Scholarships for Alaskan Residents

Learn more about residency for tuition purposes. If you aren't sure if you're eligible for resident tuition, contact the UAF Office of Admissions at 907-474-7500 or uaf-admissions@alaska.edu.

Nanook Pledge Scholarship

We know how important financial certainty is to your ability to succeed as a student. With awards ranging from $1,000-$5,000, the Nanook Pledge scholarship provides four years of predictable financial assistance. Recipients must be enrolled full-time (12 UAF credits) during the fall and spring semesters and must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), meaning maintaining a GPA of 2.0+ and completing 67% of attempted classes.

Selection for this scholarship is based on previous academic success and the rate of tuition for which you qualify.  Students who graduate in less than four years may be eligible to use remaining years for a graduate program, with permission by the Financial Aid Office.


Scholarship Amounts

Effective for fall 2023 and spring 2024.

First-Year Students
 High School GPA 3.8+ $5,000 per year, $20,000 over four years
 High School GPA 3.5-3.79 $4,000 per year, $16,000 over four years
 High School GPA 3.2-3.49   $2,000 per year, $8,000 over four years
Transfer Students
 Previous College GPA 3.8+ $3,000 per year, $12,000 over four years
 Previous College GPA 3.0-3.79 $1,000 per year, $4,000 over four years


 How to Apply
  • Apply for admission to a bachelor’s degree and submit your high school transcripts and/or college transcripts.

Deadline: Admissions application and transcripts must be submitted before the admissions deadlines (June 15 for fall and November 1 for spring).


Terms and Conditions

Nanook Pledge Scholarship recipients are notified at the time of admission. Eligibility is determined by high school or college transcript and ACT or SAT scores. Students must be admitted to a baccalaureate program at UAF and be enrolled full time (12 credits). If you are applying to UAF, ACT and SAT scores have been waived through Fall 2025.

The Nanook Pledge Scholarship are available for up to four years for continuous enrollment at UAF. Students may be eligible to use remaining years for a graduate program, with permission by the Financial Aid Office.  

Nanook Commitment Scholarship

The Nanook Commitment scholarship is a renewable award for incoming first-year, transfer and readmitted University of Alaska Fairbanks students to help qualifying students bridge the gap between what they can afford and the cost of attendance. This scholarship is offered to students based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as well as the admissions application. Students eligible for the Nanook Commitment will have guaranteed assistance towards their cost of attendance.

The Nanook Commitment Scholarship is calculated based on:

  • the student’s total cost of attendance, including their residency for tuition purposes. Changes in residency status may impact the amount of the scholarship.
  • their estimated family contribution (EFC) from their FAFSA,
  • their high school GPA, or college GPA if they have completed 30+ college credits
  • other Estimated Financial Assistance (EFA), such as Pell Grant, Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS), Nanook Pledge Scholarship, Alaska Adventure Award, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), athletic scholarships, and other aid they are receiving.

Scholarships range from $100-4,000 per year. Amounts effective for fall 2023 and spring 2024.


How to Apply

Deadline: Admissions application, FAFSA and transcripts must be submitted before the admissions deadlines (June 15 for fall and November 1 for spring).


Terms and Conditions

The Nanook Commitment scholarship is available for up to four years for continuous enrollment at UAF. Recipients are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as well as make satisfactory academic progress and be enrolled in at least 12 credits per semester to continue to receive the scholarship. Students who graduate in less than four years may be eligible to use remaining years for a graduate program, with permission by the Financial Aid Office. 
 
If a recipient's residency changes resulting in a new tuition rate, the amount of the Nanook Commitment Scholarship may change. 

Alaska Performance Scholarship

The Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) is a merit-based scholarship available to Alaska high school students. It is state-funded, and administered by the Alaska Commission for Postsecondary Education (ACPE). To qualify for the APS, students must meet eligibility requirements:

  • Complete specific, rigorous high school curriculum
  • Earn qualifying GPA,
  • Meet qualifying score on college/career entrance exam (ACT, SAT, WorkKeys*)

Note: UAF estimates the amount you may be eligible for so that you can see how it will impact your total financial aid package, however the estimation is not an official amount. Your high school counselor is your best resource for questions about eligibility, and we encourage you to work with your high school counselor to make sure you are on track to receive the award amount you expect.

