Scholarships

Merit and Need-Based Scholarships are available at UNCW. Multiple university departments award scholarships. In addition to the OSFA and academic departments, award authorities include the Office of Admissions, the Honors College, the UNCW Alumni Association and Centers within the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion.

For consideration of a need-based scholarship, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

To be considered for scholarships at UNCW, students must complete the scholarship application. Each year the application is open December 1 through the priority date of March 1. The application will remain open through June 1, primarily, for graduate student scholarships. You must be a newly admitted or current student to access this scholarship application. Available scholarships include both merit and need based scholarships, however the number of available awards varies from year to year.

Each short answer, essay prompt, etc. allows you to be considered for a variety of different scholarships. Entering freshmen who are selected to receive a scholarship award will be notified via email by April 1, have access to view it in SeaNet, and it will be reflected on the mailed financial aid award. Returning student recipients and graduate students will be able to view their award in SeaNet by July 1.

To improve chances for consideration of need-based scholarships (and state/institutional grants), students should complete the FAFSA by February 1. (Please note: The 2024-2025 FAFSA is slated to open by December 31, 2023.)

UNCW's Office of Admissions offers a limited number of merit-based scholarships to entering freshmen, independent of the scholarship application. These decisions are made using the content of the application for admission. Outcomes will typically be communicated to recipients by January.

Meeting the minimum scholarship requirements does not guarantee that you will receive a scholarship award.

Students should pursue all scholarship opportunities, regardless of the award amount. A scholarship of $250 - $500 can help defray the cost of textbooks and other supplies. Inquire about local opportunities in your area, such as the following:

• school counselor for scholarships awarded by your high school,
• parent's place of employment, and
• local civic organizations, such as Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs.

Search Engines

Scholarship search engines enable free inquiries regarding available opportunities. The database will enable a broad search or one based upon your specific qualifications and situation and match you to scholarships for which you might be eligible.

Do not use your time and effort applying for a scholarship if it is a poor match. Also, be cautious of opportunities that require an application fee. Some frequently used search engines are listed here for your convenience.

• Chegg Scholarship Search
• College Foundation of North Carolina
• Fastweb

Please communicate to our office notice of outside scholarships you anticipate receiving. Include your UNCW student identification number on all information submitted. You may communicate the information by submitting the following:

• Outside Scholarship Notification Form,
• A copy of the award notification from the donor, or
• An e-mail that includes the name and amount of the scholarship.

Upon receiving the information, we will note the scholarship as anticipated funding and make any necessary adjustments to your financial aid package. Once the funds are received, they will be applied to your account. To ensure that the amount is applied to the fall and spring semester bills by the due date, please send the check prior to July 1 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring.

Scholarship awards become part of the total financial aid award package and may result in a reduction in other sources of financial aid. Financial aid award packages cannot exceed the Cost of Attendance.

Unless otherwise noted by the donor, the scholarship amount will be divided evenly between the fall and spring semesters. If you do not enroll at UNCW during the spring semester, the remaining scholarship money will be returned to the donor. We will not send the money to another institution.

In some instances, when a student withdraws (officially or unofficially) from the institution, a portion of the funds paid to the student may be reversed. Donors that wish to have the portion of the scholarship returned if a student withdraws before the end of the semester should include those instructions/guidance in the documentation that accompanies the scholarship check.

If a student receives a scholarship from outside the university that requires an enrollment verification, the student may Request Enrollment Verification online.