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Utah State University · Utah

Utah State scholarships and merit aid

USU automatically considers every admitted first-year for its Future Aggie merit grid — resident awards run from a $1,500/yr Trustee up to a Presidential covering 100% of tuition & fees for 4 years, while nonresidents get a separate grid built on HS-GPA bands (WUE/WUE+ tuition discounts plus 1-year Scholar/Merit cash awards).

Verified Jun 20263 months ago

The short answer

Is Utah State worth a closer look?

Utah State is worth checking if your student has strong grades or scores. We found 18 published awards, and 18 are based on those numbers.

Merit tiers1818 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJun 2026By our research team

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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.

100% Tuition & Student Fees, 4 years

Resident Presidential (Logan & Statewide)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
Determined by a GPA + ACT/SAT 'index' (shown only as a calculator image on the grid page — the numeric index cutoff is NOT published in text)
SAT
SAT may substitute; index-based
ACT
Composite ACT used; index-based
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year, first-time Utah residents; automatically considered on admission with test scores. Also pays 100% of Student Body Fees and any differential tuition.

How to keep it

Per the Full Terms (residentpresidential): renewable for up to four years; a 3.5 or greater USU Institutional GPA is required to maintain the award, and 24 credits must be earned between fall and spring semesters (pays at 9+ credits).

Notes

The eligibility row on the grid lists the academic requirement only as 'Index' (a combined GPA+test formula USU shows as a calculator image, not as a published number). Do not infer a specific GPA/test cutoff for this tier — USU does not publish the index→tier mapping in text on this page. Priority deadline for Logan & Statewide Fall 2026 first-years: December 1, 2025.

Source

$7,000 per year, 4 years

Resident Deans (Logan & Statewide)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
Index (GPA + ACT/SAT; not published as a number)
SAT
Index-based
ACT
Composite ACT; index-based
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year, first-time Utah residents; automatic on admission with scores.

How to keep it

Available for 4 years (8 semesters); USU's resident multi-year academic awards require a USU Institutional GPA and 24 earned credits per year (the Merit terms page specifies 3.3 GPA; the Presidential page 3.5 — the per-tier renewal GPA for Deans was not separately retrieved).

Notes

Per-tier renewal GPA for Deans not separately confirmed from its own terms page (USU's other resident terms pages show 3.3-3.5 GPA + 24 credits/yr). Priority deadline: December 1, 2025 (Logan & Statewide).

Source

$5,000 per year, 4 years

Resident Scholar (Logan & Statewide)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
Index (GPA + ACT/SAT; not published as a number)
SAT
Index-based
ACT
Composite ACT; index-based
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year, first-time Utah residents; automatic on admission with scores.

How to keep it

Available for 4 years (8 semesters); resident academic awards require a USU Institutional GPA (3.3-3.5 on the tiers verified) and 24 credits earned per year.

Notes

Priority deadline: December 1, 2025 (Logan & Statewide).

Source

$3,500 per year…$3,500 per year, 4 years ($14,000 total)

Resident Merit (Logan & Statewide)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
Index (GPA + ACT/SAT; not published as a number)
SAT
Index-based
ACT
Composite ACT; index-based
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year, first-time Utah residents; automatic on admission with scores. Pays toward undergraduate tuition at Logan/Statewide (not Price/Blanding/Moab).

How to keep it

Per the Full Terms (residentmerit): available 4 years (8 semesters); a 3.3 or greater USU Institutional GPA is required to maintain the award, and 24 credits must be earned between fall and spring semesters (pays at 9+ credits).

Notes

Terms page states '$14,000 in total, $3,500 each year for four years.' Priority deadline: December 1, 2025 (Logan & Statewide).

Source

$2,500 per year, 4 years

Resident Land Grant (Logan & Statewide)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
Index (GPA + ACT/SAT; not published as a number)
SAT
Index-based
ACT
Composite ACT; index-based
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year, first-time Utah residents; automatic on admission with scores.

How to keep it

Available 4 years (8 semesters); resident academic awards require a USU Institutional GPA and 24 credits earned per year. Per-tier renewal GPA for Land Grant not separately retrieved.

