University of Nevada, Las Vegas Scholarships (2026–2027)
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Last Updated on October 9, 2026- Tuition, housing, and average family net price
- Automatic merit ranges and qualifier benchmarks
- Flagship and hidden-gem awards
- Honors and stacking strategy
📊 Admissions Snapshot
- Acceptance Rate: ~84%
- Middle 50% ACT: 18–24
- Middle 50% SAT: 1030–1240
- Average GPA: 3.4
Admission is straightforward. Your student qualifies with a 3.0 GPA in 13 core classes (4 English, 3 math, 3 social science, 3 science), or a 22 ACT or 1120 SAT, or a Nevada Advanced or College and Career Ready diploma. UNLV takes the Common App or its own application, the fee is $60, and there is no essay for general admission.
Here is the part that trips families up: the fall application deadline is June 1, but the scholarship deadline is November 15. Applying in the spring gets your student in the door. It does not get them the money.
Clark County seniors: CCSD students are pre-admitted through UNLV’s One Admit program and can claim their spot for free by November 1. That’s the easiest way to be “admitted” well before the scholarship deadline.
Comparing multiple schools? Try the Scholarship Tool to search by GPA, test scores, and state →
📌 University of Nevada, Las Vegas at a Glance
- November 15 is three deadlines in one. To be considered for UNLV’s own scholarships, your student has to be admitted, have the FAFSA filed, and have UNLV’s Institutional Aid Application filed, all by November 15. Missing any one of the three puts you behind the families who didn’t.
- The Institutional Aid Application is a separate form. It lives in UNLV’s Rebel Success Hub, not on the FAFSA. Plenty of families file the FAFSA and think they’re done.
- Test scores don’t drive the money. UNLV says scores are not required for admission or scholarship consideration. The only award where a score helps is WUE, and even there a 3.25 GPA works instead.
- UNLV doesn’t publish Signature or Opportunity amounts. You find out when the offer arrives. If your student’s residency status changes later, the amount can change too.
- AP and dual-enrollment credits count against the clock. Most UNLV awards renew only up to 135 attempted credits, and credits earned in high school count toward that cap.
- WUE comes with a housing string. First-year WUE students must live in a UNLV residence hall. Skip the dorm and the discount can go away.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. University of Nevada, Las Vegas is test-optional for admission, but scholarships can work differently (see the next question).
Do you need test scores for scholarships at University of Nevada, Las Vegas? UNLV does not need an ACT or SAT for scholarships; for the WUE discount, a 3.25 GPA works, or a 24 ACT or 1160 SAT.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 18–24; SAT: 1030–1240.
Average net price? About $11,553/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity? Yes. It participates in WUE.
UNLV Financial Aid & Scholarships: https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/scholarships
UNLV Financial Aid & Scholarships: https://nvigate.gov/programs/governor-guinn-millennium-scholarship/
UNLV Honors College: https://www.unlv.edu/honors/scholarships
UNLV College of Engineering: https://www.unlv.edu/engineering/prospective-undergrad
UNLV Rebel Edge Program: https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/rebeledge
UNLV WUE Scholarship: https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/scholarships/wue
CSUN Scholarships: https://www.unlv.edu/csun/scholarships
UNLV School of Music Scholarships: https://www.unlv.edu/music/admissions/scholarships
UNLV Office of Undergraduate Research: https://www.unlv.edu/our/funding
CollegeScorecard / Admissions: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
💰 Cost of Attendance at University of Nevada, Las Vegas: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest University of Nevada, Las Vegas 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 $500 to $1,200 more than the in-state total below. $900 to $2,200 more than the out-of-state total below.
| Tuition & mandatory fees | $11,231 |
| Housing & meals (typical) | $13,448 |
| Total billed cost | $24,679 |
| Tuition & mandatory fees | $31,420 |
| Housing & meals (typical) | $13,448 |
| Total billed cost | $44,868 |
That is $20,189 more per year than Nevada residents pay, before any waivers or scholarships.
Average federal net price: $11,553 per year. This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students only, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
Out-of-state families: this average does not include you. Run the college's own net price calculator for a number based on your situation.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE): Students from WUE states and territories (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the Pacific territories) can be offered WUE, which charges 150% of in-state tuition instead of the full nonresident rate. UNLV estimates the savings at about $15,500 a year for 2026-27 at 15 credits. There is no separate application. Awards are first-come, first-considered through July 1, and first-year WUE students must live in a UNLV residence hall.
Families outside the WUE region pay the full nonresident rate, but the UNLV Signature scholarship is open to out-of-state students, and the CSUN student government runs a Non-WUE Scholarship once your student is enrolled.
