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URI scholarships and merit aid

Two prices: the posted one, and yours.

Posted price$38,936per year · 2026-2027 · cost of attendance
Yours?depends on the rules below

The short answer

URI may be worth checking, but its awards do not follow a simple grades-and-scores chart. Start with the published scholarships below.

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
5 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. University and Presidential Merit Scholarships$2,000-$17,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    University and Presidential Merit Scholarships

    $2,000-$17,000

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

    GPA
    Minimum recalculated GPA of 3.2 to be considered (4-point scale, grades 9-11, extra weight for honors/AP/IB/dual enrollment)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for University and Presidential Merit Scholarships

    Who qualifies

    Test-blind — scores not required and not considered. Based on HS academic performance and course selection; letters of rec, leadership, special achievements also considered. Priority by December 1

    How to keep it

    Four-year awards, renewable each semester with continuous, full-time undergraduate enrollment (12 credits/semester) and a minimum GPA of 2.8. Total renewable value $12,000-$68,000. (Doctor of Pharmacy six-year program retains scholarships for six years.)

    Worth knowing

    No separate application. Meeting the 3.2 GPA does not guarantee an award. Annual range $2,000-$17,000.

  2. Helen Izzi Schilling '54 and Francis Schilling Scholars Program (STEM)Up to $20,000 (on top of University/Presidential merit)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Helen Izzi Schilling '54 and Francis Schilling Scholars Program (STEM)

    Up to $20,000 (on top of University/Presidential merit)

    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 Helen Izzi Schilling '54 and Francis Schilling Scholars Program (STEM)

    Who qualifies

    High-achieving STEM students admitted to one of 40+ eligible programs; based on credentials at time of application; no additional application

    How to keep it

    Standard merit renewal terms (full-time, 2.8 GPA). Includes a $1,000 yearly book stipend and a $3,000 Winter J-Term/summer global travel award.

    Worth knowing

    Adds up to $20,000 annually ON TOP of the University/Presidential merit award. STEM-program-gated.

  3. Thomas M. Ryan Scholars AwardFull ride (tuition, fees, housing, food, books + Global Winter J-Term)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Thomas M. Ryan Scholars Award

    Full ride (tuition, fees, housing, food, books + Global Winter J-Term)

    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 Thomas M. Ryan Scholars Award

    Who qualifies

    All majors; candidates selected from initial applications, then campus visits and interviews

    How to keep it

    Four years; includes Honors Program access, Leadership Institute, special advising, priority registration.

    Worth knowing

    Full-ride and highly selective. No separate application, but finalists must interview.

  4. Alfred J. Verrecchia Business Scholars AwardFull ride (tuition, fees, housing, food, books + Global Winter J-Term)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Alfred J. Verrecchia Business Scholars Award

    Full ride (tuition, fees, housing, food, books + Global Winter J-Term)

    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 Alfred J. Verrecchia Business Scholars Award

    Who qualifies

    Students interested in majoring in business; selected from initial applications, then campus visits and interviews

    How to keep it

    Four years; includes Honors access, Leadership Institute, alumni business mentor, career coach with internship placement, priority registration.

    Worth knowing

    Full-ride for business majors. Finalists must interview.

  5. URI Narragansett Undergraduate ScholarshipFull in-state tuition and feesNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    URI Narragansett Undergraduate Scholarship

    Full in-state tuition and fees

    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 URI Narragansett Undergraduate Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Students of Narragansett ancestry accepted to a URI undergraduate program

    How to keep it

    Up to four years.

    Worth knowing

    Covers full IN-STATE tuition and fees (not full cost of attendance). Ancestry-gated.

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The fine print

Renewal ruleUniversity and Presidential Merit Scholarships: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

Four-year awards, renewable each semester with continuous, full-time undergraduate enrollment (12 credits/semester) and a minimum GPA of 2.8. Total renewable value $12,000-$68,000. (Doctor of Pharmacy six-year program retains scholarships for six years.) A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

What makes URI different

URI awards automatic, test-blind merit scholarships of $2,000-$17,000/yr to applicants with a 3.2+ recalculated GPA, layers up to $20,000/yr more on STEM students through the Schilling Scholars Program, and tops out with the interview-selected full-ride Ryan and Verrecchia awards.

