Here is the thing to understand about UNC Greensboro before you look at a single number: getting in is not the hard part. UNCG admits around nine out of ten applicants. The competition at this school is not for a seat, it is for the money, and almost all of the real money runs on deadlines that land well before most families have started thinking about scholarships.
That cuts both ways, and mostly in your favor. A student who would be a long shot at Chapel Hill or NC State can walk into UNCG as a strong candidate for Honors, which is where the full-tuition and full-cost awards live. The trade is that you have to move early and you have to know which door to knock on, because UNCG does not hand you a tidy merit grid the way Alabama or Mississippi State does.
📌 University of North Carolina Greensboro at a Glance
🏆 Full tuition and full cost-of-attendance awards available through Global Honors
Average Net Price
$9,950/year (in-state estimate)
Average paid for residents.
Automatic Merit
$3,500–$5,000/yr
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
29 opportunities
3 automatic · 7 hidden gem · 19 honors
Typical Qualifiers
Holistic review, no published cutoff
Benchmarks for top-tier awards.
Testing Policy
Test-optional
Superscores ACT/SAT.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Dec 1 • FAFSA: Mar 1
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
Honors Scholars Program awards
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA Only
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at UNC Greensboro (Read This First)
Three UNCG pages list three different scholarship deadlines. The main scholarships page says Dec 1 for automatic merit consideration. The Blue & Gold detail page still says Jan 15. A third line mentions March 1. The Dec 1 page is the most recently updated. Treat Dec 1 as your deadline and you are covered no matter which one UNCG enforces.
You cannot apply to Honors directly. Admissions screens your student first, and only then emails an invitation link to the Global Honors application. Do not sit and wait for a form to appear on a website. Get the UNCG application in, then watch the inbox.
The UNCG Guarantee has a GPA ceiling, not just a floor. Eligibility runs from a 3.3 weighted high school GPA up to 4.0, and no higher. A high-need student with a 4.3 weighted GPA is out. That is not a typo on their site, it is the rule.
UNCG is not an NC Promise school. The $500 per semester tuition plan applies only to Elizabeth City State, UNC Pembroke, Fayetteville State, and Western Carolina. Plenty of families arrive at UNCG expecting NC Promise pricing and get a surprise.
Two application routes, one secondary form to watch. UNCG takes both its own application at apply.uncg.edu and the Common App. But if your student is applying to Music, Dance, or Interior Architecture, those majors require a second application on top of whichever route you picked. Audition and portfolio money hangs off that second form. Submitting the Common App and stopping is the most expensive mistake available at this school.
Getting forwarded from Chapel Hill is not a plan. UNC Chapel Hill’s Choose NC program will automatically send a denied applicant’s file to UNCG if the student opts in. That is a nice safety net for admission and a terrible one for money, because the forwarded file arrives long after Dec 1. If UNCG is on your list at all, apply to UNCG directly and on time.
File the FAFSA even if you think you will not qualify. At UNCG the FAFSA is a merit document too. The Chancellor and Spartan Scholarships weigh merit and need together, and there is no separate application for them.
Good news for a change: UNCG superscores. Both the SAT and the ACT, for admission and for scholarship review. Your student’s best section scores across all test dates count, which is the opposite of how Alabama and many Southern publics handle it.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes — University of North Carolina Greensboro is test-optional.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 22; SAT: 1115.
Average net price? About $9,950/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No broad regional reciprocity path.
💰 Cost of Attendance at University of North Carolina Greensboro 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)
$7,864
$25,347
Housing & Meals (typical)
$11,642
$11,642
Total (Direct Costs)
$19,506
$36,989
Average Federal Net Price: $9,950 — 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
UNCG has no broad undergraduate out-of-state tuition waiver and does not take part in the Academic Common Market or any regional reciprocity agreement. It is also not an NC Promise school. NC Promise applies only to Elizabeth City State, UNC Pembroke, Fayetteville State, and Western Carolina. Out-of-state families reduce cost at UNCG through merit and Honors scholarships, not through residency programs.
The Fixed Tuition Program: UNCG’s Best Underrated Feature
Every UNC System school locks tuition for up to eight consecutive semesters for North Carolina residents who stay continuously enrolled. Your freshman year rate is your senior year rate. That is genuinely unusual and it makes a four-year budget something you can actually build instead of guess at. Even better context: in-state tuition at UNCG did not go up at all between 2016 and 2026. The Board of Trustees approved a 3% increase effective fall 2026, the first in a decade. Out-of-state families do not get the lock, so plan for modest annual increases on that side.
No Waivers, No Reciprocity, No NC Promise
UNCG does not participate in the Academic Common Market or any regional tuition reciprocity agreement, and it has no broad out-of-state tuition waiver. It is also not one of the four NC Promise schools. If your family lives outside North Carolina, the only real levers at UNCG are merit scholarships and Honors awards. The Hayes Merit Scholarship at $10,000 a year and the Sloan Memorial at $7,500 a year are the two that meaningfully dent a non-resident bill, and both run through Global Honors.
FAQ — Cost of Attendance at UNC Greensboro
Why is out-of-state tuition more than three times the in-state rate?
North Carolina taxpayers subsidize resident tuition, and the state constitution actually directs that higher education be “as free as practicable” for residents. That is why the resident rate sits under $8,000 while the non-resident rate is above $25,000. Housing and meals cost the same either way, so the entire gap is tuition and fees.
Does UNCG have any out-of-state tuition waiver or reciprocity program?
No. There is no Academic Common Market participation, no regional reciprocity, and no broad non-resident waiver. Out-of-state cost reduction at UNCG happens through scholarships, not through residency programs.
Is UNCG an NC Promise school?
No, and this is a common mix-up. NC Promise sets tuition at $500 per semester for residents at exactly four UNC System campuses: Elizabeth City State, UNC Pembroke, Fayetteville State, and Western Carolina. UNCG is not one of them.
Can an out-of-state student become a North Carolina resident for tuition purposes?
It is possible but not easy, and moving to attend college does not count. The student or a parent must establish legal domicile in North Carolina and maintain it for at least twelve consecutive months before the term begins, with a demonstrated intent to stay indefinitely. Determinations run through the state’s Residency Determination Service, not through UNCG.
Will tuition go up every year?
Not for North Carolina residents who stay continuously enrolled. The Fixed Tuition Program holds your rate for up to eight consecutive semesters. Fees and housing can still move. Out-of-state students are not covered by the lock.
Are books included in these numbers?
Partly, and this one is unusual. UNCG runs a program called First Day Complete that rents your student’s books for a flat per-credit-hour charge billed by the university. That means books show up as a direct billed cost rather than something you shop for separately. Budget for it as part of the bill, not as an extra.
Why does the average net price look so much lower than the total?
Because most UNCG students receive aid, and a large share are Pell eligible, which pulls the average down hard. The net price figure is a real average of what families actually paid after grants and scholarships. Your number depends entirely on your FAFSA result and what merit money your student lands. Run UNCG’s net price calculator before you draw any conclusions from an average.
