What changed for Fall 2027 (read before anything else)
Auburn ended its test-optional pathway. Every first-year applicant for Fall 2027 must send an ACT or SAT score to be considered for admission at all, and the merit chart has always run on scores. If your student has been counting on applying without a test, that door is closed. The good news is that Auburn superscores both tests, which the University of Alabama does not.
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Auburn (Read This First)
No Early Action, no scholarship. Auburn only considers students admitted in one of its four Early Action rounds for any scholarship. The last Early Action deadline is December 1, and the file has to be complete, not just submitted. Regular Decision (February 1) gets you in, but with no money.
The chart is a guide, not a guarantee. Auburn calls every award on its merit chart “competitive merit” and says each entering class competes with itself. Most students who hit the numbers get the award, but Auburn reserves the right to adjust if funding or the applicant pool shifts.
Official scores take two weeks to arrive. Auburn says this is the single most common reason students miss the December 1 deadline. Send scores from ACT or College Board in early November.
Auburn does not match other states’ merit programs. Bright Futures, HOPE, TOPS, Palmetto Fellows, KEES, and similar awards do not transfer and Auburn will not counter them.
Two different February deadlines. Alumni club awards close in AUSOM on February 1. Everything else in AUSOM closes February 12. Plan for the earlier one.
Academic Common Market is a junior-year tool. Auburn caps it at 25 students a year and will not take applications until a student has 60 credit hours. Do not budget on it for freshman year.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? No. Auburn University is test-required for admission.
Do you need test scores for scholarships at Auburn University? Auburn requires an ACT or SAT score for all first-year applicants starting Fall 2027, and the merit chart is built on GPA plus your superscore. Scores must reach Auburn by January 11 to count for scholarships.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 29; SAT: 1320.
Average net price? About $23,897/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
Yes. It participates in ACM.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Auburn University: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Auburn University has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly
$600 to $1,600 more than the in-state total below.$1,100 to $2,800 more than the out-of-state total below.
In-State: billed cost per year
$31,996
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$13,572
Housing & meals (typical)
$18,424
Total billed cost
$31,996
Out-of-State: billed cost per year
$56,020
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$37,596
Housing & meals (typical)
$18,424
Total billed cost
$56,020
That is $24,024 more per year than Alabama residents pay, before any waivers or scholarships.
Average federal net price: $23,897 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students only, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
Out-of-state families: this average does not include you. Run the college's own net price calculator for a number based on your situation.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
Auburn does take part in the SREB Academic Common Market, but it is not a freshman tool. Students cannot apply until they have junior standing (60 hours), need a 3.0 college GPA, and Auburn caps the program at 25 students per year for a maximum of four semesters. Plan on the published non-resident rate for the first two years and treat ACM as a possible junior-year reduction, not a given.
Out-of-State Savings & Waivers
Auburn has no regional tuition discount and no blanket out-of-state waiver. The only formal path is the Academic Common Market (ACM), and Auburn’s version is tight: 25 students per year, junior standing required, a 3.0 college GPA, and a four-semester limit. For the first two years, the realistic way to cut the non-resident bill is the Academic Presidential, Heritage, or Charter award on the merit chart, which knocks $7,000 to $17,000 off per year.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Auburn University
Why is the out-of-state tuition almost three times the in-state rate?
Alabama taxpayers subsidize the resident rate. Non-residents pay the full cost. The gap at Auburn is roughly $24,000 a year before any aid, which is why the non-resident merit chart matters so much. A 33 ACT and a 3.5 GPA brings a non-resident bill down by $15,000 a year before you look for anything else.
Is the housing and meals figure the same for residents and non-residents?
Yes. Auburn’s 2026-27 on-campus living estimate is $18,424 for everyone. That reflects a standard residence hall and meal plan. Living off campus drops the estimate to about $16,124, and living at home drops it to about $8,852.
Can an out-of-state student ever pay in-state tuition at Auburn?
Not as a freshman. The Academic Common Market can get an out-of-state student the resident rate, but only for a major their home state does not offer, only after 60 credit hours, and only for 25 students a year for up to four semesters. If your student is in one of the 13 participating states and plans a major Auburn offers that their state does not, keep it on the radar for junior year.
Why is the average net price lower than the in-state total?
The federal net price averages across every family receiving aid, including Pell recipients and students with large merit awards. A family with no need and a student below the merit chart should expect to pay close to the full direct cost. A family with a 33 ACT student will pay much less. Run Auburn’s net price calculator for your own number.
