Florida Atlantic is one of those schools where the sticker price is not the story. In-state tuition and fees run under $6,000 a year, which is low even by Florida standards, and the average family here pays about $8,752 after grants and scholarships. For a Florida family, FAU is often the cheapest four-year option on the list before a single scholarship shows up.
What makes FAU worth reading carefully is that it runs two completely separate scholarship systems that most families never realize are separate. There is the regular Boca Raton track, and there is the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College on the Jupiter campus, which is the only free-standing honors college of its kind in the country. They have different money, different deadlines, and your student cannot be in both.
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Florida Atlantic (Read This First)
There is no test-optional path here. Florida law requires every applicant to Florida’s public universities to submit an ACT, SAT, or CLT score. FAU superscores all three, so multiple sittings help, but skipping the test entirely is not an option for admission or for money.
Your student’s scores freeze in December. FAU uses tests taken through December and first-semester grades. Later sittings and senior-year grades will not be used for scholarships, and no admissions scholarship can be added after your student enrolls.
October 15, not January 15, is the real money deadline. FAU’s published merit deadline is January 15, but its own deadlines page shows that Early Action applicants (October 15) get automatic scholarship consideration. Awards go out on a rolling, funds-available basis, so the pot is fuller in the fall.
Meeting the published numbers does not guarantee the award. FAU says outright that these are limited in number, competitive, and offered on a funds-available basis. Hit the tier and apply early.
Honors and regular merit are mutually exclusive. Wilkes Honors students are excluded from the Spirit of Atlantic scholarship. For Florida residents, the Honors grid pays more at every single tier.
The Grandparent Waiver does not stack with merit. Out-of-state families with a Florida grandparent have to choose one. Usually the waiver wins, and it is awarded on the date you pay your deposit.
Skipping the ACT Science section can cost Florida families Bright Futures. FAU dropped Science from its superscore. The state did not drop it from Bright Futures eligibility.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? No — Florida Atlantic University is test-required.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 24; SAT: 1110.
Average net price? About $8,752/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
Yes — participates in Academic Common Market (graduate programs only).
💰 Cost of Attendance at Florida Atlantic University 2026-2027
📅 2027–2028 Planning Note: The costs below reflect the most recently published figures (2026–2027). Universities typically finalize the next year’s rates in the spring, and we’ll update this page once official 2027–2028 numbers are released.
Planning tip: At large public universities, tuition, fees, and housing usually increase modestly each year (often in the 2–5% range). For early budgeting, families may want to plan for roughly $1,000–$1,500 more in-state or $2,000–$3,000 more out-of-state in total direct costs once new rates are published.
Category (2026–2027)
In-State
Out-of-State
Tuition & Mandatory Fees (2 semesters)
$5,984
$22,888
Housing & Meals (typical)
$15,832
$15,832
Total (Direct Costs)
$21,816
$38,720
Average Federal Net Price: $8,752 — this is what families actually paid after grants and scholarships (no loans), based on the most recent federal data. Your specific cost could be significantly lower or higher depending on your financial aid eligibility and merit scholarships. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
The Grandparent Waiver is the big one. If your student has a grandparent who is a legal Florida resident, and your student scores a 1330 SAT, 29 ACT, or 96 CLT, FAU can waive the entire non-resident portion of tuition and fees for up to four years. You get billed at the Florida resident rate instead. On 2026-2027 numbers that is a swing of roughly $16,904 per year, which is larger than FAU's very best out-of-state merit award.
The catch parents miss: the waiver does not stack with Office of Admissions merit scholarships. It is one or the other. And FAU awards the waivers first-come, first-served based on the date your student pays the $200 admissions deposit, so timing decides it as much as scores do.
Regional reciprocity: FAU's Academic Common Market participation is limited to graduate programs, so it is not a path for incoming freshmen. Undergraduate out-of-state families should be looking at the Grandparent Waiver and the HOOT-bundled merit tiers instead.
💡 The number that surprises most families
Florida Atlantic charges $203.29 per credit hour for Florida residents and $799.72 for non-residents. That gap is roughly four to one, and it is the single biggest cost variable at this school. A Florida student living on campus is looking at about $21,816 in direct billed costs. The same student from Georgia or New York is looking at about $38,720. Everything in the scholarship sections below is really about closing that one gap.
Out-of-State Savings & Waivers
FAU’s biggest out-of-state lever is the State University System Grandparent Waiver, which bills qualifying non-residents at the Florida rate. FAU also bundles a HOOT Scholarship component worth about $6,815 a year into its top two out-of-state merit tiers, which covers six credits per year of non-resident tuition. What FAU does not offer undergraduates is regional reciprocity: its Academic Common Market participation is limited to graduate programs.
FAQ — Cost of Attendance at Florida Atlantic University
Why is the out-of-state cost almost four times the in-state cost?
Because Florida heavily subsidizes tuition for its own residents. FAU charges $203.29 per credit hour in state and $799.72 out of state. That is a wider spread than most public universities, and it means the same degree costs a Florida family roughly $21,800 a year on campus and an out-of-state family roughly $38,700 before aid.
What is the Grandparent Waiver actually worth?
On 2026-2027 rates, about $16,904 a year. It drops a non-resident from $22,888 in tuition and fees to the Florida resident figure of $5,984, for up to four years. Over a four-year degree that is roughly $67,600. It requires a 1330 SAT, 29 ACT, or 96 CLT and a grandparent who is a legal Florida resident. It does not require a minimum GPA.
Can my student combine the Grandparent Waiver with an FAU merit scholarship?
No. FAU states that Office of Admissions scholarships cannot be combined with the Grandparent Waiver. You pick one. For a student who qualifies for both, the waiver is usually worth about $6,900 more per year than even the top $10,000 merit tier, so run that comparison before you accept anything.
Does Bright Futures cover FAU tuition?
For Florida residents, Bright Futures is the base layer that everything else sits on top of. Florida Academic Scholars covers 100 percent of tuition and applicable fees; Florida Medallion Scholars covers 75 percent. FAU builds its biggest awards around that assumption, which is why the Flagler Scholarship is described as covering tuition, room, and board not already covered by Bright Futures. Apply through the Florida Financial Aid Application, and list FAU as your school.
Is the Jupiter honors campus cheaper or more expensive?
Almost identical. Tuition is the same university-wide. Housing and meals at the Wilkes Honors College run about $16,026 versus $15,832 at Boca Raton, so direct costs come to roughly $22,010 in state instead of $21,816. Call it a couple hundred dollars. The scholarship difference between the two campuses is far larger than the cost difference.
Is the average net price really around $8,752?
That is the federal figure for students receiving aid, after grants and scholarships and before loans. It reflects a student body where a large share qualifies for Pell and Bright Futures. A full-pay Florida family with no aid will land much closer to the published $21,816, and an out-of-state family with no aid will land near $38,720. Use FAU’s net price calculator for your own household rather than the average.
Does tuition go up every year?
Florida has held state university tuition rates flat for a long stretch, which is unusual. FAU’s in-state tuition and fees went from $5,976 to $5,984 between 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, a change of eight dollars. Housing and meals move more than tuition does at this school, so budget your increases there.
What about books, transportation, and personal expenses?