Does housing cost more if my student is in Honors?
Not inherently. Admitted Global Honors students get access to the four Residential Colleges, which are living-learning communities rather than premium housing. Guarantee Scholars are required to live on campus for their first two years, which is a commitment rather than a surcharge.
October 1: Global Honors application opens. FAFSA opens the same month.
December 1: The big one. Blue & Gold automatic merit consideration and Global Honors scholarship priority both close here.
January 2: UNCG Guarantee application opens for invited students.
January 10 to 31: Honors scholarship interviews happen, then Honors admission decisions go out to Dec 1 applicants.
January 15: Continuing-student scholarship application opens in Scholarship Universe.
March 1: UNCG FAFSA priority date, and the deadline for Chancellor and Spartan Scholarship consideration.
March 14, 6:00 AM: UNCG Guarantee application closes. Note the time, not just the date.
May 1: Intent to Enroll deadline. Miss it and you forfeit a Blue & Gold offer.
Parent rule of thumb: everything that matters at UNCG is decided by December 1. Build your fall around that date and the rest is paperwork.
Automatic Merit Scholarships — UNC Greensboro
These awards require no separate scholarship application. Your student applies to UNCG and gets considered automatically. Two things to know up front. First, UNCG publishes no GPA or test-score grid for its automatic merit, which means nobody can promise you a number in advance. Second, UNCG superscores both the SAT and the ACT for scholarship review, so your student’s best section scores across all test dates count. Submitting scores is optional, but strong scores strengthen the file.
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
Blue & Gold Merit Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Scholarship letter arrives from Undergraduate Admissions with or shortly after the admission offer ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$3,500–$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Blue & Gold generally combines with need-based grants, Next NC, and outside scholarships. It does not combine with a second automatic award. Renewable awards run up to eight semesters if the student finishes at least 12 credits each fall and spring and holds a 3.0 cumulative GPA. Smaller awards are one year only, so read the award letter before you count on year two.
💡
Strategic Detail
This is merit money that comes straight off the admissions application, with no separate form. UNCG does not publish a GPA or test-score chart for it, so treat it as automatic consideration rather than automatic money. Heads up on the deadline: UNCG's main scholarship page says apply by Dec 1 for automatic consideration, while the Blue & Gold detail page still says Jan 15 and a third line on the same hub page mentions a March 1 priority date. Dec 1 is the most recently updated of the three. Treat it as your real deadline. Accept the offer through the Intent to Enroll by May 1 or you lose it, and students who defer enrollment lose it too.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is UNCG's main admission-based merit pool. The most realistic students usually have strong A-range weighted GPAs, solid course rigor, and a strong overall admission file. High B+/A- students may still see smaller or one-year awards, but this is not a guaranteed GPA grid.
Automatic
Chancellor and Spartan Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Mar 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Awarded as part of the overall aid package and generally layered with need-based grants and outside scholarships.
💡
Strategic Detail
This is the award most families miss because it has no separate page and no published dollar figure. UNCG describes it as going to select students who show both academic merit and financial need, with no application beyond the UNCG form and the FAFSA. The practical takeaway is simple: file the FAFSA even if you assume you will not qualify for need-based aid, because at UNCG the FAFSA is a merit document too. Amounts are not published, so ask Financial Aid directly rather than guessing.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students in the middle of the pack academically who also show financial need. This is where a strong-but-not-top student with real need often picks up money that pure merit tables would miss.
Automaticinternational
International Student Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 · 📢 Results: Recipients are usually notified around March and June for fall starts and around September and December for spring starts. ✓ Renews (3.5 GPA, 2 yrs)
$3,000–$6,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ For new degree-seeking international students only. Not available to U.S. students.
🏫 3.5+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
This award may combine with some other institutional or outside awards, subject to UNCG's aid-packaging rules. It can renew for one additional year if the student stays full time and keeps at least a 3.5 GPA.
💡
Strategic Detail
These are institutionally funded merit scholarships for new degree-seeking international students. Award amounts are typically $3,000-$6,000 per year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is for new international students with strong academic preparation and at least a 3.5 GPA. It is helpful merit money, but it is not close to a full tuition or full ride award.
Data last verified Sep 12, 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 FAFSA Is a Merit Document at UNCG
Most families think of the FAFSA as the need-based form and the application as the merit form. UNCG blurs that line. The Chancellor and Spartan Scholarships weigh academic merit and financial need together, with no application beyond the UNCG form and the FAFSA. If you skip the FAFSA because you assume you earn too much, you are not just passing on need-based aid, you are removing your student from a merit pool. File it.
Note: Students receive one automatic award, not a stack of them. Blue & Gold merit does combine with need-based grants, the Next NC Scholarship, departmental money, and outside scholarships. Read the award letter carefully for one specific thing: whether your award is renewable or one year only. UNCG issues both, and the letter is the only place that tells you which one you got.
Automatic Merit — FAQs (UNC Greensboro)
When is the actual deadline for automatic merit?
Aim for December 1. UNCG’s main scholarships page says first-year students must apply by Dec 1 for automatic consideration. The Blue & Gold detail page still lists Jan 15, and a separate line on the scholarships page mentions a March 1 priority date. The Dec 1 page carries the most recent update. Hit Dec 1 and every version of the deadline is satisfied.
What GPA or test score does my student need for Blue & Gold?
UNCG does not publish one, and any site that gives you a specific cutoff is guessing. The review is holistic across GPA, course rigor, and optional test scores. Practically, students with A-range weighted GPAs and solid rigor are the realistic candidates, with high B-plus students sometimes landing smaller or one-year awards.
Does UNCG superscore the SAT or ACT?
Yes, both, for admission and for scholarship review. This is a real advantage over a lot of Southern publics that use only your best single sitting.
Are test scores required at all?
No. UNCG is test-optional, including for scholarship consideration. GPA and course rigor carry the most weight. Good scores can help the file, but a student with no scores is not shut out of merit money.
How much is Blue & Gold worth?
Typically in the $3,500 to $5,000 per year range, though UNCG describes the award as varying in both value and duration. It is helpful money, not transformative money. The transformative awards at UNCG are the Honors Scholars Program scholarships.
Are automatic awards renewable?
Some are and some are not. Renewable Blue & Gold awards run up to eight semesters and require at least 12 credits each fall and spring plus a 3.0 cumulative GPA, checked at the end of each spring. Others are explicitly one-year, nonrenewable awards. The award letter specifies which.
What happens if my student’s GPA dips below 3.0?
UNCG emails students who fail the annual renewal check and allows one appeal over the life of the scholarship, with documentation of circumstances outside the student’s control. One appeal, not one per year.
Can my student defer enrollment and keep the scholarship?
No. Blue & Gold is tied to the specific semester of admission. Deferring or delaying enrollment forfeits it, and the Intent to Enroll must be submitted by May 1 to accept the offer in the first place.
Is the International Student Scholarship available to my student?