Does Auburn raise tuition every year?
Usually a little. Resident tuition and fees went from $13,268 in 2025-26 to $13,572 in 2026-27, and Auburn has already published $13,874 for 2027-28, about a 2% step each year. Merit awards are fixed dollar amounts, so the student’s share grows slightly each year unless the award is the full-tuition Presidential Excellence, which is tied to the current rate.
Is there a separate fee for the Honors College?
Yes. Honors College members pay $250 per semester on top of regular tuition and fees. Budget $500 a year if your student plans to join.
September 15, October 15, November 15, December 1: Early Action rounds. Admission in any of these rounds is required for scholarship consideration. December 1 is the last chance.
November 16: Honors College application closes (separate from admission).
Mid-November onward: Merit chart awards start going out to admitted students.
January 11: Last day for updated ACT/SAT scores to count toward a merit award.
February 1: AUSOM deadline for Auburn Club awards; Alumni Association life membership must be paid.
February 12: AUSOM priority date for general, departmental, and Honors awards, plus FAFSA for need-based scholarships.
May 1: National Merit Finalists name Auburn as first choice; enrollment deposit due.
Parent rule of thumb: the real deadline is December 1 with a complete file. Official scores can take two weeks to land, so send them by mid-November.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Auburn University
Auburn’s merit chart runs on two numbers: weighted high school GPA and the best ACT or SAT superscore. There is no scholarship application. Every student admitted in an Early Action round is considered. Auburn superscores both the ACT and SAT, so a student who has tested more than once should send every score report. Residents and non-residents have separate charts with different names and amounts.
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.
Start with your state. The awards in this first group come from the state, not the college. They are decided by residency and the FAFSA, and they stack on top of whatever automatic merit award the college gives below. If you live out of state, use the toggle above and these will step aside.
State AidAutomaticstate residencyneed based
Alabama Student Assistance Program
📅 Deadline: FAFSA as early as possible; no separate application ✓ Renews
$300–$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Alabama resident with financial need on the FAFSA; amount set by each college's aid office from a limited state allocation
✚
Stacking & Combining
Alabama's only broad need grant. $300 to $5,000 a year, decided by the college, and it runs out. Stacks with Pell and with every college award.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Auburn University award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent AL page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Low-income families who file the FAFSA in October. There is no separate form and no published cutoff; the aid office packages it from a fixed pot, so the late filers are the ones who get nothing.
State AidApp Requiredstate residencyservice
Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Apply through the ADVA portal before the semester starts; not retroactive ✓ Renews (5 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Child, stepchild, spouse, or unremarried widow of an Alabama veteran rated 40% or more service-connected disabled; FAFSA each year; payer of last resort
✚
Stacking & Combining
In-state tuition up to the federal Tuition Assistance cap per credit hour (currently $400), plus up to $1,000 a semester for books and fees. Children get five academic years. Paid after all other aid, so it fills whatever gap is left.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Auburn University award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent AL page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Dependents of veterans with a 40% or higher VA rating who get the ADVA application in before the first semester. The deadline is the problem: it is not granted retroactively, so a family that discovers it in October has lost the fall.
State AidApp Requiredstate residencyservice
Alabama National Guard Educational Assistance Program
📅 Deadline: Each term, with Military Department and aid office signatures ✓ Renews (2 GPA)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.0+ GPAActive member in good standing of an Alabama National Guard unit; 2.0 GPA; FAFSA on file; at least $100 of cost left after other aid; term-by-term approval
✚
Stacking & Combining
Tuition and instructional fees up to a cap set each year at the median public four-year tuition. Payer of last resort, so it applies after Pell, federal TA, and college aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Auburn University award. Rules and amounts are set by the state and can change with each budget. Full details on the CollegeReadyParent AL page.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Guard members who reapply every single term with both signatures. It is reliable money for the students who keep the paperwork moving, and it disappears for a semester the moment someone forgets.
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.
Full TuitionAutomatic
Spirit of Auburn Presidential Excellence Award
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
resident tuition and student services fees
✔ Stackable
🏫 4.0+ GPA✎ ~35 ACT✎ ~1540 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one chart award. General and departmental scholarships may be added on top, but Auburn gives those lower priority to students already holding an award worth resident tuition or more.
