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UPIKE scholarships and merit aid

Two prices: the posted one, and yours.

Posted price$49,516per year · 2026-2027 · cost of attendance
Yours?depends on the rules below

The short answer

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

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
3 school sources to explore

Published rules, with the school sources close at hand. Confirm the details before you count on an award.

The award collection

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.

Where does your student land?

  1. GPA Scholarships (Trustee Excellence Scholarship / Provost Leadership Award / Dean Service Award / Appalachian Academic Achievement / Mountain Merit Award)$3,000-$8,000AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    GPA Scholarships (Trustee Excellence Scholarship / Provost Leadership Award / Dean Service Award / Appalachian Academic Achievement / Mountain Merit Award)

    $3,000-$8,000

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Tiered by unweighted 4.0-scale GPA: 3.75 and above = $8,000; 3.5-3.74 = $6,750; 3.0-3.49 = $5,000; 2.75-2.99 = $3,750; 2.74 and below = $3,000
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for GPA Scholarships (Trustee Excellence Scholarship / Provost Leadership Award / Dean Service Award / Appalachian Academic Achievement / Mountain Merit Award)

    Who qualifies

    Official high school and college transcripts must be on file before scholarship can be awarded; FAFSA required; full-time enrollment (12+ credits per semester).

    How to keep it

    Scholarships are available up to eight semesters of undergraduate study; students will be required to complete a new FAFSA each year; all UPIKE scholarships are based on full-time enrollment (12 or more credits per semester).

    Worth knowing

    Grid is published under a '2025-2026 Scholarships' header (see Section C flag). Awarded automatically on admission. Students transferring with 30+ credits receive the award based on the GPA calculated from their transfer credits; students transferring with fewer than 30 credits use high school GPA. Institutional awards (except Athletic and Activity) are applied to tuition only and may be reduced based on other aid received.

  2. UPIKE PledgeFull tuition + booksNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    UPIKE Pledge

    Full tuition + books

    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 UPIKE Pledge

    Who qualifies

    Must be admitted to the University of Pikeville and have submitted transcripts; file the FAFSA as early as possible; be a Kentucky resident; be awarded full Pell, CAP, and KTG grants; be enrolled full-time. Transfer students from Kentucky are fully eligible.

    How to keep it

    Renewable up to four years. To renew the Pledge annually, recipients must: complete at least 24 credit hours each year; file the FAFSA annually; continue to be fully eligible for Pell, CAP and KTG grants.

    Worth knowing

    Last-dollar award: covers the rest of tuition AFTER federal, state and UPIKE aid are applied. Students are automatically considered based on eligibility (need/grant-based, not GPA/test stats). Covers tuition and books only — food, housing and the student activity fee are separate costs. Aid is provided on a funds-available basis; the page urges filing FAFSA early because state funding is limited.

  3. Presidential Fellow ScholarshipFull ride (includes room and board)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Presidential Fellow Scholarship

    Full ride (includes room and board)

    Published coverage or packageNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Minimum unweighted high school GPA of 3.75
    SAT
    1300 or higher
    ACT
    28 or higher
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Presidential Fellow Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Complete 50 hours of documented community service prior to high school graduation; submit a personal statement to scholarships@upike.edu; be available to work 10 hours per week on campus while enrolled; finalists invited to interview; preference given to residents of Kentucky.

    How to keep it

    Renewable for up to eight semesters or until the completion of a bachelor's degree, as long as selected students meet renewal criteria (specific renewal criteria not published on the page).

    Worth knowing

    Competitive: a scholarship committee reviews applications and personal statements to establish finalists; all finalists are interviewed. Deadline: March 1.

  4. Activity Scholarships (Governor's Scholar, Rogers' Scholar, Dual Credit, Early College Academy, OSP, OMSP, Athletic, Organizational)$1,000-$3,500 (Athletic and Organizational amounts vary)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Activity Scholarships (Governor's Scholar, Rogers' Scholar, Dual Credit, Early College Academy, OSP, OMSP, Athletic, Organizational)

    $1,000-$3,500 (Athletic and Organizational amounts vary)

    Variable or qualified amountNot 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 Activity Scholarships (Governor's Scholar, Rogers' Scholar, Dual Credit, Early College Academy, OSP, OMSP, Athletic, Organizational)

    Who qualifies

    Program completion (Governor's Scholar, Rogers' Scholar, Early College Academy — Kentucky students only for Governor's Scholar and Early College Academy); completion of five dual-credit hours with a 'B' or better average; audition/interview for Band, Choir, Academic Team; athletic talent for athletic awards; admission to program for OSP/OMSP. Some marked awards are for first-time UPIKE students.