Merit tiers5See who qualifies
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

Selection beyond grades and scores

Start with the selection process.

These awards are not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read each award's selection rules, application steps and dates. Meeting a minimum is not an award offer.

  1. Read the selection rules

    Look for the school's stated criteria and whether an additional application is needed.

  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 URI'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 URI's aid office says

Per the Admission Office, University of Rhode Island, August 2026. How we verify

GPA recalculation for scholarships

Is the GPA used for merit scholarships the transcript GPA or recalculated by the school?

URI will recalculate the student's GPA through STARS.

“URI will recalculate your son's GPA through STARS.”
SAT superscoring deadline

If a higher SAT score is achieved this fall, will it be considered, and is superscoring used?

URI automatically superscores SAT scores up until November 15th.

“URI will automatically super score your son's SAT scores up until November 15th.”
Outside scholarship effect on aid package

Does winning an outside scholarship reduce loans first or reduce the school's own award?

Whether an outside scholarship reduces loans first or the school's own award depends on whether the scholarship is merit based or need based.

“Regarding the third question it would depend on if the scholarship was merit based or need based.”

What families often miss

  1. All first-year fall applicants complete by December 1 get priority for the full range of awards (Presidential, University, and Top Scholarships); later applicants are considered only as availability permits.

  2. Merit scholarships renew each semester only with continuous, full-time enrollment (12 credits) and a minimum 2.8 GPA — fall below either and the award is at risk.

  3. There is no separate scholarship application, but Ryan and Verrecchia finalists are selected from their initial applications and must complete campus visits and interviews — the full ride is highly selective.

  4. The Schilling Scholars Program (up to $20,000/yr on top of merit) is only for high-achieving STEM students admitted to one of the 40+ eligible programs.

  5. It covers full IN-STATE tuition and fees only — not housing, food, or out-of-state tuition — and is limited to students of Narragansett ancestry.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Test-blind applicants with a strong 9-11 academic GPA; STEM students admitted to a Schilling-eligible program can stack up to $20,000/yr more, and top applicants can interview for the full-ride Ryan (all majors) or Verrecchia (business) awards.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $38,936 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at URI, academic year 2021-22 — in-state, Title-IV aid recipients only
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$14,368
$30,001–$48,000$12,923
$48,001–$75,000$17,803
$75,001–$110,000$23,394
$110,001+$28,460
All income levels (average)$21,440

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
$16,942
Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
$37,146
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$21,440

That works out to roughly a 38% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $34,321 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

URI 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
73%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
84%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$22,250 (~$236/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$69,743
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
24%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
61%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

Outside scholarships reduce loans and/or work-study first; institutional grants are only reduced if required to prevent an over-award.

Verified policy language (2026-07-02): "When you receive an outside scholarship, we first use it to reduce your out-of-pocket cost, to fill in any gap between your demonstrated financial need (as calculated by the FAFSA) and the aid you were offered. If the scholarship(s) exceeds your COA amount, we then reduce your loans to ensure you are receiving the maximum benefit for your hard work. Scholarships that exceed your gap (the amount between your cost of attendance and financial aid) and loans may reduce URI grant aid, if applicable."

Source

Other URI scholarships worth checking

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

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityTop Scholar applicants (priority by Dec 1)

New program named on the scholarships page; details not on the page opened

Source

AmountNot a monetary award per seEligibilitySelect engaged learners

Honors opportunity, separate from monetary merit

Source

URI merit aid FAQ

  • Do I need a separate application for merit scholarships?

    No — no URI merit scholarship requires a separate application. Complete your first-year fall application by December 1 for priority consideration for the full range of awards.

  • Are test scores used for scholarships?

    No. URI's scholarship review is test-blind; standardized test scores are not required and are not considered. A recalculated GPA of at least 3.2 is required to be considered.

  • What are the admission deadlines?

    Early Decision November 1, Early Action December 1, Regular Decision February 1. December 1 is the scholarship priority deadline.

See sources and other schools

How URI compares

  • 145 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use loan-first displacement.

    URI 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.

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

Compare with similar schools

Keep exploring URI merit aid

The next chapter

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