The UA Scholars Award is designed to keep high-achieving Alaska high-school graduates studying in the state. Each qualified school identifies the top 10% of the class at the end of junior year using its academic criteria; this is not a general scholarship for anyone with a high GPA, and filing FAFSA alone does not earn it.
Designation comes through the high school. To use the award, a student must graduate from an eligible school, be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, enter an eligible certificate or degree program at a University of Alaska campus, and enroll full time in the first fall after designation. The general course-load rule is 12 credits per semester for undergraduates and 9 for graduate students.
The published award is $15,000: eight semester payments of $1,875 credited to the university account. It may help with tuition, fees, housing, meals, books, and other authorized education expenses. It ends after eight payments or expires after six years/twelve semesters; a break longer than four semesters can forfeit the balance unless an approved leave applies.
Ask your counselor to confirm your school designation and keep the notice. Apply to a UA campus by the June 30 priority deadline after graduation; the current handbook sets August 15 as the final cutoff, and missing it forfeits the award. Then check the GPA and credit milestones required before each payment with the campus.
This is not unrestricted cash: it is credited to the student account and can be lost if deadlines or continuity rules are missed. Read the program profile and the administering office; ask your campus financial-aid office to review your individual file.
UA Scholars Award Handbook — University of Alaska.
UA Scholars Program Overview — University of Alaska.
UA Scholars Award — University of Alaska Anchorage.
Information checked on October 13, 2026 against official sources. Cycles, funding, and deadlines can change each year. Where the 2026–27 deadline has passed, this is stated clearly; check the next application cycle and do not assume an award is automatic.
This is not unrestricted cash: it is credited to the student account and can be lost if deadlines or continuity rules are missed.
Options to compare
These options relate to the question. Read each profile and check current details before deciding.
UA Scholars Award
Up to $15,000 in eight $1,875 semester payments, subject to school designation, in-state admission, enrollment, and continued academic eligibility.
Public student financial-aid program
University of Alaska Scholars Program
High schools identify the top 10%; the program confirms designation, and each campus checks admission, course load, GPA, and credits before disbursement.
Public student-aid administering office
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
University of Alaska · Accessed October 13, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
University of Alaska · Accessed October 13, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
University of Alaska Anchorage · Accessed October 13, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official application and program information ↗
Primary source
University of Alaska · Accessed October 13, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of UA Scholars Award ↗
Primary source
University of Alaska · Accessed October 13, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official application and program information ↗
Primary source
University of Alaska · Accessed October 13, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of University of Alaska Scholars Program ↗
Primary source
University of Alaska Anchorage · Accessed October 13, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.