Miles is a small private HBCU in Fairfield, just west of downtown Birmingham, with roots in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Admission is close to open, the price is the same whether you live in Alabama or not, and the scholarship rules are short and simple: three academic tiers decided by GPA and a test score. The fine print is where families get tripped up, so read the box below before your student hits submit.
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Miles College (Read This First)
Test-optional to get in does not mean test-optional for money. Miles will admit your student without an ACT or SAT, but every Miles scholarship needs a score on file. Even the Bridge Scholarship, which has no minimum score, is off the table without one.
The money goes first come, first served. There is no published scholarship deadline, which really means the earlier the better. Get the application, transcript, scores and FAFSA in during the fall of senior year.
Miles scholarships are last-dollar. Pell and state grants get applied first, and the Miles award covers what is left. A student with a big Pell Grant may see a smaller scholarship than the headline number.
Keeping the award takes 15 credits every semester. Not 12. Presidential Scholars also owe 20 tutoring hours a semester and Dean Scholars owe 10.
Alabama families: ask for the ASGP form. The Alabama Student Grant Program pays up to $3,000 a year just for attending Miles, but nothing on the FAFSA triggers it. You have to ask the aid office for the paper form.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Miles College is test-optional for admission, but scholarships can work differently (see the next question).
Do you need test scores for scholarships at Miles College? Miles requires an ACT or SAT score for every institutional scholarship, even the Bridge award, which has no minimum score.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: N/A; SAT: N/A.
Average net price? About $11,064/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No. It is a private school, so everyone pays the same rate.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Miles College: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Miles College 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 $400 to $1,100 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$22,440
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$13,524
Housing & meals (typical)
$8,916
Total billed cost
$22,440
Average federal net price: $11,064 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, 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.
Heads up on the numbers
Miles has not posted its 2026-27 rates yet, so the table above uses Miles’ published 2025-26 figures. Tuition and fees in our table include tuition ($11,764), the comprehensive fee ($1,500) and the technology fee ($260). Miles also bills a $400 book fee and a $140 health insurance fee each year, which puts Miles’ own all-in total for a Bass Hall resident at $22,980.
Same Price for Everyone, Different Price by Dorm
Miles charges Alabama and out-of-state students the same tuition. The biggest thing you control is the residence hall. Here is what each hall costs per year for 2025-26, before meals ($4,066) and the $250 dorm usage fee:
Residence Hall
Housing (per year)
Miles’ All-In Total
Murchison Hall
$3,500
$21,880
Bass Hall or Stewart-Reddick
$4,600
$22,980
Snorton Hall
$4,800
$23,180
Living off campus
$0
$14,064
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Miles College
Does Miles charge out-of-state students more?
No. Miles is a private college, so a student from Georgia or Illinois pays the same $11,764 tuition as a student from Birmingham. The difference for Alabama families shows up in state aid, like the Alabama Student Grant Program, not in the sticker price.
Is the average net price really about $11,064?
That is the federal average for full-time freshmen after grants and scholarships, not counting loans. It is lower than the sticker price because most Miles students get grant aid; Miles says 97 percent receive scholarships or grants. Your number depends on your FAFSA and whether your student qualifies for a Miles scholarship, so run the net price calculator with your own figures.
Why is there a book fee on the bill?
Miles charges a $200 electronic textbook fee each semester instead of having students buy books on their own. It is a real charge on the bill, so count it when you budget, even though our table leaves it out of tuition and fees.
What if my student takes fewer than 12 or more than 18 credit hours?
The flat tuition rate covers 12 to 18 hours. Below 12, or for every hour over 18, Miles charges $490 per credit hour. Since Miles scholarships require 15 hours a semester to renew, most scholarship students will sit comfortably inside the flat rate.
Will tuition go up for 2026-27?
Miles has not said yet. For what it is worth, tuition stayed flat at $11,764 from 2024-25 to 2025-26, while housing and meals went up (the Bass Hall rate rose from $4,182 to $4,600 and meals from $3,388 to $4,066). If you are budgeting early, it is the housing and meal lines most likely to move.
Is there state money for Alabama students at a private college like Miles?
Yes, two kinds. The Alabama Student Grant Program pays up to $3,000 a year to Alabama residents at participating private colleges, Miles included, with no income test; you get the form from the Miles aid office. The Alabama Student Assistance Program is a need-based grant of $300 to $5,000 that comes through the FAFSA, and the pot runs out, so file early.
Junior year or early senior year: Take the ACT or SAT at least once. No score means no Miles scholarship, at any GPA.
October 1 of senior year: The FAFSA opens, and Miles’ catalog says priority filing starts that day. File early (school code 001028).