💡
Strategic Detail
Top tier of Auburn's Fall 2027 resident merit chart. Pays resident tuition and mandatory student services fees ($13,874 for 2027-28). Professional, program, and course fees are not covered. Auburn labels every chart award "competitive merit" and says the chart is a guide, not a guarantee; each entering class competes with itself. No separate application. Equivalent SAT per auburn.edu/testscores.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Alabama residents with a 4.0 weighted GPA and a 35 or 36 ACT superscore who had a complete file in by December 1 and were admitted in an Early Action round. This is a very small group. Auburn also says awards depend on funding and the size of the qualified pool, so a 35 is the entry ticket, not a promise.
Automatic
Academic Presidential Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Early February based on past notification timing ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$15,000–$17,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~33 ACT✎ ~1460 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Auburn merit awards are not automatically guaranteed to stack with every other general, departmental, or university scholarship. Families should review Auburn's current scholarship policies and final award letter before assuming multiple awards can be combined.
💡
Strategic Detail
Nonresident automatic merit award. Weighted GPA counts. Auburn accepts ACT and SAT superscores for scholarship consideration. No separate scholarship application is required for this award.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: This is Auburn's top nonresident automatic merit tier. In plain English, it is aimed at out-of-state freshmen with very high test scores, a strong weighted GPA, and a complete Auburn application on file by the scholarship deadline. A 33 ACT or 1460 SAT puts the student in the published score band, but families should still treat the final amount as dependent on Auburn's current-year scholarship rules and funding.
Automatic
Spirit of Auburn Presidential Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Early February based on past notification timing ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$11,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~33 ACT✎ ~1460 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Auburn merit awards are not automatically guaranteed to stack with every other general, departmental, or university scholarship. Families should review Auburn's current scholarship policies and final award letter before assuming multiple awards can be combined.
💡
Strategic Detail
Alabama resident automatic merit award. Weighted GPA counts. Auburn accepts ACT and SAT superscores for scholarship consideration. No separate scholarship application is required for this award.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is Auburn's top resident automatic merit tier. It is most relevant for Alabama students with a 3.5 weighted GPA or higher and elite test scores. For families comparing in-state options, this is the award that makes Auburn meaningfully less expensive for very high-scoring Alabama admits, but it still depends on meeting the deadline and Auburn's posted scholarship rules.
Automatic
Academic Heritage Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Early February based on past notification timing ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$11,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~31 ACT✎ ~1400 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Auburn merit awards are not automatically guaranteed to stack with every other general, departmental, or university scholarship. Families should review Auburn's current scholarship policies and final award letter before assuming multiple awards can be combined.
💡
Strategic Detail
Nonresident automatic merit award. Weighted GPA counts. Auburn accepts ACT and SAT superscores for scholarship consideration. No separate scholarship application is required for this award.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is a strong nonresident merit award for out-of-state students who are below Auburn's very top published score band but still have a high GPA and strong ACT or SAT score. For many families, this is the kind of award that can make Auburn more competitive with other Southern public universities, but it is still not the same as full tuition or a full ride.
Automatic
Spirit of Auburn Founders Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Early February based on past notification timing ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$9,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~30 ACT✎ ~1370 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Auburn merit awards are not automatically guaranteed to stack with every other general, departmental, or university scholarship. Families should review Auburn's current scholarship policies and final award letter before assuming multiple awards can be combined.
💡
Strategic Detail
Alabama resident automatic merit award. Weighted GPA counts. Auburn accepts ACT and SAT superscores for scholarship consideration. No separate scholarship application is required for this award.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is a meaningful resident merit award for Alabama students with strong, but not top-tier, test scores. It is especially important for families who assume in-state automatically means affordable; this award can help, but Auburn may still require a close net-price comparison against other Alabama options.
Automatic
Academic Charter Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Early February based on past notification timing ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$7,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~29 ACT✎ ~1340 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Auburn merit awards are not automatically guaranteed to stack with every other general, departmental, or university scholarship. Families should review Auburn's current scholarship policies and final award letter before assuming multiple awards can be combined.
💡
Strategic Detail
Nonresident automatic merit award. Weighted GPA counts. Auburn accepts ACT and SAT superscores for scholarship consideration. No separate scholarship application is required for this award.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: This is Auburn's lower listed nonresident automatic merit tier, but it can still matter because out-of-state costs are higher. A student in this band has a solid academic profile, but families should compare the final Auburn price against other out-of-state schools that may offer larger automatic awards.
Automatic
Spirit of Auburn University Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Early February based on past notification timing ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~28 ACT✎ ~1310 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Auburn merit awards are not automatically guaranteed to stack with every other general, departmental, or university scholarship. Families should review Auburn's current scholarship policies and final award letter before assuming multiple awards can be combined.
