FRESHMAN SCHOLARSHIPS
All Office of Undergraduate Admissions scholarships are limited in number, competitive, and are awarded annually on a rolling basis early in the scholarship cycle. Students must be admitted to FAU before applying for any Office of Undergraduate Admissions scholarships. Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee a scholarship.
Our awards require continuous enrollment in 30 credits per academic year, full-time status (15 credits or more at FAU), and are paid out for fall and spring terms only.
Merit Scholarships
Our merit scholarships do not require a supplemental scholarship application as eligibility is determined at the time of admission. Many of our merit awards are competitive and are ultimately determined by the competitiveness of our entering freshman class. Generally, scholarships are offered through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and are not stackable. Scholarship recipients must maintain an FAU GPA of 3.0 for award renewal.
To be considered for merit-based scholarships from the Office of Admissions, students must submit a complete admissions application by January 15, 2025 with all supporting documents (application, application fee, SSAR and test scores).
| FL resident | Criteria | Scholarship |
|---|---|---|
|
Funds may include either or both of these awards: FAU 100 Scholarship/Spirit of Atlantic Scholarship |
4.00 GPA & 1410 SAT / 32 ACT / 101 CLT |
$20,000 ($5,000/yr for 4 years) |
|
Spirit of the Atlantic |
3.90 GPA & 1340 SAT / 29 ACT / 96 CLT |
$8,000 ($2,000/yr for 4 years) |
|
Spirit of the Atlantic |
3.85 GPA & 1270 SAT / 27 ACT / 90 CLT |
$4,000 ($1,000/yr for 4 years) |
|
Benaquisto Scholarship |
Receive designation as a National Merit Finalist by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and name FAU as your first-choice school By May 1. |
Full cost of attendance is covered including grants or scholarships for Fall & Spring semesters up to 4 years or 8 semesters, or until undergraduate degree is awarded. |
| Non-FL Resident (must be US Citizen or Permanent Resident) | Criteria | Scholarship |
|---|---|---|
|
Funds may include either or both of these awards: Spirit of Atlantic Scholarship/Hoot Scholarship |
4.00 GPA & 1410 SAT / 32 ACT / 101 CLT |
$40,000 ($10,000/yr for 4 years)** |
|
Funds may include either or both of these awards: Spirit of Atlantic Scholarship/Hoot Scholarship |
3.90 GPA & 1340 SAT / 29 ACT / 96 CLT |
$32,000 ($8,000/yr for 4 years)** |
|
Spirit of the Atlantic |
3.85 GPA & 1270 SAT / 27 ACT / 90 CLT |
$4,000 ($1,000/yr for 4 years) |
|
1340 SAT / 29 ACT / 96 CLT AND have a Grandparent who is a Florida resident defined by FL Statute 1009.21. Residency process must be complete in order to be verified and offered. |
Out of state tuition & fees waived up to 4 years, or when the undergraduate degree is awarded. Student will be billed Florida resident rate of tuition & fees. 25 Waivers available for new first-year students. |
**Total Scholarship amount includes HOOT Scholarship
- HOOT is $23,000 (5926/year for 4 years), which covers 6 credits per year of non-resident tuition.
Florida Resident: Must be classified as Florida resident for tuition purposes.
Non-Florida Resident: Must be classified as a Non-Resident for tuition purposes
Eligibility
- Be a US citizen or meet the requirements of an eligible non-citizen as defined by the Federal Student Aid program.
- Must be classified as in-state or out-of-state (depending on the award) for tuition purposes.
- Freshman merit scholarships are competitive and not guaranteed. The deadline to be considered is January 15. A student must have a complete admissions application on file by January 15 and receive an admissions decision by March 1. A complete admissions file includes: application, application fee or fee waiver, SSAR and ACT/SAT scores.
Criteria for Renewal
- Students must maintain full-time academic enrollment at FAU in the terms that the scholarship is awarded
- Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative FAU grade point average and complete/earn a minimum of 30 credits each academic year towards their chosen degree program.
- Scholarship can be renewed for up to four (4) years (8 semesters) or up until the student completes their first Bachelor’s degree or until student’s earned and attempted credits reaches the required number of credits for their chosen degree program, whichever comes first.
Donor-Based Merit Scholarships
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions offers additional merit scholarships which require supplemental materials as well as academic excellence. For more information, qualifications, and to apply, please click here.
Bright Futures Scholarship
This state-funded scholarship is based on high school academic achievement and is awarded to students enrolled in an eligible Florida public or private post-secondary educational institution within two (2) years of graduation from a Florida high school. For additional information, contact your high school counselor or call the Florida Department of Education at 1-888-827-2004 (toll free) or visit Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program.