Notes

Priority deadline: December 1, 2025 (Logan & Statewide).

Source

$1,500 per year, 4 years

Resident Trustee (Logan & Statewide)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
Index (GPA + ACT/SAT; not published as a number)
SAT
Index-based
ACT
Composite ACT; index-based
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year, first-time Utah residents; automatic on admission with scores.

How to keep it

Available 4 years (8 semesters); resident academic awards require a USU Institutional GPA and 24 credits per year. Per-tier renewal GPA for Trustee not separately retrieved.

Notes

Lowest resident tier. Priority deadline: December 1, 2025 (Logan & Statewide).

Source

100% Tuition & Student Fees, 4 years

Nonresident Presidential (Logan & Statewide)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
Index (GPA + ACT/SAT; not published as a number)
SAT
Index-based
ACT
Composite ACT; index-based
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year, first-time nonresidents; automatic on admission with scores.

How to keep it

4 years; nonresident students must establish Utah residency after the first year to receive a tuition reduction in subsequent years. Pays 100% of student body fees and any differential tuition in year one.

Notes

Top nonresident tier; qualifies on the combined 'Index', NOT a single HS-GPA band. After year 1, the student must establish Utah residency to keep tuition covered at resident rates. Priority deadline for WUE+/WUE/NR Scholar/NR Merit/100-Mile is August 1, 2026; the index-based Presidential follows the December 1, 2025 Logan & Statewide deadline.

Source

$24,000 year 1…$24,000 year 1, $7,000 year 2 (2 years)

Nonresident Deans (Logan & Statewide)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
Index (GPA + ACT/SAT; not published as a number)
SAT
Index-based
ACT
Composite ACT; index-based
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year, first-time nonresidents; automatic on admission with scores.

How to keep it

2-year award: $24,000 the first year, $7,000 the second. Students must establish Utah residency after the first year to receive a tuition reduction in subsequent years.

Notes

Second-highest nonresident tier; qualifies on the combined 'Index', NOT a single HS-GPA band. Front-loaded ($24,000 then $7,000). Priority deadline: December 1, 2025 (Logan & Statewide, index-based tiers).

Source

150% Resident Tuition…150% Resident Tuition + $3,500 additional scholarship per year, 4 years

WUE+ (Nonresident First-Year, Logan & Statewide)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
HS GPA 3.7-4.0 (unweighted, 4.0 scale)
ACT
Meet first-year academic requirements
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Legal resident of a participating WUE state (AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, ND, OR, SD, WA, WY and listed Pacific territories). Cannot establish Utah residency while on WUE.

How to keep it

Per the Full Terms (wue_plus): WUE tuition rate available 4 years (8 semesters); maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA to remain in good standing for the WUE rate. The additional $3,500/yr requires 24 earned credits between fall and spring; a student who misses that still keeps the 150% tuition rate while in good standing.

Notes

This is the WUE 150%-of-in-state tuition rate PLUS an extra $3,500/yr scholarship — NOT a standalone $3,500 award. WUE savings are approximately $12,500/yr; the terms page values the package at '$50,000 total, approximately $12,500 savings per year' plus '$3,500 per year on top of the WUE tuition rate for 8 semesters.' Priority deadline: August 1, 2026.

Source

$16,500 per year, 1 year

Nonresident Scholar (Logan & Statewide)

Based on grades or scores
GPA
HS GPA 3.7-4.0 (unweighted, 4.0 scale)
ACT
Meet first-year academic requirements
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year, first-time nonresidents. Residency-track alternative to WUE+ for students who plan to establish Utah residency.

Notes

Grid figure is '$16,500 per year'; the award's own Full Terms page confirms 'Approximately $16,500 for first year' — both official USU pages agree on $16,500 (no $17,000 figure appears on either; the prior extract's $17,000 was fabricated). Choose WUE+ vs NR Scholar before the semester starts — you cannot switch later. Priority deadline: August 1, 2026.