💡
Strategic Detail
Alabama resident automatic merit award. Weighted GPA counts. Auburn accepts ACT and SAT superscores for scholarship consideration. No separate scholarship application is required for this award.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is Auburn's lower listed resident automatic merit tier. It is useful for Alabama students with solid test scores, but it may not dramatically change affordability by itself. Families should still compare Auburn's final net price against Alabama, UAB, South Alabama, Troy, and other in-state options.
Data last verified Oct 24, 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.
Note: Auburn labels these “competitive merit scholarships” and states that the chart “is a guide and is not a guarantee of future awards.” In practice, students who meet the numbers and the deadline have reliably received them, but Auburn keeps the right to adjust based on funding. Students receive one chart award, the highest they qualify for. Chart awards do not stack with each other but can be combined with general, departmental, and need-based money.
Automatic Merit FAQs (Auburn University)
Are these scholarships guaranteed if my student hits the numbers?
Auburn says no, officially. Each entering class competes with itself and awards depend on funding and the size of the qualified pool. Unofficially, the chart has been very reliable for students with a complete file by December 1. Treat it as highly likely, not promised, and do not sign anything until the award letter arrives.
Does Auburn superscore?
Yes, for both admission and scholarships. Auburn accepts the official ACT Superscore Report and will also build a superscore from individual ACT and SAT reports. This is a real advantage over the University of Alabama, which uses one sitting.
What is the Presidential Excellence Award?
New for recent cycles. Alabama residents with a 4.0 weighted GPA and a 35 or 36 ACT receive resident tuition and student services fees, which is $13,874 for 2027-28. It does not cover housing, meals, or program and course fees. It is the only full-tuition award on Auburn’s chart, and there is no equivalent for non-residents.
My student is out of state. What does the chart look like?
Three tiers, all requiring a 3.5 weighted GPA: Academic Presidential ($17,000 at ACT 35-36, $15,000 at 33-34), Academic Heritage ($11,000 at 31-32), and Academic Charter ($7,000 at 29-30). A non-resident with a 33 ACT still pays about $22,600 in tuition and fees after the award, so compare against other Southern publics before deciding.
What if the scores come in after December 1?
Auburn accepts updated scores through January 11 for scholarship reconsideration, as long as the student was already admitted in an Early Action round. A December ACT can still move a student up a tier.
How do these renew?
Up to eight semesters with a 3.0 cumulative Auburn GPA (2.99 does not round up) and 24 Auburn credit hours earned between fall and spring. Co-op semesters extend the clock. A summer semester can count as one of the eight if the student requests it.
Can my student defer?
Students must enroll the summer or fall right after high school graduation. A gap year means reapplying with the next year’s pool and that year’s chart. Any college coursework during a gap year makes the student a transfer and ends first-year scholarship eligibility.
Auburn does not run a separate essay-and-interview flagship scholarship for first-year students. Its largest awards are the merit chart tiers above, which Auburn itself labels “competitive merit” because they are not guaranteed. The one award in this section with its own process is the National Merit package for Alabama residents. Everything else that requires an application lives in Hidden Gems.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Auburn?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Auburn Parent Translation
Merit chart award
One only
Students get the highest chart tier they qualify for. Two chart awards never combine.
National Scholars Presidential
Replaces
Takes the place of a Spirit of Auburn chart award for Alabama National Merit Finalists. $11,000 a year plus up to $1,000 more on FAFSA need.
General and departmental (AUSOM)
Yes, with a catch
Can be added on top of merit, but Auburn gives lower priority to students already holding an award worth resident tuition ($13,572) or more. The sweet spot is a student on a mid-tier chart award.
Ever to Conquer (need-based)
Yes
Up to $5,000 a year for Alabama residents with high need. Sits alongside merit and Pell.
ROTC, band, alumni club
Usually
These stack, subject to one hard ceiling: total institutional aid cannot exceed Auburn’s estimated cost of attendance.
If your student is chasing a named, prestige-style scholarship with a finalist weekend, Auburn is not that school. Auburn’s money is formula-driven and front-loaded in the chart. The strategy is to maximize the chart tier (retest for the superscore, send scores by January 11), then farm AUSOM for the $1,500 to $2,000 add-ons.
App Required
National Scholars Presidential Scholarship
📅 Deadline: May 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$11,000–$12,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Replaces, rather than stacks with, a Spirit of Auburn chart award. General and departmental money may still be added.