TheDream.US Scholarship
TheDream.US, is a nationwide scholarship program for undergraduates that have DACA, TPS status or came to the U.S. before the age of 16 and before November 1, 2017 and otherwise meet the DACA eligibility criteria (DREAMers).
TheDream.US is the nation’s largest college access program for DREAMers and is a renewable scholarship providing recipients a maximum of $16,500 for an associate's degree and $33,000 for a bachelor's degree. Transfer partners include Broward College, Palm Beach State College, and Miami Dade College.
- Application opens November 1, 2023 for the 2024-25 academic year.
- Application closes February 28, 2024.
Please visit www.TheDream.US for information on specific requirements and how to apply.
Non-Resident Tuition Waiver
Florida law provides for FAU to waive the out-of-state fee for all students, including undocumented students, who demonstrate they:
- Attended a high school in the state of Florida for 3 consecutive years; and
- Graduated from a Florida high school immediately after those 3 years of consecutive attendance; and
- Applied for enrollment in a state university, Florida College System institution, or Florida career center or charter technical career center in Florida within 24 months after high school graduation.
The waiver is only available for up to 110% of the required credits hours of an undergraduate degree or certificate program for which the student is enrolled. This waiver cannot be applied to non-degree work or graduate degrees. The approval of this waiver does not grant eligibility for financial aid, scholarships or loans from the University, the state, or the federal government, as defined in the Florida Statutes. Chapter 2014-62, Section 5, 1009.26 Fee Waivers.
Additionally, receipt of this out-of-state fee waiver does NOT constitute classification as a Florida resident for tuition purposes. Students who receive this waiver remain classified as non-Florida residents for tuition purposes and are NOT eligible for state financial aid, including Bright Futures.
Please note: DACA/TPS/Undocumented students without a legal status are not eligible for Federal, State or Institutional Funding.
RaiseMe Scholarship
Raise.Me offers high school students the ability to earn microscholarships. You can earn scholarships by visiting our page at raise.me/join.fau. Create your profile and follow us to start earning now for your college experience. Students must complete their earning profile by December 1, of their senior year of high school.
Additional Scholarship and Financial Aid Links
- Student Financial Aid
- FAFSA
- Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College Scholarships
- Grandparent Waiver for Out-of-State Student Tuition and Fees
FAQ
Submit a complete admissions application by January 14. There is no separate application needed, but all required information, including application fee or fee waiver, official SAT or ACT scores, completed and linked SSAR, official high school transcripts, is necessary for an application to be considered complete. Ensure that your application is complete by logging into admissions.fau.edu/status. Scholarships are offered on a funds available basis.
No, scholarships offered by the Office of Admissions do not require a separate application. Students are automatically considered for these scholarships when they submit an admissions application by the priority deadline. However, additional scholarship opportunities can be found at Student Financial Aid.
Typically, a student meeting all criteria and deadlines for a scholarship will be offered a scholarship. However, all scholarships are offered on a funds available basis each term, so receiving a scholarship is not guaranteed.
The Office of Admissions recalculates students' high school GPA for admission and scholarship purposes. This calculation is based on academic courses and the rigor of the curriculum.
Students are automatically considered for scholarships from October-January. Standardized tests (SAT/ACT) taken in December and/or first semester grades and received by the scholarship deadline are used in scholarship consideration. Later tests and senior year grades will not be used and students cannot be offered scholarships from the Office of Admissions after they have enrolled at FAU.
Notification of your offer will be included in your acceptance letter, or in a separate letter that is sent after you are admitted. Offers will also appear on your MyFAU account under the Money Matters tab.
Yes. Admitted students can apply for additional FAU Scholarships. The 2022-2023 FAU Scholarship Application is available from January 22, 2022 to July 30, 2022. Access the application from MyFAU, on the Money Matters tile. Please visit Student Financial Aid for more details.
Most scholarships offered by the Office of Admissions can be combined with other scholarships and financial aid. Please view the Terms and Conditions of your offers for additional information.
The Office of Admissions will consider students for an upgraded offer if they meet the necessary academic criteria, but does not increase scholarship amounts based on other offers.
Certain scholarships are offered based on residency. It is imperative that your residency status is accurate to ensure that you receive the proper scholarship.
If your residency status changes after enrollment, your scholarship will be adjusted or removed depending on funding availability and eligibility.
In order to remain eligible for your scholarship, you must enroll full-time in each Fall and Spring term, complete 30 credits by the end of each academic year (Fall/Spring/Summer) and maintain a 3.0 FAU GPA. You can view the full terms and conditions of your offer on your MyFAU account.