Fall of senior year: Apply to Miles and send the transcript and official scores. Scholarships go first come, first served, and the acceptance letter tells you the result.
Before the first semester: Alabama residents pick up the ASGP form from the aid office, and veteran families file the Alabama G.I. Dependent application. Neither one is retroactive.
Parent rule of thumb: Miles never posts a scholarship deadline, so treat “the day the money runs out” as your deadline and get everything in during the fall.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Miles College
Miles checks every admitted student for scholarships using GPA and an ACT or SAT score. There is no separate application, and the acceptance letter tells you which award your student got. A test score is required for all three awards, the number of awards is limited, and they go out first come, first served.
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 Miles College 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 residency
Alabama Student Grant Program
📅 Deadline: Deadline printed on the college's application form ✓ Renews
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Students at a participating private Alabama college; not need-based; paper application through the college's aid office; amount varies with state funding
✚
Stacking & Combining
Up to $3,000 a year for attending a participating private college, with no income or grade test. Stacks with the college's own aid. The application comes from the aid office, not the FAFSA.
💡
Strategic Detail
State program, not a Miles College 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: Anyone enrolled at a listed private college who turns in the form. The families who miss it are the ones who never ask the aid office for it, because nothing on the FAFSA triggers it.
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 Miles College 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 Miles College 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 RideAutomatic
Presidential Scholarship
📅 Deadline: No published date; awarded first come, first served ✓ Renews (3.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Ride
tuition, room, board, and books
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.7+ GPA✎ ~24 ACT✎ ~1190 SAT👥 ~Limited; number not published winners/yr3.7 high school GPA and a 24 ACT or 1190 SAT (Miles' catalog lists 1160). Recent high school graduates only; transfers are not eligible. An official ACT or SAT score must be on file.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Miles' three academic awards work as tiers, so plan on one, and it is applied after Pell and state grants.
💡
Strategic Detail
This is the headline award at Miles: tuition, room, board and books for students who arrive with at least a 3.7 GPA and a 24 ACT or 1190 SAT. There is no separate application. Miles checks scholarship eligibility when it admits your student and puts the result in the acceptance letter. Two things to understand before you count on it. First, Miles says the number of awards is limited and they go first come, first served, so a qualified student who finishes the paperwork late can miss out. Second, it is a last-dollar award: Miles applies Pell and any state grants first and the scholarship covers what is left. Miles' Fall 2026 catalog lists a 1160 SAT cutoff, lower than the 1190 on the scholarships page, and its cost page lists a lower renewal GPA (3.2); plan on the higher numbers and ask admissions if your student sits in between.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Strong students who send scores and finish the FAFSA in the fall of senior year. A 3.7 and a 24 put a student well above the typical Miles admit, so the competition is not other applicants, it is the calendar: students who wait until spring to send scores are the ones who hear the money is gone. Keeping it is its own job: 15 credits every semester, a 3.5 cumulative GPA and 20 tutoring hours each semester.
Automatic
Dean Scholarship
📅 Deadline: No published date; awarded first come, first served ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.2+ GPA✎ ~20 ACT✎ ~1050 SAT👥 ~Limited; number not published winners/yr3.2 GPA and a 20 ACT or 1050 SAT (Miles' catalog lists 1020). Open to incoming freshmen and to community college graduates who attended only one college before Miles. An official ACT or SAT score must be on file.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Miles' three academic awards work as tiers, so plan on one, and it is applied after Pell and state grants.
💡
Strategic Detail
$5,000 a year, or $20,000 over four years, for students with a 3.2 GPA and a 20 ACT or 1050 SAT. Same rules as the Presidential: no separate application, the acceptance letter tells you if your student got it, and awards go first come, first served. Miles' catalog says the amount can change based on other aid, so families with a large Pell Grant should ask how the $5,000 shows up on the award letter. The catalog lists a 1020 SAT cutoff, lower than the 1050 on the scholarships page, and the cost page lists a 3.1 renewal GPA instead of 3.3; plan on the higher numbers.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is the award a solid B-plus student with a decent test day can plan around. The 20 ACT is the gate families underestimate, because Miles admits students without scores but will not award this without one. To keep it: 15 credits a semester, a 3.3 cumulative GPA and 10 tutoring hours each semester.
Automatic
Bridge Scholarship
📅 Deadline: No published date; awarded first come, first served ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,500/yr
✘ Not stackable
🏫 2.8+ GPA👥 ~Limited; number not published winners/yr2.75 high school or college GPA. An ACT or SAT score is required, but there is no minimum score. Open to incoming freshmen and to community college graduates who attended only one college before Miles.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Miles' three academic awards work as tiers, so plan on one, and it is applied after Pell and state grants.