📄
How to Apply
National Merit Finalists must list Auburn University as their first-choice institution with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation by May 1. Students should also follow Auburn scholarship office instructions and complete AUSOM if they want consideration for any additional matched awards.
Selection criteria: National Merit Finalist eligibility and Auburn first-choice designation.
💡
Strategic Detail
For Alabama-resident National Merit Finalists who name Auburn as first choice with NMSC by May 1. Auburn publishes this as $11,000 per year for four years, with an additional $1,000 per year possible based on FAFSA eligibility. It is not full tuition and does not include housing. Non-resident Finalists are not named in Auburn's current materials.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Alabama residents who become National Merit Finalists and officially name Auburn as first choice by the deadline. This is not a normal holistic scholarship chase; the hard part is reaching National Merit Finalist status and completing the first-choice process correctly.
Data last verified Oct 24, 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.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Does Auburn have a full-ride scholarship?
No. The largest award Auburn publishes is the Presidential Excellence Award, which covers resident tuition and fees for Alabama residents with a 4.0 and a 35+ ACT. Nothing Auburn offers covers housing and meals.
What does Auburn do for National Merit Finalists?
Alabama residents who name Auburn as first choice with NMSC by May 1 are eligible for the National Scholars Presidential Scholarship: $11,000 a year for four years, plus up to $1,000 more a year based on FAFSA. Auburn’s current materials do not name a package for non-resident Finalists. This is a much smaller National Merit package than the University of Alabama’s, and families should compare directly. See our National Merit guide.
Is there an interview or essay for Auburn’s big awards?
No. Chart awards are decided from the admission file. AUSOM has an optional application with short-answer questions, but it feeds the smaller general and departmental awards, not the chart.
Can Auburn match a scholarship offer from another school?
No. Auburn states all first-year scholarship decisions are final and it does not match other institutions’ offers or other states’ merit programs.
Is Auburn a Stamps or QuestBridge partner?
No to both.
🧠 Parent Strategy: The AUSOM Application Is Optional, and That Is the Trap
Auburn calls the AUSOM scholarship application “optional” because the merit chart does not need it. Every other dollar on this page does. Once admitted, your student logs into AU Access, opens the Auburn University Scholarship Opportunity Manager, and answers every question, even the ones that seem irrelevant. Auburn uses those answers to match students to hundreds of small donor funds with odd criteria (county, high school, major, first-gen, farm background).
Complete the general AUSOM application by February 12. If an Alumni Club award is in play, finish by February 1.
File the FAFSA by February 12 too. More than half of general and departmental awards carry a need preference, and Ever to Conquer requires it.
Filter AUSOM by the intended college and search by major to find departmental funds.
If a parent or grandparent is willing to buy an Alumni Association life membership, do it before February 1. Life membership is open to anyone.
One more thing: priority for general awards goes to students who do not already hold an award worth resident tuition or more. A student on a mid-tier chart award is in the best position to win here.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
Auburn’s small awards are mostly $1,000 to $2,000 for one year, awarded to a single recipient each, and most are not renewable. None of them changes the picture alone, but two or three of them stacked on a chart award can cover a meal plan.
Automatic
Ever to Conquer Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 12 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited; awarded until funding runs out each cycle. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Designed to sit alongside Pell, state aid, and merit. Amount can change if FAFSA data or other aid changes.
💡
Strategic Detail
Auburn's named need-based award for incoming Alabama residents with high FAFSA need. No separate application. Renews on the same 3.0 GPA / 24 hours rule as merit awards.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Alabama residents whose FAFSA shows real need and who filed it early. Funding is limited and awarded in order, so a FAFSA that lands in March can miss it even if the student qualifies.
App Required
Auburn Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 Non-Renewable
$2,000
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA👥 ~31% of eligible applicants received it in 2024-25. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Generally stackable, but priority may go to students who have not already received scholarship recognition at or above resident-tuition value.
📄
How to Apply
Confirm the parent/guardian life membership is paid by February 1, then complete AUSOM by February 12 and answer the alumni questions.
Selection criteria: Competitive selection among eligible legacy applicants based on academic record and available funding.
💡
Strategic Detail
$2,000 for one year. Requires a parent or guardian who is a fully paid life member of the Auburn Alumni Association by February 1, a 3.0 high school GPA, and no prior Auburn award worth resident tuition or more. Life membership is open to anyone, not just graduates, so this is not strictly a legacy award.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Families who already hold, or buy, an Alumni Association life membership before February 1 and whose student has not already landed a chart award worth resident tuition or more. Roughly one in three eligible applicants got it in 2024-25, which is good odds for Auburn money.