Source

150% Resident Tuition, 4 years

WUE (Nonresident First-Year, Logan & Statewide)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
HS GPA 3.0-3.69 (unweighted, 4.0 scale)
ACT
Meet academic requirements
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Legal resident of a participating WUE state. Savings approximately $12,500/yr.

How to keep it

Per the Full Terms (wue): WUE tuition rate available for 4 years (8 semesters) or until graduation; maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA to remain in good standing; cannot exceed 8 semesters. Students on WUE cannot establish Utah residency for tuition purposes.

Notes

WUE is a tuition RATE change (150% of in-state), not a cash scholarship or waiver — the student's residency code is changed and they are billed the WUE rate. Annual savings approximately $12,500. Priority deadline: August 1, 2026 (December 1, 2026 for Spring 2027).

Source

$11,500 per year, 1 year

Nonresident Merit (Logan & Statewide)

Based on grades or scores
GPA
HS GPA 3.0-3.69 (unweighted, 4.0 scale)
ACT
Meet academic requirements
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year, first-time nonresidents.

Notes

Grid and its Full Terms (nrmerit) both state $11,500 for one year. Choose WUE vs NR Merit before the semester starts — you cannot switch later. Priority deadline: August 1, 2026.

Source

150% Resident Tuition, 4 years

WUE within 100 Mile Radius (Nonresident First-Year)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
HS GPA 2.8-2.99 (unweighted, 4.0 scale)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Students graduating from a high school within 100 miles of the Logan campus (Southeastern Idaho and Western Wyoming).

How to keep it

WUE tuition rate for up to 4 years (8 semesters); maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA to remain in good standing. Cannot establish Utah residency while on WUE.

Notes

The 100-mile-radius pair extends WUE-rate eligibility to a slightly lower HS-GPA band (2.8-2.99) for nearby Idaho/Wyoming students. Priority deadline: August 1, 2026.

Source

$11,500 per year, 1 year

100 Mile Radius (Nonresident First-Year, Logan Only)

Based on grades or scores
GPA
HS GPA 2.8-2.99 (unweighted, 4.0 scale)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

Logan campus only; students graduating from a high school within 100 miles of the Logan campus (Southeastern Idaho and Western Wyoming).

Notes

Cash-style residency-track alternative to the 100-Mile WUE rate, for the 2.8-2.99 HS-GPA band. Priority deadline: August 1, 2026.

Source

$3,000…$3,000 ($1,500 per semester), 4 Years

SE Presidential (Price, Blanding, Moab — Resident First-Year)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
4.0 (unweighted HS GPA, 4.0 scale)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year residents at the Southeast campuses (USU Eastern/Price, Blanding, Moab).

How to keep it

4 Years. Scholarship goes toward tuition charges and is nonrefundable. The grid does not publish a per-tier renewal GPA; USU's general retention requirement is to remain in good standing.

Notes

Southeast (Price/Blanding/Moab) campuses use a pure unweighted-HS-GPA grid (distinct from the Logan/Statewide index). Priority deadline for Southeast Campuses: April 1, 2026.

Source

$2,500…$2,500 ($1,250 per semester), 4 Years

SE Deans (Price, Blanding, Moab — Resident First-Year)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.99 - 3.8 (unweighted HS GPA, 4.0 scale)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year residents at the Southeast campuses.

How to keep it

4 Years; nonrefundable, applied to tuition. Per-tier renewal GPA not published on the grid.

Notes

Priority deadline for Southeast Campuses: April 1, 2026.

Source

$1,500 ($750 per semester), 4 Years

SE Scholar (Price, Blanding, Moab — Resident First-Year)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.79 - 3.4 (unweighted HS GPA, 4.0 scale)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year residents at the Southeast campuses.

How to keep it

4 Years; nonrefundable, applied to tuition. Per-tier renewal GPA not published on the grid.

Notes

Priority deadline for Southeast Campuses: April 1, 2026.

Source

$1,000 ($500 per semester), 4 Years

SE Merit (Price, Blanding, Moab — Resident First-Year)

Based on grades or scoresCan continue
GPA
3.39 - 3.0 (unweighted HS GPA, 4.0 scale)
See who qualifies and how to keep it
Who qualifies

First-year residents at the Southeast campuses.