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3
up to $4,755 per year up to $3,566 per year up to $2,378 per year
High School GPA 3.5
ACT 25 or SAT 1210
Specified high school curriculum
High School GPA 3.0
ACT 23 or SAT 1130
Specified high school curriculum
High School GPA 2.5
ACT 21 or SAT 1060
Specified high school curriculum

 


How to Apply

Deadline: Admissions application and transcripts must be submitted before the admissions deadlines (June 15 for fall and November 1 for spring). Submit the FAFSA each year before June 30.


Terms and Conditions

Students remain eligible for 8 semesters of use or 6 years from high school graduation, whichever comes first. Initial eligibility is determined by your Alaska school district. For 12+ credits, students can receive full amount of award; for 6-11 credits students can receive half of the award. The FAFSA must be completed by June 30 each year. 

Students must also meet continuing eligibility criteria, reviewed after every 2 terms of use:

  • 2 Terms Used-- Have 24 earned credits and 2.5 GPA
  • 4 Terms Used--Have 54 earned credits and 2.5 GPA
  • 6 Terms Used-- Have 84 earned credits and 2.5 GPA

 

UA Scholars Award

The UA Scholars Award is a $12,000 scholarship awarded to Alaska high school students who are in the top 10% of their class at the end of their junior year as determined by their school. The Award is distributed in the amount of $1,500 per semester for eight semesters.

No application is necessary. Students are designated by their high school based on their academic standing at the end of their junior year. Your high school counselor is your best resource for questions about eligibility. Students are notified of their selection for the UA Scholars award by the UA Scholars Office in the fall months of their senior year.


Terms and Conditions 

Students are identified by their Alaska high school based on their class standing at the end of the Junior year. Students remain eligible for 8 semesters of use and can take a 2 semester leave of absence. Students must be full time (12 or more credits) to receive disbursement. Students must also meet continuing eligibility criteria, reviewed after every 2 terms of use:

  • 2 Terms Used-- Have 24 earned credits and 2.5 GPA
  • 4 Terms Used--Have 54 earned credits and 2.5 GPA
  • 6 Terms Used-- Have 84 earned credits and 2.5 GPA

 

Alaska Education Grant

The Alaska Education Grant is state-funded, and administered by the Alaska Commission for Postsecondary Education (ACPE). Grant awards typically range from $500 to $4,000 per academic year. Award criteria includes:

  • Financial need, determined by the student's Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as shown on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • Prior academic year award recipient
  • Date of FAFSA filing
  • Enrollment level (full-time vs. half-time), as certified by the student's institution of attendance

To receive the maximum award, qualifying students must be enrolled in at least 15 credit hours for "On Time" enrollment status. Students with the highest financial need will be awarded in order of need until funds are exhausted.

A student may not receive more than a total of $16,000 in AEG award money over the course of their undergraduate education.


Eligibility

To qualify for an Alaska Education Grant a student must:

  • Be an Alaska resident for at least 365 days prior to filling the FAFSA, and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
  • Have a high school diploma or GED
  • Be admitted into an undergraduate degree or vocational certificate program at a qualifying Alaska institution
  • Be enrolled at minimum half-time status
  • Not have earned a prior baccalaureate degree
  • Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), meaning maintaining a GPA of 2.0+ and completing 67% of attempted classes.

How to Apply
Foundation Scholarships

UAF’s Kaleidoscope Scholarship Application Portal is an online database of more than 400 scholarships. Once you sign in and submit your General Application, you’ll be automatically matched with all the foundation scholarship opportunities that you qualify for. You can also search for scholarships by college or academic department.

You may be eligible for scholarships from many of our generous donors, such as the Bill Stroecker Foundation.


Deadline

The deadline to apply for most UAF foundation scholarships is February 15 for the following academic year. However, application deadlines for many private and external scholarships will vary, so be sure to check back in the Scholarship Application portal under “External” opportunities. 


Terms and Conditions

Students are selected for these scholarships based on the scholarship application . Eligibility criteria is determined by the scholarship committees. 

 
The Financial Aid Office has the right and responsibility to amend your award at any time due to availability of funds, changes in federal or state aid policies, errors or false information on your FAFSA or student record, or additional aid received from outside sources.  Specifically, you should be aware that your award may need to be amended if you later receive aid from a Native corporation, the University of Alaska Foundation, a UAF department, a graduate, employee, or student tuition waiver, veterans’ benefits, or any other scholarship or aid source.
 

 
Calculate your financial aid awards

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Net Price Calculator provides a detailed cost-of-attendance analysis that can help guide prospective students through estimating their financial aid options. The average time to complete a full estimate is between 3-5 minutes. Please have a close estimate of your family's income and assets in order to ensure an accurate estimate of your cost of attendance.