App Required
Golden Eagles Annual Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 Non-Renewable
$1,000
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~25 ACT👥 ~2% of eligible applicants received it in 2024-25. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with other aid. Priority goes to students without a prior award at or above resident tuition.
📄
How to Apply
Pay the life membership by February 1, file the FAFSA, and complete AUSOM by February 12.
💡
Strategic Detail
$1,000 for one year. Requires a paid life member parent/guardian by February 1, demonstrated need on the FAFSA, a 3.0 GPA, and for first-year students an ACT of 25 to 29 or SAT equivalent. Aimed at solid students just under the merit chart.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Very few. Auburn reports 2% of eligible applicants in 2024-25. The ACT window (25 to 29) is deliberately below the merit chart, so this is for the student who missed automatic money and has need.
App Required
Auburn Club & Auburn Alumni Affiliate Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 · 📢 Results: Early April Non-Renewable
$1,500
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA👥 ~Awarded in early April; average $1,500 for one year; funding varies by club. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Generally stackable with other university and external awards, subject to aid limits.
📄
How to Apply
Complete AUSOM after admission and answer regional, alumni club, and background questions carefully so Auburn can match the student to local club or affiliate awards when eligible.
Selection criteria: Competitive selection based on academics, need, and connection to club region as defined by each Auburn Club.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Funded by 95+ local Auburn Clubs and 33 alumni affiliates. Awarded competitively through University Scholarships at an average of $1,500 for one year. Note the earlier February 1 AUSOM deadline for these, not the general February 12 date. 3.0 GPA required.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students from regions with active Auburn clubs or alumni affiliates who complete AUSOM thoroughly. These are usually smaller one-year awards, but they can still help close a gap when stacked with larger aid.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
General Departmental Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Feb 12 Non-Renewable
$1,500–$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Varies widely by department and funding levels. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Usually stackable with university merit, but each department or donor fund can set its own rules.
📄
How to Apply
After admission, complete AUSOM and correctly identify intended major and college. Some departments may ask additional questions or require short essays, portfolios, or other materials inside AUSOM.
Selection criteria: Departmental review emphasizing academic record, major fit, and sometimes leadership, talent, service, or need.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Most are one recipient at $1,500 to $2,000 for one year. More than half carry a financial need preference, and many have a geographic preference (high school, county, or Alabama residency). This bucket also covers the College of Agriculture's departmental money, which is where 4-H, FFA, and farm-background students should look. Nursing, pharmacy, architecture, and vet med consider students only once admitted to the professional program, so those are not freshman awards.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Mostly current students for departmental money and incoming students for general money. Priority goes to students at or above Auburn's middle 50% in GPA and test score who do not already hold an award worth resident tuition. Students who answer every AUSOM question carefully get matched to more funds.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
General AUSOM Matched Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Feb 12 Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Numerous small awards funded by donors and departments; availability changes yearly. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Many smaller awards can stack with other aid, but rules vary by fund and total aid limits.
📄
How to Apply
Complete AUSOM fully, including background, service, identity, leadership, regional, and activity questions. Auburn may use those answers to match students to smaller donor-funded or institutional scholarships.
Selection criteria: Varies by individual scholarship; commonly considers academics, activities, leadership, identity, region, major, and sometimes need.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Represents many smaller Auburn-administered scholarships that may be matched through AUSOM. Specific names, amounts, deadlines, and renewal rules vary.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who actually finish AUSOM carefully and match niche criteria tied to service, identity, region, activities, leadership, major, or donor preferences. This is not one scholarship; it is the “answer every question because you never know what you match” bucket.
App Required
Military Dependent & ROTC Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Feb 12 ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited by branch commissioning and funding allocations; numbers vary annually. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
ROTC awards may interact with other institutional aid; some benefits may reduce other tuition-based scholarships.
📄
How to Apply
Complete AUSOM and ROTC/military scholarship applications as applicable; submit required military service or dependent documentation to Auburn and the specific ROTC branch.
Selection criteria: Based on military eligibility, academic readiness, leadership potential, and branch-specific selection criteria.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Includes Army, Air Force, and Navy/Marine ROTC scholarships coordinated with Auburn; some dependent awards run through AUSOM.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Military-connected students (active duty, veterans, dependents, and ROTC cadets) who submit all service documentation and meet ROTC or institutional criteria.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Marching Band & Music Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Feb 12 ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited by ensemble and band funding; number of awards and amounts vary annually. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Usually stackable with academic and need-based aid; subject to music department policies.