How to keep it

4 Years; nonrefundable, applied to tuition. Per-tier renewal GPA not published on the grid.

Notes

Lowest Southeast tier. Priority deadline for Southeast Campuses: April 1, 2026.

Source

See what could change an award

Rules that could change the answer

These are the rules we would flag for your family. Each comes from Utah State's published information.

  • Renewal ruleResident Presidential (Logan & Statewide): renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

    Per the Full Terms (residentpresidential): renewable for up to four years; a 3.5 or greater USU Institutional GPA is required to maintain the award, and 24 credits must be earned between fall and spring semesters (pays at 9+ credits). A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

  • Aid capHard $23,842 cost-of-attendance ceiling

    Institutional aid at Utah State cannot push the package past $23,842. Big outside wins can mathematically reduce institutional grant once the ceiling is reached.

Straight from the aid office

What Utah State's aid office says

Per the Scholarship Team Office, Utah State University, August 2026. How we verify

Resident scholarship deadline

What was the deadline for resident scholarships for 26-27?

The deadline for all resident scholarships, and the nonresident Presidential and Deans scholarships, was December 1st, 2025.

“The deadline of all resident scholarships, and the nonresident Presidential and Deans, was December 1st, 2025.”
Remaining nonresident scholarship deadline

What was the deadline for the other nonresident scholarships?

The remaining nonresident scholarships had a deadline of August 1, 2026.

“The remaining nonresident scholarships had a deadline of August 1, 2026.”
Scholarship information location

Where can I find information about the 26-27 scholarships?

Information about the 26-27 scholarship can be found on USU's homepage at the provided link.

“You can find information about the 26-27 scholarship on our homepage here”

What families often miss

  1. The nonresident WUE/WUE+/Scholar/Merit/100-Mile tiers qualify on UNWEIGHTED high-school GPA bands (3.7-4.0, 3.0-3.69, 2.8-2.99), not a numeric index. Only the top two nonresident tiers (Presidential, Deans) use the combined GPA+ACT/SAT 'Index'.

  2. WUE+ is the WUE tuition RATE (150% of in-state, ~$12,500/yr savings) PLUS an extra $3,500/yr — the two combine. The $3,500 alone is not the award.

  3. The resident Logan/Statewide grid shows only Name, Amount, and Duration. USU does not publish the GPA/test-to-tier mapping in text; eligibility runs through a combined GPA+ACT/SAT index shown only as a calculator image. Use USU's scholarship calculator or ask the aid office for your specific tier.

  4. NR Scholar, NR Merit, and the 100-Mile cash award are ONE-year awards. To keep low tuition after year one you must establish Utah residency (12 continuous months, Utah license/registration, etc.) — or you pay full nonresident tuition again.

  5. Tuition can only be covered once. USU caps tuition-based academic awards at 100% of tuition and does not refund the excess as cash; a newer academic offer replaces the prior one rather than stacking. NR Scholar also can't combine with any USU nonresident waiver.

  6. Deadlines differ: Logan & Statewide first-years December 1, 2025; the WUE+/WUE/NR Scholar/NR Merit/100-Mile awards August 1, 2026; Southeast (Price/Blanding/Moab) April 1, 2026. Applying by the priority deadline guarantees consideration; awarding may continue after only if funding remains.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Utah residents who want automatic, stats-based tuition help (no separate application), and Western-state nonresidents who can leverage WUE/WUE+ to pay 150% of in-state tuition — plus strong applicants who can establish Utah residency after year one to extend a 1-year nonresident award into in-state rates.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $23,842 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at Utah State, academic year 2021-22 — in-state, Title-IV aid recipients only
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$12,057
$30,001–$48,000$12,803
$48,001–$75,000$13,521
$75,001–$110,000$16,094
$110,001+$19,169
All income levels (average)$14,936

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
$9,228
Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
$24,802
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$14,936

That works out to roughly a 31% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $21,654 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

Utah State 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
59%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
71%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$14,340 (~$152/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$54,022
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
23%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
19%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

USU academic scholarships are tuition-capped: tuition can only be covered once. If a student is offered tuition-based academic scholarships or waivers totaling more than 100% of tuition, USU caps it at 100% and any remaining balance is NOT refunded as cash. A newer academic offer also REPLACES a prior academic award rather than stacking with it. The Nonresident Scholar may not be combined with any USU nonresident waiver (including the Legacy Waiver). No published rule was found describing how third-party OUTSIDE scholarships displace institutional aid specifically.

