The college you envisioned can swiftly become the college from which you want to escape.
I found out the tough way that huge lecture halls at my sprawling state school weren’t a good fit. After I failed calculus twice during my freshman year, I chose to transfer to a smaller institution that better suited me — and it turned out to be one of the wisest moves I’ve made.
Yet between ensuring your credits will transfer and completing stacks of forms, switching colleges can be a tangled — and expensive — process.
Fortunately, numerous colleges provide scholarships aimed specifically at transfer students.
25 Scholarships for Transfer Students
Maybe your first year was fine. Maybe you’re a Savinly reader who attended a two-year college to save money — good on you! — and now you’re ready to finish your degree.
Whether you’re stepping up or stepping sideways, below are 25 scholarships for transfer students, for both in-state and out-of-state applicants.
Happy round-two college hunting!
Scholarships for In-State Residents
Most of the in-state transfer awards listed here are ideal for students moving from a local community college to a four-year university.
Keep in mind that many scholarships expect applicants to have strong GPAs — so hit the books!
1. Grand Valley State University
GVSU provides five separate scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $6,000 for transfer students.
Although many require transferring from a Michigan community college, certain urban high schools outside the region may qualify.
2. Salem State University
Salem State will cover your full tuition if you graduate from a Massachusetts community college with a 3.0 GPA and enroll as a full-time day student.
In-state tuition comes out to just over $9,000, so this is an excellent option.
3. University of Alabama
This school covers full tuition for five students each year who transfer from an Alabama community college.
They also award the Alabama’s Promise scholarship, up to $4,000 annually, aimed at incoming transfer students from low-income backgrounds in the Black Belt and Appalachian regions.
4. University of Central Florida
Near Orlando, UCF is rapidly growing into one of the nation’s largest universities.
For a Florida resident living off campus, tuition and fees are nearly $6,000 per semester — luckily, they offer a transfer scholarship to help.
Florida residents transferring with an associate degree can receive $500 per semester for four semesters, totaling $2,000.
5. University of Kentucky
UK has three distinct resident transfer scholarships, particularly for students coming from the Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS), which includes 16 technical and community colleges across the state.
One award covers the difference between KCTCS and UK tuition ($3,686), while another offers up to $4,000 annually.
6. University of Maryland
The University of Maryland provides full tuition coverage for students transferring from qualifying Maryland community colleges.
To be considered for the Transfer Academic Excellence Scholarship, applicants typically need a 3.5–4.0 GPA, an associate degree, two recommendation letters and an essay.
7. University of Massachusetts Boston
This campus provides two-year awards that cover full tuition and most fees to one graduate from each Massachusetts community college.
If you have at least a 3.5 GPA, are a Massachusetts resident and are finishing an associate degree, contact your community college’s president to be considered.
This scholarship isn’t open to students completing their associate degree in December.
8. University of South Florida
Based in sunny Tampa, the University of South Florida is close to the shore!
USF awards the Frank H. Spain and Betty E. Gillies Community College Transfer Scholarship, granting $5,000 to the top transfer student from each Florida community college. Applicants must have an associate degree.
Scholarships for Out-of-State Residents
Out-of-state tuition usually means a substantial boost in costs.
But the programs below can nearly eliminate tuition, slash it significantly, or even allow you to pay in-state rates — giving you more flexibility when choosing where to study.
(See a school you like that’s in your state? Many of these institutions also offer awards to in-state students, so click through!)
9. Florida International University
FIU seeks top achievers — to qualify for its transfer scholarship you must arrive in Miami with a 4.0 GPA.
Meet the criteria and FIU will cover 50% of your tuition and fees plus books.
10. Loyola University Chicago
Loyola, a Jesuit school in downtown Chicago, offers more than 80 undergraduate majors.
The university maintains six transfer scholarships ranging from $1,500 to $16,000. The primary requirement listed is transferring with at least 20 earned college credits.
11. Mississippi State University
MSU provides a broad selection of transfer scholarships for both resident and nonresident students.
Standout is the Community College Non-Resident Tuition Scholarship, which includes two generous award tiers — level one totals $25,000 over two years and level two offers $37,500 over three years for students meeting GPA and credit criteria.
12. Northern Illinois University
NIU provides three merit transfer scholarships based on different GPA brackets. With a 3.0 you can receive $1,000 per year for two years; with a 3.5, $2,000 per year for two years.
