Cost, Tuition and
Financial Aid

We believe a college education should provide lifelong benefits — not lifelong debt. From scholarships and grants to student loans, there are many ways to pay for college. We’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Cost

Last year, 81 percent of undergraduate students at UCF received some form of financial aid, and 57 percent graduated with no educational debt. Nationally, just 34 percent of students graduate debt-free. Kiplinger and Forbes consistently rank a UCF education among the nation’s best values.

Financial Aid

The combination of financial aid plus scholarship funds can have a profound impact on your future success in and after college. Whether you’re interested in learning about scholarships, loans or personal finance, The Office of Student Financial Assistance has all the information you need.

Residency for Tuition Purposes

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions makes initial residency determinations for new incoming undergraduate applicants. For specific information regarding the state of Florida requirements for residency determination for tuition purposes, please refer to the Florida Board of Governors website.

2024-25 Annual
Cost of Attendance*

Florida Residents

Non-Florida Residents

*Estimated cost of attendance for undergraduate students, Fall and Spring 2024–2025, based on 28 credit hours.

Merit Scholarships

Seek out and apply for scholarships during your senior year of high school or during the months before you transfer to UCF from another college. Since funds are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis to those who qualify, submitting a complete application for admission to UCF early will improve your chances of being considered for a merit award.

A2O, a scholarship application system, includes a comprehensive list of UCF scholarships available to students from individual colleges, departments and organizations. Complete a one-time application to be considered for more than 100 different scholarships.

Additional online scholarships can be found through search engines such as Fastweb.

Additionally, UCF offers a variety of merit-based scholarships to incoming FTIC (first-time-in-college) students that are distributed over four years and range from:

• $4,000 to $30,000 for Florida residents
• $30,000 to $42,000 for non-Florida residents

NOTE: The Scholarship Priority Deadline for FTIC students is November 1. FTIC students should submit a complete application for admission, including the application fee or waiver, SPARK Form and official SAT, ACT or CLT test scores by this date for priority scholarship consideration. Scholarship funding is limited. The Scholarship Committee reviews admitted FTIC students until all scholarship funding has been allocated. Scholarship funding for FTIC students is usually exhausted by mid-January for the incoming summer and fall classes.

Here are some awards we have available:

Freshman Pegasus Awards

If you’re applying as a high school student for the summer or fall semester, you will automatically be considered for a UCF Pegasus Scholarship or another admission award. The selection process is competitive, as fewer than 25 percent of our students receive an offer. If we offer you a scholarship, we will contact you by mail and through your application portal.

Please note that our merit scholarship review process is not concurrent with offers of admission.

Freshman Provost Award

One of our most prestigious scholarships, the Provost Award is offered to Florida residents with outstanding academic credentials. High school seniors applying as incoming freshmen for the summer or fall semester will be considered for this award. Awarded to less than 10 percent of the entering freshman class, this award also includes priority consideration for admission to The Burnett Honors College upon completion of the Honors application.

Please note that our merit scholarship review process is not concurrent with offers of admission.

National Merit Scholarship Program Awards

UCF is ranked among the top 30 colleges in the nation — 13th among public universities — and second in Florida for its number of enrolled National Merit Scholars. Our top-notch academic programs, competitive scholarship packages and exciting location attract some of the most talented and accomplished students from across the nation.

Students designated as a National Merit Scholar should contact the staff of The Scholars Program via email at scholarsprogram@ucf.edu or call 407-823-6179.

Transfer Scholarship Awards

Students who earn an Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree from a Florida public community or state college and transfer to begin initial enrollment at UCF in the Fall semester are eligible to apply for a UCF Transfer Scholarship.

• The deadline to apply for a 2024 Transfer Scholarship has passed.

The 2025 Transfer Scholarship Application will be available in February 2025. Qualified applicants can receive the UCF Transfer Scholarship only once. Dual enrollment students earning an A.A. degree and a high school diploma at the same time are not eligible for this scholarship, however they may be considered for a UCF freshman scholarship based upon their academic credentials. For more information on this award, please review the application procedures and eligibility or contact the Scholarship Coordinator at scholarships@ucf.edu.

All-Florida Academic Team Scholarship (AFAT)

UCF offers an AFAT award depending on a student’s designation as determined by the Florida Department of Education each year.

• For more information on this award, contact the Scholarship Coordinator at scholarships@ucf.edu.

Scholarship Tips

1. Get started early. The application cycle for many of these awards begins one year or more in advance of college enrollment.
2. Check deadlines and write down when notifications will be made. The Scholarship Priority Deadline for FTIC students is November 1.
3. Apply for scholarships and awards through the A20 Scholarship Listing.
4. Search for scholarships annually. Award availability may vary. Once you receive an award, find out if it’s renewable and follow the renewal guidelines.
5. Learn as much as you can about as many awards as possible.
6. Follow up. Keep copies of all correspondence.

Out-of-State and Other
Tuition Waivers

There are a number of waivers that the university offers that may apply to you. There are two waivers that the Office of Undergraduate Admissions administers: the Florida Grandparent Waiver and the Florida High School Graduate Out-of-State Tuition Waiver. Refer to the Forms Website to download these waivers and review requirements and instructions.

Please check with the Office of Student Financial Assistance for information on eligibility and requirements for other waivers. Information on other benefits is available through UCF Student Account Services or the UCF Office of Military and Veteran Student Success.

Please Note: Waivers awarded by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions may not be combined with other admissions merit-based scholarships.

UCF Colleges and Departmental Scholarships

Many colleges and departments offer scholarships specific to an area of specialization to students. Listed below are links to the various colleges on campus with scholarship listings.