💡
Strategic Detail
$2,500 a year, or $10,000 over four years, for students with a 2.75 GPA. The catch is in the testing column: Miles requires an ACT or SAT score for this award but sets no minimum. A student with any score at all qualifies on the test side, and a student with no score does not. If your student is test-shy, one sitting of the ACT is worth $10,000 here. Miles' cost page lists no renewal GPA for this award; the scholarships page says 2.5, so plan on 2.5.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students in the 2.75 to 3.19 range who took the ACT or SAT once, sent the score and filed the FAFSA early. The ones who miss it usually applied test-optional, which gets them admitted but locks them out of every Miles scholarship. Renewal asks for 15 credits a semester and a 2.5 cumulative GPA.
Data last verified Oct 29, 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: Miles’ own sources don’t fully agree. The Fall 2026 catalog lists lower SAT cutoffs (1160 for Presidential, 1020 for Dean) than the scholarships page (1190 and 1050), and the cost page lists lower renewal GPAs (3.2, 3.1, none) than the scholarships page (3.5, 3.3, 2.5). We show the higher bars so nobody gets surprised. If your student lands in between, ask admissions which rule applies.
Automatic Merit FAQs (Miles College)
Is the Presidential Scholarship really a full ride?
Close to it. It covers tuition, room, board and books for students with a 3.7 GPA and a 24 ACT or 1190 SAT. Two catches: the number of awards is limited and they go first come, first served, and Miles applies Pell and state grants first, so the scholarship pays whatever is left after those.
Can my student get a Miles scholarship without an ACT or SAT score?
No. Miles is test-optional for admission, but its scholarships page says students who choose not to send a score are not eligible. That includes the Bridge Scholarship, which has no minimum score. One test sitting, at any score, is worth $10,000 over four years at the Bridge level.
How much is the Dean Scholarship worth?
$5,000 a year, or $20,000 over four years, for a 3.2 GPA and a 20 ACT or 1050 SAT. Miles’ catalog says the amount can change depending on other aid, so ask how it shows up next to a Pell Grant.
Can my student get more than one of these?
Plan on one. The three awards work as tiers by GPA and test score, and Miles’ pages don’t describe anyone holding two.
What does it take to keep the scholarship?
At least 15 credit hours every semester, plus a cumulative GPA of 3.5 (Presidential), 3.3 (Dean) or 2.5 (Bridge). Presidential Scholars also log 20 tutoring hours a semester and Dean Scholars log 10. Awards renew for up to three more years after freshman year.
Can transfer students get these?
Only community college graduates who attended just one college before Miles, and only for the Dean and Bridge awards. The Presidential is for students coming straight from high school.
Miles does not run an essay-and-interview scholarship competition. Its biggest award, the Presidential Scholarship, is decided by GPA and test score at admission (see Automatic Merit above). The catalog also lists a Presidential Discretionary Scholarship chosen by the president, but Miles publishes no criteria, amount or application for it, so there is nothing a family can apply for.
The three awards work as tiers. Plan on your student receiving one.
Pell and state grants
Applied first
Miles scholarships are designed to cover what is left after other aid, so a big Pell Grant can shrink the Miles award.
Alabama Student Grant Program
Yes
Up to $3,000 a year for Alabama residents. Separate paper form from the aid office.
Band, choir, cheer and athletic grants
Ask
Miles doesn’t publish how talent money combines with academic awards. Get the answer in writing before you compare offers.
UNCF and outside scholarships
Usually
Outside money is welcome, but tell the aid office, since Miles applies its own awards last.
If your student is a high achiever, the honest takeaway is that Miles rewards numbers and timing, not essays. A 3.7 and a 24 ACT turned in early is the whole competition.
This institution does not offer designated Competitive scholarships at this time.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Does Miles have essay-based scholarships?
Not that Miles publishes. All three academic awards are decided by GPA and test score at admission, with no essay or interview.
What is the Presidential Discretionary Scholarship?
Miles’ catalog lists it as an award the president selects, with an amount that varies. There is no published application, so it is not something families can plan around.
Is the Presidential Scholarship competitive?
Not in the usual sense. Any student who meets the 3.7 GPA and 24 ACT bar qualifies, but the number of awards is limited and they go first come, first served. The students competing with yours are the ones who finished their paperwork earlier.
When should we apply to be considered for the biggest awards?
As early in senior year as you can, with the FAFSA filed on or soon after October 1. Miles does not publish a scholarship deadline.