    How to keep it

    Institutional scholarships are available up to eight semesters of undergraduate study with annual FAFSA and full-time enrollment; renewal terms specific to activity awards are not separately stated.

    Worth knowing

    Students may receive only one Dual Credit or Other Activity scholarship (these do not stack with each other). Students may receive two athletic and/or Organization scholarships (for those who started classes at UPIKE in 2022/2023 or later) and two Supplemental (Gov, Roger, DC, Early College, regional recruiter) scholarships. Athletic scholarships are in addition to academic scholarships and are determined by the coach of each sport.

  5. Pikeville Medical Center/UPIKE Workforce Investment ADN Scholarship$24,700 per year (up to two years)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Pikeville Medical Center/UPIKE Workforce Investment ADN Scholarship

    $24,700 per year (up to two years)

    Variable or qualified amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Maintain 2.75 cumulative GPA throughout enrollment
    ACT
    Minimum composite ACT score of 21
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Pikeville Medical Center/UPIKE Workforce Investment ADN Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Kentucky residents pursuing an Associate Degree in Nursing; demonstrate financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid; express strong interest in future employment at Pikeville Medical Center; required to sign a one-to-one service-period agreement at Pikeville Medical Center for each academic year received.

    How to keep it

    Up to two years for selected applicants who maintain scholarship eligibility standards, including maintaining a 2.75 cumulative GPA throughout enrollment.

    Worth knowing

    Departmental (Elliott School of Nursing) award with a binding work-service commitment — recipients must work at Pikeville Medical Center one-to-one for each year funded.

Lights up against UPIKE'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

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Checking merit aid at UPIKE

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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 ruleGPA Scholarships (Trustee Excellence Scholarship / Provost Leadership Award / Dean Service Award / Appalachian Academic Achievement / Mountain Merit Award): renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

Scholarships are available up to eight semesters of undergraduate study; students will be required to complete a new FAFSA each year; all UPIKE scholarships are based on full-time enrollment (12 or more credits per semester). A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

Outside awardsNo published displacement order

UPIKE'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 makes UPIKE different

UPIKE awards every entering student an automatic GPA-based scholarship ($3,000-$8,000, even below a 2.75 GPA), and its UPIKE Pledge promises full tuition plus free books for Kentucky students who qualify for full Pell, CAP, and KTG grants — but institutional awards apply to tuition only and may be reduced by other aid.

Merit tiers51 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJul 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.

  1. Match the published criteria

    Use all requirements together, including residency and the entering class.

  2. Check the application dates

    Confirm the current admission and scholarship deadlines directly with the school.

  3. 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.

Take UPIKE's decision sheet

A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.

See what could change an award

Straight from the aid office

What UPIKE's aid office says

Per the FINAID Office, University of Pikeville, August 2026. How we verify

Reduction of institutional aid to avoid refunds

When other aid posts, which institutional awards get reduced, and by how much?

The school will not refund institutional aid, so awards are lowered to prevent a refund, and the amount of reduction varies per student.

“we will not refund institutional aid so we will lower our awards to prevent a refund. The award will vary per student.”
What gets refunded to students

Which types of aid are actually refunded to the student?

Only loans and some outside scholarships will be refunded to students.

“Only loans, and some outside scholarships will be refunded to students.”
Athletic/Organizational scholarship amounts

What dollar amounts are behind the 'Amounts Vary' Athletic and Organizational scholarships?

Each department sets its own budget for these awards.

“Each department has their own budget”

What families often miss

  1. The scholarships page states: 'Institutional awards, with the exception of Athletic and Activity, are applied to tuition only. Awards may be reduced based on other aid received.' Your GPA scholarship cannot be applied to housing/food, and other aid can reduce it.

  2. The page warns 'Some institutional scholarships cannot be stacked (combined) with other awards,' and the activity-award footnotes cap students at one Dual Credit/Other Activity scholarship (these do not stack with each other), two athletic/Organizational scholarships, and two Supplemental scholarships.

  3. The Pledge page says 'The UPIKE Pledge is designed to cover tuition only. Food, housing and student activity fees are separate costs.' It covers tuition and books — not the full ~$49,516 on-campus cost of attendance.

  4. Eligibility requires being 'awarded full Pell, CAP, and KTG grants' — i.e., high financial need — plus full-time enrollment and an early FAFSA. It is also last-dollar: it covers only 'the rest of your tuition, after federal, state and UPIKE aid are applied.' If your Student Aid Index changes significantly, eligibility may change, and aid is provided on a funds-available basis ('State funding is limited, so students should file the FAFSA early').

