The University of Alabama runs one of the few large automatic merit scholarship grids in the United States that pays the same amount to an international student as it does to an out-of-state American student. For the 2027 intake the top automatic award is US$28,000 a year, and the university states plainly that scholarship names and values are identical for out-of-state and international students.
There is no separate scholarship form. The awards sit inside the UA undergraduate application, so a student who applies with the required ACT or SAT score and a 3.50 GPA is assessed automatically. The deadline that matters for the summer and fall 2027 intake is 4 December 2026, when both the application and the official score report have to be in.
University of Alabama scholarships for international students at a glance
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | The University of Alabama (UA), Tuscaloosa – automatic merit awards for out-of-state and international first-time freshmen entering in 2027 |
| Last date to apply | 4 December 2026 for the summer/fall 2027 intake (application and official test score report both due). Spring 2027 closed on 2 November 2026. |
| Official website | scholarships.ua.edu – Out-of-State International Freshman Scholarships |
Alabama automatic merit scholarships 2027: ACT, SAT, GPA and value
Every award in the table below is an automatic scholarship. You do not write an essay or send a separate application for it; the admissions application is the scholarship application. The yearly value is per year of study.
| Crimson Legends: ACT 25-26 or SAT 1200-1250, GPA 3.50+ | US$6,000 a year |
| Capstone: ACT 27 or SAT 1260-1290, GPA 3.50+ | US$8,000 a year |
| Collegiate: ACT 28 or SAT 1300-1320, GPA 3.50+ | US$10,000 a year |
| Foundation in Excellence: ACT 29 or SAT 1330-1350, GPA 3.50+ | US$15,000 a year |
| UA Scholar: ACT 30-31 or SAT 1360-1410, GPA 3.50+ | US$24,000 a year |
| Presidential: ACT 32-36 or SAT 1420-1600, GPA 3.50+ | US$28,000 a year |
| Presidential Elite: ACT 36 or SAT 1600, GPA 4.0+ | Tuition plus housing and allowances |
The GPA bar is a 3.50 on the university’s own scale for every award from Crimson Legends up to Presidential, which is why the test score, not the GPA, is what separates one tier from the next.
What the Presidential Elite award actually includes
A student with a 4.0+ GPA and a 36 ACT or 1600 SAT is named a Presidential Elite Scholar and receives a package rather than a flat amount:
- The value of tuition for up to four years, or eight semesters, for degree-seeking undergraduate study and for graduate or law study.
- The first year of on-campus housing at the regular room rate, based on the assignment made by Housing and Residential Communities.
- A US$1,500 supplemental scholarship for each of four years.
- A one-time US$2,000 allowance for research or international study, available after you complete one year of study at UA.
That is the only tier in the grid where housing and a research allowance are added, so a 1600 SAT score is worth materially more than the US$28,000 Presidential award even though the two look close in the table.
Competitive scholarships open to international students
Students who want to be judged on more than a test score have a second route. These awards come from a holistic review of the admission application, and a student who does not submit a test score stays eligible for them:
- UA Competitive Admissions Scholarship – valued at US$6,000 up to the full tuition amount.
- UA Competitive Achievement Scholarship – covers tuition plus housing, and adds a US$1,000 a year supplemental scholarship. It recognises national distinction in the student’s intended professional or academic area.
- Academic Elite – awarded to eight students a year who are accepted into the Dr. Robert E. Witt University Fellows Program.
- National Merit Scholarships – for students recognised as National Merit Finalists or Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
- National Alumni Association scholarships – awarded separately by the UA National Alumni Association.
Test score rules that decide your award
Alabama is strict about how the score reaches the university, and this is the single most common reason an international applicant loses an automatic award:
- Only the official ACT composite score or official SAT total score sent by the testing agency is accepted for automatic scholarships.
- UA does not superscore. A composite built from two test dates is not used for scholarship purposes.
- If you self-report a score on the application, you still have to send the official report to be eligible for an automatic merit award.
- Students who submit no test score at all remain eligible for the competitive scholarships listed above.
The official requirements for each entry term sit on the admissions test score page, and the scholarship grid itself is published at scholarships.ua.edu/international.
How to apply for University of Alabama scholarships
- Submit the UA undergraduate admission application for the summer or fall 2027 term. There is no separate scholarship application: the admission application doubles as the scholarship application and considers you for every award you qualify for.
- Send the official ACT or SAT score report from the testing agency well before the deadline. Scores sent after 4 December 2026 are not used for the automatic awards.
- Make sure your high school transcript is on file, because the GPA is taken through the end of your junior year.
- If you are applying without a test score, submit the rest of the application carefully: the competitive awards are reviewed holistically on academics, honours, leadership, service and work experience.
- Watch the applicant portal for any request for extra documents and answer it, since an incomplete file can drop you out of the automatic review.
Important dates for Indian applicants
| Spring 2027 intake | Application and official score reports were due 2 November 2026 – closed |
| Summer/Fall 2027 priority deadline | 4 December 2026 – application and official score reports |
| Late applications | Considered for scholarships on a funds-available basis only |
| GPA considered | Through the end of junior year of high school |
Questions international students ask about UA scholarships
Yes. UA states that scholarship names and values for the automatic freshman merit awards are identical for out-of-state and international students, so an Indian student with a 1420 SAT and a 3.50 GPA is assessed for the same US$28,000 Presidential award as a student from another US state.
4 December 2026. Both the admission application and the official ACT or SAT score report have to reach the university by that date for the summer and fall 2027 intake. The spring 2027 deadline of 2 November 2026 has already closed.
No. The automatic merit scholarships are included in the UA undergraduate application and do not require an additional form. The competitive scholarships are also judged from the same admission application.
No. UA does not use superscores for scholarship purposes. Only an official ACT composite score or official SAT total score from a single test date, sent by the testing agency, is accepted.
You cannot receive an automatic merit scholarship without a test score, but you remain eligible for the competitive scholarships, which are reviewed holistically on academics, honours, leadership, service and work experience.
No. It is a scholarship towards the cost of attendance, not a full ride. Tuition, housing, food, insurance and travel are separate, and only the Presidential Elite tier adds first-year housing, a US$1,500 a year supplement and a one-time US$2,000 research allowance.
Official links
Related reading: University of Alabama out-of-state and international freshman scholarships
UA undergraduate admission application
UA admissions test score requirements
More options for studying in the United States are listed in our USA scholarships and study abroad scholarships sections, and the full list of overseas funding sits under international scholarships.
Related scholarship posts: Iowa State University international scholarships, Boston University scholarships for international students, University of Rochester financial aid for international students.