StudyDesk Scholarships
About the scholarship
The University of Alabama, in Tuscaloosa, is a large public research university, and its Presidential Scholarship is the top tier of its automatic merit awards for students from outside the state. The idea is simple: strong school results and strong test scores earn a fixed annual award, with no essay, no interview and no separate scholarship form. If you are admitted and your scores clear the bar, the award follows automatically.
That simplicity is also why the fine print matters. The award is USD 28,000 a year, and out-of-state tuition at Alabama runs higher than that, so the scholarship is a substantial discount rather than a free ride. Budget for the remaining tuition, plus housing, meals, books, travel and visa costs, before you apply. The exception is the Presidential Elite tier, which does cover tuition in full — but it asks for a perfect record: a 4.0 GPA and a perfect SAT 1600 or ACT 36, with housing and extra allowances on top.
Eligibility
- Be an out-of-state or international student entering the University of Alabama as a first-time freshman in Summer or Fall 2027.
- Hold a minimum GPA of 3.50.
- Score SAT 1420–1600 or ACT 32–36, with official scores from a single test date — superscores are not used for automatic scholarships.
- Note that admission to the university is test-optional, but test scores are required for automatic merit consideration — an application without scores cannot earn this award.
- For the Presidential Elite tier: a 4.0 GPA and a perfect SAT 1600 or ACT 36.
- Alabama residents are assessed under a separate award table with different thresholds.
Benefits
- USD 28,000 a year towards tuition, renewable for up to four years (Presidential Scholarship).
- Presidential Elite: tuition for up to four years (eight semesters), first-year on-campus housing at the regular room rate, a USD 1,500-a-year supplemental scholarship for four years, and a one-time USD 2,000 allowance for research or international study.
- No separate application — the award is considered automatically with the admission application.
- Notification with the admission decision, so you know the award before you commit.
Documents to prepare
- The undergraduate admission application to the University of Alabama — this is the only application the scholarship needs.
- Official ACT or SAT scores, sent from the testing agency, from a single test date.
- Your school transcripts as required by the admission application.
- The USD 50 application fee for international and out-of-state applicants.
How to apply
- Check the automatic merit table on afford.ua.edu and confirm your GPA and test scores meet the Presidential tier.
- Submit your undergraduate admission application to the University of Alabama.
- Arrange for official ACT or SAT scores from a single test date to reach the university — do not rely on a superscore.
- Pay the USD 50 application fee and complete any remaining admission requirements.
- Watch for the admission decision, which carries the scholarship notification for eligible students.
- Apply by 4 December 2026, the Summer/Fall 2027 priority deadline — do not use the 15 December date some listings give.
FAQs
No. It pays USD 28,000 a year, which is less than out-of-state tuition at the University of Alabama, so it is a partial merit award. Only the Presidential Elite tier covers tuition in full, and that requires a 4.0 GPA and a perfect SAT 1600 or ACT 36.
A GPA of 3.50 and an SAT score of 1420–1600 or an ACT score of 32–36, from a single test date. Superscores are not used for automatic scholarships.
No. Apply for undergraduate admission and submit official test scores; eligible students are considered automatically and notified with their admission decision.
No. The University of Alabama uses scores from a single test date for its automatic scholarships, and superscores are explicitly not used.
The top tier of the same programme: a 4.0 GPA and a perfect SAT 1600 or ACT 36 earns tuition for up to four years, first-year on-campus housing at the regular room rate, a USD 1,500-a-year supplemental scholarship for four years and a one-time USD 2,000 allowance for research or international study.
4 December 2026, the Summer/Fall 2027 priority deadline. Some listings give 15 December 2026, but the university’s scholarship pages and the 2027-cycle guides give 4 December 2026.
Verified 25 Oct 2026: afford.ua.edu (official, University of Alabama scholarships pages) — USD 28,000 a year, GPA 3.50, SAT 1420–1600 / ACT 32–36, single test date, superscores not used, no separate application, USD 50 application fee; vhtc.org, scholarshipsedge.com, nextdeadlines.com — priority deadline 4 December 2026 (not 15 December), Presidential Elite terms (4.0 GPA + SAT 1600/ACT 36, tuition for four years, first-year housing, USD 1,500 a year, one-time USD 2,000 allowance), Spring 2027 deadline 2 November 2026.