FAU estimates roughly $9,214 a year in indirect costs for an on-campus student, covering books at $1,368, transportation at $3,090, and personal expenses at $4,756. Those are not billed by FAU, but they count toward the cost of attendance ceiling that caps how much total aid you can receive.
August 1: Application opens for the following fall.
October 15: Early Action deadline. Early Action applicants get automatic merit consideration, and the scholarship budget is fullest here.
November 20: Last test scores accepted for Early Action review.
December 4: Early Action decisions released.
December test date: The last sitting FAU will use for scholarship purposes, period.
January 15: Published merit scholarship deadline for the rolling-admission path. Complete file required, including fee, self-reported transcript, and scores.
March 12: Rolling admission deadline. Too late for merit money.
May 1: Deposit deadline. Your award is not locked in until this is done.
Parent rule of thumb: treat October 15 as your real deadline. FAU awards these on a rolling, funds-available basis, and a January application is competing for what is left.
Automatic Merit Scholarships — Florida Atlantic University
These awards require no separate scholarship application. FAU determines them at the time of admission based on a recalculated GPA and test scores. Two things to know up front: a test score is mandatory here, because Florida requires one at all twelve of its public universities, and FAU superscores the ACT, SAT, and CLT, so your student’s best section scores across multiple sittings all count. The caveat: FAU is clear that these awards are limited in number and offered on a funds-available basis, so hitting the published tier is necessary but not a guarantee.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
FAU 100 / Spirit of Atlantic Scholarship (Resident: Tier 1)
🏫 4.0+ GPA✎ ~32 ACT✎ ~1410 SATFlorida-resident incoming freshmen with a minimum 4.0 GPA and one of the qualifying test scores. Scholarship review uses the strongest single test sitting on file.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Important context for families: FAU's general Office of Undergraduate Admissions merit scholarships are typically not stackable with each other — you'll receive the single tier your profile qualifies for, not a combination. This tier still layers with Bright Futures, department-specific scholarships, and outside awards up to your total cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Awarded automatically at admission — no separate scholarship application needed. Paid across Fall and Spring semesters for up to 4 years or 8 semesters (total value approximately $20,000). Renewal generally requires maintaining good academic standing and full-time enrollment; check the FAU financial aid site for the current renewal GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Florida-resident freshmen who meet or exceed the Tier 1 academic band — a 4.0 GPA plus 1410 SAT, 32 ACT, or 101 CLT. Because this is automatic, the deciding factor is simply having those numbers finalized before your admission review closes. Get the strongest test sitting on file by the priority deadline.
🏫 3.9+ GPA✎ ~29 ACT✎ ~1340 SATFlorida-resident incoming freshmen with a minimum 3.9 GPA and one of the qualifying test scores. Scholarship review uses the strongest single test sitting on file.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Important context for families: FAU's general Office of Undergraduate Admissions merit scholarships are typically not stackable with each other — you'll receive the single tier your profile qualifies for, not a combination. This tier still layers with Bright Futures, department-specific scholarships, and outside awards up to your total cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Awarded automatically at admission — no separate scholarship application needed. Paid across Fall and Spring semesters for up to 4 years or 8 semesters (total value approximately $8,000). Renewal generally requires maintaining good academic standing and full-time enrollment; check the FAU financial aid site for the current renewal GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Florida-resident freshmen who meet or exceed the Tier 2 academic band — a 3.9 GPA plus 1340 SAT, 29 ACT, or 96 CLT. Because this is automatic, the deciding factor is simply having those numbers finalized before your admission review closes. Get the strongest test sitting on file by the priority deadline.
🏫 3.9+ GPA✎ ~27 ACT✎ ~1270 SATFlorida-resident incoming freshmen with a minimum 3.85 GPA and one of the qualifying test scores. Scholarship review uses the strongest single test sitting on file.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Important context for families: FAU's general Office of Undergraduate Admissions merit scholarships are typically not stackable with each other — you'll receive the single tier your profile qualifies for, not a combination. This tier still layers with Bright Futures, department-specific scholarships, and outside awards up to your total cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Awarded automatically at admission — no separate scholarship application needed. Paid across Fall and Spring semesters for up to 4 years or 8 semesters (total value approximately $4,000). Renewal generally requires maintaining good academic standing and full-time enrollment; check the FAU financial aid site for the current renewal GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Florida-resident freshmen who meet or exceed the Tier 3 academic band — a 3.85 GPA plus 1270 SAT, 27 ACT, or 90 CLT. Because this is automatic, the deciding factor is simply having those numbers finalized before your admission review closes. Get the strongest test sitting on file by the priority deadline.
🏫 3.7+ GPA✎ ~25 ACT✎ ~1200 SATFlorida-resident incoming freshmen with a minimum 3.7 GPA and one of the qualifying test scores. Scholarship review uses the strongest single test sitting on file.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Important context for families: FAU's general Office of Undergraduate Admissions merit scholarships are typically not stackable with each other — you'll receive the single tier your profile qualifies for, not a combination. This tier still layers with Bright Futures, department-specific scholarships, and outside awards up to your total cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Awarded automatically at admission — no separate scholarship application needed. Paid across Fall and Spring semesters for up to 4 years or 8 semesters (total value approximately $2,000). Renewal generally requires maintaining good academic standing and full-time enrollment; check the FAU financial aid site for the current renewal GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Florida-resident freshmen who meet or exceed the Tier 4 academic band — a 3.7 GPA plus 1200 SAT, 25 ACT, or 83 CLT. Because this is automatic, the deciding factor is simply having those numbers finalized before your admission review closes. Get the strongest test sitting on file by the priority deadline.
Automatic
Spirit of Atlantic / HOOT Scholarship (Non-Resident: Tier 1)
🏫 4.0+ GPA✎ ~32 ACT✎ ~1410 SATNon-Florida incoming freshmen (US citizen or permanent resident) with at least a 4.0 GPA and one qualifying test score. Review uses your strongest single test sitting.
✚
Stacking & Combining
FAU's general Office of Undergraduate Admissions scholarships are typically not stackable with each other, so plan on receiving this single tier as your primary FAU merit line. It still layers with department-specific awards and outside scholarships up to your cost of attendance, and the HOOT component (if included) is bundled into this line rather than counted as a separate stack.
💡
Strategic Detail
Awarded automatically at admission — no separate scholarship form. Paid across Fall and Spring semesters for up to 4 years or 8 semesters (approximate total value $40,000). Renewal generally requires good academic standing and full-time enrollment. Includes the HOOT Scholarship component (approximately $6,815 per year of non-resident tuition credits). Must be a US citizen or permanent resident.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Non-Florida freshmen who are US citizens or permanent residents and meet the Tier 1 band — a 4.0 GPA plus 1410 SAT, 32 ACT, or 101 CLT. Automatic at admission, so your strongest test on file at review time is what matters.
Automatic
Spirit of Atlantic / HOOT Scholarship (Non-Resident: Tier 2)
🏫 3.9+ GPA✎ ~29 ACT✎ ~1340 SATNon-Florida incoming freshmen (US citizen or permanent resident) with at least a 3.9 GPA and one qualifying test score. Review uses your strongest single test sitting.
