Which colleges give an automatic award big enough to cover tuition?
A full-tuition award covers tuition and fees. It does not cover housing, food, books or travel, which at a public university usually run another $12,000 to $18,000 a year. Families who plan around the headline number are often surprised by that gap.
104 schools publish an automatic award that meets or exceeds their own in-state tuition. 12 of them cover out-of-state tuition too, which is a much harder bar and the one to look at if you are shopping across state lines.
Read the renewal terms before you count on four years of it. Most require a minimum college GPA, and some require a full course load every term.
| School | Largest award | Qualifies at | In-state tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
|
University of North Florida
Jacksonville, FL
|
$39,197/yr | 3.5 GPA · 24 ACT | $4,281 |
|
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL
|
$28,000/yr | 3.5 GPA · 25 ACT | $11,380 |
|
Ohio University-Main Campus
Athens, OH
|
$25,000/yr | — | $14,158 |
|
Post University
Waterbury, CT
|
$25,000/yr | 3.8 GPA | $15,616 |
|
University of Vermont
Burlington, VT
|
$25,000/yr | — | $16,280 |
|
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO
|
$22,500/yr | 3.2 GPA | $13,658 |
|
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Huntsville, AL
|
$22,000/yr | 3.0 GPA · 22 ACT | $10,374 |
|
Rust College
Holly Springs, MS
|
$21,254/yr | 3.4 GPA · 20 ACT | $11,385 |
|
University of Idaho
Moscow, ID
|
$20,588/yr | 3.0 GPA | $6,756 |
|
Miami University-Oxford
Oxford, OH
|
$20,000/yr | 4.3 GPA | $14,928 |
|
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
|
$20,000/yr | — | $4,477 |
|
University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD
|
$20,000/yr | — | $10,087 |
|
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN
|
$20,000/yr | — | $15,148 |
|
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Lincoln, NE
|
$20,000/yr | 24 ACT | $8,250 |
|
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus
Durham, NH
|
$20,000/yr | 4.0 GPA | $15,520 |
|
Rowan University
Glassboro, NJ
|
$19,000/yr | — | $11,812 |
|
Rutgers University-Camden
Camden, NJ
|
$19,000/yr | — | $14,222 |
|
Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA
|
$18,600/yr | 3.0 GPA | $7,231 |
|
Arkansas State University
Jonesboro, AR
|
$18,000/yr | 3.5 GPA · 28 ACT | $7,488 |
|
St. Mary's College of Maryland
St. Mary's City, MD
|
$18,000/yr | 3.0 GPA | $12,116 |
|
University of Michigan-Dearborn
Dearborn, MI
|
$18,000/yr | 3.0 GPA | $15,240 |
|
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS
|
$17,694/yr | 3.5 GPA | $10,243 |
|
Auburn University
Auburn, AL
|
$17,000/yr | 3.5 GPA · 33 ACT | $11,016 |
|
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR
|
$17,000/yr | — | $7,896 |
|
University of California-Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, CA
|
$17,000/yr | — | $13,146 |
|
University of Massachusetts-Boston
Boston, MA
|
$17,000/yr | 3.3 GPA | $15,278 |
|
University of Rhode Island
Kingston, RI
|
$17,000/yr | 3.2 GPA | $14,630 |
|
University at Albany
Albany, NY
|
$16,500/yr | 3.5 GPA | $7,070 |
|
University of Illinois-Chicago
Chicago, IL
|
$16,102/yr | — | $11,178 |
|
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO
|
$16,000/yr | 3.2 GPA | $10,610 |
|
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR
|
$16,000/yr | 3.0 GPA | $11,910 |
|
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY
|
$16,000/yr | — | $12,940 |
|
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI
|
$16,000/yr | — | $15,126 |
|
Boise State University
Boise, ID
|
$15,938/yr | 3.3 GPA | $6,119 |
|
University of Nevada-Reno
Reno, NV
|
$15,500/yr | 3.0 GPA · 22 ACT | $8,430 |
|
Florida Gulf Coast University
Fort Myers, FL
|
$15,000/yr | 3.5 GPA · 25 ACT | $4,191 |
|
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ
|
$15,000/yr | 3.5 GPA | $11,378 |
|
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus
Stillwater, OK
|
$15,000/yr | 3.0 GPA · 24 ACT | $5,417 |
|
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
|
$15,000/yr | — | $13,146 |
|
University of Colorado-Boulder
Boulder, CO
|
$15,000/yr | — | $13,744 |
|
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA
|
$15,000/yr | — | $9,286 |
|
University of Maryland-Baltimore County
Baltimore, MD
|
$15,000/yr | — | $9,423 |
|
Washington State University
Pullman, WA
|
$15,000/yr | 3.0 GPA | $11,305 |
|
Texas Southern University
Houston, TX
|
$14,000/yr | 3.0 GPA · 19 ACT | $6,941 |
|
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND
|
$14,000/yr | 3.7 GPA · 30 ACT | $9,237 |
|
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
|
$13,500/yr | — | $10,006 |
|
Wright State University-Main Campus
Dayton, OH
|
$13,500/yr | 3.2 GPA | $10,941 |
|
Angelo State University
San Angelo, TX
|
$13,000/yr | 3.5 GPA · 27 ACT | $4,495 |
|
The University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, TX
