Scholarships and Grants
Scholarships and Grants
Scholarships and grants are aid you don’t repay. Find what applies to you below.
AVL Scholars
Local Roots. Limitless Growth.
UNC Asheville gives Buncombe County residents a nationally distinctive liberal arts education, meaningful relationships with faculty, and the chance to build a future in the community they already call home.
Fall 2027 incoming first-year students
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3.3 GPA* merit scholarship Buncombe County, North Carolina residents Full tuition and fees guarantee $7,628 minimum savings** |
*Weighted high school GPA at the time of admission. **Valued as of the 2026-2027 academic year.
University Merit Award
University Merit Award is a comprehensive scholarship program for incoming fall first-time first-year applicants. You are automatically considered based on your application for admission, as long as you apply by the Regular Decision deadline.
The amount depends on your residency status and academic profile at the time of admission. It can change if you defer your enrollment to a future semester.
Renewal: The award renews for up to four years (eight semesters) or until graduation, whichever comes first. To keep it, you must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.50, stay enrolled full-time each semester, and have no break in enrollment.
Scholarships for current students
University scholarships are made possible by the generosity of UNC Asheville alumni and donors. Departments and programs manage theirs in collaboration with the Office of Financial Aid, and with very limited exceptions they are for students currently enrolled at UNC Asheville.
To be considered for any university scholarship, apply in the Scholarship Portal. The deadline for the 2026-27 academic year is March 22, 2026.
Department and program applications
These departments have one application in the portal, under the “My Applications” tab. It covers every scholarship the department offers.
- Art and Art History
- Atmospheric Sciences
- Biology
- Business
- Computer Science
- Drama
- Economics & Finance
- Education
- Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Health Sciences
- History
- Languages and Literatures
- Mass Communication
- Mathematics and Statistics
- Psychology
Single-scholarship programs
These offer one scholarship each, so you apply for it directly. Look under “Recommended” on the “Opportunities” tab in the portal.
- Physics and Astronomy: Keefe Scholarship
- Chemistry and Biochemistry: Bares Chemistry Scholarship
- New Media: Zoobi Scholarship
- University Honors Program: Woodward Scholarship
- University TRIO SSS Program: TRIO Scholarship
Scholarship Portal
Current undergraduates use the portal to find scholarships. Register and complete the General Application to see which ones you're eligible for.
- Have your UNC Asheville username and password ready.
- Log in to OnePort at oneport.unca.edu.
- In the blue column on the left, click “Financial Aid & Payments.”
- Click “Scholarship Portal.” You’ll be redirected to the scholarship portal.
- On the “Applicants and Administrators” tab, click the large blue button, “Sign in Using Your UNC Asheville Credentials.”
- Complete the registration process, then submit the General Application. Department and program applications may appear after you submit it.
Outside Scholarships
College for North Carolina (CFNC) lists scholarships for North Carolina residents at cfnc.org.
If you receive a scholarship from an outside source, tell us as soon as possible so we can update your awards. We add the amount as anticipated aid, adjust your financial aid package if needed, and apply the funds to your account when they arrive.
How to notify us
- Email finaid@unca.edu with the scholarship name, the amount for the academic year, and your student ID number.
- Or send a copy of your award notification with your student ID number.
How to send a check
- Ask the awarding organization to make the check payable only to UNC Asheville.
- Include your name and student ID number (930xxxxxx) with the check.
- Send it before August 1 for fall or December 1 for spring, so the funds are available on the first day of classes.
Office of Financial Aid
UNC Asheville
One University Heights
CPO #1330
Asheville, NC 28804-8502
Scholarship search resources
Scholarship scams to avoid
The College Scholarship Fraud Prevention Act of 2000 set strict sentencing guidelines for criminal financial aid fraud. Scammers often use these lines:
- The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.
- You can’t get the information anywhere else.
- They ask for a credit card or bank account number to “hold” the scholarship.
- They say they’ll do all the work.
- The scholarship costs some money.
- You’ve been selected by a “national foundation,” or you’re a “finalist” in a contest you never entered.
Learn more from the Federal Trade Commission’s guide to scholarship scams.
Grants
All grants are awarded on a first come, first serve basis. Students must have submitted a FAFSA and, if requested, additional documentation before they will be considered for a grant. Institutional grants are awarded while funding is available.
Find out if you can receive Federal Title IV Aid while enrolled in your current program.
| Annual maximum | Up to $7,395, based on enrollment intensity |
|---|---|
| Awarded by | U.S. Department of Education |
| Required forms | FAFSA |
| Need-based | Yes |
| Award criteria | Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress |
| Renewal | Complete the FAFSA each year and make Satisfactory Academic Progress (12 semester maximum) |
| Good to know | Federal grant for undergraduates seeking their first baccalaureate degree |
| Summer term | You may be eligible for Pell funding in the summer if you weren’t enrolled full-time the preceding fall and spring. If you plan to attend more than one summer session, register for all of them before your first session begins. Withdrawing from hours after aid is credited reduces Pell funding for later sessions and creates charges on your account. |
| Half-time enrollment | Undergraduates registered for 6 credit hours (half-time) who drop below half-time will have their loan aid cancelled, and must repay the institution if the loans have already disbursed. You must be enrolled in at least six credit hours to receive Federal Direct Loan funding at UNC Asheville. |
| Annual maximum | Up to $500 |
|---|---|
| Awarded by | UNC Asheville Office of Financial Aid |
| Required forms | FAFSA |
| Need-based | Yes |
| Award criteria | Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress |
| Minimum credit hours | 12 per term for disbursement |
| Renewal | Complete the FAFSA each year by the priority filing deadline of March 1 |
| Good to know | Federally funded grant for undergraduates with exceptional financial need |
| Annual maximum | Up to $4,000 per academic year. Lifetime maximums: $16,000 undergraduate and baccalaureate, $8,000 graduate. |
|---|---|
| Awarded by | UNC Asheville Office of Financial Aid |
| Required forms | FAFSA and TEACH Grant Institutional Application |
| Need-based | Yes |
| Award criteria | Cumulative 3.25 GPA each payment period, or a score above the 75th percentile on an admission test (SAT, ACT or GRE) |
| Minimum credit hours | Undergraduate: 12 for full grant, 9 for ¾, 6 for ½, fewer than 6 for ¼. Graduate: 9 for full grant, 5-8 for half. |
| Renewal | Complete the FAFSA each year and maintain at least a 3.25 GPA each payment period |
| Good to know | If the terms and conditions aren’t met, the grant converts to an unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loan, with interest accrued from the original disbursement date(s). Post-baccalaureate students pursuing a second degree or a teaching licensure program are not eligible; only first-time degree-seeking students are. |
| Annual maximum | Varies |
|---|---|
| Awarded by | NC State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA) |
| Required forms | FAFSA |
| Need-based | Yes |
| Award criteria | Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress |
| Minimum credit hours | 12 for full award, 9-11 for ¾, 6-8 for half |
| Renewal | Complete the FAFSA each year |
| Good to know | You must be a North Carolina resident for tuition purposes |
Ready for What's Next?
At the University of North Carolina Asheville, you’ll experience an unparalleled liberal arts and sciences education. Take the next step and apply to become a Bulldog!