✚
Stacking & Combining
FAU's general Office of Undergraduate Admissions scholarships are typically not stackable with each other, so plan on receiving this single tier as your primary FAU merit line. It still layers with department-specific awards and outside scholarships up to your cost of attendance, and the HOOT component (if included) is bundled into this line rather than counted as a separate stack.
💡
Strategic Detail
Awarded automatically at admission — no separate scholarship form. Paid across Fall and Spring semesters for up to 4 years or 8 semesters (approximate total value $32,000). Renewal generally requires good academic standing and full-time enrollment. Includes the HOOT Scholarship component (approximately $6,815 per year of non-resident tuition credits). Must be a US citizen or permanent resident.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Non-Florida freshmen who are US citizens or permanent residents and meet the Tier 2 band — a 3.9 GPA plus 1340 SAT, 29 ACT, or 96 CLT. Automatic at admission, so your strongest test on file at review time is what matters.
Automatic
Spirit of Atlantic Scholarship (Non-Resident: Tier 3)
🏫 3.9+ GPA✎ ~27 ACT✎ ~1270 SATNon-Florida incoming freshmen (US citizen or permanent resident) with at least a 3.85 GPA and one qualifying test score. Review uses your strongest single test sitting.
✚
Stacking & Combining
FAU's general Office of Undergraduate Admissions scholarships are typically not stackable with each other, so plan on receiving this single tier as your primary FAU merit line. It still layers with department-specific awards and outside scholarships up to your cost of attendance, and the HOOT component (if included) is bundled into this line rather than counted as a separate stack.
💡
Strategic Detail
Awarded automatically at admission — no separate scholarship form. Paid across Fall and Spring semesters for up to 4 years or 8 semesters (approximate total value $4,000). Renewal generally requires good academic standing and full-time enrollment. Must be a US citizen or permanent resident.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Non-Florida freshmen who are US citizens or permanent residents and meet the Tier 3 band — a 3.85 GPA plus 1270 SAT, 27 ACT, or 90 CLT. Automatic at admission, so your strongest test on file at review time is what matters.
App Requiredgeographic
State University System of Florida Grandparent Waiver
📅 Deadline: Apply by FAU's freshman priority deadline; submit grandparent-residency documentation as early as possible ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Only non-Florida freshmen with a Florida-resident grandparent qualify — the FL connection is the entire mechanism.
✎ ~29 ACT✎ ~1330 SAT👥 ~Approximately 10 waivers per year through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. The Wilkes Honors College page lists a separate allocation of 25. winners/yrNon-Florida first-year students admitted for the summer or fall term immediately following high school graduation, with a grandparent who is a legal Florida resident under Florida Statute 1009.21. The test threshold is a 1330 SAT, a 29 ACT, or a 96 CLT. FAU's waiver page lists no GPA minimum. Students must stay continuously enrolled full-time at 12 or more credits each fall and spring; dropping to part-time permanently forfeits the waiver. Coverage runs up to 110 percent of the credit hours required for the degree.
✚
Stacking & Combining
<strong>This is an either/or decision, not a stack.</strong> FAU states that scholarships awarded by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions cannot be combined with the Grandparent Waiver. So an out-of-state student picks one lane: the waiver, or the Spirit of Atlantic / HOOT merit tier. Run the math before choosing. On 2026-2027 rates the waiver removes about $16,904 per year of non-resident tuition, while the top merit tier pays $10,000 per year. For most students who qualify for both, the waiver wins by roughly $6,900 a year. The waiver does still work alongside federal and state need-based aid and outside scholarships, up to your total cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission to FAU as a first-year student for the summer or fall term immediately after high school graduation. After you apply, submit the Grandparent Waiver Application through FAU's forms portal. Admissions reviews initial eligibility, then prompts your grandparent to complete residency verification through the Owlres portal. Here is the part families miss: waivers are actually awarded first-come, first-served on the date you pay the $200 admissions deposit or submit a deposit fee waiver. Getting the paperwork verified early only helps if you also deposit early.
💡
Strategic Detail
Authorized under Florida Statute 1009.21. Waives the non-resident portion of tuition and fees for up to 4 years, so eligible students are billed at the Florida resident rate. FAU allocates a limited number of these waivers each year for new first-year students — the general freshman page lists approximately 10 slots, so early documentation matters. Renewal requires continued good academic standing.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Out-of-state freshmen who can document a Florida-resident grandparent and who deposit early. FAU awards these on the date the $200 admissions deposit posts, so this is genuinely a race. The scores are the easy part; the residency documentation and the deposit timing are what decide it. Note that FAU's two published pages disagree on the details: the general freshman scholarships page lists roughly ten waivers at a 29 ACT, while the Wilkes Honors page lists 25 waivers at a 31 ACT. The dedicated waiver page, which links current Board of Governors guidance, says 29.
Data last verified Jul 5, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
⚠️ The tier cliff nobody warns you about
Look closely at the out-of-state grid. A 3.90 GPA with a 1340 SAT gets $8,000 a year. Drop to a 3.85 with a 1270 and it falls to $1,000 a year. That is not a gentle slope, it is a $28,000 cliff over four years sitting between two adjacent tiers. If your out-of-state student is anywhere near a 3.85 and a 1270, one more test sitting before December is the highest-value four hours of their senior fall.
Note: FAU’s admissions scholarships are generally not stackable with each other. Your student receives the single tier they qualify for, not a combination. Those awards do still work alongside Bright Futures, Florida Prepaid, department scholarships, and outside awards, up to the total cost of attendance.
Should we use the Common App or FAU’s own application?
Either one works for fall or summer entry, and FAU is clear that your student should submit only one, not both. Spring applicants have to use FAU’s application, because the Common App does not support spring entry here. Whichever route you pick, the application doubles as the merit scholarship application, so there is no second form to file. The fee is $30, and FAU accepts fee waivers from College Board, ACT, and NACAC.
Is FAU test-optional?
No, and this is not FAU’s decision. Florida Board of Governors regulation 6.002 requires every first-year applicant to a Florida public university to submit an ACT, SAT, or CLT score. There is no test-optional route to admission or to scholarships at any of the twelve state schools. Most students self-report scores through the Future Owl Portal, but nursing applicants and students who have already graduated high school must send official scores directly from the testing agency.
Does FAU superscore?
Yes, on the ACT, SAT, and CLT. This is worth knowing because plenty of Florida schools do not. One wrinkle: starting with the 2025-26 cycle, FAU stopped using the ACT Science subsection in its composite superscore. Florida still requires Science for Bright Futures eligibility, so Florida students should keep taking it anyway.
When does my student actually need to apply?
The published merit deadline is January 15, and the file has to be complete by then: application, fee or fee waiver, self-reported academic record, and test scores. But FAU’s own deadlines page shows Early Action applicants (October 15) receive automatic scholarship consideration, and awards are made on a rolling, funds-available basis. October is the safer target.
Are these scholarships guaranteed if we hit the numbers?
No, and FAU says so directly. The language on their page is that awards are limited in number, competitive, and that meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee a scholarship. Their FAQ softens it to say a student meeting all criteria and deadlines will typically be offered one. In practice, hitting the tier early is what makes it near-certain.
Can my student stack two automatic awards?