Most states announce next year’s tuition a few months ahead. Nevada’s Board of Regents publishes registration fees and nonresident tuition five years out under its Predictable Pricing Program. That doesn’t freeze the price; it still goes up every year. But you can see the increases before your student enrolls. For example, the nonresident tuition add-on is $20,189 for 2026-27 and is already set at $24,561.50 for 2029-30. That’s real numbers to budget with, not guesses.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at UNLV
Has UNLV already published 2027-28 costs?
Yes. UNLV is ahead of most schools here. For 2027-28, tuition and fees at 15 credits are $12,014 for Nevada residents and $33,851 for nonresidents. On-campus housing is $7,870 and food is $6,530. If your student starts in fall 2027, plan with those numbers rather than the 2026-27 figures in the table above.
What does a full year really cost if my student lives on campus?
UNLV’s 2026-27 estimate, including books, transportation, and personal costs, is about $30,683 for Nevada residents and $50,284 for nonresidents. The table above covers only what UNLV bills directly: tuition, fees, housing, and food.
Is the average net price really around $11,500?
Federal data puts it at about $11,553 a year for in-state freshmen who received grant or scholarship aid. Families under $30,000 in income paid less; families over $110,000 paid more. Nevada families under $68,000 who qualify for Rebel Edge can get tuition and fees fully covered.
Can out-of-state students get a lower rate?
If you live in a Western Undergraduate Exchange state, yes. WUE charges 150% of in-state tuition instead of the full nonresident rate, which UNLV estimates saves about $15,500 a year. It’s first-come, first-considered through July 1, so earlier is better. Families from outside the West pay the full rate, but the UNLV Signature scholarship is open to them.
If my student moves to Las Vegas, can they switch to in-state tuition later?
Not while they’re on WUE. A WUE student who wants to be reclassified as a Nevada resident has to drop WUE first and pay full nonresident tuition for at least 12 months. Run the math before going down that road.
Why do the tuition numbers include a $200 fee that only shows up once?
UNLV charges new undergraduates a one-time $200 new student fee, and its published first-year totals include it. Years two through four won’t have that charge.
https://www.unlv.edu/admissions/paying-for-college/costs
https://www.unlv.edu/admissions/paying-for-college/costs/nshe-predictable-pricing
https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/scholarships/wue
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=182281
📅 UNLV Scholarship Timeline (Simple Version)
- August 1: Honors College application opens.
- October 1: FAFSA and UNLV’s Institutional Aid Application open for the next school year.
- November 1: Clark County seniors claim their One Admit spot.
- November 15: The big one. Admitted, FAFSA filed, and Institutional Aid Application filed. Engineering’s first-year scholarship form and Honors scholarship priority share this date.
- May 1: National Merit Finalists must list UNLV as their first choice.
- July 1: WUE’s first-come consideration window closes.
Parent rule of thumb: if your student is even thinking about UNLV, get the application in and both aid forms filed before Thanksgiving.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at UNLV
Note: UNLV doesn’t publish dollar amounts for Signature or Opportunity. Amounts vary by student and residency, and you’ll see your number in the aid offer. Unlike schools that give you only the single biggest award, UNLV lists every one of these as stackable, up to the cost of attendance.
Automatic Merit FAQs (UNLV)
What exactly has to happen by November 15?
Three things: your student is fully admitted, the FAFSA is filed, and UNLV’s Institutional Aid Application is filed in the Rebel Success Hub. That combination puts your student in line for Signature, Opportunity, Rebel Edge, and the President’s Scholarship. You can still apply later, but UNLV says funding may be limited.
How much is the UNLV Signature scholarship?
UNLV doesn’t say. It’s an academic award offered at admission, and the amount varies with your student’s record and residency. In-state, out-of-state, and international students are all eligible.
What’s the difference between Signature and Opportunity?
Signature is based on academics. Opportunity is based on academics plus financial need. Your student can receive both, and because Opportunity depends on need, its amount can move from year to year with your FAFSA.
Who qualifies for Rebel Edge?
Nevada residents with a household adjusted gross income under $68,000 (parents’ AGI for dependent students) who are admitted and have both aid forms in by November 15. It covers tuition and fees for up to 15 credits after other grants and scholarships, plus $1,000 a year for books. Eligibility is rechecked every year, so a family that misses the line freshman year can qualify later.
Is Tuition+ a different program from Rebel Edge?
It’s the piece inside Rebel Edge that fills whatever tuition gap is left after Pell, Millennium, and UNLV scholarships. That means if your student wins a new scholarship, the Tuition+ amount can shrink. The $500-per-semester book money stays the same.
Does UNLV use test scores for scholarships?
No. UNLV says scores aren’t required for admission or scholarship consideration and are mainly used for class placement. The one exception is WUE, where a 24 ACT or 1160 SAT is an alternative to the 3.25 GPA.