Only if your student is a new degree-seeking international student. It runs $3,000 to $6,000 a year with a 3.5 GPA minimum and renews for one additional year. U.S. students are not eligible, which is why it is not part of the merit range shown at the top of this page.
UNCG does not run a standalone competitive scholarship program the way a state flagship does. There is no separate application portal, no named university-wide competition, no finalist weekend. Every large competitive award at UNCG sits inside the Lloyd International Honors College, and the Global Honors application is the scholarship application. If you are looking for the full-tuition and full-cost money, you are looking for Section 6.
This is worth stating plainly because it changes how you plan. At Alabama or Mississippi State, a family runs two tracks: the automatic merit track and the separate competitive scholarship track. At UNCG there is one fork, and it happens on December 1. Your student either applies to Global Honors by that date and becomes eligible for awards running from $20,000 to full cost of attendance, or they do not and their ceiling is Blue & Gold merit in the $3,500 to $5,000 range.
There is no partial credit here. UNCG’s own timeline is explicit: apply to Global Honors after December 1 and you can still be admitted to the Honors program, but you will not be considered for the Honors scholarships. The scholarship interviews are already being scheduled by January 10.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at UNCG?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
UNCG Parent Translation
Blue & Gold Automatic Merit
One award only
Your student gets a single automatic award, not several. It does layer with almost everything else on this list.
Honors dollar awards Hayes, Reynolds, Class of 1955, Board of Visitors, and similar
Generally yes
These are flat-dollar scholarships, so they combine with need-based grants, Next NC, and departmental money. This is where a well-built package actually comes together.
When an award is defined as covering full cost or full tuition, additional UNCG money typically gets folded in rather than added on top. Ask the aid office how the packaging works before you plan around it.
UNCG Guarantee
Last dollar
Built to fill what is left after other aid, so Pell and Next NC come first and Guarantee tops it up. Note that the package can include work-study and subsidized loans.
Next NC Scholarship
Yes
State money that combines Pell and state aid. Stacks with UNCG scholarships. The easiest $5,000 on this page because the FAFSA is the whole application.
Departmental awards Scholarship Universe
Usually yes
These are the gap fillers. Most open to continuing students in January, so year one is when your student sets up for years two through four.
Outside scholarships
Yes, with a ceiling
Total aid cannot exceed the cost of attendance. A big outside award may reduce loans or shift a subsidized loan to unsubsidized. Students must report outside money to the aid office.
ROTC
Counts as outside
UNCG classifies Army and Air Force ROTC awards as outside scholarships, so they count against the cost-of-attendance ceiling like any other outside money.
This institution does not offer designated Competitive scholarships at this time.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Does UNCG have a competitive scholarship separate from Honors?
Not a university-wide one. The Chancellor and Spartan Scholarships consider merit and need but require no separate application, which makes them automatic rather than competitive. Everything with an essay, a resume, and an interview runs through Global Honors.
What is the single most important date?
December 1. It is the Global Honors priority deadline for scholarship consideration and the automatic merit consideration deadline. One date, both tracks.
Can my student apply to Honors after December 1 and still get scholarship money?
No. UNCG’s published timeline treats Dec 1 as the scholarship gate. The regular Global Honors deadline of March 15 gets a student considered for the fall cohort, not for the scholarships.
Is there an interview?
For the scholarships, yes. UNCG invites scholarship candidates to interview by January 10, typically virtually. The interview is for the money, not for Honors admission itself.
Does UNCG participate in National Merit or QuestBridge?
No to both. UNCG is not a National Merit sponsor institution and is not a QuestBridge college partner. If National Merit money is your student’s plan, look at schools that sponsor it.
Is UNCG a Stamps Scholarship partner?
No, and the name confusion here is real. UNCG runs a program called STAMPS, which stands for Science, Technology and Math Preparation Scholarships and is funded by a National Science Foundation grant. It is unrelated to the national Stamps Scholars program run by the Stamps Family Charitable Foundation. Details are in Hidden Gems.
What should my student prepare?
A 500-word essay and a detailed resume, both submitted through the Global Honors application. The essay prompt is unusual and specific: imagine being interviewed in 2058 as a leader in your field, and explain how Global Honors shaped you. That is not a prompt you write the night before. Our Essay Toolkit and Brag Sheet Builder are built for exactly this.
Here is the pattern that costs UNCG families the most money. Several of the best awards on this page are invitation-only. Nobody can apply cold. UNCG screens the admission and FAFSA pool, then emails an invitation with instructions. Global Honors, the UNCG Guarantee, and STAMPS all work this way.
Which means the only thing you control is making sure your student is in the pool early and that the invitation email gets read. Practically:
Get the UNCG application in by December 1, not January.
File the FAFSA. It gates Guarantee, STAMPS, Next NC, and the Chancellor and Spartan awards.
Check the student’s email and the UNCG Admissions Portal weekly from December through March. Invitations arrive there, and they have hard close dates.
Set a calendar alert for March 14 at 6:00 AM, which is when the Guarantee application closes. That is an unusual cutoff and it does not forgive.
Once enrolled, log into Scholarship Universe in January. The continuing-student application opens January 15 and this is where departmental and donor money lives.
Parent translation: at most schools you chase applications. At UNCG you position your student to be invited, then you watch the inbox like it owes you money.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These are the awards that do not show up in a campus tour. Some are need-based, some are major-specific, and several stack on top of merit. One of them, the Spartan Education Scholars Program, is worth up to $28,000 and is almost never mentioned outside the School of Education.
App Requiredgeographicneed basedpipeline
UNCG Guarantee
📅 Deadline: Mar 14 · 📢 Results: Decisions mid-April; students must reply by May 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Four-year cohort program for high-need North Carolina residents. Requires a separate application by invitation, opening Jan 2 and closing Mar 14 at 6:00 AM.
🏫 3.3+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
Built as a last-dollar package that fills remaining need after other aid, so it works alongside Pell, Next NC, and state grants rather than replacing them.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UNCG and file the FAFSA. Admitted students who meet every eligibility rule receive an email invitation to apply. The application opens Jan 2 and closes Mar 14 at 6:00 AM. Decisions go out mid-April and scholars must respond by May 1.
Selection criteria: Need, academic engagement
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
This is UNCG's flagship program for high-need North Carolina students, and it is a package rather than a single check. It builds a student's aid up toward the full cost of attendance, but UNCG states plainly that the package can include Federal Work-Study and up to $3,500 per year in subsidized loans. Call it a very strong last-dollar package, not a no-loan full ride. The eligibility rules are unusually specific and worth reading twice: North Carolina resident eligible to file the FAFSA, a Student Aid Index of exactly -1500 on the 2026-27 FAFSA, and a weighted high school GPA of at least 3.3 and no higher than 4.0. That upper bound is real, so a student with a 4.3 weighted GPA is out. Scholars must enroll full time all four years, attend in person on the main campus, and live on campus the first two years.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
High-need North Carolina students with a solid but not stratospheric weighted GPA, in the 3.3 to 4.0 band, who are ready to commit to a structured four-year cohort with retreats, workshops, and mentor meetings.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlygeographicpipeline
Spartan Education Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Varies by cycle; contact the School of Education ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$4,500–$9,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ North Carolina residents majoring in one of five education fields. Formerly the Teacher Education Fellows Program.