No. One tier, the highest they qualify for. The FAU 100 and Spirit of Atlantic names in the top tier are two funds combined into one award line, not two separate scholarships.
What does it take to keep the money?
A 3.0 FAU institutional GPA and 30 earned credits per academic year, cumulative. That means 60 credits by the end of year two and 90 by the end of year three. The credit requirement trips up more students than the GPA does, especially anyone who drops a class or takes a light semester.
What if my student’s scores improve in the spring?
Too late. FAU uses tests through December and first-semester grades. Later sittings and senior-year grades are not used, and once your student enrolls, no admissions scholarship can be added at all. This is a hard stop, not a soft preference.
What if we get a better offer somewhere else?
FAU will consider an upgraded offer if your student meets higher academic criteria, but it explicitly does not match or raise awards based on competing offers. Improve the profile, not the negotiation.
Here is an honest answer: Florida Atlantic does not run a centralized, essay-and-interview flagship competition the way schools like Alabama or Arkansas do. There is no single “apply for the big one” portal at the university level.
That does not mean FAU has no competitive money. It means the competition happens in two specific places, and both of them are covered in other sections of this page. If your student is chasing FAU’s largest awards, this section tells you where to go.
Where FAU’s competitive money actually lives
Award
What it takes
Where to read about it
Henry Morrison Flagler Scholarship Worth over $72,000 across four years
Admission to Wilkes Honors College, a separate application, and two rounds of virtual interviews. Florida residents only. Requires living on the Jupiter campus all four years.
Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Full cost, graduate debt-free
Separate application, essay, and interview. Florida resident, first-generation, and Pell-eligible. Requires living on the Boca Raton campus all four years.
One tier only, the highest your student qualifies for.
Bright Futures
Yes
FAU states Bright Futures, Florida Prepaid, FAFSA aid, and scholarships are all stackable. Bright Futures is the base layer, not a competitor.
Grandparent Waiver
No
Explicitly cannot combine with admissions merit awards. Pick the one worth more, which is almost always the waiver.
Wilkes Honors + Spirit of Atlantic
No
Honors students are excluded from Spirit of Atlantic. It is one track or the other.
Foundation & department awards
Usually yes
These are the gap fillers, applied for separately through Scholarship Universe. All of them require a FAFSA.
Outside scholarships
Yes, up to cost of attendance
FAU packages around them rather than cutting your merit award. But total aid cannot exceed cost of attendance, so a full-cost award like Benacquisto leaves no room.
Elite Owl Transfer Scholarship
No
Cannot combine with Honors, Phi Theta Kappa, Link2FAU, or the FAU Transfer Grant.
The short version: if your student’s strength is essays, interviews, and a compelling personal story, FAU has real money for that, but only through Flagler or Kelly/Strul, and both of them have residency and eligibility gates. If your student’s strength is test scores and GPA, the automatic tiers are the main event and there is no competition to enter.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Does FAU have a signature full-ride competition?
Two of them, but neither is open to everybody. The Flagler Scholarship is Wilkes Honors and Florida residents only. Kelly/Strul is Florida residents who are first-generation and Pell-eligible. There is no university-wide competition that any strong applicant can enter.
Is FAU a National Merit school?
Yes, but with a hard residency line. Florida-resident Finalists qualify for the Benacquisto Scholarship, which covers full cost of attendance. Out-of-state Finalists are not eligible for Benacquisto at all; FAU says they receive competitive scholarship packages but will be partially responsible for their own cost of attendance.
Is FAU a Stamps or QuestBridge partner?
No to both. If those programs are part of your student’s strategy, FAU is not where they will land.
Which is more competitive, Flagler or Kelly/Strul?
Different kinds of hard. Flagler goes to a very small cohort selected through two interview rounds, and it reads as a leadership and campus-community award. Kelly/Strul takes about two dozen scholars a year and screens on first-generation and Pell eligibility first, then on the application and interview. Flagler is a narrower funnel; Kelly/Strul has a narrower gate.
Can my student apply for both?
Practically, no. Kelly/Strul scholars are explicitly not eligible if they attend Wilkes Honors, and Flagler requires Wilkes Honors admission. Your student picks a campus and a track.
What should my student prepare?
Both real competitions here run on essays and interviews. Our Essay Toolkit and Brag Sheet Builder are built for exactly this, and the interview rounds at FAU are virtual, which means practicing on camera is worth the time.
Getting admitted to FAU signs your student up for exactly one thing: the automatic merit tiers. Every other dollar on this page lives behind a second door, and FAU does not walk you to it.
File the FAFSA first. FAU states that every FAU-specific scholarship requires a FAFSA on file. Not most. Every one.
Create a Scholarship Universe profile. This is where FAU Foundation and donor scholarships live. It is a matching tool, so the more complete the profile, the more it surfaces.
Go straight to the college website for your student’s major. Business, nursing, education, social work, and engineering each run their own award lists that Scholarship Universe does not always catch.
Check the office-specific pages. Student Accessibility Services, the Office of Undergraduate Research, Education Abroad, and the Graduate College all administer their own money.
Save confirmations. Screenshot every submission.
FAU’s own advice is that the peak window is January through July. Their other tip is worth repeating: scholarships that require essays get far fewer applicants, which means better odds for a student willing to write.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These are the awards that do not show up in the admissions packet. Some are enormous, some are a few hundred dollars, and a couple of them are the difference between graduating with debt and graduating without it. Most require a separate application, and nearly all of them require a FAFSA.
Full TuitionAutomaticincome
Owl Promise Program
📅 Deadline: Submit the FAFSA by FAU's published priority deadline ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
full tuition and mandatory fees guarantee for highest-need Florida residents
✔ Stackable
⚠ Requires a Student Aid Index of 0 or less, so this is aimed at families with the highest demonstrated need.
Florida resident, U.S. citizen or permanent resident, first-time-in-college freshman, with a Student Aid Index of 0 or less on the FAFSA. Must enroll full time in fall and spring. Renewal requires keeping an SAI of 0 or less, meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress, and completing 30 credit hours each academic year.
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is a promise, not a single scholarship. FAU assembles federal, state, and university grant money to reach 100 percent of tuition and mandatory fees, so other grant aid gets coordinated inside the package rather than added on top of it. Merit scholarships and outside awards can still push toward housing, meals, and books, which is where an Owl Promise family should be aiming any additional money.
💡
Strategic Detail
Covers 100 percent of in-state tuition and mandatory fees. Scholars also become eligible to waive the admissions tuition deposit, receive priority financial aid packaging each year, and can participate in the Presidential Mentoring Program and the laptop loaner program as supply allows. Note that the promise covers tuition and fees only, not housing or meals.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Florida families whose FAFSA comes back with a Student Aid Index of 0 or less, and who file on time. There is no essay, no interview, and no committee. The entire thing hinges on filing the FAFSA by FAU''s priority deadline, which is exactly the step that families under financial stress most often push late. File in October, not March.
📅 Deadline: Name FAU as first-choice college with NMSC by May 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
full cost of attendance
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Because Benacquisto is designed to cover full cost of attendance for eligible students, additional aid may reduce other institutional need-based components or be limited by cost-of-attendance rules.
