Here is the thing about Georgia that trips up almost every family: UGA does not have a scholarship grid. There is no chart where a 34 ACT and a 4.0 GPA gets you a guaranteed number. Every academic scholarship at UGA comes out of a holistic read of your student’s admission file, and the awards are finalized in early April, months after the application went in.
That changes the whole strategy. At a grid school you optimize test scores. At UGA you optimize the application, submit it by October 15, and then wait. The two things a family actually controls are the Early Action deadline and, if your student is a serious candidate, the November 1 Foundation Fellowship application.
Foundation Fellowship (stipend approximates full cost); Classic City Scholars (full nonresident waiver)
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Residency & Waivers
Special Waivers Available
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at the University of Georgia (Read This First)
National Merit at UGA pays $500 a year. That is the maximum, UGA calls it non-negotiable, and your student has to name UGA first choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to get it. If you have been assuming Finalist status unlocks a big flagship package, it does not happen here.
UGA still requires the SAT or ACT. No test-optional path for first-year admission. That makes UGA unusual among public flagships right now, and it catches families who built a whole testing plan around skipping the exam.
HOPE pays per credit hour, but UGA charges flat-rate tuition. A Georgia resident at 15 hours pays $5,067 and HOPE covers $5,017. Drop to 12 hours and the tuition charge does not move, but HOPE drops to $4,013.64. That is an extra $1,053 out of pocket for a schedule change most families think is harmless.
Neither HOPE nor Zell Miller touches fees. UGA charges $1,494 a year in mandatory fees on top of tuition, plus housing and food. “Full tuition” does not mean a zero bill.
Nov 1 is a scholarship deadline, not an admission deadline. The Foundation Fellowship application is due November 1 and it is the only door to UGA’s largest awards, including its Stamps Scholarships and the Dr. Henry King Stanford Scholarship. Miss it and those awards are simply off the table, no matter how strong the student is.
For out-of-state families, the money is shaped like a waiver, not a check. UGA’s biggest nonresident lever is waiving the roughly $21,670 tuition differential. Read award letters for the word “waiver,” not just the stipend number.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? No — University of Georgia is test-required.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 30-34; SAT: 1300-1470.
Average net price? About $17,180/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
Yes — institutional waivers available.
💰 Cost of Attendance at University of Georgia 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)
$11,628
$33,298
Housing & Meals (typical)
$12,440
$12,440
Total (Direct Costs)
$24,068
$45,738
Average Federal Net Price: $17,180 — 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
UGA does not participate in a broad regional tuition reciprocity program for undergraduates, and the Academic Common Market is available only at the graduate level. Instead, UGA reduces nonresident cost through its own institutional waivers, awarded during admission with no separate application. Classic City Scholars waives the full difference between resident and nonresident tuition. The Classic Scholarship waives about half of that difference. The Presidential waiver, attached to awards such as the Presidential Leadership Scholarship, One UGA Scholarship, and Dr. Henry King Stanford Scholarship, also covers the nonresident differential. At published 2026-2027 rates the full nonresident tuition differential is roughly $21,670 per year, so these waivers are the single largest lever an out-of-state family has at UGA.
What the table above does not show
UGA’s own 2026-2027 cost of attendance adds indirect costs on top of the direct bill: about $978 for books and course materials, $1,584 in transportation for residents or $2,150 for nonresidents, and roughly $3,290 in personal expenses for on-campus students. That brings UGA’s published full cost of attendance to about $29,920 for a Georgia resident living on campus and about $52,156 for a nonresident. Also worth knowing: living in East Campus Village adds about $1,376 to the year.
FAQ — Cost of Attendance at the University of Georgia
Why is out-of-state tuition three times the in-state rate?
Georgia taxpayers subsidize resident tuition, and UGA’s resident rate is one of the lowest among top public flagships. The gap between the two rates, roughly $21,670 a year at published 2026-2027 rates, is called the nonresident differential. UGA’s biggest out-of-state scholarships work by waiving that differential rather than by handing over cash.
Does HOPE or Zell Miller cover the whole bill for Georgia residents?
No, and this is the most common misunderstanding we see. Zell Miller pays the standard undergraduate tuition rate. HOPE pays a legislature-set portion of it. Neither one covers the $1,494 in annual mandatory fees, housing, food, books, or travel. A Zell Miller student living on campus is still looking at roughly $14,000 a year in remaining cost before any other aid.
Why does dropping a class cost me money if tuition is flat-rate?
Because HOPE and Zell Miller pay per credit hour while UGA bills a flat rate for anything above six hours. On UGA’s published chart, tuition at both 15 hours and 12 hours is $5,067, but HOPE pays $5,017 at 15 hours and only $4,013.64 at 12. Dropping three hours during drop/add can quietly add about $1,053 to the semester bill.
Can an out-of-state student get in-state tuition at UGA?
Not through a regional reciprocity program. UGA does not offer a broad undergraduate tuition exchange, and the Academic Common Market is a graduate-level option in Georgia. The realistic path is an institutional waiver: Classic City Scholars waives the full nonresident differential, the Classic Scholarship waives about half, and the Presidential waiver attached to several awards covers the differential as well. All of them are decided during admission with no separate application.
What is the FAFSA deadline, and does it actually matter here?
December 15. UGA gives priority for its limited need-based funds to students whose FAFSA is processed by that date, and the office states plainly that those funds can run out before every otherwise-eligible student in the priority group is awarded. UGA’s federal school code is 001598.
Will tuition stay flat for four years?
No. UGA does not offer a guaranteed four-year tuition rate for undergraduates. Rates are set annually by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. Scholarship amounts, on the other hand, are generally fixed for up to eight semesters as long as renewal requirements are met, which means a fixed award covers a shrinking share of a rising bill.
Is living off campus cheaper?
Barely, on paper. UGA’s own numbers put the resident cost of attendance at $29,920 on campus and $29,800 off campus, a difference of $120. The real difference is what gets billed directly to your student account versus what you pay out of pocket to a landlord every month.
October 15: Early Action application deadline. This is the real scholarship deadline. Materials are due about a week later.