🏫 3.8+ GPA🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layers on top of Blue & Gold merit, Next NC, and need-based grants as a major-specific award.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the School of Education. Open to incoming first-year students, current UNCG students, and transfers in an eligible education major. Students must be admitted to Teacher Education by year three and to student teaching by year four.
Selection criteria: Review weighs academic record, commitment to teaching, and fit with the program's servant leadership focus.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
If your student is heading into teaching, this is the most valuable award on this page that nobody outside the School of Education talks about. Total support runs up to $28,000, paid on a rising schedule of $4,500 the first year, $5,500 the second, and $9,000 the third, funded by several named endowments. UNCG recommends a 3.80 weighted high school GPA and requires a 3.00 cumulative GPA after the first semester, with a 3.0 minimum to stay in the program. North Carolina residency is required. Because the money climbs in later years, a student who drifts out of the education major loses the largest installments.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
North Carolina students who already know they want to teach, particularly in special education, deaf education, or middle grades, and who will stick with the major and the program expectations for four years.
App Required
STAMPS 3.0 Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: By invitation; window varies by cycle ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$4,616/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
Awarded on top of a need-based package and sized to remaining need, up to the published annual maximum.
📄
How to Apply
You cannot apply cold. Admissions identifies eligible students from the admission and FAFSA pool and emails an invitation with instructions. Eligible students must plan to major in Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Computer Science, Geography, Mathematics and Statistics, or Physics and Astronomy, and must complete the STAMPS first-year experience course during year one.
Selection criteria: Program persistence, STEM
💡
Strategic Detail
Important name check: this is not the national Stamps Scholars program run by the Stamps Family Charitable Foundation. UNCG's STAMPS is an acronym for Science, Technology and Math Preparation Scholarships, funded by a National Science Foundation S-STEM grant, and UNCG is not a Stamps Family Foundation partner. The award is up to $4,616 per year based on demonstrated need. Scholars are assigned a faculty mentor and a peer mentor, take a first-year experience course built for the cohort, and get research site visits and a speaker series. Students must hold a 3.0 GPA overall and in the major, and must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Pell-eligible incoming first-year students and community college transfers heading into one of the six eligible science and math majors, with a 3.0 or better and a real interest in research.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Next NC Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Mar 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Combines the federal Pell Grant with state aid into one award and stacks with UNCG institutional scholarships and outside money.
💡
Strategic Detail
This is state money, not UNCG money, and it is the single easiest award on this page to collect because there is no application beyond the FAFSA. North Carolina students from a household with an adjusted gross income of $80,000 or less and a Student Aid Index of 7,500 or less are guaranteed at least $5,000 per year at any UNC System university. The $5,000 is a floor, not a cap, so families with greater need often see more. Two different priority dates apply: UNCG wants your FAFSA by Mar 1, and the statewide Next NC priority date for UNC System schools is Jun 1. File by Mar 1 and you have cleared both. Funding runs until the state pool is exhausted, so late filers can be turned away even when eligible. State grant eligibility caps out at ten full-time semesters for a four-year degree.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any North Carolina resident under the income and SAI thresholds who files the FAFSA on time. Eligibility is formula-driven, not competitive.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Undergraduate Research and Creativity Awards (URCA)
📅 Deadline: Cycle deadline varies; see URSCO funding page. Non-Renewable
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
📄
How to Apply
Students partner with a faculty mentor to submit a project proposal to URSCO for consideration; awards used for stipends, research costs, or travel.
Selection criteria: Project proposal, mentor support
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Up to $3,000/year for student stipends; faculty can receive additional support for project costs.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Undergraduates with the best project proposals and strong faculty mentorship.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Language & Literature Department Awards
📅 Deadline: Feb 15 (primary); may vary by award ✓ Renews
$500–$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Multiple awards available by language, merit, need, and community involvement.
📄
How to Apply
Departmental application or nomination for LLC (Languages, Literatures, and Cultures); some awards require faculty recommendation or portfolio.
Selection criteria: Departmental/merit/need
💡
Strategic Detail
Includes language-specific and general department awards. Outstanding major and engagement awards offered.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Majors in French, Spanish, and other languages who excel academically and/or demonstrate financial need.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Study Abroad Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Feb 15/Aug 1 Non-Renewable
$500–$2,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
📄
How to Apply
Apply for UNCG or affiliated study abroad, complete IPC/departmental/Endowment application.
Selection criteria: Application/essay strength
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Multiple awards; includes departmental and endowment travel grants.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Enrolled UGs with strong essays/proposals, academic standing, and program fit.
Full TuitionApp Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Army & Air Force ROTC
📅 Deadline: Jan–Mar ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
rotc national
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
📄
How to Apply
Apply for Army/Air Force ROTC via NC A&T/UNCG unit; meet national academic and fitness/service criteria.
Selection criteria: ROTC service eligibility
💡
Strategic Detail
National ROTC scholarships cover tuition and fees plus a monthly stipend and a book allowance. UNCG's Army ROTC runs through a partnership with NC A&T. UNCG's financial aid office classifies both Army and Air Force ROTC awards as outside scholarships, which means they are reported to the aid office and counted against the cost-of-attendance ceiling like any outside award. These carry a military service obligation, so they are a career decision before they are a money decision.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Academically strong, committed to service.
Data last verified Sep 12, 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 This If Your Student Wants to Teach
The Spartan Education Scholars Program is the most undervalued award on this page. Up to $28,000 total, paid on a rising schedule of roughly $4,500, then $5,500, then $9,000, for North Carolina residents in deaf education, elementary education, middle grades, special education, or dual elementary and special education. Because the biggest installments land in later years, it rewards students who stay the course. UNCG has been training North Carolina teachers since 1891, and this is where that history turns into money.
Two Programs, One Confusing Name
UNCG’s STAMPS is short for Science, Technology and Math Preparation Scholarships, funded by a National Science Foundation S-STEM grant. It is worth up to $4,616 a year based on need, for students in biology, chemistry and biochemistry, computer science, geography, mathematics and statistics, or physics and astronomy. It has nothing to do with the national Stamps Scholars program. UNCG is not a Stamps Family Charitable Foundation partner. If your student is chasing a national Stamps award, UNCG is not the school for it.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Which of these can my student actually apply for directly?
The Spartan Education Scholars Program, Undergraduate Research and Creativity Awards, departmental language awards, and study abroad scholarships all take direct applications. The UNCG Guarantee and STAMPS are invitation-only. Next NC requires nothing but the FAFSA.
Is the UNCG Guarantee really a full ride?
Not quite, and we would rather tell you than let you find out in April. UNCG states that the Guarantee package can include Federal Work-Study and up to $3,500 per year in subsidized loans. It builds a student’s aid toward the full cost of attendance, which makes it an exceptionally strong package, but it is not a no-loan award. Treat it as last-dollar support rather than a blank check.