  5. All institutional scholarships require the FAFSA: 'You are required to complete the FAFSA. Students will be required to complete a new FAFSA each year.' Missing the annual FAFSA jeopardizes renewal.

  6. 'Scholarships are available up to eight semesters of undergraduate study' and 'All UPIKE scholarships are based on full-time enrollment (12 or more credits per semester).' Pledge renewal additionally requires completing at least 24 credit hours each year.

  7. The full-ride Presidential Fellow Scholarship and the Legacy Scholarship both list a March 1 deadline and require a separate submission, unlike the automatic GPA scholarships.

  8. The Offer page states 'Outside scholarships and the verification process could change your aid eligibility and awards.' The mechanism is not published — ask the aid office how an outside award would be treated before counting on it as extra money.

  9. The scholarships page specifies 'GPA will be based on a 4.0 unweighted scale,' so a weighted 3.8 may not qualify for the $8,000 Trustee Excellence tier.

  10. Recipients 'will be required to sign an agreement for a service period at Pikeville Medical Center that matches their scholarship funding on a one-to-one basis for each academic year received' — the $24,700/year award obligates post-graduation employment.

  11. 'If the recipient does not complete the full year, the entire award is removed from their financial aid account and they would owe any resulting balance.' It is also capped so combined aid cannot exceed the Cost of Attendance.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Kentucky students with high financial need (full Pell/CAP/KTG eligibility) win biggest here via the last-dollar UPIKE Pledge (full tuition + books); every admitted student — even with a GPA under 2.75 — gets an automatic GPA scholarship of $3,000-$8,000, and a 3.75/28 ACT student willing to compete can pursue the full-ride Presidential Fellow.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $49,516 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at UPIKE, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$13,115
$30,001–$48,000$18,160
$48,001–$75,000$23,075
$75,001–$110,000$24,065
$110,001+$25,755
All income levels (average)$20,311

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$24,850
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$20,311

That works out to roughly a 39% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $33,420 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
42%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
69%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$20,679 (~$219/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$48,231
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
54%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
93%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

Some UPIKE institutional scholarships cannot be combined with other awards. Institutional awards (except Athletic and Activity) are applied to tuition only and may be reduced based on other aid received. Students are limited in how many awards of each category they may hold: one Dual Credit/Other Activity award, up to two athletic and/or Organizational scholarships, and up to two Supplemental scholarships. The treatment of private outside scholarships is not spelled out — the Offer page says only that outside scholarships 'could change your aid eligibility and awards.'

The scholarships page states: institutional scholarships require the FAFSA each year; 'Some institutional scholarships cannot be stacked (combined) with other awards'; and 'Institutional awards, with the exception of Athletic and Activity, are applied to tuition only. Awards may be reduced based on other aid received.' Dual Credit scholarships do not stack with each other. The UPIKE Pledge is explicitly last-dollar (covers remaining tuition after federal, state and UPIKE aid). No page opened specifies the mechanism (loan-first vs grant-first) by which outside scholarships reduce aid.

Source

Other UPIKE scholarships worth checking

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

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityStudents entering in the fall semester who have an immediate family member who graduated from Pikeville College/UPIKE; requires a scholarship application.

Each award is 'based of availability' (sic) and is renewable for four years. Annual deadline: March 1.

Source

AmountUp to 80% of outstanding balance, max $4,000 per calendar school yearEligibilityRetention award for students who finished a semester still owing a balance; priority to undergraduates in good academic standing committed to re-enrolling/graduating; must certify they applied for all other UPIKE scholarships first; 250-word essay.

Deadlines: Fall – September 15; Spring – March 1. Applied to outstanding tuition/room/board/textbook costs, stays with the university.

Source

Amount$1,000EligibilityEducation majors; students in the 7th Judicial district of Eastern Kentucky (preference Pike and Martin County); financial need and a Christian background; 500-word essay.

Can only be awarded once per student; funds go toward open balances. Annual deadline: September 30.

Source

AmountAmount not published (based on financial need and fund earnings)Eligibility2.75 high school GPA, maintain 2.75 at UPIKE; resident and high school graduate of Pike County, KY, Buchanan County, VA, or an adjoining county; 250-word essay; re-apply each year.

Annual deadline: September 15.

Source

Amount$1,000-$2,500Eligibility3.0 or better high school GPA plus at least one extracurricular activity; first preference to Martin County, KY students (then Floyd, Johnson, Pike or Lawrence counties); 250-word essay; re-apply each year.