November 1: Foundation Fellowship application deadline through the Morehead Honors College. Separate from admission.
December 15: FAFSA priority date for UGA’s limited need-based funds.
January 1: Regular Decision application deadline.
January 15: CURO Honors Scholarship application deadline.
Early April: Academic scholarship awards are finalized and emailed.
Parent rule of thumb: at UGA, October 15 is the day that decides most of your student’s money, and you will not find out what that money is until April.
Automatic Merit Scholarships — University of Georgia
A word on the label. UGA calls these “academic scholarships,” and they are automatic in the sense that there is no separate application: the admission application is the scholarship application. But they are not automatic in the grid sense. UGA’s financial aid office says it weighs cumulative GPA, test scores, course rigor, and extracurricular engagement as reflected in the admission file. Two students with identical numbers can get different answers. Apply by October 15, submit official SAT or ACT scores, and expect the decision in early April.
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
Classic City Scholars
📅 Deadline: October 15 · 📢 Results: Most academic scholarship awards are finalized by early April. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for up to eight semesters, or until the first bachelor's degree is completed, as long as renewal requirements are met. Other aid may be added subject to UGA packaging rules.
💡
Strategic Detail
UGA's Office of Student Financial Aid confirms this award waives tuition equal to the full difference between in-state and out-of-state or international costs. At published 2026-2027 rates that difference is about $21,670 per year. It is not a full ride and does not cover mandatory fees, housing, food, books, or personal expenses.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: This is one of UGA's strongest nonresident awards. Families should think of it as a top-of-the-pool scholarship for out-of-state and international admits with exceptional grades, course rigor, and overall academic strength.
Automatic
Classic Scholarship
📅 Deadline: October 15 · 📢 Results: Most academic scholarship awards are finalized by early April. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for up to eight semesters, or until the first bachelor's degree is completed, as long as renewal requirements are met. Other aid may be added subject to UGA packaging rules.
💡
Strategic Detail
UGA's Office of Student Financial Aid confirms this award waives tuition equal to half the difference between in-state and out-of-state or international costs, roughly $10,835 per year at published 2026-2027 rates. It reduces the nonresident premium but does not erase it, and it does not cover mandatory fees, housing, or food.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Strong out-of-state and international admits who are near the top of the nonresident pool, but not necessarily at the very highest Classic City Scholars level.
Automatic
Charles McDonald Brown Scholarship
📅 Deadline: October 15 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for up to eight semesters with a 3.00 cumulative UGA GPA and full-time enrollment. Georgia residents can stack HOPE or Zell Miller underneath it.
💡
Strategic Detail
One of the two largest straight cash awards on UGA's academic scholarship chart, at $5,000 per year for Georgia residents. UGA describes it as going to academically superior Georgia students who also show accomplishment and leadership in co-curricular activities.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Georgia residents at the very top of the resident admit pool who also have a real leadership record. Grades alone are usually not enough at this level.
Automatichonors
Woodruff Scholarship
📅 Deadline: October 15 ✓ Renews (3.4 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for up to eight semesters with a 3.40 cumulative UGA GPA and full-time enrollment. Stacks with HOPE or Zell Miller for eligible Georgia residents.
💡
Strategic Detail
A $5,000 annual stipend for Georgia residents, but with a gate most families miss: the student must also be admitted to the Jere W. Morehead Honors College. Renewal carries a higher 3.40 GPA bar than most UGA academic scholarships.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Georgia residents strong enough to earn Honors College admission and who bring a leadership and accomplishment record on top of the transcript.
Automatic
Presidential Leadership Scholarship
📅 Deadline: October 15 · 📢 Results: Most academic scholarship awards are finalized by early April. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for up to eight semesters, or until the first bachelor's degree is completed, as long as renewal requirements are met. Georgia residents may be able to combine this with HOPE or Zell Miller, subject to UGA packaging rules.
💡
Strategic Detail
UGA's published 2026-2027 academic scholarship chart lists this as a $3,000 stipend for all residencies, with out-of-state and international recipients also receiving a waiver of the full nonresident tuition differential. Students must show a history of leadership in co-curricular activities.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with strong academics plus clear leadership or achievement outside the classroom. This is not a guaranteed grid award just because a student has good grades.
Automatic
One UGA Scholarship
📅 Deadline: October 15 · 📢 Results: Most academic scholarship awards are finalized by early April. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,500–$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for up to eight semesters, or until the first bachelor's degree is completed, as long as renewal requirements are met. Georgia residents may be able to combine this with HOPE or Zell Miller, subject to UGA packaging rules.
💡
Strategic Detail
UGA's published 2026-2027 academic scholarship chart lists this as a $3,000 stipend for Georgia residents, and a $1,500 stipend plus a waiver of the full nonresident tuition differential for out-of-state and international students. The nonresident version is worth far more in total dollars because of the waiver.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Academically strong students who also add something meaningful to UGA's incoming class. This is not a simple GPA grid award; families should view it as a competitive admissions-based scholarship.
Automatic
Charter Scholarship
📅 Deadline: October 15 · 📢 Results: Most academic scholarship awards are finalized by early April. ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for up to eight semesters, or until the first bachelor's degree is completed, as long as renewal requirements are met. May be combined with HOPE, Zell Miller, and other aid subject to UGA packaging rules.
💡
Strategic Detail
Public scholarship summaries describe the Charter Scholarship as about $2,000 per year for Georgia residents. Families should still verify the current award amount in the student's UGA financial aid notice.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Strong Georgia-resident admits with high academic achievement and a rigorous high school record. This is helpful money, but it is not designed to cover the full cost of attendance.
Automatic
Baldwin Scholarship
📅 Deadline: October 15 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for up to eight semesters with a 3.00 cumulative UGA GPA and full-time enrollment. Combines with HOPE or Zell Miller.
💡
Strategic Detail
A $2,000 annual stipend for Georgia residents, listed on UGA's 2026-2027 academic scholarship chart with no additional criteria beyond in-state status and academic strength.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Solid Georgia-resident admits. This is a helpful gap-filler rather than a headline award, and it is handed out during the normal admission review.
