Aid Basics

Financial aid is any loan, part-time employment, grant, or scholarship offered for the express purpose of helping a student pay educationally related expenses. Such aid is usually provided by federal, state, institutional, or private agencies. If you qualify, you may be offered combinations of these types of aid, depending on your financial need and the funds available. Scholarships may also depend upon achievement. 

Financial Aid that is available at UF

Scholarships:

Hundreds of scholarships are available for UF students. Some are need-based; others are not. Sources include SFA, the UF Admissions Office, UF colleges and departments, the State of Florida, and private donors and organizations.

Grants:

Loans:

Work Programs:

Federal Work-Study, Other Personnel Services, Off-Campus Jobs, and Co-op Education.

Scholarships for Undergraduates 

Detailed information about all scholarships available to UF students can be found on the UF Scholarship Central web page hosted by Student Financial Affairs.  

Merit Scholar Finalists:To qualify, students must take the PSAT/NMSQT during their junior year of high school. Recipients must be National Merit finalists who name UF their college of first choice with the National Merit Corporation.Please contact the Office of Admissions at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 352-392-1365.

Lombardi Scholars Program:
The Lombardi Scholarship recognizes outstanding students from Florida high schools who rank at the top of their class and demonstrate service to the community, extracurricular involvement, leadership and high moral character. The UF Honors Program can provide additional information if you email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Each Florida high school can nominate only one student for this award. Application information is available online and must be postmarked by February 1.

Wentworth Scholarships:
Wentworth Scholarships are awarded to outstanding students in their second semester at UF. To be invited to apply for this scholarship students must score at least 1410 on the SAT or have a composite score of 32 on the ACT. Final selection for the Wentworth Scholarship is based on performance during the fall semester of the freshman year. Students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours. Qualified students are sent a letter at the beginning of the spring semester inviting them to apply for the scholarship. Approximately 24 nominees with the highest UF grade point averages and the best essays will be selected to receive awards of $400.Contact the Honors Office at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 352-392-1888.

Florida Bright Futures Scholarship:
The Bright Futures Scholarship Program is administered by the Florida Department of Education and is available to graduates of Florida high schools. Application procedures, requirements and amounts are available from your high school guidance office or the Department of Education, 888-827-2004 toll free.

Community College Transfer Academic Scholarship:
UF will offer up to seventy $1,000 scholarships to the most qualified in-state community college transfer students admitted to UF each fall.

Southern Scholarship Foundation:
The Southern Scholarship Foundation supplies housing for academically gifted students who need financial assistance to attend college. Applicants must be Florida residents who are willing to work for their college education and who are willing to share the responsibilities of living cooperatively in a house with other students. The university now has two scholarship houses for men and four for women. Students should contact the Southern Scholarship Foundation, 850-222-3832.

Major-Specific Scholarships:
There are a number of scholarships available to students in their junior year of study. For specific information regarding these scholarships, contact the college in which you plan to major or UF Scholarship Central.

Athletic Scholarships:
Students or their high school coach should contact the appropriate UF coach. Students can call 352-375-4683 or write the University Athletic Association, P.O. Box 14485, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32604, for the names, addresses and phone numbers of UF coaches.

Music Scholarships:
For information on music scholarships, write to the Department of Music, 130 Music Building, P.O. Box 117900, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-7900, or call 352-392-0223.

Air Force, Army and Navy ROTC Scholarships:
The university offers scholarships in three military reserve programs. For ROTC scholarship information, please contact the Division of Military Science, Van Fleet Hall,
P.O. Box 118535, Gainesville, FL 32611-8535 (Air Force), 352-392-1355;
P.O. Box 118536, Gainesville, FL 32611-8536 (Army), 352-392-1395; or
P.O. Box 118537, Gainesville, FL 32611-8537 (Navy), 352-392-0974.  

Other Helpful Florida Financial Aid Websites: 

http://www.admissions.ufl.edu/annualcosts.html

http://www.questions.ufl.edu/financial-aid/

http://www.dso.ufl.edu/studentguide/campusresources/sfa.php

http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ssfad/bf/

http://www.honors.ufl.edu/lombardi/

For information on financial aid such as scholarships, loans, grants, or student employment, contact the office of Student Financial Affairs at P113 Peabody Hall.  The phone number is (352) 392-1275. 

General Online Financial Aid Resources:

http://www.finaid.org : This site will give you an idea of how much aid your child qualifies for.  The site also links to FastWeb, a large scholarship and grant database.

http://www.webwinder.com/calculators/calc_college.html : The college funding calculator at this site will help you determine how much money you need to invest monthly so you'll be able to pay for your child's college education by the time he/she's ready to start.  Plus, the calculator adjusts the future cost of attending college based on your own estimated rate of inflation.

http://www.collegesavings.org : To get information about the 529 Plan and other college savings plans as well as the websites of leading financial services companies that administer plans visit this site. 

http://www.savingforcollege.com : The "Plans By State" section at this site allows you to see what savings programs are sponsored by your state and to compare them in terms of fees, expenses, and tax benefits.  This is a good source of objective information about 529 plans and other ways to save and pay for higher education.