition) are awarded based on your GPA and ACT with no separate application. You only need to be admitted and have UNK receive your official transcripts and scores by March 1. Some other awards (e.g. Honors, Omaha World Herald/Kearney Hub) involve a separate or competitive process.
What is the deadline?
March 1. By that date you must be admitted to UNK and UNK must have received your official high school transcripts and scores to be considered for the automatic merit scholarships.
I'm out of state — can I get a merit scholarship AND the non-resident discount?
Yes. UNK states that depending on your GPA and ACT/SAT score you may receive a UNK Academic Merit Scholarship as well as the New Nebraskan Scholarship, which charges non-residents the in-state tuition rate ($234/credit hour). The page's own figures for what that saves don't agree — its value FAQ says about $7,920/year ($31,680 over four years) while its savings table says $8,310/year ($33,240 over four years) — so use roughly $7,900-$8,300/year as a range and confirm the exact figure with the aid office.
What GPA do I need to keep my scholarship?
UNK does not publish a specific renewal GPA for the automatic merit scholarships on the freshman scholarships page (they are listed as renewable up to 4 years / 120 credit hours). Named awards do publish one: Honors Scholarships require a 3.25 cumulative GPA and the Omaha World Herald/Kearney Hub Scholarship requires a 3.5. Confirm the merit-renewal GPA with the aid office.
See sources and other schools+
How Nebraska–Kearney (UNK) compares
145 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use loan-first displacement.
Nebraska–Kearney (UNK) is in a recognizable cluster (145 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.
Nebraska–Kearney (UNK) 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 Nebraska–Kearney (UNK)’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.