Automatic
Georgia Incentive Scholarship
📅 Deadline: October 15 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for up to eight semesters with a 3.00 cumulative UGA GPA and full-time enrollment. Stacks with HOPE or Zell Miller.
💡
Strategic Detail
A $2,000 annual stipend for Georgia residents on UGA's published 2026-2027 chart. Awarded through the normal admission review with no extra criteria listed beyond in-state status.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Georgia-resident admits with strong records. Another quiet gap-filler rather than a marquee award.
Automaticgeographic
Harris Scholarship
📅 Deadline: October 15 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for up to eight semesters with a 3.00 cumulative UGA GPA and full-time enrollment. Stacks with HOPE or Zell Miller.
💡
Strategic Detail
A $2,000 annual stipend reserved for Georgia residents who graduate from a high school located in Clarke County, the county Athens and UGA sit in. UGA notes the amount stepped down from $3,000 beginning in 2025-2026.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Clarke County high school graduates. If your student attends high school in Athens-Clarke County, this is essentially free money nobody outside the county can compete for.
Automaticgeographic
John Lewis Legacy of Courage Scholarship
📅 Deadline: October 15 ✓ Renews (2.8 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for up to eight semesters with a 2.80 cumulative UGA GPA and full-time enrollment. Stacks with HOPE, Zell Miller, and federal need-based aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
UGA lists this award for Georgia residents with the amount shown as varying, and gives preference to graduates of Title 1 schools within the Atlanta Public School system. The renewal GPA is 2.80, the most forgiving on UGA's academic scholarship chart.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Georgia residents from Atlanta Public Schools Title 1 high schools. The preference language is explicit, so students from those schools should assume they are in the pool.
Data last verified Sep 8, 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.
🧭 Read Your Award Letter for the Word “Waiver”
Out-of-state families get confused by UGA award letters because the headline number looks small. A One UGA Scholarship for a nonresident reads as $1,500. What matters is the line underneath it: a waiver of the full nonresident tuition differential, worth roughly $21,670 a year at 2026-2027 rates. The $1,500 is the garnish. The waiver is the meal.
Georgia residents have the mirror-image situation. Your stipend is the real number, because HOPE or Zell Miller is already handling tuition.
Automatic Merit — FAQs (University of Georgia)
Is there a GPA and test score chart that guarantees an award?
No. UGA does not publish qualifying cutoffs for its academic scholarships, and it does not commit to any award based on numbers alone. This is genuinely different from Alabama, Arkansas, or Mississippi, and families coming from those comparisons should reset expectations.
When do we find out?
Awards are typically finalized by early April for all admitted first-year students, with an email once the process is complete. Even Early Action admits who hear in November or December will not know their scholarship until spring.
Which awards are for Georgia residents only?
Baldwin, Charles McDonald Brown, Charter, Georgia Incentive, Harris, John Lewis Legacy of Courage, and Woodruff. Classic City Scholars and the Classic Scholarship are for out-of-state and international students only. One UGA, Presidential Leadership, and Dr. Henry King Stanford are open to everyone.
Do these stack with each other?
Students generally receive one academic scholarship, not several layered together. What they do stack with is state aid: Georgia residents can pair an academic scholarship with HOPE or Zell Miller, and that combination is where in-state affordability actually comes from.
Are they renewable, and what is the GPA bar?
All are renewable for up to eight semesters of full-time enrollment or until the first bachelor’s degree, whichever comes first. Most require a 3.00 cumulative UGA GPA. Woodruff and Dr. Henry King Stanford require 3.40. John Lewis requires 2.80. One warning worth repeating: UGA states that once a scholarship is lost for falling below the GPA minimum, the cancellation is final and it will not be reinstated.
Does UGA superscore?
Yes, UGA superscores both the ACT and the SAT. For Early Action, only tests taken by the October 15 deadline can be used, so the October test date is usually too late.
My student is in the Honors College. Does that unlock more?
It unlocks the Woodruff Scholarship for Georgia residents, and it is a prerequisite for the Dr. Henry King Stanford Scholarship. Honors admission is a separate application from UGA admission.
UGA’s competitive scholarship structure is unusually narrow. There is essentially one front door: the Foundation Fellowship application, due November 1 through the Morehead Honors College. That single application is how UGA selects its Foundation Fellows, its Stamps Scholars, and the recipients of the Dr. Henry King Stanford Scholarship. There is no menu of a dozen competitive awards to apply for separately.
That has a practical consequence families should sit with. If your student is a genuine top-of-the-pool candidate and skips the November 1 application, UGA’s largest awards are gone. Not reduced. Gone. The admission application alone does not put anyone in that pool.
✅ How Aid Stacks at UGA
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
UGA Parent Translation
HOPE / Zell Miller
Yes
This is the foundation for Georgia residents. State aid handles tuition; the UGA scholarship is a stipend on top.
UGA academic scholarships
One per student
Students receive a single academic award, not a pile of them. Which one you get is UGA’s call.
Foundation Fellowship
Replaces
The Fellowship is the top of the ladder. It is not layered on top of another academic scholarship, and Fellows are not eligible for the Crane Scholarship later.
College / department awards
Usually yes
These are the real gap-fillers, and they mostly go to students already enrolled in a major. Nobody hands them to you.
Nonresident tuition waivers
Attached, not stacked
The waiver rides along with a specific award. If the award changes, the waiver changes with it.
Need-based grants
Yes, up to cost of attendance
Fill gaps after merit. The December 15 FAFSA date is what protects your place in line.
App Required
Dr. Henry King Stanford Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 1 · 📢 Results: Finalists are usually notified before final scholarship decisions are made in late winter or early spring. ✓ Renews (3.4 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewal requires a 3.40 cumulative UGA GPA and full-time enrollment. Georgia residents can layer HOPE or Zell Miller underneath this award. It is not combined with the Foundation Fellowship itself, since Stanford is awarded from the pool of strong Fellowship applicants who were not selected as Fellows.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UGA by the October 15 Early Action deadline, then submit the Foundation Fellowship application through the Morehead Honors College by November 1. Students admitted to the Honors College and reviewed in the Fellowship pool are automatically considered for the Stanford Scholarship.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
UGA lists this as a $5,000 annual stipend for all residencies, with out-of-state and international recipients also receiving a waiver of the full nonresident tuition differential. There is one hard gate families miss: only students who applied for the Foundation Fellowship and are admitted to the Jere W. Morehead Honors College are considered. There is no separate Stanford application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: This is for the student who is not just strong for UGA, but strong in a very competitive scholarship pool: exceptional academics, leadership, serious extracurricular depth, and the kind of application that can hold up through essays and interviews.
