Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS)
APS can provide up to $28,000 total: up to $7,000, $5,250, or $3,500 per year depending on award level. Students must graduate from an Alaska high school, complete a rigorous curriculum, meet the GPA or alternative test-score standard, and file by the annual priority date, generally June 30. The scholarship is limited to approved institutions and training, up to eight full-time disbursements within eight years, and cannot exceed eligible costs remaining after other non-loan a
About Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS)
The Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) is a state option for Alaska high-school graduates who completed a rigorous curriculum and meet a GPA or test-score standard. It can total up to $28,000, but the maximum depends on award level, eligible costs left after other aid, and enrollment. It is not an automatic award for living in Alaska, and students need to prepare their high-school record before applying.
There are three levels of up to $7,000, $5,250, or $3,500 per year. Level 1 requires a 3.5 high-school GPA or, alternatively, ACT 25, SAT 1210, or WorkKeys 18; lower levels use 3.0/2.5 GPA or the alternative scores published by ACPE. All levels require one of the approved curriculum pathways. A school counselor can confirm which courses fit the student’s selected path.
To receive the award, a student files FAFSA, lists an eligible Alaska institution, is admitted to a qualifying program, and tells the college they intend to use APS before its enrollment-certification date. The published priority date is June 30 for the academic year. The current page allows up to eight full-time disbursements within eight years of graduation. The 2026–27 priority date passed on June 30, 2026; students planning for the next cycle should wait for ACPE to publish the 2027–28 priority date.
APS can be used at participating universities and approved career-training programs. A full-time disbursement usually requires 12 credits per term; a prorated half-time option requires six. The award cannot exceed eligible costs remaining after other non-loan aid, including grants and scholarships. Depending on institutional certification, qualifying costs may include tuition, fees, required books, housing, and transportation.
Renewal requires satisfactory academic progress and credit-completion thresholds that differ between the first and later years; undergraduate students must maintain at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA under the published rules. The ASAP account tracks eligibility and disbursements; each student must create their own account. Private-school and homeschool graduates have extra curriculum-verification steps and must observe the documentation dates ACPE lists.
Start in high school and keep transcripts and test-score reports. Graduates should ask the school how it reported eligibility, check ASAP, and confirm status with the college. Ask how APS coordinates with AEG or another grant: other non-loan aid is applied first and may reduce the remaining cost used to calculate APS. A published annual maximum is not necessarily the amount a student will receive.
Who it serves and what it can cover: APS can provide up to $28,000 total: up to $7,000, $5,250, or $3,500 per year depending on award level. Students must graduate from an Alaska high school, complete a rigorous curriculum, meet the GPA or alternative test-score standard, and file by the annual priority date, generally June 30. The scholarship is limited to approved institutions and training, up to eight full-time disbursements within eight years, and cannot exceed eligible costs remaining after other non-loan aid.
How to apply or get help: ACPE directs APS and ASAP questions to acpe@alaska.gov; questions about academic-record corrections may also go to the state coordinator listed on the official page. For case-specific questions, contact the program or financial-aid office named on its official page.
State merit scholarship for Alaska high-school graduates at participating colleges and training programs