Unlocking a University of Delaware Education: A Guide to Merit Scholarships

The University of Delaware (UD) strives to make education accessible. The university offers various grants and scholarships to students during the admission process. Final offers may differ per student based on their unique combination of academic credentials. At UD, they don’t want the sticker price to stand in the way of a great education. This article explores the merit-based scholarships available at the University of Delaware, outlining the qualifications, competitiveness, and potential coverage they offer.

Understanding Merit-Based Aid at UD

Merit scholarships are offered at the point of admission, and the admission application is the only form required for consideration of merit scholarships. The vast majority of funding the University offers is provided to first-time, full-time fall undergraduate admits at the point of admission. Once students accept the admission offer, they must meet the aid requirements to have it renewed in subsequent semesters/years.

The University of Delaware offers a number of scholarships and grants based on a student's financial need, as well as academic performance. Eligible students will see these reflected in the financial aid notice.

It's important to note that the chart represents typical merit scholarships at UD and is intended to indicate the range of merit scholarships potentially available at UD. Merit offers are based on an internal calculation that is not the same as high-school reported GPA. Amounts and criteria are subject to change.

Key Merit Scholarship Programs

Here's a breakdown of some notable merit-based scholarship programs at UD:

Delaware First Scholars Program

This program offers various scholarship opportunities for outstanding high school seniors who have distinguished themselves in the classroom and their communities. This merit-based program finds its applicants among the top 20% of applicants in terms of academic performance. The scholarships from this program can cover anywhere between $2,000 to full tuition.

Trustee Scholarship

The Trustee Scholarship is designed for out-of-state students who are ranked in the top 5% of their high school class and have a combined SAT Critical Reading and Math score of 1300 or above (or an ACT Composite score of 29 or above). The scholarship provides anywhere between $8,000 to $20,000 per year for up to four years, based on the student's financial need.

Distinguished Scholars Program - Engineering

This is another competitive scholarship program specifically for engineering students. A separate application process is required. Distinguished Scholar Awards are invitation only for select students admitted to the UD Honors College.

Departmental Scholarships

Various departments in the university also offer their own scholarships, with their own set of criteria.

Music and Marching Band Scholarships

Students who audition to be accepted as music majors are considered for music scholarships during their auditions. These scholarships are competitive and offered by recommendation after all auditions have been completed. In addition, students who participate in the Fightin’ Blue Hen Marching Band are eligible for a scholarship.

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Athletic Scholarships

The Department of Intercollegiate Athletics grants performance-based scholarships in all sports in compliance with NCAA Division I regulations and guidelines. Amounts vary.

ROTC Scholarships (Army and Air Force)

Two and three-year scholarships are available for enrolled and non-enrolled on-campus students in the Army ROTC program. The Air Force ROTC program also offers different types of scholarships.

Competitiveness and Coverage

Regarding the competitiveness, it varies across the different scholarships. The Delaware First Scholars program and the Trustee Scholarship are quite competitive due to the significant financial benefits they offer and the high academic standards required. Departmental scholarships' competitiveness would depend on the specifics of the department and the scholarship.

In terms of coverage, the scholarships can cover anywhere from a small portion of your tuition to full tuition.

Maintaining Eligibility and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Once students accept the admission offer, they must meet the aid requirements to have it renewed in subsequent semesters/years. Student Financial Services monitors the SAP process for UD and advises students on SAP policies and procedures. Student Financial Services reviews each student's academic record at the end of every spring term.

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A student must have a cumulative grade point average of a 'C' (a 2.0 grade point index) at the end of the second year of study (defined as 60 credit hours attempted). A student may be placed on probation or dismissed for academic deficiency when the index for any semester is less than 1.23 or the quality-point deficit is more than 12.99 points. For financial aid purposes, satisfactory grades are defined as A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, P, and S.

Undergraduate - First bachelor's degree must be completed within 6 years of full-time attendance or its equivalent, regardless of whether student has received financial aid. Graduate - Students must complete degrees within 5 years (10 semesters). During this 5-year period, students have 3 years of full-time attendance or its equivalent to complete required course work (does not include UNIV 868, 869, or 969). To meet the time limits defined above, all students must complete for credit 67% of total credit hours attempted. This completion rate is defined as the number of earned hours divided by the number of attempted hours, where earned hours are courses in which a student has received a grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-. D+, D, D-, P, and S.

Attempted hours include all satisfactory letter grades and unsatisfactory letter grades previously listed, including listener or audited classes, withdrawals and incompletes. Transfer credits are counted in both attempted hours and completed hours in this calculation. Repeated courses are also included in the calculation. If a class is repeated, all of the attempted hours are counted, but only the credit hours from the highest grade for the repeated course are counted as completed.