Data last verified Sep 8, 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
What is the deadline for UGA’s competitive scholarships?
November 1, through the Morehead Honors College Foundation Fellowship application. Your student has to submit a UGA admission application first to gain access to it, which is why applying Early Action by October 15 is effectively a prerequisite.
What is the Dr. Henry King Stanford Scholarship, exactly?
A $5,000 annual stipend, with out-of-state and international recipients also receiving a waiver of the full nonresident tuition differential. Two gates: the student must have applied for the Foundation Fellowship, and must be admitted to the Jere W. Morehead Honors College. It is awarded out of the strong Fellowship applicants who were not selected as Fellows, which makes it one of the better consolation outcomes in public higher education.
Is UGA a Stamps Scholarship partner?
Yes, since 2011, and it works differently than at most partner schools. UGA Stamps Scholars are Foundation Fellows, selected through the Fellowship application by the Foundation Fellows office inside the Morehead Honors College. There is no separate Stamps application at UGA.
Whatever happened to the Ramsey Honors Scholarship?
It was merged into the Foundation Fellowship in 2021, and the Class of 2024 was the final class of Ramsey Scholars. If you are reading an older guide that lists Ramsey as a separate award to apply for, that guide is out of date. There is nothing to apply for.
Does UGA have a big National Merit package?
No. UGA pays National Merit Finalists $500 per academic year, which it describes as the maximum and non-negotiable, and the student has to name UGA as first choice with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. If National Merit money is central to your family’s plan, UGA is not the flagship for it.
How should my student prepare?
The Fellowship application is essay-heavy with recommendations and, for finalists, interviews. Our Essay Toolkit and Brag Sheet Builder are built for exactly this kind of application, and the work has to start in the summer before senior year to hit a November 1 date.
Wave one is admission-time money: the academic scholarships and the Foundation Fellowship. Wave two is department money, and almost nobody warns families about it. UGA’s own financial aid office says it plainly: departmental scholarships are typically awarded to upperclassmen, and the way to find them is to contact your academic department once your student is established in the degree program.
File the FAFSA by December 15. Several UGA awards on this page are gated behind it, and the funds are limited.
Once enrolled, have your student email their department’s undergraduate coordinator and ask what scholarships the department administers.
Check the college-level portal for their school, whether that is Terry, Grady, Franklin, Engineering, CAES, or another.
Do this again every single spring. These are usually one-year awards that reopen annually.
Parent translation: a sophomore who sends four emails in February is competing against a much smaller field than a high school senior competing against 51,000 applicants.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These are the awards that do not show up in the admission letter. Some are need-based, some are talent-based, some come down to whether your student happened to play in a youth golf program or speak Spanish at home. Most require a separate step, and that step is the whole reason the applicant pools stay small.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
College & Department Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Most department scholarship deadlines fall between February and March, but exact dates vary by college. Non-Renewable
$500–$4,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
These are often one-year donor-funded awards that may be added to other aid, subject to the student's total cost of attendance and each department's rules. Some students may be able to reapply in later years.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the scholarship portal or application process for the student's UGA college, school, or department. Requirements vary by unit and may depend on major, academic record, donor criteria, financial need, career goals, or other student profile factors.
Selection criteria: Varies by college or department; may include major fit, GPA, donor criteria, essays, financial need, leadership, or faculty review.
💡
Strategic Detail
UGA colleges and departments administer many donor-funded scholarships separately from the main admissions awards. Amounts, deadlines, and eligibility rules vary by academic unit.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who are already connected to the right major or college and take the time to complete the extra application. These awards often reward fit: major, interests, donor criteria, geography, leadership, or academic performance.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Georgia Commitment Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Students should meet UGA's priority financial aid deadlines; selections are typically made before the academic year begins. ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
May stack with HOPE, Zell Miller, federal aid, and other scholarships, subject to UGA packaging rules and the student's demonstrated need and cost of attendance.
💡
Strategic Detail
Georgia Commitment Scholarships are donor-funded, need-based awards that may include multi-year support, mentoring, and student success programming.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Georgia students with real financial need who have a FAFSA on file and meet UGA's eligibility rules. This is not a merit trophy; it is donor-backed need support that can make UGA more workable for families.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlyfinancial need
Goizueta Foundation Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 15 ✓ Renews (2.8 GPA, 4 yrs)
$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for up to eight semesters with full-time enrollment, a 2.80 overall GPA, and satisfactory academic progress. Stacks with HOPE, Zell Miller, and federal aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
A $4,000 annual award paid $2,000 per term, and one of the most specific awards at UGA. The student must be a Georgia resident, a US citizen or legal permanent resident, demonstrate fluency in Spanish, demonstrate financial need, and file the FAFSA. There is no separate application; UGA screens automatically.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Spanish-fluent Georgia residents with real financial need who filed the FAFSA early. Funding is limited, so the December 15 FAFSA date matters more here than almost anywhere else at UGA.
Automaticfinancial need
Annexstad Family Leaders for Tomorrow Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 15 ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable with full-time enrollment, a 2.00 overall GPA, and satisfactory academic progress. Stacks with HOPE, Zell Miller, and federal need-based aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
UGA pays $5,000 per year for the first three years, then a final $10,000 in the fourth year or split across the fourth and fifth years. Requirements are unusual: Georgia resident, incoming first-year student, FAFSA on file, a 0 SAI, a history of overcoming humble and challenging beginnings, and a formative mentoring experience.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Georgia students with a 0 SAI who can point to a real mentor and a real climb. This is one of the few UGA awards where a low SAI is a qualifying condition rather than a disadvantage.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
UGA Alumni Association & Chapter Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Spring; many chapter deadlines are around March 1, but dates vary by chapter. Non-Renewable
$500–$5,000
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
These are usually smaller donor or chapter awards that may be added on top of other UGA aid, subject to total aid limits and chapter-specific rules.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the UGA Alumni Association or the local alumni chapter scholarship process. Requirements vary by chapter; students may need to match a county, high school, major, alumni chapter, donor preference, or other local criteria.