📄
How to Apply
Audition for band or music ensembles by posted dates and complete AUSOM, indicating participation in marching band or music programs.
Selection criteria: Primary emphasis on musical talent and audition performance; some endowed awards may also consider leadership or need.
💡
Strategic Detail
Band awards are open to all majors with ensemble participation; music awards require a music major audition; choir is open to music and non-music majors. Amounts are not published and depend on ensemble need. Contact Dr. Doug Rosener, 334-844-4164.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Talented student musicians, including non-music majors, who successfully audition; Batson Family Endowed and similar awards target Marching Band members.
Data last verified Oct 24, 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.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Do these stack with the merit chart?
Yes. Auburn says general and departmental awards “may be awarded in addition to merit or need-based scholarships.” The only ceiling is total institutional aid cannot exceed the estimated cost of attendance. The only drag is the resident-tuition priority rule described above.
What is the difference between the Alumni Association scholarships and Auburn Club scholarships?
The Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship ($2,000) and Golden Eagles ($1,000) are run centrally and require a parent or guardian with a paid life membership by February 1. Auburn Club scholarships are funded by local clubs around the country, average $1,500, and close in AUSOM on February 1. A life membership gives priority for club awards too.
Is the Ever to Conquer Scholarship automatic?
For Alabama residents with high FAFSA need, yes. No separate application, but funds are limited and awarded mid-January through mid-March, so a late FAFSA can miss it even if the student qualifies.
My student is in 4-H or FFA. Is there money for that?
Not a named university-wide award. The College of Agriculture has its own departmental scholarships in AUSOM, and that background matters there. Students should describe it in the AUSOM activity and leadership questions and filter by the College of Agriculture.
What about nursing, pharmacy, or architecture?
Those colleges only consider students for departmental scholarships after admission to the professional program, which is sophomore year or later. Do not count on departmental money in those majors for freshman year.
When will we hear?
General scholarships go out starting mid-March. Departmental awards start in early May, after most families have already committed. Notifications come to the student’s Auburn email, not the parent.
The Auburn Honors College is a separate, competitive application on top of regular admission. It is not tied to scholarships: a student can win a chart award and skip Honors, or join Honors with no scholarship at all. What Honors buys is smaller classes, priority registration, 200 dedicated beds, and access to research and travel grants once enrolled. It also costs $250 per semester.
Fall 2025 class, middle 50%: ACT 33-34, SAT 1430-1490, weighted GPA 4.4-4.6
Application opens: In the Auburn applicant portal after the admission application is submitted
Fall 2027 deadline: November 16, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. CST (Auburn suggests submitting the admission application by November 13)
Requires: Two 600-word essays and up to four activities. Admission essays from the Auburn application are not forwarded.
Accept by: May 1 (March 1 to pick from Honors housing)
Honors College Grants
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Honors Research Support Grant
📅 Deadline: Feb 12 Non-Renewable
$500–$1,500
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Can be paired with an Undergraduate Research Fellowship or other stipends.
📄
How to Apply
Find a faculty sponsor early, draft the project description and budget together, submit the student application by February 12, and make sure the sponsor completes their endorsement within seven days.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Pays $500 to $1,500 toward supplies, lab costs, or research travel for a project with an Auburn faculty sponsor. Cannot be used as a stipend. Funds go to the sponsor's department. Recipients present at the Honors Exhibition and Undergraduate Research Symposium. Preference to students pursuing the research-intensive Honors graduation distinctions.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Current Honors students in good standing who lined up a faculty sponsor a month ahead and wrote a tight proposal with a real budget. Applications missing the faculty endorsement are disqualified outright.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Honors Conference Travel Grant
📅 Deadline: Rolling; apply at least 3 weeks before the conference Non-Renewable
$500
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Separate from the Research Support Grant; students may hold both.
📄
How to Apply
Attach the conference acceptance notice, submit at least three weeks before the start date, then file a travel voucher with the Honors College afterward.
💡
Strategic Detail
Up to $500 for registration, economy airfare, mileage, hotel, or poster printing when an Honors student presents accepted research at a professional conference. Reimbursement only; the student pays first. Limited funds, not all requests are funded.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Honors students who already have a conference acceptance letter in hand and apply three weeks out. Late applications need a written justification and are case by case.
Data last verified Oct 24, 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.
