Wyoming’s Hathaway Scholarship changed its award amounts for courses starting on or after July 1, 2026. Maximum 12-credit semester awards are $2,360 for Honors, $1,770 for Performance and $1,180 for Opportunity or Provisional. The program can combine merit and need, but first identify the correct tier: each has a specific mix of high-school courses, GPA and ACT/WorkKeys requirements. High-school, homeschool and HSEC graduates do not use exactly the same chart.
For high-school graduates, the state table lists a minimum 3.5 GPA and ACT 25 for Honors, 3.0 and ACT 21 for Performance, and 2.5 and ACT 19 for Opportunity. Provisional uses a 2.5 GPA with ACT 17 or WorkKeys 12 and must begin at a Wyoming community college. Honors and Performance also require four years of language arts, three of social studies, four each of science and math, plus a sequence in arts, CTE or world language; Opportunity keeps four years in core subjects and allows two years in arts/CTE/language. These minimums are not the full checklist: use the table for your graduation pathway and confirm course equivalencies with a counselor. The first three tiers can cover eight semesters, compared with four for Provisional, with limited extensions for certain certificates or associate degrees.
The application is organized through the school you choose. Apply for admission to UW or a participating community college, ask the school to send your final transcript and ACT/SAT scores, and confirm how it determines Wyoming residency. At UW, new students are reviewed alongside the admissions application; they must then complete the Hathaway Eligibility Verification Form in WyoRecords. At another campus, find its Hathaway coordinator before enrolling. Meeting Hathaway rules does not guarantee admission to UW, and the scholarship tier does not replace the admissions process.
Timing matters as much as grades: you must initiate the scholarship within four years of graduation or before age 21 for homeschool graduates. Once initiated, you have up to six years to use it, capped at 96 credits or the equivalent of eight full-time semesters. Part-time enrollment is allowed from six credits with a prorated payment; fewer than six credits do not qualify for the standard award. Renewal reviews college GPA, satisfactory progress and continuous fall/spring enrollment. Current minimums are 2.25 for Opportunity/Provisional and 2.50 for Performance/Honors; ineligible terms count against the six-year clock.
If a gap remains, FAFSA may qualify you for the additional Hathaway Need-Based Scholarship; it does not replace the base award or academic criteria. Ask the campus for a calculation that accounts for SAI, Hathaway, other scholarships and student contribution against total cost, since institutional pages do not all display the 2026 supplement table with the same update. Student accounts also show why early questions matter: in a 2018 interview, Bailey Nowak said she barely heard about Hathaway again in high school and would have prepared more deliberately for the ACT; a 2024 profile says she finished without debt using several awards, not Hathaway alone. Ask a counselor to audit courses, testing and graduation dates, and get written confirmation of which office receives each document.
Compare the options and confirm eligibility and deadlines directly with the program before applying.
Options to compare
These options relate to the question. Read each profile and check current details before deciding.
Hathaway Scholarship — Wyoming Department of Education / University of Wyoming Financial Aid
Knight Hall, Room 174, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071
Hathaway is Wyoming’s state scholarship for eligible graduates of public or private high schools, homeschool programs and High School Equivalency Certificate (HSEC) programs. It combines a merit award—based on academic tier, coursework, GPA and a test—with a possible need-based supplement. Funds can
For eligible Wyoming high-school, homeschool and HSEC graduates; usable at UW or Wyoming community colleges. From July 2026, 12-credit semester awards are $2,360 for Honors, $1,770 for Performance and $1,180 for Opportunity/Provisional; Provisional must s
Sources & references
Sources for the information and reporting discussed in this guide.
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Official website of Hathaway Scholarship — Wyoming Department of Education / University of Wyoming Financial Aid ↗
Primary source
University of Wyoming, Scholarships & Financial Aid · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Hathaway Scholarship — Wyoming Department of Education / University of Wyoming Financial Aid ↗
Primary source
Wyoming Department of Education · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Hathaway Scholarship — Wyoming Department of Education / University of Wyoming Financial Aid ↗
Primary source
Wyoming Department of Education · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Hathaway Scholarship — Wyoming Department of Education / University of Wyoming Financial Aid ↗
Primary source
Wyoming Public Media · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website of Hathaway Scholarship — Wyoming Department of Education / University of Wyoming Financial Aid ↗
Primary source
Laramie County Community College · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
University of Wyoming, Scholarships & Financial Aid · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Wyoming Department of Education · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Wyoming Public Media · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.
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Official website ↗
Primary source
Laramie County Community College · Accessed October 12, 2026
Primary source for identity, concept, menu, and contact details.