Selection criteria: Selection depends on each alumni chapter or donor committee. Local fit, GPA, application strength, and chapter-specific criteria may all matter.
💡
Strategic Detail
UGA Alumni Association and chapter scholarships are endowed and administered by local alumni chapters or donor-funded programs. Award amounts, deadlines, and eligibility rules vary by chapter, so families should check the specific chapter listing rather than assuming one universal deadline or requirement.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who match a local chapter's criteria and actually complete the extra application. This is the kind of scholarship families can miss because it is not part of the main admissions award letter.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Black Alumni & Diversity Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Applications typically open during the academic year; deadlines vary by fund and cycle. ✓ Renews (1 yrs)
$1,000–$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
These donor-funded awards may stack with other UGA aid, subject to donor rules, annual funding, and the student's total aid package. Some may require reapplication or continued eligibility each year.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the UGA Black Alumni or related alumni affinity scholarship process when applications are open. Students should review the current fund criteria carefully because eligibility, essay prompts, award amounts, and deadlines can vary by donor fund.
Selection criteria: Donor-aligned eligibility, essay quality, community involvement, academic standing, and application strength.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
The UGA Black Alumni Scholarship Fund and related diversity scholarships are donor-funded awards connected to the UGA Alumni Association. Specific eligibility rules, award amounts, and deadlines vary by scholarship fund.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who match the donor or affinity criteria and submit a thoughtful application. These awards are easy to miss because they usually sit outside the main admissions scholarship process.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
CURO Undergraduate Research Awards
📅 Deadline: Fall - July 15; Spring - November 1; Summer - April 15 Non-Renewable
$1,000
✔ Stackable
👥 ~500 awards per year winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students may be able to apply again in future terms. Awards may stack with other scholarships up to the student's cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the CURO Research Award application. Students need a faculty-mentored research project, a clear project plan, and any required proposal or budget materials for the term in which they are applying.
Selection criteria: Project merit, feasibility, faculty mentorship, budget justification, and fit with CURO award guidelines.
💡
Strategic Detail
CURO Research Awards support undergraduate research across disciplines. This is not an admissions scholarship; it is most useful after a student has a research project and faculty mentor in place.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who already have a serious faculty-mentored research project, not just a general interest in research. A clear proposal, realistic plan, and engaged faculty mentor matter.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Study Abroad Grants - Office of Global Engagement
📅 Deadline: OGE deadlines vary by term; commonly February for Fall and October for Spring or Early Summer programs. Non-Renewable
$750–$2,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
These are usually one-term awards and may stack with other scholarships up to the student's cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Office of Global Engagement scholarship process for an approved UGA Study Away program. Students may need to submit an application, essay, program information, and other supporting materials.
Selection criteria: Essay quality, academic merit, financial need where applicable, and fit between the program and student goals.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
The Office of Global Engagement administers multiple study abroad and Study Away scholarships. Award amounts, deadlines, and eligibility details vary by program and term.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who can clearly explain why the study abroad program fits their academic, career, or personal goals. A generic travel essay is usually weaker than a focused academic plan.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Hugh Hodgson School of Music Awards
📅 Deadline: Audition dates typically run from mid-January to early February each year. ✓ Renews (1 yrs)
$500–$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Awards may be renewed annually based on continued eligibility, performance, enrollment, and music program expectations. They may stack with other aid, subject to UGA packaging rules.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the Hugh Hodgson School of Music application and audition process. Scholarship decisions are tied to musical performance, studio needs, and admission or participation expectations for the music program.
Selection criteria: Musical performance quality, studio fit, ensemble needs, and program expectations.
💡
Strategic Detail
Music scholarships are generally tied to auditions and the needs of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. Award amounts and renewal details may vary by studio, instrument, and available funding.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Strong musicians who audition well and fit a studio or ensemble need. For families, the key point is that this money is tied to talent and program fit, not just GPA.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Redcoat Marching Band Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Audition and application deadlines vary by section; many occur between late March and May. ✓ Renews (1 yrs)
$300–$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Awards are usually tied to continued participation and good standing in the Redcoat Marching Band. They may stack with other aid, subject to UGA packaging rules.
📄
How to Apply
Apply and audition for the Redcoat Marching Band. Students must be selected for membership and meet participation expectations to be considered for band scholarship support.
Selection criteria: Musical performance, section needs, commitment, leadership, and role within the band.
💡
Strategic Detail
Redcoat scholarships are available to band members from any major. Award amounts vary by section, role, available funds, and participation status.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who earn a spot in the Redcoat Band and stay committed. Returning members, strong performers, section leaders, and students filling needed roles may be especially competitive.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlyaffiliation
Ed Hoard Memorial First Tee Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 15 ✓ Renews (2.75 GPA, 4 yrs)
$4,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for up to eight semesters with full-time enrollment, a 2.75 overall GPA, and satisfactory academic progress. Stacks with HOPE, Zell Miller, and other aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
A $4,500 annual award paid $2,250 per term for Georgia residents who graduated from the First Tee program. This is exactly the kind of award that goes unclaimed because families never connect a youth golf program to college money.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Georgia residents who completed the First Tee program. The applicant pool is tiny by definition, which is precisely what makes it worth checking.
Full TuitionApp Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Army / Air Force / Navy ROTC Scholarships
📅 Deadline: National ROTC scholarship boards usually run during senior year of high school; campus-based scholarship timing varies by branch and academic year. ✓ Renews
Full Tuition
ROTC scholarship with military service commitment
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
ROTC scholarships may cover full tuition and required fees, or in some cases provide a room-and-board option, plus possible book and monthly living stipends. Stacking depends on federal ROTC rules, UGA policies, and the student's total aid package.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the appropriate ROTC branch, such as Army, Air Force, or Navy/Marine ROTC. Students must meet national academic, medical, fitness, citizenship, and service-commitment requirements. Some awards are national high school scholarships, while others are campus-based scholarships for current college students.