💡
Strategic Detail
Award amount varies because full cost of attendance depends on FAU's annual published budget, housing choice, meal plan, and related allowances. Covers Fall and Spring semesters for up to 4 years or 8 semesters, or until undergraduate degree is awarded.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: This is restricted to Florida-resident National Merit Finalists who complete the first-choice college process. It is extremely valuable, but it is not available to the general FAU applicant pool.
Full RideApp Required
Kelly/Strul Emerging Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: February 27, 2026 (2026-2027 cycle); window opens in fall/early spring ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
full cost of attendance cohort scholarship
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Approximately 24 annually (largest cohort to date as of 2025-2026). winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Because this is a full-cost cohort program, other aid may be coordinated within the package rather than added on top as extra cash value.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission to FAU for Fall 2026, verify eligibility as a Florida-resident, first-generation, Pell-eligible first-time-in-college student, and complete the separate Kelly/Strul application by the posted deadline, including essay and interview steps. Commit to 30 credits per year and on-campus living for all four years.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
Students at Wilkes Honors College (Jupiter campus) are not eligible. Scholars must commit to living on the Boca Raton campus all four years and completing at least 30 credit hours per academic year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: This is one of FAU's biggest hidden-gem opportunities, but it is highly restricted. Winners are a cohort of approximately 24 high-achieving Florida first-generation, Pell-eligible freshmen who complete the application well and interview strongly.
Full TuitionApp Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Army ROTC Scholarships (FAU Battalion)
📅 Deadline: National cycle varies annually; campus-based scholarships may be rolling ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
tuition or room and board plus stipends
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Army ROTC funding can be highly valuable and may include stipend components, but coordination with other institutional aid varies. Families should confirm how ROTC funding interacts with FAU aid before counting awards twice.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the national or campus-based Army ROTC scholarship process, complete medical and fitness clearance, and commit to the required military service obligation.
💡
Strategic Detail
Service-based funding linked to FAU attendance and Army ROTC participation. It is included as a hidden gem because FAU students can access it through the ROTC pathway, even though the funding is not standard institutional merit.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is not general scholarship money. It is for students who meet academic, physical, medical, citizenship, and leadership standards and are willing to accept the military service commitment.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Onlygeographic
Elite Owl Transfer Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Awarded at transfer admission; apply by FAU's transfer admission deadline ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 2 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Only students transferring in from a Florida College System institution qualify.
🏫 3.8+ GPA🎓 TransferMust be admitted to FAU from a Florida College System institution with junior standing, having earned at least 60 credit hours at the point of admission, with a minimum 3.8 GPA. Full-time enrollment of 12 credits is required for disbursement. Renewal runs up to two years or four semesters with a 3.0 minimum GPA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
FAU states this one cannot be combined with other transfer awards, which specifically means Honors and Phi Theta Kappa transfer scholarships, Link2FAU, or the FAU Transfer Grant. Treat it as your single transfer merit line and stack federal, state, and outside aid around it.
💡
Strategic Detail
$3,000 per year for fall and spring, renewable up to two years. This is the award that makes Florida''s 2+2 path pencil out at FAU, and it is easy to miss because it lives on the financial aid site rather than the admissions scholarship page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Florida College System students who protect their GPA. The 3.8 cutoff is the whole test, and it is a hard line rather than a range, so a single rough semester at the state college can cost $6,000. Students planning the 2+2 route should treat that number as the target from their first term.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlyidentity
International President's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 15 (Fall) / August 15 (Spring) ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$6,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Reserved for admits studying at FAU on an F-1 or J-1 international student visa.
🏫 3.5+ GPA👥 ~Limited funding each cycle. winners/yr🎓 All UndergradMust hold F-1 or J-1 visa at admission, present a minimum 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale, submit SAT/ACT/CLT scores, and demonstrate English proficiency per FAU standards. Renewal requires a 3.0 cumulative GPA and full-time enrollment.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Great news: this award generally layers with other institutional and outside aid, up to your total cost of attendance. FAU coordinates packaging on the back end, so if you also earn a department-specific award or bring in an outside scholarship, the financial aid office will fit everything together — the President's Scholarship is not automatically bumped just because another award arrives.
💡
Strategic Detail
Freshmen may receive the award for up to four years; transfers up to three years. Scholarship consideration is automatic with a complete admission file — no separate application. Test scores and English proficiency documentation are required for review, so treat these as part of the scholarship packet even though they're technically admission requirements.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: This is FAU's headline merit award for international freshmen and transfers on F-1 or J-1 visas. In practice, admits who bring a 3.5+ GPA, solid SAT/ACT/CLT scores, and clean English-proficiency documentation are the ones who land it. Funding is finite each cycle, so applying inside the priority window (not the late regular window) genuinely improves your odds.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Johnson Scholarship (Students with Disabilities)
📅 Deadline: May 15 ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.0+ GPA🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Usually stackable with other aid, subject to cost of attendance and fund-specific rules.
📄
How to Apply
Register with FAU Student Accessibility Services, complete FAFSA, and submit the Johnson Scholarship Application with transcript, personal statement, and two letters of reference to SAS by May 15.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Amount varies; number of recipients not fixed. Renewal application available separately. Contact Ashley Ciccolini Erickson for questions.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Florida-resident undergraduate students with documented disabilities who are registered with SAS, submit complete documentation early, and meet the fund requirements.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
SURF — Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
📅 Deadline: Opens November 15; Faculty application due January 15 · 📢 Results: Mid/late March Non-Renewable
$4,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
May stack with some research support, but program rules may cap overlapping summer research funding.
📄
How to Apply
Work with an FAU faculty mentor on a 10-week summer research plan. The faculty member must submit the application via SurveyMonkey Apply by January 15. Students should have a mentor identified before the deadline.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
$4,000 total per project: $3,100 supports the student researcher; $900 for materials, supplies, or faculty discretionary use. Application must be submitted by the faculty member, not the student. In partnership with Schmidt College of Science and College of Engineering and Computer Science, additional SURF fellowships may be awarded if funding is available.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with strong project design, faculty support, and a clear plan for summer research output. Priority given to lower-division students (freshman/sophomore) and AA Transfer Juniors, with at least one award per college.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
OURI Undergraduate Research Grant
📅 Deadline: October 15 for Spring/Summer funding; March 15 for Summer/Fall funding Non-Renewable
$600–$1,200
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Usually stackable with other research or departmental support for the same project, subject to program rules.
📄
How to Apply
Develop a faculty-mentored research project, prepare a short proposal, and submit the application with mentor confirmation by the applicable cycle deadline.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Individual projects eligible for up to $600 in funding; group projects eligible for up to $1,200. Funds must be applied to tangible research expenditures. Any equipment or supplies purchased remain FAU property after project completion.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is a low-dollar but practical credential-builder. Students with feasible faculty-backed projects and clear, timely proposals have the best shot.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Education Abroad Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Spring abroad early November; Summer abroad early March; Fall abroad early June Non-Renewable
$250–$1,000
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.8+ GPA🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
This award is often stackable with departmental or other travel funding, up to trip cost or cost-of-attendance rules.