SFS reviews academic progress for all students at the end of the Spring Semester. Those students will be allowed one semester to meet SAP requirements and remain eligible for financial aid (unless otherwise specified in the Academic Recovery Plan). Students should contact SFS prior to the start of the following semester after grades have been posted to be considered for the following term. Students will be reviewed term-by-term until SAP requirements are met to ensure progress according to the Academic Recovery Plan. In addition to the Academic Recovery Plan, undergraduate students on probation are required to achieve a semester grade point average of 2.0 or above, not receive an "I" in any coursework, and receive a "P" in each Pass/Fail course. Students will be removed from SAP financial aid probation once successfully completing the Academic Recovery Plan.

Students who are placed on academic probation by their Schools or Colleges are also considered to be on financial aid probation under SAP. Students are expected to comply with the requirements of both the college or department and Student Financial Services. Students who do not meet the terms of financial aid probation are not eligible for aid in any subsequent semester. Complete a minimum of 12 credit hours or 8 credit hours for graduate students at the University of Delaware (or as specified in the Academic Recovery Plan) without the benefit of financial aid.

Students who feel SAP status and aid eligibility were affected by special circumstances can appeal through My SFS Docs with proper documentation of those circumstances (i.e,. Students who have experienced extenuating circumstances which impacted progress or financial aid eligibility may submit appeals to have eligibility reviewed. Demonstrating financial hardship or challenges impacting academic success does not guarantee additional funding will be made available. Student Financial Services will review appeals and notify students of the results. Review times may vary based on time of year the appeal is submitted.

Need-Based Aid: The First State Promise and FAFSA

A four-year education at the University of Delaware should be within the grasp of every Delawarean. First State Promise is offered to Delawareans entering UD as freshmen and is based on family income. Students with a family income of less than $35,000 receive a financial package that allows them to attend UD at little or no up-front cost.

Household size, as well as family assets in excess of $50,000, may affect eligibility for need-based grants. A family’s primary residence is not considered when evaluating a family’s assets. Students living at home may be eligible for need-based aid less than tuition due to lower cost of attendance.

In subsequent years, undergraduate students may be considered for endowed scholarship support in late June provided they have filed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (using UD's school code of 001431). The FAFSA is the only financial aid application required for students to be considered for University and federal need-based financial aid (grants and loans).

Traditional, University merit scholarships and need-based grant funding is offered only for first-time, full-time, fall undergraduate students. In order to be considered for need-based, institutional funds, students must file a FAFSA prior to the end of free drop/add on September 9, 2025.

Additional Financial Aid Options

Grants

Students may qualify for one or more federal, state, or institutional grants as part of their need-based financial aid. Grants do not require repayment. Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) funds are offered on a first-come basis to Pell eligible undergraduate students based on their overall financial need. Department of Education. Delaware provides grant information for Delaware resident students at delawarestudentsuccess.org.

Loans

Educational loans typically only apply to traditional terms (fall/spring). Alternative (private) educational loans are offered from a variety of lenders. The lenders are presented for informational purposes only. Lenders appearing on the list were chosen based on the lender's ability to receive electronic loan certifications, send Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), and fee structure. Most loans have zero fees for all borrowers. A few lenders may charge fees for borrowers with poorer credit and/or require that some payments be made while in school. New Jersey residents may be interested in taking advantage of the NJ Class loan.

External Scholarships

External (outside) scholarships are gifts that are offered by external businesses or entities. Outside scholarships are similar to grants as they do not generally need to be repaid or earned through work. Students can seek additional funding through external organizations that offer scholarships. These organizations may include local and national civic or business organizations.

Federal Work-Study Program

The Federal Work-study Program provides federal funding to subsidize wages, providing on- and near-campus employment opportunities to undergraduate students with financial need. Note that work-study funding displayed in a financial aid package represent potential earnings, not an amount to be disbursed with other aid to the student account. To search for and apply to UD work-study job postings, visit the Student Employment Office page.

Support for Students with Specific Circumstances

Recipients must submit a FAFSA annually and apply for all available financial aid and scholarships, including Inspire at UD, Chafee Education and Training Vouchers, and the Ivyane D. F. Yes, this waiver covers eligible costs in winter and summer sessions. Recipients must submit a FAFSA annually and apply for all available financial aid and scholarships, including Inspire at UD, Chafee Education and Training Vouchers, and the Ivyane D. F.

Important Considerations

FAFSA is Key: To be considered for many forms of aid, including need-based grants and endowed scholarships, filing the FAFSA is crucial.
Deadlines Matter: Pay close attention to deadlines for the FAFSA and any specific scholarship applications.
SAP Requirements: Understand and maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress to ensure continued eligibility for financial aid.
My SFS Docs: Registration with My SFS Docs is mandatory for UD students selected for verification and some other tasks necessary for finalizing financial aid.
Withdrawal Policy: The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 defines withdrawal as failure to complete the period of attendance on which federal aid eligibility was based. Note: With the approval of academic advising and the instructor, a student may change a registered course to audit rather than withdrawing. These courses will not appear on the student’s records.
Part-Time Enrollment: Current students enrolled less than full-time (12 earned credit hours) a semester will not be eligible for university-based aid unless they are a) seniors in their final fall or spring semester and b) have not already exceeded the 8 semester maximum term allotment.

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