Selection criteria: Branch-specific review of academics, leadership, fitness, officer potential, medical eligibility, and commitment to military service.
🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
UGA hosts ROTC pathways, but scholarship funding and rules are controlled by the military branches. Families should treat this as a major funding option only if the student is comfortable with the military service obligation.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who are serious about becoming military officers, not just students looking for scholarship money. Strong applicants usually have solid academics, leadership experience, physical fitness, and a clear willingness to accept the service commitment after college.
Data last verified Sep 8, 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 two awards with the most specific fine print
Goizueta Foundation Scholarship: $4,000 a year, but the student must be a Georgia resident, a US citizen or permanent resident, demonstrate Spanish fluency, and show financial need. If that describes your family, this is close to unclaimed money.
Annexstad Leaders for Tomorrow: $5,000 a year for three years and then $10,000, and it requires a 0 SAI. This is one of the rare awards where being at the very bottom of the aid index is the qualifying condition.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Can these stack with a UGA academic scholarship?
Generally yes, up to the student’s total cost of attendance. Departmental and donor awards are designed to sit on top of the main package rather than replace it. Always read the award notice in Athena, since UGA packaging rules cap total aid.
What is the difference between the two CURO awards?
This confuses everyone. The CURO Honors Scholarship is an admission-time award for about 10 incoming first-year students, due January 15, and it lives in the Honors section of this page. The CURO Research Award is $1,000, goes to roughly 500 students a year, and is for enrolled students who already have a faculty-mentored research project. Different awards, different offices, different timelines.
My student is not in the Honors College. Are they shut out?
Not at all. Almost everything in this section is open to any UGA undergraduate. Department scholarships, alumni chapter awards, Redcoat Band scholarships, study abroad grants, and CURO Research Awards have nothing to do with Honors admission.
When do departmental deadlines fall?
Most cluster between February and March, but they genuinely vary by college. Alumni chapter deadlines often land around March 1. CURO Research Award deadlines are July 15 for fall, November 1 for spring, and April 15 for summer.
Do we need the FAFSA even if we do not expect need-based aid?
File it. Georgia Commitment Scholarships, Goizueta, and Annexstad all run off the FAFSA, and HOPE and Zell Miller can be established through either the FAFSA or the GSFAPP at gafutures.org. UGA’s school code is 001598.
How will we know if we won something?
College and departmental awards appear on the student’s award notice in Athena once the department submits the request to the financial aid office. Some donor awards require the student to accept or complete an extra step after notification, so check Athena and the student’s UGA email regularly.
UGA’s honors unit is the Jere W. Morehead Honors College, named for the university president who came up through it. Admission is a separate application from UGA admission and it is competitive. What makes Honors worth understanding here is not the smaller classes, though those are real. It is that Honors admission is a prerequisite for money: the Woodruff Scholarship and the Dr. Henry King Stanford Scholarship both require it.
Foundation Fellowship application: due November 1, roughly 30 offers per year
CURO Honors Scholarship application: due January 15, roughly 10 offers per year
Prerequisite: a UGA admission application must be submitted first to unlock either scholarship application
Honors Scholarships and Fellowships
Full RideApp Requiredhonors
Foundation Fellowship
📅 Deadline: November 1 ✓ Renews (3.4 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Ride
top honors fellowship with stipend, tuition support, and enrichment funding
✘ Not stackable
⚠ UGA’s top Honors scholarship for a small cohort of incoming first-year students; provides a stipend plus Zell Miller/tuition waiver that approximates full cost of attendance, along with extensive funded travel and research.
👥 ~approximately 30 offers per year winners/yrFellows must live in Myers Hall during the first year, maintain a 3.40 cumulative UGA GPA, enroll in at least 12 hours per semester, remain in good standing with the Morehead Honors College, and graduate in four years. UGA Stamps Scholars are selected out of this same application pool.
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is one of UGA's top awards and generally cannot be combined with other top-tier UGA academic scholarships, such as the Ramsey Honors Scholarship. Students must remain in good standing with the Morehead Honors College and meet renewal requirements.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UGA through Early Action, then complete the Foundation Fellowship application through the Morehead Honors College by the November 1 deadline. Selected students move through a highly competitive finalist and interview process.
Selection criteria: Holistic review of academic excellence, leadership, service, essays, recommendations, finalist performance, and interview strength.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
UGA's Office of Student Financial Aid lists the 2026-2027 Foundation Fellowship as a $15,750 stipend for Georgia residents, $25,930 plus a full nonresident tuition waiver for out-of-state students, and $30,000 plus the waiver for international students. The Morehead Honors College page publishes slightly different figures for the same cycle ($15,050, $25,900, and $28,800). Both are current UGA pages; families should confirm the exact amount in the official award notice. UGA describes the stipend as approximating the cost of attendance, and Fellows also receive funded spring travel-study, a funded Oxford Maymester after the first year, individual travel-study grants up to $10,000 cumulative, and research and conference grants up to $2,000 cumulative.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is UGA's most selective Honors scholarship. Families should think of it as a national-level competition for students with exceptional academics, leadership, service, writing, and interview strength. Only a small cohort is selected each year.
App Required
CURO Honors Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 15 ✓ Renews (3.4 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✘ Not stackable
👥 ~approximately 10 offers per year winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
The CURO Honors Scholarship generally cannot be combined with the Foundation Fellowship or Ramsey Honors Scholarship. Renewal requires full-time enrollment, Honors standing, required GPA, and continued research engagement.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for UGA admission and to the Morehead Honors College, then submit the CURO Honors Scholarship application by the January 15 deadline. Students should be prepared to explain their interest in undergraduate research and how they plan to pursue faculty-mentored research at UGA.