|
$13,000/yr | — | $9,206 |
|
Fort Lewis College
Durango, CO
|
$12,696/yr | 3.0 GPA | $7,776 |
|
University of Montevallo
Montevallo, AL
|
$12,480/yr | 3.0 GPA | $12,090 |
|
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Monroe, LA
|
$12,100/yr | 2.5 GPA · 21 ACT | $5,788 |
|
Arkansas Tech University
Russellville, AR
|
$12,000/yr | 3.8 GPA · 24 ACT | $5,995 |
|
East Central University
Ada, OK
|
$12,000/yr | 28 ACT | $6,300 |
|
Oregon State University-Cascades Campus
Bend, OR
|
$12,000/yr | 3.0 GPA | $11,910 |
|
Southern Oregon University
Ashland, OR
|
$12,000/yr | 4.0 GPA | $10,170 |
|
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, AL
|
$12,000/yr | 3.5 GPA · 30 ACT | $9,048 |
|
University of North Alabama
Florence, AL
|
$12,000/yr | 3.0 GPA · 30 ACT | $10,200 |
|
University of North Texas
Denton, TX
|
$12,000/yr | 3.5 GPA | $8,319 |
|
University of Texas-Austin
Austin, TX
|
$12,000/yr | — | $11,688 |
|
Prairie View A & M University
Prairie View, TX
|
$11,400/yr | 3.2 GPA · 24 ACT | $7,387 |
|
University of South Carolina Beaufort
Bluffton, SC
|
$11,046/yr | 3.0 GPA · 21 ACT | $10,344 |
|
Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, MA
|
$11,000/yr | 3.4 GPA | $910 |
|
University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME
|
$11,000/yr | 3.0 GPA | $8,568 |
|
SUNY College of Technology at Alfred
Alfred, NY
|
$10,950/yr | — | $7,070 |
|
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville, AL
|
$10,500/yr | 3.0 GPA · 29 ACT | $10,440 |
|
Texas A&M University-College Station
College Station, TX
|
$10,500/yr | — | $9,199 |
|
Indiana University-Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN
|
$10,000/yr | 3.8 GPA | $9,518 |
|
Massachusetts College of Art and Design
Boston, MA
|
$10,000/yr | — | $1,030 |
|
Morehead State University
Morehead, KY
|
$10,000/yr | 3.8 GPA · 28 ACT | $9,704 |
|
Murray State University
Murray, KY
|
$10,000/yr | 3.8 GPA · 33 ACT | $8,604 |
|
SUNY at Fredonia
Fredonia, NY
|
$10,000/yr | — | $7,070 |
|
SUNY College at Geneseo
Geneseo, NY
|
$10,000/yr | — | $7,070 |
|
Tennessee Technological University
Cookeville, TN
|
$10,000/yr | 3.8 GPA · 36 ACT | $9,990 |
|
Truman State University
Kirksville, MO
|
$10,000/yr | — | $9,500 |
|
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver, CO
|
$10,000/yr | — | $9,360 |
|
University of Illinois Springfield
Springfield, IL
|
$10,000/yr | — | $9,645 |
|
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, LA
|
$9,500/yr | 3.0 GPA · 31 ACT | $6,401 |
|
Colorado Mesa University
Grand Junction, CO
|
$9,000/yr | 3.0 GPA | $8,807 |
|
McNeese State University
Lake Charles, LA
|
$9,000/yr | 3.2 GPA · 24 ACT | $5,147 |
|
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX
|
$9,000/yr | 3.0 GPA · 34 ACT | $8,935 |
|
University of South Alabama
Mobile, AL
|
$9,000/yr | 3.0 GPA | $8,976 |
|
Northwest Missouri State University
Maryville, MO
|
$8,728/yr | 2.8 GPA | $6,713 |
|
Alabama A & M University
Normal, AL
|
$8,610/yr | — | $8,610 |
|
Tennessee State University
Nashville, TN
|
$8,500/yr | 3.8 GPA · 28 ACT | $7,368 |
|
Chadron State College
Chadron, NE
|
$8,000/yr | 3.8 GPA | $5,880 |
|
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Syracuse, NY
|
$8,000/yr | — | $7,070 |
|
SUNY Oneonta
Oneonta, NY
|
$8,000/yr | — | $7,070 |
|
Texas A&M University-Texarkana
Texarkana, TX
|
$8,000/yr | 3.8 GPA · 28 ACT | $6,209 |
|
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI
|
$8,000/yr | 3.5 GPA | $7,931 |
|
Virginia State University
Petersburg, VA
|
$8,000/yr | 3.0 GPA | $5,701 |
|
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
West Chester, PA
|
$8,000/yr | — | $7,716 |
|
Grambling State University
Grambling, LA
|
$7,683/yr | 3.0 GPA · 24 ACT | $5,140 |
|
State University of New York at Cortland
Cortland, NY
|
$7,500/yr | 2.0 GPA | $7,070 |
|
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee, FL
|
$6,000/yr | 3.0 GPA · 25 ACT | $3,152 |
|
Morgan State University
Baltimore, MD
|
$6,000/yr | — | $5,698 |
|
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
Fort Smith, AR
|
$6,000/yr | 4.0 GPA · 30 ACT | $4,752 |
|
New Mexico Highlands University
Las Vegas, NM
|
$5,700/yr | 3.0 GPA | $4,888 |
|
Fayetteville State University
Fayetteville, NC
|
$5,000/yr | 3.2 GPA | $1,000 |
|
Westfield State University
Westfield, MA
|
$5,000/yr | 2.5 GPA | $970 |
|
Worcester State University
Worcester, MA
|
$4,500/yr | 2.5 GPA | $970 |
|
Elizabeth City State University
Elizabeth City, NC
|
$3,000/yr | 2.5 GPA | $1,000 |
|
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC
|
$3,000/yr | — | $1,000 |
|
Fitchburg State University
Fitchburg, MA
|
$1,500/yr | 3.0 GPA | $970 |
Amounts are what each school publishes for incoming first-year students, and renewal usually depends on keeping a minimum GPA. Confirm figures with the school's financial aid office before you plan around them.