Scholarship Opportunities

There are many scholarship opportunities at UMW!

Endowed UMW Foundation Scholarships and Awards (non-Departmental)

UMW Foundation Scholarships are based on endowment funds managed by the UMW Foundation. These scholarships are awarded through the Online Scholarship Manager. The application process for 2022-2023 opens February 1st and closes May 15th.  Students are encouraged to speak with their departments to determine their deadline dates for the application as these may differ from the May 15th global deadline.  Both academic merit and financial need may be factors in the selection process (based on the wishes of the scholarship donor). To receive consideration for need-based scholarships, you must file the FAFSA in addition to competing the scholarship application.

Departmental Scholarships and Awards

Most academic departments award a variety of scholarships each year. Each Department selects recipients from students that have declared majors in their specific discipline.  Scholarship opportunities for each academic department can be applied for through the UMW Online Scholarship Manager.

Merit Based Freshman and Transfer Student Scholarships

First- time freshmen and transfer students are automatically considered for select scholarships based on GPA/SAT/ACT scores. Scholarships are also available for incoming students that choose not to submit test scores. For more information regarding the selection process, please contact the Office of Admissions and visit the Admissions Merit Scholarships webpage.

Washington and Alvey Programs

These endowed scholarship programs equate to the cost of tuition, fees, room and board. Incoming freshmen may apply for these programs through the Office of Admissions.

Scholarships from non-UMW Sources

Students may apply for scholarship opportunities from non-UMW sources.  Please be careful when applying for scholarships online. Make sure the information and offers you receive are legitimate; and remember that you don’t have to pay to find scholarships or other financial aid. Students can find information on how to avoid scams through the Federal Student Aid Website.

These are scholarship sources from outside the University of Mary Washington:

The University of Mary Washington does not endorse any particular scholarship from the list above. 

Students may also find information about non-UMW scholarships through their high school guidance department, community service organizations, non-profit agencies, church/denomination, and employers.

If an outside scholarship is awarded to the student, the donor should be sure to indicate the student recipient’s name and student ID number when sending the award letter to the Office of Financial Aid.  Scholarship checks should be sent to the Office of the Cashiers.

Per the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Bylaw 15.2.3.5.1 it is not permissible for a student-athlete to receive financial aid, directly or indirectly, from a source outside the institution (e.g., a foreign government, a sports association, a high school booster club) for expenses related to attendance at a member institution, if the award of such financial aid is based in any degree upon the recipient’s athletics leadership, ability, participation or performance, except as permitted in Bylaw 15.2.3.5. Receipt of financial aid from such a source renders the student-athlete ineligible for all intercollegiate athletics participation. (Revised: 8/22/06, 4/30/09)

Scholarships for UMW Employee Children

Scholarships are available for UMW employee’s children.  In order to be eligible for this opportunity, students will want to submit the Online Scholarship Manager Application.  For any questions regarding these scholarship opportunities, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at (540) 654-2468 or finaid@umw.edu .

UMW General Scholarship

This need-based UMW Scholarship is awarded to students based on available funding each year. To be eligible, students must submit the FAFSA by the priority filing date each year.  Students are automatically considered based on their amount of financial need, as determined by the FAFSA. The General Scholarship may be funded by UMW or by endowed Scholarships. Because of this, students may notice that their General Scholarship has been reduced if they have been awarded an endowed foundation scholarship.