Selection criteria: Holistic review emphasizing academic achievement, research potential, and quality of the proposed undergraduate research direction.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
CURO Honors is a research-focused Honors scholarship for incoming students. It is different from the general CURO undergraduate research award because it is tied to Honors admission and incoming first-year scholarship selection.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming Honors students who are not just high-achieving, but clearly research-minded. This is a better fit for students who can explain a serious academic interest and show they are ready to work with faculty on research.
Full TuitionApp Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Mid-Term Foundation Fellowship
📅 Deadline: Varies; typically late fall for selection in the following spring. ✓ Renews (3.4 GPA, 2 yrs)
Full Tuition
internal Honors fellowship for current UGA students
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.7+ GPA🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
Not stackable with other Foundation Fellowship awards. This is intended for current Honors students and is renewable for the remaining undergraduate period if renewal requirements are met.
📄
How to Apply
Current Morehead Honors College students apply through the Mid-Term Foundation Fellowship process. Applicants typically need at least two years remaining toward their first undergraduate degree and must submit essays, recommendations, and other required Honors materials by the published deadline.
Selection criteria: Internal Honors review focused on UGA academic performance, research, leadership, service, essays, recommendations, and finalist performance.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
This is an internal Honors fellowship for current UGA students, not an incoming freshman award. It can provide Foundation-level benefits for a small number of students who were not selected as first-year Foundation Fellows.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Current Honors students who have already proven themselves at UGA. Strong applicants usually have a high UGA GPA, serious engagement in research, leadership, service, and a record that shows they are making the most of the Honors College.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Honors International Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Deadlines are published each year, usually several months before the proposed international experience. Non-Renewable
$2,500–$4,500
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA👥 ~approximately 80-100 Honors international awards per year across related programs winners/yr🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is usually a one-time international experience award. It may be combined with other study abroad or Honors funding up to the student's cost of attendance and program limits.
📄
How to Apply
Current Honors students submit an Honors International Scholars application for an approved international study, research, or internship experience. Students should include a strong proposal explaining the academic purpose of the international experience.
Selection criteria: Quality of the international proposal, academic record, fit with Honors international goals, and connection to the student's academic or professional plans.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Honors International Scholars awards help current Honors students fund international study, research, or internships. This is internal Honors funding, not a general study abroad scholarship for all UGA students.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Current Honors students with at least a 3.50 GPA who can connect the international experience to a real academic, research, internship, or career goal. A focused proposal matters more than a generic desire to study abroad.
App Required⚠ Junior Onlyhonors
William Moore Crane Memorial Scholarship
📅 Deadline: April ✓ Renews (3.7 GPA, 2 yrs)
$1,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 Junior
✚
Stacking & Combining
Renewable for one additional academic year. Not available to students already holding the Foundation Fellowship or the Bradley-Turner Scholarship.
📄
How to Apply
Watch the Honors listserv in mid-spring of the sophomore year. Applications typically open then and close in early April.
Selection criteria: Demonstrated campus leadership and involvement, cumulative UGA GPA of at least 3.70, and Honors standing.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
A $1,500 annual award, renewable for one additional year, jointly run by the Morehead Honors College and UGA's Engagement, Leadership and Service office. Candidates are rising third-year Honors students counted by semesters attended rather than credit hours, with at least a 3.70 cumulative UGA GPA. Foundation Fellowship and Bradley-Turner recipients are not eligible.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Honors students who spent their first two years actually leading something on campus, not just maintaining a transcript. The 3.70 GPA is a floor, not the deciding factor.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Onlyhonors
Ash Service Award
📅 Deadline: Spring Non-Renewable
$3,500
✔ Stackable
🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
A one-time summer stipend. Recipients must document their service hours and submit a report on the internship when it ends.
📄
How to Apply
Be an Honors student in good academic standing who will be a rising second, third, or fourth year student as of the summer, then apply through the Morehead Honors College when the cycle opens.
Selection criteria: Demonstrated commitment to community service through prior sustained involvement, plus fit with the proposed local service organization.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
A $3,500 stipend that covers living costs while an Honors student interns full-time for roughly eight weeks over the summer with a local or state service organization. Established by Kathryn and Darren Ash to build a culture of locally focused community service inside the Honors College.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Honors students who already have a sustained community service record, not students looking for a paid summer. UGA says competitive applicants show prior sustained involvement.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlyhonors
Honors Internship Programs
📅 Deadline: Deadlines are published each year by the Morehead Honors College and vary by program Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Funding is generally tied to a specific internship placement and term. Check the program page for whether it can be combined with other Honors funding.
📄
How to Apply
Review the current Honors Internship Programs page, identify the program that matches the placement, and apply by the deadline published that year.
Selection criteria: Varies by program; typically fit between the placement and the student's academic and career goals.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
The Morehead Honors College runs internship programs with funding attached for current Honors students. Award amounts and deadlines vary by program and are published on the Honors site each cycle rather than fixed year to year, so we are not listing a dollar figure we cannot verify.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Honors students who line up a placement first and then apply for the funding, rather than the other way around.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlyhonors
Domestic Experiential Learning Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Deadlines are published each year by the Morehead Honors College Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Generally a one-time award tied to a specific experience. May be combined with other funding up to the student's cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Review the current Domestic Experiential Learning Scholarship page on the Morehead Honors College site and apply by the published deadline with a proposal describing the experience.
Selection criteria: Quality of the proposal and the connection between the experience and the student's academic or professional goals.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Honors funding for experiential learning inside the United States, which is the domestic counterpart to the Honors International Scholars Program. UGA does not publish a fixed award amount, so we are not inventing one; check the Honors page for the current cycle.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Honors students with a concrete domestic experience already identified and a clear reason it advances their academic or career plan.
Data last verified Sep 8, 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.
A note on Foundation Fellowship dollar amounts
UGA publishes two slightly different sets of figures for the same 2026-2027 cycle. The Office of Student Financial Aid lists a $15,750 stipend for Georgia residents, $25,930 plus a nonresident waiver for out-of-state students, and $30,000 plus the waiver for international students. The Morehead Honors College page lists $15,050, $25,900, and $28,800. Both pages are current. We are not going to guess which one is right, so treat these as the neighborhood and confirm the exact number in the official award notice.
