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.
Verified Jun 20264 days ago· COWORK
Merit tiers51 automatic on stats
Last verifiedJun 2026Analyst COWORK
Rules that bite at UPIKE
The trip wires we'd flag in a custom playbook. Each is derived from UPIKE's own published policy, not generic advice.
renewalGPA 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.
displacementNo 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.
Common merit-aid mistakes at UPIKE
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.
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.
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.
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').
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.
'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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
'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.
Who this school is 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.
Tuition / cost of attendance: Approximately $49,516 for 2026-2027. Source
Institutional merit aid tiers
Every tier below is sourced to the school’s own published financial aid pages. Renewal terms apply only if the student maintains the stated GPA.
$3,000-$8,000
GPA Scholarships (Trustee Excellence Scholarship / Provost Leadership Award / Dean Service Award / Appalachian Academic Achievement / Mountain Merit Award)
AutomaticRenewable
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
Requirements & details+
Eligibility
Official high school and college transcripts must be on file before scholarship can be awarded; FAFSA required; full-time enrollment (12+ credits per semester).
Renewal terms
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).
Notes
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.
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.
Renewal terms
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.
Notes
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.
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.
Renewal terms
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).
Notes
Competitive: a scholarship committee reviews applications and personal statements to establish finalists; all finalists are interviewed. Deadline: March 1.
$1,000-$3,500…$1,000-$3,500 (Athletic and Organizational amounts vary)
Activity Scholarships (Governor's Scholar, Rogers' Scholar, Dual Credit, Early College Academy, OSP, OMSP, Athletic, Organizational)
ApplicationRenewable
View requirements+
Eligibility
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.
Renewal terms
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.
Notes
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.
Pikeville Medical Center/UPIKE Workforce Investment ADN Scholarship
ApplicationRenewable
GPA
Maintain 2.75 cumulative GPA throughout enrollment
ACT
Minimum composite ACT score of 21
Requirements & details+
Eligibility
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.
Renewal terms
Up to two years for selected applicants who maintain scholarship eligibility standards, including maintaining a 2.75 cumulative GPA throughout enrollment.
Notes
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.
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.
Named awards that don’t always surface on the main financial aid page. Each one has its own eligibility 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
How UPIKE compares across our verified dataset
199 of 751 verified schools in our dataset use unclear or unpublished displacement.
UPIKE is in a recognizable cluster (199 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.
199 of 751 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.
669 of 751 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.
UPIKE 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.
Sources used on this page
Every claim is checked against UPIKE’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.