📄
How to Apply
Be a degree-seeking FAU student participating in an approved study abroad program (FAU Exchange, Faculty-led, approved Direct Enrollment partner, or Affiliate third-party provider), then complete the scholarship application and one-page personal statement submitted to goabroad@fau.edu by the applicable term deadline.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Program must be at least 1 week for summer or at least 8 weeks for a semester. Applications reviewed by a committee of FAU faculty, administrators, and Deans.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who already have an approved study abroad plan and submit complete applications that connect the experience clearly to their academic or career goals.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Phyllis & Harvey Sandler Global Education Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 1-February 10 · 📢 Results: By February 28 Non-Renewable
$2,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Generally stackable with other travel or departmental support, subject to program funding limits and cost-of-attendance rules.
📄
How to Apply
Enroll in designated BSW or MSW Social Work study abroad coursework and apply through the Sandler School of Social Work's Executive Administrative Assistant during the posted application window.
💡
Strategic Detail
Contact the Phyllis & Harvey Sandler School of Social Work's Executive Administrative Assistant for application details.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is a niche major-specific travel award. It is best for Social Work students who plan ahead for the designated global coursework and complete the process on time.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Pathways Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply junior year; window set by Graduate College Non-Renewable
$1,000–$2,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
Typically stackable with other merit or departmental aid, subject to graduate and combined-program policies.
📄
How to Apply
Gain official acceptance to a combined or advanced-standing graduate degree program, then submit the Pathways Scholarship application through the FAU Graduate College during junior year.
💡
Strategic Detail
Distributed in two increments of $1,000 — one during the first graduate semester and one during the last. Managed by the FAU Graduate College. Contact gradscholarships@fau.edu for details.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: FAU undergraduates officially accepted into approved combined or advanced-standing graduate programs who apply during junior year, maintain continuous enrollment, complete the undergraduate program within four years, and complete a minimum of three graduate credits during senior year.
App Required
RaiseMe Micro-Scholarships
📅 Deadline: December 1 of senior year Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Open to U.S. high school students in grades 9 through 12. Students create a free RaiseMe profile, follow FAU, and log grades, coursework, activities, and service. FAU sets the dollar value of each achievement. The earning profile must be complete by December 1 of senior year.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Micro-scholarship totals represent a guaranteed minimum of institutional aid if the student is admitted and enrolls. They do not stack on top of a merit tier as extra cash; FAU folds them into the aid package. The practical value is a floor under the offer rather than a separate check.
📄
How to Apply
Create a free account at raise.me, follow Florida Atlantic University, and enter achievements going back to ninth grade. Profiles can be filled in retroactively. Complete the profile by December 1 of senior year and submit the FAU admission application.
💡
Strategic Detail
Amounts depend entirely on what the student logs, so there is no published range. This is the only FAU award on this page that rewards work done in ninth and tenth grade, which makes it worth setting up early even though the payoff is modest.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Underclassmen. A senior who signs up in November gets very little out of this; a sophomore who logs grades and activities every semester for three years builds a real floor. If you have a freshman or sophomore, this is a 20-minute setup that costs nothing.
Data last verified Jul 5, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Start here if your family is Florida-resident and income-eligible
The Owl Promise Program covers 100 percent of tuition and mandatory fees for Florida first-year students whose FAFSA returns a Student Aid Index of zero or less. There is no application, no essay, and no committee. FAU notifies you if you qualify. It also waives the admissions deposit and comes with priority aid packaging every year.
The whole thing depends on one action: filing the FAFSA by FAU’s priority deadline. That is the step families under financial pressure most often put off. File it in October.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Do I really need a FAFSA even for merit scholarships?
For the FAU Foundation and department awards, yes. FAU’s financial aid office states that all FAU-specific scholarships require a submitted FAFSA. The automatic admissions tiers are the exception, but there is no reason to skip it, and skipping it closes off Owl Promise entirely.
What is Scholarship Universe and when should my student use it?
It is FAU’s matching portal for Foundation, department, and vetted outside scholarships. Prospective and current students can both use it. Create the profile as soon as your student applies to FAU rather than waiting for an admission decision, because some opportunities close early and the tool sends notifications.
Can these stack with my student’s automatic merit award?
Generally yes. Foundation and department awards are the gap fillers that push toward housing, meals, and books after tuition is handled. The ceiling is your total cost of attendance, so a student already holding a full-cost award like Benacquisto has no room left.
My student is going to a Florida state college first. Is anything here for them?
Yes, and it is a good one. The Elite Owl Transfer Scholarship pays $3,000 a year for two years to Florida College System transfers who arrive with junior standing, 60 or more credits, and a 3.8 GPA. That 3.8 is a hard line. If your student is planning the 2+2 route, treat it as the target from day one at the state college.
Are the research grants worth the trouble for a few hundred dollars?
The money is small, but that is not really the point. An OURI grant or a SURF fellowship puts a faculty-mentored research project on a sophomore’s record. At a school sitting next to Max Planck Florida and the Wertheim UF Scripps Institute, that is a credential that pays off at graduate school application time. SURF priority goes to lower-division students and AA transfer juniors, and the faculty mentor submits the application, so your student needs to find the mentor first.
What if my student has a documented disability?
The Johnson Scholarship is specifically for Florida-resident undergraduates registered with Student Accessibility Services. It needs a transcript, a personal statement, and two letters of reference by May 15. The registration with SAS has to happen before the application, so start that in the spring of senior year.
Is RaiseMe actually worth setting up?
For a ninth or tenth grader, yes. For a senior in November, not really. Micro-scholarships accumulate from grades and activities logged over multiple years, and FAU locks the profile on December 1 of senior year. It is a free 20-minute setup that only pays if you start early.
When do these deadlines actually fall?
They are scattered on purpose because different offices run them. Kelly/Strul closes in late February. Education Abroad runs three cycles a year tied to the term abroad. SURF closes January 15. Johnson closes May 15. OURI runs October and March cycles. There is no master calendar, which is exactly why the earliest one on your student’s list becomes the real deadline.
Most honors programs are a layer added on top of a regular university experience. Wilkes Honors is not that. It is a separate, free-standing liberal arts and sciences college on FAU’s Jupiter campus, with its own faculty, its own curriculum, and its own residence halls. It is the only university-affiliated honors college in the country built this way. All classes are honors classes, and incoming freshmen live on campus for their first two years.
The campus itself is the selling point for a certain kind of student. Jupiter is shared with the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, FAU’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, and the Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute. Undergraduates there work alongside research operations that most students never touch until graduate school. The Fall 2025 class came in at 214 students, one of the largest on record, including at least 14 National Merit Finalists.
⚠️ Read this before you choose a campus
FAU states plainly that students attending the Honors College are excluded from receiving the Spirit of Atlantic Scholarship. These are not two pools you can draw from. Your student is in one grid or the other, and the decision is made at admission.
Here is the part FAU never puts side by side. At identical academic bands, for Florida residents, the Honors grid pays more at every single tier:
Florida residents: the same student, two different offers
Academic band
Boca (Spirit of Atlantic)
Jupiter (Wilkes Honors)
Difference
4.00 GPA & 1410 SAT / 32 ACT / 101 CLT
$5,000/yr
$6,000/yr
+$4,000 over 4 yrs
3.90 GPA & 1340 SAT / 29 ACT / 96 CLT
$2,000/yr
$3,500/yr
+$6,000 over 4 yrs
3.85 GPA & 1270 SAT / 27 ACT / 90 CLT
$1,000/yr
$3,000/yr
+$8,000 over 4 yrs
3.70 GPA & 1200 SAT / 25 ACT / 83 CLT
$500/yr
no tier at this band
Boca only
Out-of-state families: the two grids are identical. $10,000, $8,000, and $1,000 at the same three bands, with the HOOT component bundled into the top two. So for a non-resident, the campus choice is purely about fit, not money.
