The scholarships offered depend on which campus you will attend. Please explore the opportunities at UW Bothell or UW Tacoma scholarships page.

The University of Washington-Seattle offers scholarships that cover a wide range of academic pursuits, musical and athletic talents as well as community service and research activities. Our scholarship programs are highly competitive as we have more talented students than we have scholarship funds. The best source of scholarship information for incoming freshmen is your own high school guidance office.

Office of Student Financial Aid

  • Academic Scholarships from the UW Office of Student Financial Aid are awarded to a limited number of undergraduate students who are legal residents of Washington state. Approximately 600 awards from privately donated funds are given each year to students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and financial need. The funds come from private gifts to the university by individuals, groups or companies and are typically renewable for a second year.
  • UW Undergraduate Academic Excellence Awards are awarded to approximately 100 incoming freshman students who are residents of Washington State. These awards are a partial tuition waiver, based on academic merit and financial need and may be renewed for a second year.

No advance application is required for these awards except for the FAFSA which must be filed by January 15. The FAFSA/WASFA priority filing date has been extended to February 28, 2024 due to changes to the FAFSA application for 2024-25. For more details, please see this announcement.  If you are considered for a scholarship, we may request additional information. If you are selected for an OSFA scholarship, it will be part of your financial aid offer as a University Scholarship-Seattle. The typical scholarship is $4,000 per year for two years.

Non-Resident Students

  • The Purple and Gold Scholarship is only for U.S. students (U.S. citizens, permanent residents, refugees and undocumented residents) who are not residents of Washington state and who will attend the UW Seattle campus. It assumes that recipients are not, nor will become, residents of the state of Washington during the next four academic years. Selection, by the Office of Admissions, is predominately academic, but also incorporates activities, achievements, leadership and socio-economic factors. The scholarship, which is not need-based, is renewable for four years as long as the recipient maintains good academic standing. See Purple and Gold Scholarships for more details.

All admitted U.S. non-resident applicants are automatically considered for the Purple and Gold Scholarship based on their admission application. No other application, including the FAFSA, is required. You will be notified by letter in mid-March from the Office of Admission if you are selected as a recipient.

Office of Merit Scholarships, Fellowships, & Awards

This office works with students who are currently enrolled at the University of Washington. Limited information is available for prospective incoming students. If you are planning to attend the UW, go to http://expd.uw.edu/scholarships/ for more information on these future resources.

Additional Scholarships and Resources

The University also offers scholarship programs awarded through the UW Honors Program, Washington NASA Space Grant and many of our academic departments for freshmen (including non-resident students). Some of these scholarships are not need-based and do not require filing the FAFSA. Please note that the UW Honors Program and the Washington NASA Space Grant Program also require an application to be admitted into the program. Please visit the following web sites for more information. If your academic department is not listed, please check with that department directly for scholarship information.

Other Useful Sources for Non-UW Scholarships

More Links for Finding Financial Assistance and Advice