From multiple award Terms & Conditions pages: 'Tuition can only be covered once. If the student has been offered tuition-based academic scholarships or waivers covering in total more than 100% tuition, they will contact Student Financial Support to discuss their options. This scholarship is not a cash award. After 100% of tuition charges are paid, any remaining balance of this award will be not be refunded to the student.' and 'If the student has previously received an academic scholarship, the new offer replaces the previous academic award.' Because these are tuition-based awards, value above 100% of tuition is forfeited rather than stacked — effectively a tuition (cost) cap on institutional academic aid.

Source

Other Utah State scholarships worth checking

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

Amountapprox. $8,000 per year, 1 YearEligibilityNonresident first-year at Southeast campuses; unweighted HS GPA 4.0 - 3.0.

Southeast-campus nonresident waiver; 1-year. Source grid lists 'approx. $8,000 per year'.

Source

Amountapprox. $5,500 per year, 4 YearsEligibilityNonresident first-year at Southeast campuses from a WUE participating state; unweighted HS GPA 4.0 - 2.0.

WUE 150%-of-in-state rate available at USU Eastern/Blanding/Moab; approx. $5,500/yr savings at the SE tuition level. Cannot establish Utah residency while on WUE.

Source

Amount$2,500-$5,500 per year, 2 yearsEligibilityUtah-resident transfer students by college GPA bands (Provost 4.0; Deans 3.90-3.99; Scholar 3.70-3.89; Merit 3.50-3.69).

Transfer track, not first-year; included for completeness. Students with 23 or fewer completed credits are treated as first-years.

Source

Utah State merit aid FAQ

  • Do I have to apply separately for these scholarships?

    No. When you apply for admission to USU with ACT/SAT scores, you are automatically considered for academic scholarships. USU also automatically considers all newly admitted students based on the rigor of their high-school coursework (AP, concurrent/dual enrollment, honors, IB), and awards based on whichever method gives the higher result.

  • What are the priority deadlines for Fall 2026?

    Logan & Statewide first-years: December 1, 2025. WUE+, WUE, Nonresident Scholar, Nonresident Merit, and 100-Mile Radius: August 1, 2026. Southeast campuses (Price/Blanding/Moab): April 1, 2026. Applying by the priority deadline guarantees consideration; later awarding depends on remaining funding.

  • What GPA do I need to renew a multi-year resident award?

    It varies by tier. The Resident Presidential requires a 3.5 or greater USU Institutional GPA; the Resident Merit requires a 3.3 or greater. Both also require 24 earned credits between fall and spring each year (the award pays at 9+ credits). WUE/WUE+ require maintaining a 2.0 cumulative GPA in good standing, and the WUE+ $3,500 add-on requires 24 credits/year.

  • Can nonresidents really pay close to in-state tuition?

    Yes, through WUE or WUE+ if you're a legal resident of a participating Western state — you pay 150% of in-state tuition (roughly $12,500/yr in savings). Alternatively, the 1-year Nonresident Scholar ($16,500) or Nonresident Merit ($11,500) lets you pay in-state-equivalent the first year, after which you must establish Utah residency to keep in-state rates.

  • Do USU scholarships stack?

    Tuition-based academic awards are capped: tuition can only be covered once. If awards total more than 100% of tuition, USU caps at 100% and does not refund the excess as cash, and a newer academic offer replaces a prior one. The Nonresident Scholar additionally cannot be combined with any USU nonresident waiver.

See sources and other schools

How Utah State compares

  • 235 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use cost-of-attendance cap displacement.

    Utah State is in a recognizable cluster (235 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.

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

Compare with similar schools

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