What the Fellowship asks in return
Fellows must live in Myers Hall during the first year, carry at least 12 hours a semester, hold a 3.40 cumulative UGA GPA, stay in good standing with the Honors College, attend key Fellows events, submit reports on travel-study programs, and graduate in four years. That last one matters for students eyeing a double major or a heavy pre-health load.
Where the Fellowship money actually goes
Three fully funded spring travel-study programs, valued around $13,500 across the first three years.
A fully funded Maymester at the University of Oxford right after the first year, valued around $9,000.
Individual travel-study grants up to $10,000 cumulative.
Research and academic conference grants up to $2,000 cumulative.
This is why UGA says the Fellowship stipend approximates the cost of attendance. The enrichment funding is a second package sitting behind the first one.
Honors College — FAQs (University of Georgia)
Is Honors admission automatic for high-stat students?
No. There is a separate Honors application and admission is competitive. Being admitted to UGA, even with excellent numbers, does not put a student in the Honors College.
Is the Ramsey Honors Scholarship still available?
No. It was merged into the Foundation Fellowship in 2021, and the Class of 2024 was the last class of Ramsey Scholars. Ramsey Scholars and Foundation Fellows shared the same programming, which is part of why the merge happened. Older college guides still list it as a live award to apply for. It is not one.
Can a current UGA student still get Fellowship-level funding?
Yes, and this is UGA’s best-kept secret. The Mid-Term Foundation Fellowship is an internal award for current Honors students who were not selected as first-year Fellows. Applicants typically need at least two years remaining toward the first degree. A strong sophomore year at UGA can genuinely reopen a door that looked closed in high school.
Are there Honors awards for students who are already here?
Several. The Crane Memorial Scholarship pays $1,500 a year for rising third-year Honors students with a 3.70 GPA and a leadership record, and applications close in early April. The Ash Service Award is a $3,500 summer stipend for an eight-week full-time internship with a local service organization. The Honors International Scholars Program funds international study, research, and internships for students with a 3.50 or better.
Do out-of-state students have a real shot at the Fellowship?
Yes, and the out-of-state package is larger in raw dollars because it includes the nonresident tuition waiver on top of a bigger stipend. About 30 offers go out each year across all residencies.
Are Honors courses harder?
They are smaller and more discussion-driven rather than heavier. The practical benefits that matter to families are priority registration, dedicated advising, and much easier access to faculty who run research labs.
UGA is Georgia’s flagship and the oldest state-chartered university in the country, sitting on about 43,000 students in Athens. What surprises families who only know the football is how much of UGA’s academic reputation is built on programs that place students directly into specific industries: business, journalism, public affairs, and a group of applied science colleges that most flagships do not have at all.
Nationally Known Program: Terry College of Business is UGA’s most visible undergraduate pipeline, with particularly strong reputations in accounting, risk management and insurance, real estate, and management information systems. Terry also runs its own scholarship portal separate from the university’s academic scholarships, which is one of the department-level opportunities we flag in the Hidden Gems section.
Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication: One of the country’s most established journalism schools, with advertising and public relations tracks that place heavily into Atlanta’s agency market.
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences: A signature UGA college with land-grant roots, covering everything from food science to agribusiness to turfgrass. It runs its own scholarship application, which is worth a look for any student in the college.
School of Public and International Affairs: Consistently among the strongest public administration and public policy programs in the country, with an undergraduate pipeline into state government right down the road in Atlanta.
College of Environment and Design: Home to a landscape architecture program with a national reputation, and one of only two undergraduate majors at UGA carrying its own tuition rate.
Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy: Both are professional colleges, but their presence shapes UGA’s undergraduate pre-professional advising and research opportunities in a way you do not get at a flagship without them.
Undergraduate research through CURO: The Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities gives roughly 500 research awards a year, which is an unusually large number for a school this size and a real differentiator for pre-health and pre-grad students.
National scholarship track record: UGA was named a 2026 top producer of Fulbright US students, led the nation with 18 Boren Scholars in 2026, and regularly produces Goldwater, Udall, and Marshall recipients. The Morehead Honors College runs the campus nomination process for all of it, which is another reason Honors admission matters beyond class size.
🔗 Official University of Georgia Links
Every link below was checked live before this page went up. Use these for final deadlines, award terms, and official numbers. Anything on our page or anywhere else should be confirmed here first.
UGA does not reward the thing most families spend senior fall optimizing. There is no score chart, no guaranteed award, and National Merit Finalist status is worth $500 a year here. What UGA rewards is a strong application submitted by October 15 and, for the top of the pool, a Foundation Fellowship application submitted by November 1. Those two dates carry more weight at Georgia than almost anything else your student does.
For Georgia residents, the math is quietly excellent. Zell Miller or HOPE handles tuition, a $2,000 to $5,000 academic stipend sits on top, and the remaining bill is fees, housing, and food. Just do not read “full tuition” as “free,” and do not let your student drop below 15 hours without checking what it costs, because HOPE pays by the credit hour while UGA bills a flat rate.
For out-of-state families, the whole game is the waiver. Classic City Scholars erases the roughly $21,670 nonresident differential and the Classic Scholarship erases about half of it, which can bring UGA’s cost within range of your own state flagship. The stipend number in the award letter is almost never the important number.
And then there is wave two. UGA’s departmental and donor scholarships mostly go to students who are already enrolled and who bothered to ask. A sophomore who emails four department coordinators in February is doing something the vast majority of UGA students never do. That is where the last few thousand dollars a year usually comes from.
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 is the founder of CollegeReadyParent, where he digs through tuition PDFs, scholarship portals, and Common Data Sets so parents don’t have to. He writes every college guide on this site himself, and he checks every link before it goes live.
Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together.
90 days
__utma
ID used to identify users and sessions
2 years after last activity
__utmt
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests
10 minutes
__utmb
Used to distinguish new sessions and visits. This cookie is set when the GA.js javascript library is loaded and there is no existing __utmb cookie. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
30 minutes after last activity
__utmc
Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session.
End of session (browser)
__utmz
Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server
6 months after last activity
__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_gat
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