Can out-of-state students get WUE?
Students from Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the Pacific territories can. Your student needs a 3.25 GPA or a qualifying test score, must start in the fall, and must live in a UNLV residence hall freshman year. UNLV’s two pages disagree on whether the GPA is weighted or unweighted, so confirm if you’re close to the line.
Does UNLV reward National Merit Finalists?
Yes. The President’s Scholarship pays $10,000 a year to Finalists who list UNLV as their first choice with National Merit by May 1 and meet the November 15 paperwork deadline.
What keeps these awards renewing?
A 2.0 cumulative GPA, 12 or more credits each fall and spring, a refiled FAFSA or Institutional Aid Application every year by the priority deadline, and staying under 135 attempted credits. AP and dual-enrollment credits count toward that cap.
https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/scholarships
https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/rebeledge
https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/scholarships/tuitionplus
https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/scholarships/wue
https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/deadlines
🏆 Flagship Scholarships (Competitive Scholarships)
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at UNLV?
| Aid Type | Stacks? | UNLV Parent Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Signature, Opportunity, President’s | Yes | UNLV lists every one as stackable. Your student can hold more than one at the same time. |
| Rebel Edge / Tuition+ | Fills the gap | Pays whatever tuition is left after other aid. A new scholarship can shrink the Tuition+ amount, but the $1,000 book money stays. |
| WUE | Yes | The discount lowers the bill, and Signature can still layer on top. |
| Millennium Scholarship (Nevada) | Yes | $80 per credit on top of everything else, up to $10,000 lifetime. |
| College, Honors, and CSUN awards | Usually | These are the gap fillers for housing and books. Always read the award letter. |
| Outside scholarships | Yes, with a cap | If total aid would exceed the cost of attendance, federal aid can be reduced. Checks are due to UNLV by July 1 for fall. |
If your student is hunting for an essay-and-interview full ride, UNLV isn’t the place for that. What UNLV offers instead is a low starting price, free tuition for Nevada families under $68,000, and a WUE discount for the West. The essay-based money that does exist lives inside individual colleges, the Honors College, and student government, which we cover in Hidden Gems below.
This institution does not offer designated Competitive scholarships at this time.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Does UNLV offer a full-ride scholarship?
Not a competitive one for the general applicant pool. The closest thing for Nevada families is Rebel Edge, which covers tuition and fees for households under $68,000 AGI. Army ROTC scholarships can also cover tuition, with a service commitment.
What’s the biggest merit award a high-stats student can get?
For National Merit Finalists who name UNLV first, the President’s Scholarship is $10,000 a year, and it stacks with Signature and state aid. For everyone else, UNLV’s academic award is Signature, and the amount isn’t published.
Where does a student apply for essay-based scholarships?
Through their college. Engineering has a first-year scholarship form due November 15, other colleges run their own cycles, and the CSUN student government offers about 20 scholarships each spring once your student is enrolled.
Do I have to choose between scholarships?
Generally no. UNLV marks its institutional awards as stackable. The ceiling is the cost of attendance, and the Tuition+ gap filler shrinks as other aid grows.
What should my student prepare for the scholarships that do need essays?
A short activities list, one solid personal story, and a teacher who will write a letter. Our Essay Toolkit and Brag Sheet Builder make that easy to reuse.
https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/scholarships
https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/scholarships/tuitionplus
https://www.unlv.edu/rotc/scholarships-and-contracting
Honors College at UNLV
The UNLV Honors College is a small community inside a big urban university. The main freshman program, University Honors, replaces UNLV’s regular general education classes with an Honors core curriculum that students take alongside any major. Your student has to apply to UNLV first, get an NSHE ID, and then submit a separate (free) Honors application.
- Automatic “VIP” admission: National Merit Semifinalists, valedictorians, and students with a 3.8+ unweighted GPA, once they submit the requested documents.
- 3.5 to 3.79 unweighted GPA: Full review with transcripts, test scores if available, two essays, a resume, and one letter of recommendation.
- Below 3.5: Possible, but Honors may ask for more, such as an interview.
- Application opens: August 1.
| Complete the Honors application | Hear back by |
|---|---|
| August 1 to November 15 | Mid-December |
| November 16 to February 15 | Mid-April |
| February 16 to May 15 | Mid-July |
Honors College Scholarships
Honors scholarships are donor-funded and limited. Amounts and renewal follow each donor’s criteria and can change from year to year.
- Research and Creative Honors: An undergraduate thesis track for juniors and seniors.
- Service-Learning Honors: Classes paired with community work, for students who have finished most general education.
- Transfers and current students: Can apply with a 3.5+ college GPA.