Annual deadline: September 15. Amount based on financial need and fund earnings.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityFirst-generation students in their first semester at UPIKE; short essay required.

One-time award that can be combined with any other awards as long as total aid does not exceed the Cost of Attendance. If the recipient does not complete the full year, the entire award is removed and the student owes any resulting balance. Annual deadline: September 15.

Source

Amount$1,000EligibilityUndergraduate student diagnosed with Asperger's; essay required.

Funds go toward open balances; no funds disbursed directly to the student.

Source

AmountUp to $2,000 for one academic year ($1,000/semester)EligibilityFull-time student pursuing a four-year degree with an immediate relative who is a UPIKE alumna/alumnus; preference to 3.0+ GPA; essay required.

A 3.0 GPA must be maintained during the fall semester or the scholarship will not be continued for the spring semester. One-time award, but past recipients can reapply each year. Annual deadline: August 1.

Source

Amount$1,000 (one year)EligibilityFirst-generation undergraduates with financial need; 2.0+ GPA; preference to ACE Program members; application plus essay on being a first-generation student.

A new student is selected each year. Application window: October 1 – October 15.

Source

AmountUp to $500EligibilityCurrently enrolled full-time UPIKE undergraduates facing temporary or unusual hardship; documentation of financial hardship required; must not exceed the financial aid cost of attendance.

Not a merit award — emergency assistance for medicines, food/clothing, utilities, housing, medical or transportation bills; awarded case-by-case by committee.

Source

UPIKE merit aid FAQ

  • What are the scholarship deadlines at UPIKE?

    Merit (GPA) scholarships are awarded automatically on a rolling basis as soon as admission is received — comprehensive financial aid offers begin no later than December 1 (must be admitted and have submitted the FAFSA). Application-based awards have their own deadlines: Presidential Fellow Scholarship and Legacy Scholarship — March 1; Bill Baird Family — September 15 (fall) / March 1 (spring); Hettie Charles Hughes/Able Hughes, Horn Family, and Jackson First Semester Living — September 15; Elizabeth Stepp Goff Memorial — September 30; Alumni Association — August 1; ACE First Generation — October 1-15.

  • Are UPIKE's merit scholarships automatic?

    Yes for the GPA grid. The Offer page states: 'After being admitted to the University of Pikeville, you will automatically be considered for merit-based scholarships (those based on your ACT/SAT and GPA), but some scholarships (like Wells Family Scholarship or Legacy Scholarship) require the submission of a scholarship application.' The published award grid itself is tiered by GPA only ($3,000-$8,000).

  • Do I need the FAFSA to get a merit scholarship?

    Yes. 'All institutional scholarships have the following requirements: You are required to complete the FAFSA. Students will be required to complete a new FAFSA each year.'

  • What does the UPIKE Pledge cover, and who qualifies?

    Full tuition plus free books for Kentucky resident undergraduates and transfers who file the FAFSA, are awarded full Pell, CAP, and KTG grants, and enroll full-time. It is last-dollar (covers remaining tuition after federal, state and UPIKE aid) and does NOT cover food, housing, or the student activity fee. It renews up to four years if you complete 24+ credit hours per year, file the FAFSA annually, and remain fully Pell/CAP/KTG eligible.

  • Is there a full-ride scholarship?

    Yes — the Presidential Fellow Scholarship is a full ride including room and board, renewable up to eight semesters. It requires a 3.75 unweighted GPA, a 28 ACT or 1300 SAT, 50 hours of community service, a personal statement, an interview for finalists, and 10 hours/week of campus work; preference goes to Kentucky residents. Deadline: March 1.

  • How much does UPIKE cost for 2026-2027?

    Full-time undergraduate tuition is $26,500/year. The published 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $49,516 living on campus ($51,296 living with parent; $56,408 living off campus). Books are bundled into tuition ('There are NO book costs to students'), and the only extra fee is a $90/semester ($150/year per the Pledge page) student activity fee.

  • Can my scholarship be reduced by other aid?

    Possibly. The scholarships page states institutional awards (except Athletic and Activity) 'are applied to tuition only. Awards may be reduced based on other aid received,' and the Offer page notes 'Outside scholarships and the verification process could change your aid eligibility and awards.' Ask the aid office exactly how your combination will be treated.

See sources and other schools

How UPIKE compares

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

    UPIKE 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.

    UPIKE 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.

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

Compare with similar schools

Keep exploring UPIKE merit aid

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