Undergraduate Scholarships & Awards
Merit Scholarships
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions awards merit scholarships to newly admitted freshmen and transfer students with noteworthy achievements. All accepted students are considered for these awards, so an application is not necessary.
See a list of scholarships offered to previous cohorts of incoming UAlbany freshmen and transfer students.
Competitive Awards
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions also offers competitive awards to incoming freshmen. Eligible students must apply for these awards to be considered.
Scholarships for Students without Permanent Legal Status
UAlbany has partnered with TheDream.US to offer additional scholarships to undergraduate students without permanent legal status who are eligible for in-state tuition.
TheDream.US scholarship is designated for tuition and fees. As such, other tuition-based awards, including most New York State grants and scholarships, will affect your award amount.
To learn more about the scholarship requirements and to apply, visit TheDream.US website.
Graduate Student Awards
For information on graduate student tuition scholarships, assistantships and fellowships, as well as funding programs that support our diversity, please visit the Graduate School's Funding Graduate Studies page.
University at Albany Foundation Scholarships
The University at Albany Foundation offers hundreds of endowed scholarships — many of which are administered by Student Financial Services. Please visit the University at Albany Foundation scholarship website for a full listing of the available scholarships.
Scholarships are awarded to new and continuing students based on academic excellence, financial need, leadership, service, talent and criteria required by the scholarship donor. Many scholarships are need-based and require students to also file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The 2025-2026 UAlbany Foundation Scholarship Application is now available. The application will close on June 1, 2025.
Students who are awarded a University at Albany Foundation scholarship will be notified that there is a change on their student financial record, and the scholarship funds will be automatically credited to their student account. A follow-up email will be sent late summer.
Recipients will be asked to send a thank you note or video to the donor(s) whose generosity made the scholarship possible. Recipients will also be invited to the annual Celebration of Scholarships dinner and/or a virtual gathering to meet their donor.
UAlbany Alumni Association Scholarships
Current UAlbany students are eligible to apply for UAlbany Alumni Association scholarships, several of which are offered each academic year. Please visit the Alumni Association website for more information.
The application deadline for 2023-2024 scholarships has passed.
UUP Awards
SUNY students are invited to apply for annual scholarships of $3,000 offered by United University Professions (UUP), the union that represents academic and professional faculty at the State University of New York.
The application deadline for 2023-2024 awards has passed.
Outside Scholarships
All scholarships — whether internal or external — that are used to pay your student account balance count as financial aid and may reduce the amount of other forms of financial aid you receive.
Therefore, students who receive scholarships from sources outside the University should notify the Student Financial Services as soon as possible. Otherwise, you may be overfunded and owe a repayment.
Scholarships from external sources can be paid out in a few ways:
- When a scholarship check is made payable to the University, we credit the funds to your student account as soon as we receive the check — regardless if the donor sends it directly to Student Financial Services or you drop it off in person.
- When a scholarship check is made payable to the student but sent to the University, we send out a postcard asking you to come to the Student Financial Services center to sign the check so we can apply the amount to your account.
- When a scholarship check is made payable to the student and sent directly to the student, it is not credited as anticipated aid and you may use the money for any education-related expense.
Some scholarships are also taxable. To determine if your scholarship has tax implications, please visit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website or consult with your accountant.
Finding Scholarship Opportunities
We recommend students start by speaking to officials or advisors from your School, College or Department to see what scholarship opportunities are available. You can also speak with:
- your high school guidance counselor
- your or your parents’ employers
- organizations and professional associations related to your field of study
- private foundations, service organizations, religious groups and local businesses
You may also want to use the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation website or the U.S. Department of Labor's Scholarship Finder as resources.
As you look for outside scholarship opportunities, please be sure to familiarize yourself with common scholarship and other financial aid scams.
Outside scholarships and their websites are not related to, associated with or endorsed by the University at Albany. UAlbany cannot verify the accuracy of the contents of these website, which are provided as a convenience only:
Note: For information on financial aid for veterans and military-connected students, including the GI Bill and Military Tuition Assistance, please visit the Office of Veteran and Military Student Services website.