UNCW scholarships and merit aid
The short answer
We did not find a simple published award list to show for UNCW. Read our full reasoning before spending more time here.
2 school sources to explore
Published rules, with the school sources close at hand. Confirm the details before you count on an award.
Explore the aid policy
Start with the financial aid office
This research does not list a merit award. Explore the recorded policies below and ask UNCW's financial aid office about current options.
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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
What makes UNCW different
UNC Wilmington rewards driven students across majors with a wide range of merit-based awards.
Start with the aid policy
Find the right kind of aid.
This research does not list a merit award. Check the school's financial aid options and application requirements; an empty award list is not proof that no aid is available.
- Read the selection rules
Look for the school's stated criteria and whether an additional application is needed.
- 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 UNCW's aid office says
Per the financial aid office, University of North Carolina Wilmington, August 2026. How we verify
- Stacking multiple scholarships
Can a student receive more than one UNCW scholarship at the same time?
Students can receive multiple scholarships at UNCW, though it is rare.
“Student can receive multiple scholarships at UNCW, but it's rare.”
- Percentage of students receiving a scholarship
What proportion of UNCW students receive a scholarship?
About 15% of students receive a UNCW scholarship.
“About 15% of students receive a UNCW scholarship and the average amount is about $3500.”
See costs and school data
Who this school may work for
Prospective students with strong academics and campus involvement should explore UNC Wilmington's diverse scholarship opportunities.
Published yearly cost: Approximately $30,325 for 2026-2027. Source
Cost and graduation facts
Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at UNCW, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.
| Family income | Average net price paid |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $10,778 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $12,572 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $17,378 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $24,046 |
| $110,001+ | $25,573 |
| All income levels (average) | $20,109 |
Sticker price vs. what students actually pay
- Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
- $7,277
- Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
- $24,152
- Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
- $20,109
That works out to roughly a 24% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $26,547 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).
UNCW 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
- 71%
- First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
- 88%
- 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)
- $54,967
- Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
- 20%
- Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
- 45%
See other scholarships and cost examples
More school data
From the UNCW Common Data Set 2023-2024:
At UNCW, roughly 1 in 8 first-year admits receive institutional merit aid. The average award is $3,457 — about 11% of total cost.
As filed in UNCW's CDS Section H2A: of 2,694 first-time, full-time degree-seeking freshmen, 348 had no financial need and received institutional merit (non-need) scholarship or grant aid, averaging $3,457. Across all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates: 688 of 12,244, averaging $3,893. Athletic awards are excluded per the CDS definition.
Other UNCW scholarships worth checking
These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.
See sources and other schools
Sources used on this page
Every claim is checked against UNCW’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.
- Cost of attendanceUNCW cost-of-attendance worksheet
- Scholarship pageUncw Merit Scholarships For Honors Scholars
Compare with similar schools
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- North Carolina A&T merit aid. North Carolina public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.