Honors Scholarships & the Flagler
App Required
Henry Morrison Flagler Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Wilkes Honors admission by February 13 · 📢 Results: Decisions begin in early April ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Very small cohort each year. winners/yrFlorida-resident incoming freshmen admitted to Wilkes Honors College who are invited through the Scholars Day process. Continued residence at the Jupiter Honors campus for all four years is a condition of the award.
✚
Stacking & Combining
This award coordinates carefully with Bright Futures, Benacquisto, and any outside merit aid — the goal is to close the tuition/room/board gap up to a defined package cap. In practice, that means outside scholarships won't necessarily add on top dollar-for-dollar; FAU's financial aid team will rebalance so the Flagler covers what's not otherwise met.
📄
How to Apply
Step one: earn admission to Wilkes Honors College by February 13. Step two: submit the Flagler Scholarship application by February 20. Step three: sit for two rounds of virtual interviews — first round in mid-March, finalist round in late March. If chosen, you commit to living on campus at the Jupiter Honors campus for all four years.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Worth over $72,000 across four years: up to $7,500 per semester (Fall and Spring) toward on-campus room, board, and any tuition remaining after Bright Futures, plus funding for four summer enrichment programs. Florida residents only. On-campus living at the Jupiter Honors campus is required for all four years — this is a residential award, not a commuter one.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
A very small cohort of Florida student leaders who are admitted to Wilkes Honors College and show up strong in two rounds of virtual interviews. The winning profile is a genuine on-campus community-builder — students who visibly want the residential Honors experience, not just the sticker price of the award.
Automatic
Wilkes Honors College Scholarship (Resident: Tier 1)
📅 Deadline: January 15 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$6,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 4.0+ GPA✎ ~32 ACT✎ ~1410 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
This award combines an FAU 100 component with the Honors College Scholarship line and stacks with Bright Futures, department awards, and outside scholarships up to your cost of attendance. FAU coordinates packaging on the back end so nothing double-counts.
💡
Strategic Detail
Qualifying test scores: 1410 SAT / 32 ACT / 101 CLT. Awarded automatically when you're admitted to Wilkes Honors College at this academic tier — no separate application needed.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Florida-resident Wilkes Honors admits who meet FAU's published academic thresholds for this tier (min 4.0 GPA plus 1410 SAT / 32 ACT / 101 CLT). If you clear those numbers and get the Wilkes Honors acceptance, this award is essentially automatic — no separate scholarship form.
Automatic
Wilkes Honors College Scholarship (Resident: Tier 2)
📅 Deadline: January 15 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$3,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.9+ GPA✎ ~29 ACT✎ ~1340 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
This layer stacks with Bright Futures, department awards, and outside scholarships up to your cost of attendance. FAU's packaging rules coordinate everything on the back end, so a big outside win might reshape the mix — but it won't automatically shrink this line.
💡
Strategic Detail
Qualifying test scores: 1340 SAT / 29 ACT / 96 CLT. Awarded automatically when you're admitted to Wilkes Honors College at this academic tier — no separate application needed.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Florida-resident Wilkes Honors admits who meet FAU's published academic thresholds for this tier (min 3.9 GPA plus 1340 SAT / 29 ACT / 96 CLT). If you clear those numbers and get the Wilkes Honors acceptance, this award is essentially automatic — no separate scholarship form.
Automatic
Wilkes Honors College Scholarship (Resident: Tier 3)
📅 Deadline: January 15 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.9+ GPA✎ ~27 ACT✎ ~1270 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
This layer stacks with Bright Futures, department awards, and outside scholarships up to your cost of attendance. FAU's packaging rules coordinate everything on the back end, so a big outside win might reshape the mix — but it won't automatically shrink this line.
💡
Strategic Detail
Qualifying test scores: 1270 SAT / 27 ACT / 90 CLT. Awarded automatically when you're admitted to Wilkes Honors College at this academic tier — no separate application needed.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Florida-resident Wilkes Honors admits who meet FAU's published academic thresholds for this tier (min 3.85 GPA plus 1270 SAT / 27 ACT / 90 CLT). If you clear those numbers and get the Wilkes Honors acceptance, this award is essentially automatic — no separate scholarship form.
This layer stacks with Bright Futures, department awards, and outside scholarships up to your cost of attendance. FAU's packaging rules coordinate everything on the back end, so a big outside win might reshape the mix — but it won't automatically shrink this line.
💡
Strategic Detail
Qualifying test scores: 1410 SAT / 32 ACT / 101 CLT. Awarded automatically when you're admitted to Wilkes Honors College at this academic tier — no separate application needed. Includes the HOOT Scholarship component, which covers 6 credits per year of non-resident tuition. Must be a US citizen or permanent resident.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Non-Florida Wilkes Honors admits (US citizens or permanent residents) who post at least a 4.0 GPA plus 1410 SAT / 32 ACT / 101 CLT. The out-of-state amounts are larger because they help close the non-resident tuition gap.
This layer stacks with Bright Futures, department awards, and outside scholarships up to your cost of attendance. FAU's packaging rules coordinate everything on the back end, so a big outside win might reshape the mix — but it won't automatically shrink this line.
💡
Strategic Detail
Qualifying test scores: 1340 SAT / 29 ACT / 96 CLT. Awarded automatically when you're admitted to Wilkes Honors College at this academic tier — no separate application needed. Includes the HOOT Scholarship component, which covers 6 credits per year of non-resident tuition. Must be a US citizen or permanent resident.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Non-Florida Wilkes Honors admits (US citizens or permanent residents) who post at least a 3.9 GPA plus 1340 SAT / 29 ACT / 96 CLT. The out-of-state amounts are larger because they help close the non-resident tuition gap.
Automatic
Wilkes Honors College Scholarship (Non-Resident: Tier 3)
📅 Deadline: January 15 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.9+ GPA✎ ~27 ACT✎ ~1270 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
This layer stacks with Bright Futures, department awards, and outside scholarships up to your cost of attendance. FAU's packaging rules coordinate everything on the back end, so a big outside win might reshape the mix — but it won't automatically shrink this line.
💡
Strategic Detail
Qualifying test scores: 1270 SAT / 27 ACT / 90 CLT. Awarded automatically when you're admitted to Wilkes Honors College at this tier. Heads up: the drop from Tier 2 ($8,000) to Tier 3 ($1,000) is intentional and reflects FAU's published scholarship grid — this tier is a recognition-level award rather than a substantial cost offset for non-residents. Must be a US citizen or permanent resident.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Non-Florida Wilkes Honors admits (US citizens or permanent residents) who post at least a 3.85 GPA plus 1270 SAT / 27 ACT / 90 CLT. The out-of-state amounts are larger because they help close the non-resident tuition gap.