🎺 Parent Strategy: The Band Is the Biggest Scholarship Program on Campus
The Purple Marching Machine has won ESPN’s HBCU Division II Band of the Year two years in a row, and Miles says the band hands out more than $500,000 in scholarships every year. A local news report put about 85 percent of members on scholarship, with awards that can reach $20,000 to $30,000.
If your student plays, dances or spins flags, contact the band as soon as they apply to Miles.
Band applications run November through June. Earlier is better.
Keep grades up. Miles says higher GPAs and more experience tend to bring bigger offers.
Ask the aid office, in writing, how a band award combines with an academic scholarship.
Parent translation: a student who misses the Dean Scholarship by a couple of ACT points can still come out ahead with a band award.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These awards are not automatic. They go to performers, athletes and students who know to ask, and UNCF money sits outside Miles entirely.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlytalent audition
Performance Grant-in-Aid (Band, Choir, Cheer)
📅 Deadline: Band applications accepted November through June ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Band, choir or cheer members only
👥 ~Band reports about 85 percent of members on scholarship winners/yr🎓 All UndergradAudition or tryout through the Band Director, Choir Director or Cheerleader Sponsor. Members are expected to keep their grades up while carrying the band schedule.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Miles does not publish how talent grants combine with academic scholarships. Ask the aid office before you assume both arrive in full, since Miles' academic awards are applied last.
📄
How to Apply
Contact the band (or the choir director or cheer sponsor) as soon as your student applies to Miles. Band membership applications are accepted November through June.
💡
Strategic Detail
Miles' catalog lists performance grants for students who play in the band, sing in the choir or cheer. The band is where most of the money is. The Purple Marching Machine has won ESPN's HBCU Division II Band of the Year two years running, and Miles says the band gives out more than $500,000 in scholarships a year. A WVTM 13 report put the share of members on scholarship at about 85 percent, with the band director saying awards can reach $20,000 to $30,000. Amounts are not published and depend on talent, experience and grades.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Experienced musicians, dancers and flag members with good grades who reach out early. Miles says band applications run November through June and that higher GPAs and more experience tend to bring bigger offers. Choir and cheer awards go through the Choir Director and the Cheerleader Sponsor.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlyathletics
Athletic Grant-in-Aid
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Recruited athletes only
🎓 All UndergradEligible for NCAA Division II competition and recommended by the Athletic Director or a head coach. Reviewed for renewal each year.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Miles does not publish how athletic grants combine with academic scholarships. Ask the aid office before you assume both arrive in full.
💡
Strategic Detail
Miles competes in NCAA Division II, and coaches can recommend students for athletic grants. Amounts vary by sport and by player, and the catalog says awards are reviewed again every year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Recruited athletes. If your student wants to play, the conversation starts with the head coach, not the financial aid office, and it should start during junior or senior year.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlyneed based
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies Non-Renewable
$3,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 All UndergradCharacter, scholarship, talent and financial need. Contact Miles financial aid for current criteria and how to be considered.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Donor money sits on top of other aid, but Miles applies its academic awards last, so ask how a donor award changes the rest of the package.
💡
Strategic Detail
Listed in Miles' catalog at up to $3,000, based on character, scholarship, talent and financial need. Miles publishes no application or deadline for it online, and the catalog does not say whether it renews, so treat it as a one-year award until the aid office tells you otherwise.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who ask. Awards like this go to students the aid office already knows about, and the families who never call never hear of it.
Data last verified Oct 29, 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.
Money the college does not control. Federal programs, city promise funds, foundations, and employers. The college may help you apply, but someone else writes the check, and these almost always stack with the college's own awards.
Outside MoneyApp Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
UNCF Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Varies by program ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All UndergradVaries by UNCF program. Miles application, transcripts, ACT or SAT scores and a FAFSA listing Miles are required.
✚
Stacking & Combining
UNCF money comes from an outside organization, but Miles applies its academic awards last, so tell the aid office about any UNCF award and ask how it changes the package.
💡
Strategic Detail
Miles is part of the UNCF network, and its catalog says UNCF scholarship money is available to new and continuing students. UNCF, not Miles, sets the rules and picks the winners. New applicants need a Miles application, transcripts and ACT or SAT scores on file, and everyone needs a FAFSA that lists Miles. Students apply through the UNCF scholarship portal, where programs open and close through the year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who register on the UNCF portal early and apply to several programs instead of one. Most families never look, which is exactly why it is worth an evening.
Data last verified Oct 29, 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
Does my student have to be a music major to get a band scholarship?
Miles’ catalog ties performance grants to being able to play in the band, sing in the choir or cheer, not to a major. Confirm with the band director before your student picks a major around it.