Also, if your parent attended NIU, you could get an additional $1,000.
13. Portland State University
PSU’s out-of-state transfer award can be up to $4,000, while full-time out-of-state tuition begins just under $7,000.
Note that PSU doesn’t always automatically evaluate applicants for scholarships during admissions, so be sure to submit any required supplemental forms.
14. Temple University
Temple sits a short distance from downtown Philadelphia and offers 464 degree programs.
Transfer students are automatically considered for scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 if their transferred coursework meets Temple’s standards and they hold a GPA of 3.30 or above.
15. Texas State University
If you’re a nonresident transfer who receives $1,000 or more in transfer scholarships at Texas State, you become eligible to pay in-state tuition — potentially saving around $12,000 per year!
16. University of Arkansas
If you transfer to UA from a bordering state (Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee or Texas), the university may pay 80%–90% of the gap between in-state and out-of-state tuition depending on GPA.
This could save you up to $12,000 annually including room and board.
17. University of Maryland, Baltimore County
UMBC, an honors-focused campus, provides several transfer scholarship opportunities, such as the Academic Achievement Award.
This award gives $1,250 per semester to students with at least a 3.5 transfer GPA who have completed 35+ credits at the time they apply.
18. University of Miami
The President’s Scholarship is aimed at transfer students with an exceptional academic record and a GPA of 3.75 or higher.
Award amounts range from $5,000 to $16,000, and all transfer applicants are automatically evaluated for it during the admissions process.
19. University of Michigan
Based in Ann Arbor, UM is a major Big Ten institution.
The university provides two scholarships for transfers from community colleges. The largest offers $5,000 per year to students engaged in honor societies, co-curriculars, volunteer work or who have overcome other challenges.
These awards are open to both in-state and out-of-state transfers.
20. University of New Mexico
UNM grants the Amigo Transfer Scholarship to out-of-state transfer students, valued at $15,337 per year plus a $200 yearly stipend. Both are renewable for four consecutive years.
To qualify, transfer in with a 3.5 GPA, or a 3.25 GPA plus 30 completed credits. To retain the award you must maintain a 3.0 and complete 15 new credits each semester.
21. University of North Texas
As noted on its site, UNT has been listed among America’s 100 Best College Buys for two decades. With about 35,000 students, it offers over 100 bachelor’s programs.
Its transfer scholarships vary by GPA and range from $1,000 to $3,000.
22. University of Tampa
This private university near downtown Tampa is known for its silver minarets that once belonged to The Plant Hotel, a historic structure now used for classes.
UT awards a transfer scholarship of $8,000 per year to transfer students with a 3.0 GPA or better. I can attest to this one — I transferred to UT and kept this scholarship for three years. Go Spartans!
23. Wayne State University
Wayne State, a research university in Detroit, provides more than 380 academic programs.
WSU offers the Anthony Wayne Scholarship for students transferring from out-of-state community colleges — it awards $9,000 per year for two years plus free on-campus housing. For out-of-state students taking 12 credits, semester tuition varies from $5,000 to $12,000 depending on state and year.
Transfer with a 3.3 GPA or higher and you could effectively earn a nearly free college education.
24. Wichita State University
Renewable awards of $2,000 and $3,000 are available to Wichita State transfer students. GPA criteria range from 3.25 to 4.0.
Uncommonly, Wichita offers scholarships for spring transfers as well, making students eligible for $1,000 that semester and then $2,000 thereafter.
25. Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship
If none of the colleges above appeal, consider this award, usable at more than 700 universities nationwide.
This honor society for community college students offers over$37 millionin transfer scholarships.
To qualify, you must be a Phi Theta Kappa member, a society typically offered to students with a 3.5+ GPA.
Contact your community college’s chapter to receive an invitation. After accepting online and paying the membership fee, you gain access to numerous benefits, including scholarship eligibility.
Where to Look for Scholarships
Overall, transferring should be an exciting, motivating milestone in your academic path. Don’t let the financial logistics dim that enthusiasm when scholarships are available to help.
Need extra ideas? Explore lists of 100 college scholarships and 100 more unusual college scholarships — many are applicable to transfer students. You can also see resources for college financial aid letters to support your aid appeals.
Your Turn: Did you transfer and receive any scholarships for it?
Jordan Ellis is a contributing writer at Savinly and a senior at The University of Tampa. They finally passed business calculus on the third attempt.