My student has a 4.4 weighted GPA and real financial need. Do they qualify for the Guarantee?
No. The eligibility window is a weighted high school GPA of at least 3.3 and no higher than 4.0. The program is designed for high-need students in that band. A 4.4 falls outside it. Those students should be aiming at Global Honors instead, where the Sloan Endowed Scholarship covers full cost of attendance for Pell-eligible students.
How much is the Next NC Scholarship worth at UNCG?
At least $5,000 per year for North Carolina residents with a household adjusted gross income of $80,000 or less and a Student Aid Index of 7,500 or less. The $5,000 is a floor. Families with greater need often receive more. There is no application beyond the FAFSA.
Two different Next NC deadlines are floating around. Which one matters?
Both, sort of. UNCG’s own FAFSA priority date is March 1. The statewide Next NC priority date for UNC System schools is June 1. File by March 1 and you have cleared both. State funding runs until the pool is exhausted, so late filers can be denied even when technically eligible.
When do departmental awards open?
The continuing-student scholarship application opens January 15 in Scholarship Universe, with most donor awards closing March 1. This is a sophomore-through-senior game, so year one is about getting the grades and the faculty relationships that make these applications competitive.
Can a first-year student get the research award?
Technically the Undergraduate Research and Creativity Awards are open to all undergraduates, but they require a faculty mentor and a project proposal, which realistically means sophomore year at the earliest. Worth up to $3,000 and a genuinely strong resume line for graduate school.
Does my student have to be a U.S. citizen for STAMPS?
Yes, or a permanent resident. It is funded by a federal NSF grant, which carries that requirement.
Lloyd International Honors College at UNC Greensboro
If you read only one section of this page, read this one. Nearly all of the serious money at UNCG runs through the Lloyd International Honors College. The awards range from $20,000 total up to full cost of attendance, and the Global Honors application doubles as the scholarship application. There is no separate scholarship form to hunt down.
How Honors Eligibility Actually Works (This Surprises People)
Your student needs to meet just one of these three, not all of them:
1280 or higher SAT, math plus evidence-based reading and writing
26 or higher ACT composite
3.8 or higher weighted high school GPA
That third option matters enormously. A student with a strong transcript and no test scores at all qualifies. UNCG is test-optional, and scores are used to strengthen an application rather than to gate it.
⚠️ You Cannot Apply to Honors Directly
This is the mechanic that trips up the most families. Honors admission depends on UNCG admission first. Undergraduate Admissions reviews the transcript or verified test scores, and only students who clear the minimum receive an invitation link to the Global Honors application in their UNCG Admissions Portal. There is no public form. If your student is refreshing the Honors website looking for an application, they are looking in the wrong place. Get the UNCG application in early so the invitation arrives with time to spare before December 1.
The Global Honors Timeline (2026-2027 Cycle)
Date
What Happens
October 1
Global Honors application opens
December 1
Priority deadline. This is the scholarship gate. Apply after this and you are not considered for Honors scholarships.
By January 10
Scholarship candidates invited to interview
By January 31
Honors admission decisions for Dec 1 applicants
March 15
Regular deadline. Considered for the Honors cohort, not for scholarships.
April 1
Petition deadline for students who miss the minimum eligibility but believe they are a fit
May 1
Honors reply form due for a guaranteed spot
Honors College Scholarships & Fellowships
UNCG publishes eleven named incoming awards under the Honors Scholars Program, plus a set of smaller one-year donor awards for current Honors students. Recipients of the incoming awards are inducted into the Honors Scholars Program, which comes with mentoring and programming alongside the money. One application puts your student in the running for all of them.
Full RideApp Requiredneed basedpipeline
Sloan Endowed Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Interview invitations by Jan 10; Honors decisions by Jan 31 ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Ride
full cost of attendance
✔ Stackable
⚠ Highest award in the Honors Scholars Program. Requires Pell eligibility and a Global Honors application by Dec 1.
🏫 3.8+ GPA✎ ~26 ACT✎ ~1280 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
As a full cost-of-attendance award it effectively absorbs other institutional aid rather than stacking with it. Confirm the packaging in the award letter.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UNCG, then complete the Global Honors application once Admissions sends the invitation link. The Honors essay and resume double as the scholarship application. Top candidates are invited to a virtual interview.
Selection criteria: Review weighs academic excellence, leadership, service, and fit with the Honors mission, alongside Pell eligibility.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
This is the top of the mountain at UNCG. It covers the full cost of attendance and is reserved for Pell-eligible students, which makes it one of the strongest need-plus-merit combinations in the UNC System. Very few are awarded and there is no published count. Honors eligibility itself is the first gate: a student needs a 1280 SAT, a 26 ACT, or a 3.8 weighted GPA, any one of the three.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Pell-eligible students with outstanding academics, real leadership, and a clear match with the Honors mission, who get their Global Honors application in by Dec 1 and interview well.
Full TuitionApp Requiredgeographicpipeline
Barbara C. Carter and Hal Phillips, Jr Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Interview invitations by Jan 10; Honors decisions by Jan 31 ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
full tuition, fees, books and supplies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Covers full tuition, fees, books and supplies for an in-state student in math or the physical or biological sciences.
🏫 3.8+ GPA✎ ~26 ACT✎ ~1280 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Covers tuition, fees, books and supplies directly. Room and board are not included, so need-based aid and outside scholarships still matter.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UNCG, then complete the Global Honors application once Admissions sends the invitation link, by Dec 1 for scholarship consideration.
Selection criteria: Review weighs academic excellence in math and science alongside leadership, service, and Honors fit. Preference goes to students headed for secondary teaching.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
UNCG describes this one as covering full tuition, fees, books and supplies for a North Carolina resident, which makes it one of only a handful of true full-tuition awards on campus. It is aimed at students in mathematics or the physical or biological sciences inside the College of Arts and Sciences, with preference for those planning to teach at the secondary level. If you have a future high school chemistry or biology teacher in the house, this is the award to chase.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: In-state Honors admits in math, physics, chemistry, or biology, especially those with a stated plan to teach.
Full RideApp Requiredgeographicdemographic
Esther Koonce Lamy and Mary Rebecca Lamy Merit Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Interview invitations by Jan 10; Honors decisions by Jan 31 ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Ride
in-state tuition, fees, housing, meal plan and books
✔ Stackable
⚠ For North Carolina residents who identify as female, in fields other than nursing or education.
🏫 3.8+ GPA✎ ~26 ACT✎ ~1280 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Covers the full in-state direct cost, so it generally absorbs other institutional aid. Read the award letter before counting on additional UNCG money.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UNCG, then complete the Global Honors application by Dec 1 for scholarship consideration.
Selection criteria: Review weighs academic excellence, leadership, and Honors fit within the stated eligibility.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
This is functionally a full ride for an in-state student. UNCG lists it as covering in-state tuition and fees, housing, meal plan, and books. The eligibility is narrow: North Carolina residents who identify as female, studying something other than nursing or education. UNCG opened in 1891 as a college for women, and awards like this one are a direct line back to that history.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: In-state Honors admits who meet the stated eligibility and are heading into arts, sciences, business, or the social sciences.