Data last verified Jul 5, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
The Flagler timeline (2026 cycle shown; expect similar dates)
January 15: Application opens
February 13: Deadline to be admitted to Wilkes Honors and stay eligible
February 20: Flagler application due
February 27: First-round interview invitations
Mid-March: First round of virtual interviews
Late March: Finalist round, also virtual
April 3: Decisions begin going out
Worth noting: one older FAU page still lists December 15 as the Honors admission date for Flagler consideration. The dedicated Flagler page says February 13. When a university’s own pages disagree, the safe move is the earlier date. FAU also strongly encourages Flagler applicants to visit the Jupiter campus even though the interviews are virtual.
The May 1 trap
Wilkes Honors states that incoming students must confirm attendance by May 1, and that scholarship awards are not guaranteed for students who confirm after that deadline. Your student can win the award and lose it by dragging their feet on a deposit. If FAU is the choice, deposit early.
Honors College — FAQs (Florida Atlantic University)
Is there a separate application for Honors scholarships?
No. Admitted Wilkes Honors students are automatically considered for the tier their academic profile qualifies for, and for the endowed Honors scholarships. The only separate application is the Flagler. FAU also notes that students admitted by January 15 are eligible for the highest awards, so early matters here too.
Does FAU have a regular honors program at Boca Raton?
Yes, the University Honors Program on the Boca campus. But it does not publish its own scholarship grid the way Wilkes does. If your student is choosing an honors path partly for the money, the Jupiter campus is where the money is.
Do Flagler scholars really have to live on campus for four years?
Yes, all four years at the Jupiter campus, and it is a condition of the award rather than a suggestion. Wilkes Honors also requires all incoming freshmen to live on campus for the first two years regardless. For families hoping their student can commute from home to save money, this is a genuine dealbreaker rather than a detail.
How does the Flagler interact with Bright Futures?
It sits on top. FAU describes the Flagler as covering tuition, room, and board not already covered by Bright Futures, up to $7,500 per semester. So Bright Futures pays first and Flagler closes the gap. That also means outside scholarships will not add dollar for dollar; FAU rebalances the package.
Are the Honors class sizes actually smaller?
Substantially. The whole college enrolled a class of 214 in Fall 2025, and every course is an honors course taught by Wilkes faculty. This is closer to a small liberal arts college in scale than to a 25,000-student public university.
Can out-of-state students apply?
Yes, and the merit tiers match what they would get at Boca. But the Flagler and Benacquisto are both Florida-residents-only, so the largest Jupiter awards are off the table for non-residents.
What is the renewal requirement?
A 3.0 GPA for the Honors scholarship tiers, renewable up to four years. FAU publishes a full Honors College scholarship renewal policy document, which is worth reading before your student accepts.
Florida Atlantic spent a long time being described as a commuter school in Boca Raton. That description is out of date. FAU is now one of only 21 universities in the country carrying two Carnegie designations at once: R1 for very high research spending and doctorate production, and Opportunity College and University for social mobility. Translated out of academic language, that means it does serious research and it actually moves students up the income ladder. Those two things do not usually show up in the same place.
FAU is also unusually spread out for a school its size, with campuses in Boca Raton, Jupiter, Fort Lauderdale, Davie, Dania Beach, and Fort Pierce. That matters more than it sounds, because some of the best opportunities here are attached to a specific location rather than to the university as a whole.
The thing that makes FAU genuinely unusual: Brain and neuroscience research on the Jupiter campus. FAU’s Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute shares a campus with the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience, one of only a handful of Max Planck institutes outside Germany, and with the Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute. Undergraduates on that campus can walk into research labs that most students do not see until a PhD program. If you have a kid who is serious about neuroscience, biomedical research, or pre-med, this cluster is the reason to look at FAU rather than a bigger-name Florida school.
Marine Science and Ocean Engineering: FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce sits on the Indian River Lagoon, one of the most biodiverse estuaries in the country. It runs real work in aquaculture, marine biomedicine, ocean engineering, and ecosystem health, including a 10-week summer research program open to undergraduates. Very few schools can offer an 18-year-old this kind of access to ocean research.
Nursing: The Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing is nationally known for its caring science framework and is home to the Anne Boykin Institute. FAU also runs a Direct Admit BSN pathway for freshmen, with an October 15 or January 15 application deadline depending on which track you use.
Business: The College of Business is the largest college at FAU and feeds directly into the South Florida market, which is one of the fastest-growing finance and corporate relocation regions in the country. Proximity matters for internships in a way it does not for a school in the middle of a state.
Engineering and Computer Science: Strength in sensing systems, embedded networks, ocean engineering, and artificial intelligence, with a research institute of its own. Pre-Architecture also runs a separate freshman admission track with an early deadline.
Medicine and health sciences: The Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine gives undergraduates a real pipeline, and FAU’s Pathways Scholarship supports students moving into combined bachelor’s-to-master’s programs.
National fellowships: FAU produced two Goldwater Scholars in 2026, the fifth year running, and six faculty Fulbright awards for 2026-27. For a school with a 66 percent acceptance rate, that is a strong signal that the top end of the student body does well here.
The honest read: FAU is not going to out-prestige Florida or Florida State on a bumper sticker. What it does offer is unusually cheap in-state tuition, research access that punches well above its admissions selectivity, and a set of full-cost programs for Florida families that genuinely exist rather than being theoretical. For the right student, that trade is a very good one.
🔗 Official Florida Atlantic University Links
Use FAU’s own pages below to confirm deadlines, award terms, costs, and policy details. Scholarship amounts and dates move every cycle, and a couple of FAU’s pages currently disagree with each other, so always treat these as the final word over anything you read elsewhere, including here.
Florida Atlantic is a school where geography decides almost everything. If you are a Florida family, this is close to the cheapest four-year path in the state, and there are three separate routes to a full-cost or full-tuition education here: Owl Promise if your FAFSA comes back with a Student Aid Index of zero, Benacquisto if your student makes National Merit Finalist, and Kelly/Strul if your student is first-generation and Pell-eligible. Those are real programs with real cohorts, not marketing.
If you are out of state, the picture is different and it comes down to one question: is there a grandparent living in Florida? If yes, the Grandparent Waiver is worth about $16,904 a year and it beats FAU’s best merit award by a wide margin. If no, the top merit tiers still take a $38,700 sticker price down to something reasonable, but you are paying real money for a school that will not be the cheapest option on your list.
The two mistakes that cost families the most here are both about timing rather than test scores. The first is treating January 15 as the deadline when Early Action on October 15 is where the scholarship budget actually is. The second is letting December pass without one more test sitting, because FAU stops looking at scores after that and there is no appeal, no upgrade after enrollment, and no matching a competing offer. And if your student is choosing between Boca Raton and the Wilkes Honors College in Jupiter, run the tier tables side by side before you decide. For a Florida resident, that one choice is worth up to $8,000 over four years.
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Written by Leo Dimilo
I started CollegeReadyParent while working through college costs for my own kid, and quickly figured out that the number a school advertises and the number a family actually pays are two very different things. Since then I've gone school by school pulling apart award letters, scholarship pages, and cost sheets to find what families are supposed to just know. This site is the version of that research I wish someone had handed me. More about Leo →
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