How do athletic scholarships work at Miles?
Miles plays NCAA Division II sports, and athletic grants are recommended by the athletic director or a head coach. Amounts vary, and the catalog says awards are reviewed every year. The first call is to the coach, not the aid office.
What is the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Scholarship?
Miles’ catalog lists it at up to $3,000, based on character, scholarship, talent and financial need. Miles publishes no application online, so ask the financial aid office whether it is being awarded and how to be considered.
Can Miles students apply for UNCF scholarships?
Yes. Miles’ catalog says UNCF money is available to new and continuing students. UNCF sets the rules and picks the winners, and you need ACT or SAT scores and a FAFSA that lists Miles. Programs open and close through the year, so register on the UNCF portal early.
Does Miles have departmental scholarships?
Miles doesn’t publish a list. If your student has a major in mind, ask that department chair directly once your student is admitted.
Miles does not have an honors college or a separate honors program with its own application or scholarships. The catalog mentions an honors curriculum and Miles holds an honors convocation to recognize strong students, but neither comes with money that families can apply for. For a high-achieving student, the “honors track” at Miles is really the Presidential Scholarship.
This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.
What High Achievers Get Instead
Presidential Scholarship: Tuition, room, board and books for a 3.7 GPA and a 24 ACT or 1190 SAT. Limited and first come, first served.
Built-in academic support: Presidential Scholars log 20 tutoring hours a semester as part of keeping the award, and Dean Scholars log 10.
Room to stand out: At a college this size, a strong student gets noticed by faculty fast, which matters when it is time for internships and recommendation letters.
Honors FAQs (Miles College)
Does Miles have an honors college?
No. There is no separate honors admission, honors housing or honors scholarship at Miles.
What is the closest thing to an honors scholarship?
The Presidential Scholarship. It is the top academic award, and it is the one high-stat students should make sure they lock in by applying early with scores.
Do the tutoring hours mean the scholarship assumes my student is struggling?
No. Miles requires tutoring hours of every Presidential and Dean Scholar as a condition of renewal, whatever their grades. Ask Miles early how the hours are logged so your student isn’t caught short at the end of a semester.
Miles is a small college, a little over 1,100 students, and that shapes everything. Your student won’t get lost in a 300-seat lecture hall, and the programs that stand out are the ones built for careers close to home: business, teaching, social work and the sciences. Miles also carries real weight in Birmingham history, from its students’ role in the Civil Rights Movement to today’s Judge U.W. Clemon Center for Economic and Social Justice on campus.
Most Popular Path: Business and Accounting: Business administration is the most common degree Miles awards, and the business programs carry ACBSP accreditation. Accounting and management information systems round out a practical, career-focused business lineup.
Social Work: The program is accredited by CSWE, the national standard that matters if your student wants to become a licensed social worker.
Teacher Education: CAEP-accredited, with tracks in early childhood, elementary and secondary subjects. The early childhood degree comes with Alabama’s beginning-teacher certification.
Biology and the Sciences: Biology is Miles’ second most common degree and the usual route for pre-health students, alongside chemistry, environmental science and mathematics.
Actuarial Science: An unusual major for a college this size. Actuarial work is a well-paid career path for strong math students, and Miles lets them start on it from day one.
Criminal Justice and Political Science: Popular with students headed toward law, public service and law enforcement.
Communications and Music: Miles runs its own radio station, WMWI, and its Purple Marching Machine is one of the most decorated Division II bands in the country.
🔗 Official Miles College Links
Use Miles College’s official pages below to check admissions steps, scholarship rules, costs and programs. Always rely on these pages for final amounts and award terms, and call the financial aid office when two pages disagree.
Big picture? Miles is a small, affordable HBCU where the scholarship rules fit on an index card. A 3.7 and a 24 ACT can mean a near full ride, a 3.2 and a 20 is worth $20,000 over four years, and any test score with a 2.75 GPA unlocks $10,000. The band is a scholarship engine of its own, and Alabama families have up to $3,000 a year in state money waiting at the aid office.
The flip side is worth saying out loud. Every Miles award needs a test score, the money goes to whoever finishes first, and the awards are last-dollar, so Pell gets used before Miles chips in. Federal data also shows only about one in four students finishing within six years, so ask about advising and tutoring before you commit, and make sure your student is ready for the 15 credits a semester the scholarship requires. Take the test, file the FAFSA in October, apply in the fall, and Miles can be one of the most affordable private college options in the South.
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Written by Leo Dimilo
Leo is a parent who went through the college money maze with his own daughter and built CollegeReadyParent to give middle-income and first-generation families plain-English answers, with no paywall and no lead forms.
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