App Required
Brad and Kim Hayes Annual Merit Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Interview invitations by Jan 10; Honors decisions by Jan 31 ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Requires a Global Honors application by the Dec 1 priority deadline.
🏫 3.8+ GPA✎ ~26 ACT✎ ~1280 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
A flat-dollar Honors award that generally layers with need-based grants, Next NC, and outside scholarships.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UNCG, then complete the Global Honors application by Dec 1 for scholarship consideration. Top candidates interview.
Selection criteria: Review weighs academic excellence, leadership, service, and Honors fit.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
At $40,000 total, or $5,000 per semester, this is the largest flat-dollar award in the Honors Scholars Program and it carries no major or residency restriction. For a North Carolina resident the $10,000 a year currently exceeds tuition and fees of $7,864 and spills over toward housing. For an out-of-state student it knocks roughly 40 percent off the $25,347 tuition bill, which makes it one of the few UNCG awards that genuinely moves the needle for a non-resident.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Strong Honors admits from anywhere, in any major. Because there are no restrictions, the applicant pool is the widest and the competition is the stiffest.
App Requiredgeographic
Katharine Smith Reynolds Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Interview invitations by Jan 10; Honors decisions by Jan 31 ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$8,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ For North Carolina residents. Requires a Global Honors application by Dec 1.
🏫 3.8+ GPA✎ ~26 ACT✎ ~1280 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layers with need-based grants and Next NC. The enrichment funds are separate pools tied to specific experiences.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UNCG, then complete the Global Honors application by Dec 1 for scholarship consideration. Top candidates interview.
Selection criteria: Review weighs academic excellence, leadership, service, and Honors fit.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
Published as a $37,000 total award for North Carolina residents, built from $4,000 per semester plus up to $2,500 for study abroad, $1,250 for an internship, and $1,250 for a community service project. The enrichment money is the part families overlook. At current rates the $8,000 a year covers a resident's full tuition and fees with room to spare, though that is a function of today's prices rather than a guarantee.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: In-state Honors admits with strong academics plus a track record of service and leadership, who intend to use the study abroad and internship funding.
App Requiredgeographicpipeline
Class of '55 Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Scholarship candidates invited to interview by Jan 10; Honors decisions by Jan 31 ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$8,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Requires a Global Honors application by the Dec 1 priority deadline. Applying after Dec 1 keeps you in the running for Honors admission but not for this scholarship.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is a high-value Honors award and may stack with other aid when allowed. Students must remain in good standing with the Honors College to keep it.
📄
How to Apply
Students apply to UNCG and to the Global Honors Program by the posted deadlines. Strong Honors applicants may be invited to complete Class of '55 scholarship materials as part of the Honors/Scholars process, including essays and an interview.
Selection criteria: Review focuses on academic excellence, leadership, community engagement, and fit with Honors.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
UNCG publishes this as a $35,750 total award, which works out to $4,000 per semester, or $8,000 a year, plus up to $2,500 for study abroad and $1,250 for an internship. At the 2026-27 in-state rate of $7,864 in tuition and fees, the annual amount currently covers a North Carolina resident's full tuition and fees with a little left over. That is a function of today's rates rather than a promise from UNCG, and the margin shrinks as tuition rises. For an out-of-state student at $25,347, it covers roughly a third.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is one of the strongest Honors scholarship opportunities at UNCG. It is most realistic for top Global Honors admits with excellent academics, leadership, community engagement, and a strong fit with the Honors program.
App Requiredpipeline
Sloan Memorial Scholarship in Science, Math, and Health
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Interview invitations by Jan 10; Honors decisions by Jan 31 ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$7,500/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ For students majoring in the natural sciences, health sciences, or mathematics. Requires a Global Honors application by Dec 1.
🏫 3.8+ GPA✎ ~26 ACT✎ ~1280 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
A flat-dollar Honors award that generally layers with need-based grants, Next NC, and departmental money.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UNCG, then complete the Global Honors application by Dec 1 for scholarship consideration.
Selection criteria: Review weighs academic strength in science, math, or health fields alongside leadership and Honors fit.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
A $30,000 total award paid at $3,750 per semester, for students in the natural sciences, health sciences, or mathematics. Separate from the Sloan Endowed Scholarship despite the shared name, and much easier to land because it is a dollar award rather than a full cost-of-attendance package. Pairs naturally with a pre-health or pre-med track.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Honors admits heading into biology, chemistry, math, kinesiology, nutrition, or another health science, with strong high school coursework in the sciences.
App Required
Board of Visitors Chancellor's Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Interview invitations by Jan 10; Honors decisions by Jan 31 ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$6,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Requires a Global Honors application by the Dec 1 priority deadline.
🏫 3.8+ GPA✎ ~26 ACT✎ ~1280 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
A flat-dollar Honors award that generally layers with need-based grants, Next NC, and outside scholarships.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UNCG, then complete the Global Honors application by Dec 1 for scholarship consideration.
Selection criteria: Review weighs academic excellence, leadership, service, and Honors fit.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
A $24,000 total award at $3,000 per semester, with no major or residency restriction. Named for the UNCG Board of Visitors. For a North Carolina resident the $6,000 a year covers most of tuition and fees.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Solid Honors admits in any major. Because it is unrestricted and mid-sized, it is one of the more realistic Honors Scholars targets.
App Required
Class of 1942 Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Interview invitations by Jan 10; Honors decisions by Jan 31 ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Requires a Global Honors application by the Dec 1 priority deadline.
🏫 3.8+ GPA✎ ~26 ACT✎ ~1280 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
A flat-dollar Honors award that generally layers with need-based grants, Next NC, and outside scholarships.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UNCG, then complete the Global Honors application by Dec 1 for scholarship consideration.
Selection criteria: Review weighs academic excellence, leadership, service, and Honors fit.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
A $20,000 total award at $2,500 per semester, funded by the UNCG Class of 1942 and open to any major. At $5,000 a year it covers roughly two thirds of in-state tuition and fees.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Honors admits in any major. One of several $20,000 alumni-funded awards, so a student is effectively in the running for all of them with one application.
App Required
Marion White Fisher, MD, Centennial Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Interview invitations by Jan 10; Honors decisions by Jan 31 ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Requires a Global Honors application by the Dec 1 priority deadline.
🏫 3.8+ GPA✎ ~26 ACT✎ ~1280 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
A flat-dollar Honors award that generally layers with need-based grants, Next NC, and outside scholarships.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UNCG, then complete the Global Honors application by Dec 1 for scholarship consideration.
Selection criteria: Review weighs academic excellence, leadership, service, and Honors fit.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
A $20,000 total award at $2,500 per semester, named for a UNCG alumna and physician and awarded through the Honors Scholars Program with no published major restriction.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Honors admits in any major, with the Honors essay and resume doing the heavy lifting.