Honors College FAQs (UNLV)
Is Honors admission automatic?
For “VIP” applicants, nearly. National Merit Semifinalists, valedictorians, and students with a 3.8+ unweighted GPA are admitted once they submit the documents. Everyone else gets a holistic review.
Is there a separate application for Honors scholarships?
No. Accepted Honors students are considered automatically. The timing is what matters: being accepted by November 15 gets priority.
Does Honors cost extra?
The application is free. Honors courses replace general education classes your student would take anyway.
Should my student still file the FAFSA if we won’t qualify for need-based aid?
Yes. The Honors College specifically recommends it, because some donor scholarships consider need and a FAFSA on file widens the pool.
Can out-of-state students join Honors?
Yes. Honors welcomes students from anywhere, and Honors awards stack with WUE and the UNLV Signature scholarship.
https://www.unlv.edu/honors/admissions/universityhonors
https://www.unlv.edu/honors/scholarships
https://www.unlv.edu/honors/admissions
⭐ College Specialty
UNLV is a top-tier R1 research university sitting a few miles from the Las Vegas Strip, and that address shapes almost everything it’s known for. Students learn hospitality, business, entertainment, and health care in a city that runs on all four, so internships and part-time jobs in the field aren’t hard to find.
William F. Harrah College of Hospitality: QS ranked it the #1 hospitality and leisure management program in the U.S. for 2026 and #6 in the world, a top-U.S. spot it has held every year since QS started ranking the subject in 2022. If your student wants to run hotels, casinos, events, or restaurants, this is about as close to the industry as a classroom gets.
- Lee Business School: Accredited for both business and accounting by AACSB, a double stamp only a small share of business schools carry. Finance, marketing, and management are popular, and the Las Vegas economy gives students plenty of real companies to work with.
- Engineering and Computing: The Hughes College of Engineering covers mechanical, civil, electrical, and computer engineering, computer science, and cybersecurity. Its standout is Entertainment Engineering and Design, a degree built around the technology behind live shows and themed experiences.
- Nursing and Health Sciences: UNLV’s nursing graduates are among its highest earners right out of school, and the university has added a School of Medicine, public health, and dental programs, so pre-health students have a full pipeline on one campus.
- Fine and Performing Arts: One of the larger fine arts colleges in the country, with music, theatre, dance, and film students working in a city full of stages.
- A Campus That Looks Like America: UNLV is consistently ranked among the most diverse campuses in the country and is a Hispanic-Serving Institution, which matters for first-generation families looking for a place their student will feel at home.
🔗 Official UNLV Links
Use UNLV’s own pages below to double-check deadlines, scholarship rules, costs, and data. When anything on this page and an official page disagree, trust the official page.
-
First-Year Admissions:
https://www.unlv.edu/admissions/undergraduate/first-year -
Scholarships and Financial Aid:
https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/scholarships -
Financial Aid Priority Deadlines:
https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/deadlines -
Tuition and College Costs:
https://www.unlv.edu/admissions/paying-for-college/costs -
Net Price Calculator:
https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/checklist/before-price-calculator -
Rebel Edge Program:
https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/rebeledge -
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE):
https://www.unlv.edu/finaid/scholarships/wue -
Nevada Predictable Pricing (Future Tuition):
https://www.unlv.edu/admissions/paying-for-college/costs/nshe-predictable-pricing -
Honors College Application:
https://www.unlv.edu/honors/admissions/universityhonors -
Engineering Scholarships (First-Year):
https://www.unlv.edu/engineering/prospective-undergrad -
Common Data Set (Institutional Data):
https://it.unlv.edu/ir/key-metrics/common-data-set
✅ Wrapping It Up
UNLV plays a different game than most of the schools we cover. There’s no scholarship contest to win and no test score to chase. The money goes to families who get three things done by November 15: admission, the FAFSA, and UNLV’s own Institutional Aid Application. Do that, and the awards stack instead of competing with each other.
For Nevada families under $68,000, Rebel Edge can make tuition free. For Western families, WUE knocks about $15,500 a year off the out-of-state price, as long as your student lives on campus freshman year. And for everyone, the real extras are hiding in individual colleges, the School of Music, and student government. Add the #1 hospitality program in the country and a city that doubles as a giant internship, and UNLV can be one of the best values in the West for a student who stays on top of the calendar.
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. After the series, about once a month, sometimes twice during application season. No drip funnels, no affiliate pitches, and we never sell your information. Unsubscribe anytime.Your kid did everything right. That does not mean the money follows.
Leo Dimilo
Leo is the founder of CollegeReadyParent. He went through the college money maze with his own daughter and built this site to help middle-income and first-generation families find the aid they actually qualify for, in plain English. More about Leo →