Auburn Honors does not award entrance scholarships. The grants above are for current Honors students and fund research expenses and conference travel. Larger Honors scholarships, when offered, run through AUSOM on the same February 12 date as everything else and are based on Honors curriculum progress and leadership.
Deadline Note: The Honors deadline (November 16) falls before the final Early Action admission deadline (December 1). A student who waits until December 1 to apply to Auburn has already missed Honors.
Staying In
First year: 3.0 unadjusted Auburn GPA and 7 Honors hours.
Second year and beyond: 3.2 GPA, Honors hours on schedule, annual advisor meeting.
Graduation designations: University Honors Scholar requires a 3.4; Honors Scholar requires a 3.2.
Current students: Can apply later with a 3.4 Auburn GPA, space permitting.
Honors College FAQs (Auburn University)
Is Honors admission automatic for high scorers?
No. Auburn states that meeting the invitation criteria does not guarantee admission. The committee weighs essays, activities, major, and class balance. The Fall 2025 middle 50% was ACT 33-34, which is above the Presidential merit tier.
Does getting into Honors come with money?
No. Scholarships are decided separately from Honors. Auburn says this plainly: “University Scholarships are not contingent upon Honors participation.”
Can out-of-state students join?
Yes. There is no residency component. Non-residents in Honors pay the same $250 per semester fee.
Is Honors housing guaranteed?
No. There are 200 Honors beds in Broun and Matthews halls. Students who accept their Honors offer by March 1 get a shot at them during room selection.
Is the $250 fee worth it?
For a student planning research, a thesis, or graduate school, usually yes: the research grant alone can return the fee, and the priority registration matters in crowded majors like engineering and nursing. For a student who mainly wants the smaller classes, weigh it against the extra Honors hours required each year.
Auburn is Alabama’s land-grant university and an R1 research school, which is a long way of saying it was built to teach practical things: farming, engineering, building, and the sciences. That heritage still shows. The programs people drive across state lines for are the ones where students make or design something physical.
Nationally Known Program: College of Architecture, Design, and Construction. Auburn’s undergraduate architecture program is routinely ranked among the best in the country, and its Rural Studio, where students design and build real homes in Hale County, is known internationally. Industrial design and building science (construction management) share the same reputation and the same employer pipeline. These are selective professional programs with their own admission step after the first year.
Samuel Ginn College of Engineering: Aerospace, industrial and systems, and biosystems engineering are the standouts, with heavy co-op participation. Co-op semesters extend scholarship eligibility rather than burning it, which matters for a five-year plan.
Harbert College of Business: Supply chain management, business analytics, and accounting place well regionally and draw a large share of out-of-state students.
Pre-professional pathways: Auburn’s pharmacy and veterinary schools are graduate programs, so for a high school senior the draw is the pre-pharmacy and pre-vet track and the proximity to those colleges. Vet med in particular has a long waitlist of Alabama residents.
Nursing: Competitive entry into the professional program after prerequisites. Scholarships from the College of Nursing only begin at that point.
Agriculture, forestry, and wildlife: The land-grant core. Strong departmental scholarship money for students with a real farm, 4-H, or FFA background.
🔗 Official Auburn University Links
Use Auburn’s own pages to confirm deadlines, award amounts, and renewal terms. Auburn updates its merit chart each fall, and a few older pages on its site still show prior-year dates, so trust the first-year scholarship page over anything else.
Auburn is a formula school. The money is on the chart, the chart runs on GPA plus a superscore, and the only way to miss it is to miss December 1 or send scores late. There is no essay contest, no finalist weekend, and no full ride; a 4.0 Alabama resident with a 35 ACT gets tuition and fees, and that is the ceiling. For out-of-state families the honest math is a $17,000 award against a $37,600 bill, so Auburn competes on program strength (architecture, engineering, supply chain) rather than on price. Where Auburn rewards effort is the layer underneath: the optional AUSOM application nobody tells you to fill out, the alumni life membership that unlocks three different awards, and the FAFSA filed early enough to catch Ever to Conquer before the funds run out. Starting with Fall 2027, every applicant needs a test score, so the one piece of advice that outranks everything else is to test early, test more than once, and let the superscore do its work.
Your kid did everything right. That does not mean the money follows.
Most families build a college list first and think about scholarships second, which is backwards. This free four-part series shows you where the money actually comes from, and how to build a list around it.
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Leo Dimilo built CollegeReadyParent after walking his own daughter through the scholarship maze. Every page here is checked against the school’s own documents, with no paywall and no lead forms.
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