App Requiredpipeline
Susan Morris Safran Merit Scholarship in Nursing
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 · 📢 Results: Interview invitations by Jan 10; Honors decisions by Jan 31 ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ For students majoring in nursing or the health sciences. Requires a Global Honors application by Dec 1.
🏫 3.8+ GPA✎ ~26 ACT✎ ~1280 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
A flat-dollar Honors award that generally layers with need-based grants, Next NC, and School of Nursing departmental money.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to UNCG, then complete the Global Honors application by Dec 1 for scholarship consideration.
Selection criteria: Review weighs academic strength in nursing or health sciences alongside leadership and Honors fit.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
A $20,000 total award at $2,500 per semester for nursing and health sciences students. Nursing is one of UNCG's signature programs, and this is the Honors-side money attached to it. Worth stacking against the nursing-preference donor awards further down this list, several of which a student can hold at the same time.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Honors admits heading into nursing or another health science, with strong science coursework and a clear clinical direction.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Betty McGowan Brady Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 · 📢 Results: By March 31 through Scholarship Universe and email ✓ Renews
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
This is a smaller Honors donor award and may generally stack with other aid, subject to UNCG packaging rules.
📄
How to Apply
Current Honors College students complete the Honors College General Application in Scholarship Universe by March 1. Students from Guilford County are the main audience, and nursing students receive preference.
Selection criteria: Review considers local residency, academic achievement, and Honors engagement.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Merit and need may be considered. Preference goes to nursing majors and residents of Guilford County.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: This is a narrow-fit award. The strongest match is a current Honors student from Guilford County, especially a nursing student, with good academics and visible engagement in the Honors College.
App Required⚠ Sophomore Only
Fran & Glenn Ross Honors Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 · 📢 Results: By March 31 through Scholarship Universe and email ✓ Renews
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 Sophomore
✚
Stacking & Combining
This smaller Honors donor award may generally stack with other aid, subject to UNCG packaging rules.
📄
How to Apply
Rising sophomore Honors students complete the Honors College General Application in Scholarship Universe by March 1. Selection is handled by an Honors committee.
Selection criteria: Review focuses on Honors academic merit and engagement.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
This is a current-student Honors award for rising sophomores. All majors may be considered.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is for rising sophomore Honors students who have already shown strong academics and active participation in the Honors College during their first year.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Joe M. & Jeannie D. Felts Endowed Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 · 📢 Results: By March 31 through Scholarship Universe and email ✓ Renews
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
This smaller Honors donor award may generally stack with other aid, subject to UNCG packaging rules.
📄
How to Apply
Current Honors students in visual or studio arts fields complete the Honors College General Application in Scholarship Universe by March 1. Selection is based on academic and creative achievement.
Selection criteria: Review focuses on arts-related academic and creative excellence within the Honors College.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Supports Honors students in visual and studio arts disciplines. Selection may include review of academic and creative work.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is for Honors students in art-related fields who can show strong academic work and creative promise. A strong portfolio or departmental record may matter if requested.
App Required
Lena Anne Gordan Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 · 📢 Results: By March 31 through Scholarship Universe and email ✓ Renews
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~3 winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Up to three awards may be made each year. This smaller donor scholarship may generally stack with other aid, subject to UNCG packaging rules.
📄
How to Apply
Incoming Honors students complete the Honors College General Application in Scholarship Universe by March 1. The award focuses on students interested in education, health and human sciences, or the arts.
Selection criteria: Review focuses on major alignment and academic achievement.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Up to three awards are made annually. The scholarship focuses on students in education, health and human sciences, or arts-related fields.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is for entering Honors students in education, health sciences, or the arts who have strong academics and a clear fit with one of the preferred academic areas.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Lichtin Family Honors Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 · 📢 Results: By March 31 through Scholarship Universe and email ✓ Renews
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~2 winners/yr🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
This smaller Honors donor award may generally stack with other aid, subject to UNCG packaging rules.
📄
How to Apply
Rising juniors and seniors in the Honors College complete the Honors College General Application in Scholarship Universe by March 1. Recipients are selected based on sustained academic excellence.
Selection criteria: Review focuses on junior/senior Honors academic merit and engagement.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Typically one award goes to a rising junior and one to a rising senior in the Honors College.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is for upper-division Honors students who have already proven themselves at UNCG. The strongest candidates are rising juniors or seniors with excellent academic records and continued Honors engagement.
App Required
Nancye Baker Bryan '66 Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 · 📢 Results: By March 31 through Scholarship Universe and email ✓ Renews
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
This smaller Honors donor award may generally stack with other aid, subject to UNCG packaging rules.
📄
How to Apply
First-year Honors students in the eligible majors complete the Honors College General Application in Scholarship Universe by March 1.
Selection criteria: Review focuses on major alignment and academic merit.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Supports Honors students in selected majors, including teaching majors in those disciplines.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is for first-year Honors students in political science, mathematics, chemistry, or biology, including students preparing to teach in those fields. Strong academic performance and major fit matter.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Nunn Family Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 · 📢 Results: By March 31 through Scholarship Universe and email ✓ Renews
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
This smaller Honors donor award may generally stack with other aid, subject to UNCG packaging rules.
📄
How to Apply
Honors students in nursing, mathematics, or fine arts complete the Honors College General Application in Scholarship Universe by March 1.
Selection criteria: Review focuses on major fit, academic merit, and Honors engagement.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Supports Honors students in nursing, mathematics, and fine arts.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is for Honors students in nursing, mathematics, or fine arts who have strong academic records and active Honors engagement.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Scurry Family Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 · 📢 Results: By March 31 through Scholarship Universe and email ✓ Renews
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~3 winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Up to three awards may be made each year. This smaller Honors donor award may generally stack with other aid, subject to UNCG packaging rules.
📄
How to Apply
Honors students in biology, psychology, or nursing complete the Honors College General Application in Scholarship Universe by March 1. Up to three awards may be made each year.
Selection criteria: Review focuses on science merit and Honors engagement.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
This scholarship focuses on Honors students in health and behavioral science fields.
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Who Actually Wins
This is for Honors students in biology, psychology, or nursing who show strong academic work in health, science, or behavioral science fields.
Data last verified Sep 12, 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.
*Award amounts come from UNCG’s published Honors Scholars Program scholarship listings. Availability and selection vary year to year with the applicant pool and endowment performance. UNCG does not publish how many of each award it makes annually.*
What the Application Requires
An essay, 500 words maximum. The prompt is specific and forward-looking: it is 2058 and your student is being interviewed as a leader in their field. How did Global Honors shape who they became? Double-spaced, with name and title, uploaded as a formatted document.
A detailed resume. Work and internships, extracurriculars, leadership roles, community service, awards. UNCG provides a table template, which tells you they want substance over design.
Letters of recommendation, optional. Up to two, submitted with the general UNCG application. The Honors scholarship committee can see them even though they are not required.
An interview, for scholarship finalists. Invitations go out by January 10.
