The UW offers scholarships in everything from academic pursuits and research activities to community service and musical talents. You are considered for some scholarship programs automatically as part of your admission or financial aid applications, while others are available through departments once you are enrolled as a student.
The Office of Student Financial Aid
The Financial Aid Scholarship Services Office awards several hundred scholarships each year to undergraduates who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and financial need and who are residents of Washington state. To be eligible for consideration, students must be admitted to the UW for autumn quarter of the academic year and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) by the priority filing date of February 28, 2024. A separate application is not required, but some students will be asked to provide additional information later in the review process.
The UW does not provide financial aid or scholarships to undergraduate international students. Not sure if you’re an international student? Let us help.
Freshman scholarships
Presidential Scholar
The Presidential Scholarship is a $10,000 award given to selected Washington residents who show exceptional leadership, community engagement and promise. It is renewable for up to four years. Washington residents are considered automatically with their application to the UW.
Purple & Gold
The Purple & Gold Scholarship is awarded to U.S. students (U.S. citizens, permanent residents, refugees and undocumented residents) who are not residents of Washington state. Amounts vary by recipient, are given for four years and may be used only for the Seattle campus.
This scholarship is awarded with the following conditions:
- Recipients are not now, nor will they become, residents of the state of Washington or eligible for Washington resident tuition for the four-year duration of the award.
- Recipients will confirm their intention to enroll at the UW for autumn quarter by June 1 of the year they wish to enroll.
- Recipients will enroll as full-time students, defined as a minimum of 12 credits per quarter for three quarters of the academic year.
- The scholarship is renewable for four years as long as recipients maintain good academic standing.
- The scholarship may not be deferred.
Note: Students admitted to UW Academy are not eligible for the Purple & Gold Scholarship.
UW Diversity Scholarship
The UW Diversity Scholarship for Freshmen is privately supported by the generous contributions of many individuals, organizations and local businesses, including Costco and Boeing. It awards $10,000 per year for four years to high-achieving high-need students who are entering the UW as freshmen from communities that are traditionally underserved in education.
The following factors may be considered in the selection process:
- Academic record (curriculum, grades)
- Personal background and community service
- Financial need, as evidenced from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA)
- Residency in the state of Washington
- Part of an underserved group such as youth in foster care, historically underrepresented minority students, and students who are the first in their family to pursue a college degree.
To be considered, students are encouraged to file the FAFSA/WASFA as soon after October 1 as possible, but before January 15. Students whose admission applications indicate that they may meet the scholarship criteria will be reviewed automatically – no additional application is needed. Eligible students will be notified in late April or early May.
Army ROTC Tuition Scholarship
The Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Scholarship is a merit based scholarship offered to UW students who are eligible and desire to serve in the U.S. military as a commissioned officer.
The scholarship covers full tuition – resident or nonresident rate – and these additional benefits:
- $1,200 annual book stipend
- $420 monthly allowance during the school year
This scholarship is awarded with the following conditions:
- Recipients must be U.S. Citizens
- Between the ages of 17-30 years old
- Have high moral character
- Be medically qualified
- Enrolled as a full time student and in ROTC Military Science courses
- Pass a physical fitness test
- Be in good academic standing with a minimum 2.5 GPA to apply
- Accept an appointment as a commissioned officer upon graduation
There is no service obligation to apply for the scholarship. Contact the UW Department of Military Science for additional information — armyrotc@uw.edu.
UW Army ROTC Housing Scholarship
The Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Housing Scholarship is a merit based scholarship offered to UW students who are eligible and desire to serve in the U.S. military as a commissioned officer.
ROTC provides a $10,000 annual scholarship for housing and these additional benefits:
- $1,200 annual book stipend
- $420 monthly allowance during the school year.
This scholarship is awarded with the following conditions:
- Recipients must be U.S. Citizens
- Between the ages of 17-30 years old
- Have high moral character
- Be medically qualified
- Enrolled as a full time student and in ROTC Military Science courses
- Pass a physical fitness test
- Be in good academic standing with a minimum 2.5 GPA to apply
- Accept an appointment as a commissioned officer upon graduation
There is no service obligation to apply for the scholarship. Contact the UW Department of Military Science for additional information — armyrotc@uw.edu.
Transfer scholarships
Martin Family Foundation Scholarship programs
The Martin Family Foundation supports the Martin Achievement Scholarship and the Martin Family Foundation Honors Scholarship. Both are designed to enable exceptional students of Washington community colleges to complete their bachelor’s degrees on the UW’s Seattle campus. They fund students at different points in their community college careers and may be renewable each year for up to three years of undergraduate support.
Washington Space Grant Consortium
The Washington NASA Space Grant Community College Transfer Scholarships are awarded to promising community college students planning to transfer to the UW to continue their studies in engineering, math, science or technology. Students must be Washington state residents and citizens of the U.S. to be eligible to apply, and they may plan to enter the UW in autumn, winter or spring quarters. Applications are due in June for the following academic year.
Army ROTC Tuition Scholarship
The Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Scholarship is a merit based scholarship offered to UW students who are eligible and desire to serve in the U.S. military as a commissioned officer.
The scholarship covers full tuition – resident or nonresident rate – and these additional benefits:
- $1,200 annual book stipend
- $420 monthly allowance during the school year
This scholarship is awarded with the following conditions:
- Recipients must be U.S. Citizens
- Between the ages of 17-30 years old
- Have high moral character
- Be medically qualified
- Enrolled as a full time student and in ROTC Military Science courses
- Pass a physical fitness test
- Be in good academic standing with a minimum 2.5 GPA to apply
- Accept an appointment as a commissioned officer upon graduation
There is no service obligation to apply for the scholarship. Contact the UW Department of Military Science for additional information — armyrotc@uw.edu.
UW Army ROTC Housing Scholarship
The Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Housing Scholarship is a merit based scholarship offered to UW students who are eligible and desire to serve in the U.S. military as a commissioned officer.
ROTC provides a $10,000 annual scholarship for housing and these additional benefits:
- $1,200 annual book stipend
- $420 monthly allowance during the school year.
This scholarship is awarded with the following conditions:
- Recipients must be U.S. Citizens
- Between the ages of 17-30 years old
- Have high moral character
- Be medically qualified
- Enrolled as a full time student and in ROTC Military Science courses
- Pass a physical fitness test
- Be in good academic standing with a minimum 2.5 GPA to apply
- Accept an appointment as a commissioned officer upon graduation
There is no service obligation to apply for the scholarship. Contact the UW Department of Military Science for additional information — armyrotc@uw.edu.
Additional resources
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