Beyond Global Honors
There are two other Honors doors, and neither carries the big incoming scholarships:
Disciplinary Honors is for transfer students and current students with 40 or more credits.
Residential Colleges are open to all students regardless of GPA, and function as themed living-learning communities rather than an academic honors track.
UNCG Honors students are also actively pushed toward national awards including Rhodes, Fulbright, Goldwater, and Gilman, which is a real advantage of a smaller honors college where the advising staff knows your student by name.
Honors College — FAQs (UNC Greensboro)
Is Honors admission automatic if my student meets the numbers?
No. Meeting one of the three thresholds gets your student an invitation to apply. Admission is competitive from there, based on the essay, resume, and holistic review of leadership, service, and creative work.
What if my student misses the minimum eligibility?
UNCG runs a petition process. Email the Honors College by April 1 for fall consideration. Decisions go out by April 30. That is for admission to the program, not for scholarships.
Do Honors scholarships renew?
Yes, generally for four years, with a 3.30 GPA requirement and continued good standing in the Honors program. The four-year structure is why a $20,000 total award is meaningful rather than a one-time bonus.
Can an out-of-state student compete for these?
For several of them, yes. The Hayes Merit Scholarship, Board of Visitors Chancellor’s Scholarship, Class of 1942, Fisher Centennial, Safran Nursing, Sloan Memorial, and Sloan Endowed carry no residency restriction. The Carter-Phillips, Lamy, Reynolds, and Class of 1955 awards are built around North Carolina residents. For a non-resident family, the Hayes award at $10,000 a year is the one to target.
Which award is the largest?
The Sloan Endowed Scholarship, which covers full cost of attendance for Pell-eligible students. Next is the Barbara C. Carter and Hal Phillips, Jr Scholarship at full tuition, fees, books and supplies for an in-state student in math or the sciences, and the Lamy Merit Scholarship, which covers in-state tuition, fees, housing, meal plan and books. By flat dollar amount, the Hayes Merit Scholarship at $40,000 total is the biggest.
Do Honors students get anything besides money?
Priority course registration, access to the Residential Colleges, Honors-only programming and mentorship, and a travel grant toward a study abroad experience. The priority registration alone is worth real money if it means graduating on time.
Are Honors classes harder?
Different rather than heavier. Global Honors is built around interdisciplinary work, global learning, and cultural engagement, in smaller seminar settings. The workload is comparable, the discussion is deeper.
UNC Greensboro is not trying to be Chapel Hill, and that turns out to be the point. It opened in 1891 as one of the three original campuses of the University of North Carolina, founded specifically to give women access to a college education, and it carries the motto “Service” without much irony. Today it enrolls around 18,000 students, is one of the most ethnically diverse campuses in the UNC System, and gets consistently strong national marks for student success and economic mobility. That last part is the honest hook here. UNCG’s reputation is built on what happens to students who come in without a head start.
On research, be careful with what you read elsewhere. UNCG is currently classified R2, high research activity, with a publicly stated institutional goal of reaching R1 by 2030. Anyone telling you it is already an R1 research university is ahead of the facts.
Nationally Known Programs: Nursing and the health sciences. The School of Nursing has been named a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing, and UNCG’s graduate nursing and speech-language pathology programs rank among the strongest in North Carolina. For undergraduates this means clinical infrastructure, a dedicated Nursing and Instructional Building, and a clear pipeline into one of the most reliable job markets in the state.
Dance: Quietly UNCG’s most distinctive program. The dance department is nationally accredited and one of the older and better-regarded programs in the country. If your student dances seriously, UNCG belongs on the list right alongside conservatory options, and at a fraction of the price.
Music: Accredited through the doctoral level, with a full range of performance and music education degrees. Audition-based awards can layer on top of academic merit, so a strong musician should be talking to the school directly, not just to admissions.
Education: UNCG has been training North Carolina teachers for 135 years and it shows in the funding. The Spartan Education Scholars Program is worth up to $28,000 and sits in Section 5 above. This is the single best-funded undergraduate pathway at the school.
Bryan School of Business and Economics: Solid, accredited, with accounting, finance, marketing, and management pipelines into the Greensboro and Triad business community. Its part-time MBA ranks well within the UNC System.
Counseling and psychology: The graduate counseling programs rank near the national top ten in student counseling, which pulls strong faculty into undergraduate psychology classrooms and gives students a genuine research path.
Kinesiology and nutrition: Housed in the College of Health and Human Sciences, both with strong applied and clinical components. A natural pairing with the Sloan Memorial Scholarship and a common pre-health route.
Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering: A shared venture with NC A&T just down the road. Primarily graduate, but undergraduates in the sciences get access to research facilities that a school UNCG’s size would not normally have.
Greensboro itself deserves a mention. It is a real city of roughly 300,000, with several colleges within a few miles of each other, which means internships, part-time work, and a functioning transit system your student rides fare-free on their student ID. That is not glamorous. It is the kind of detail that makes a four-year budget work.
🔗 Official UNC Greensboro Links
Use UNCG’s own pages below to confirm deadlines, award terms, and costs. This matters more than usual at UNCG, where different official pages currently list different scholarship deadlines. When two pages disagree, call the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at 336.334.5702 and get the answer in writing.
UNCG’s FAFSA federal school code is 002976. Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships: 336.334.5702. Undergraduate Admissions: 336.334.5243.
✅ Wrapping It Up
UNC Greensboro is an affordability play, and a good one, but it does not work the way the big merit schools work. There is no scholarship grid to hit. Admission is close to a given at a 90 percent acceptance rate, and the real contest is for money that gets decided in early December by a committee reading a 500-word essay.
So the whole strategy collapses into a short list. Get the UNCG application submitted by December 1. File the FAFSA, even if you are certain you will not qualify, because at UNCG it doubles as a merit document. Watch your student’s email for the Global Honors invitation, because there is no other way in. If your family is a North Carolina resident under the income thresholds, the Next NC Scholarship is $5,000 a year for filling out a form you were filling out anyway.
Then look honestly at where your student fits. High stats and high need points toward Global Honors and the Sloan Endowed Scholarship. Solid stats with real need, and a weighted GPA between 3.3 and 4.0, points toward the UNCG Guarantee. A future teacher should be talking to the School of Education about the Spartan Education Scholars Program before they talk to anyone else. A dancer or a musician should be auditioning. An out-of-state family should treat the Hayes Merit Scholarship at $10,000 a year as the target, because nothing else on this campus moves a non-resident bill much.
The thing nobody puts in a brochure: a North Carolina resident with a locked tuition rate, Next NC money, and a mid-sized Honors award can walk out of UNCG with a nursing or education degree and very little debt. That is not a consolation prize. That is the whole point of a school founded to open a door.
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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I started CollegeReadyParent after going through the college affordability maze with my own daughter and realizing how much of the useful information is buried, paywalled, or written for admissions officers instead of parents. Everything here is free, with no lead generation and no gates. I verify every figure against the school’s own pages before it goes up, and when a college’s pages contradict each other, I say so.
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