Full Ride Scholarships: What They Are and How They Work

With the average cost of college reaching up to $58,600 at private nonprofit institutions in the 2022–23 school year, students and parents are looking for ways to reduce the cost of higher education. While most scholarships and grants can chip away at the total cost, there’s usually some left to be covered – unless you’ve earned a full ride scholarship. Full ride scholarships cover the cost of tuition and more, removing the difficulty from paying for an education. These scholarships are available to all types of students, too, and there are plenty of full ride opportunities available.

The term “full ride scholarship” gets tossed around a lot, but many people don’t know what it entails. To help clear things up, we’ve addressed some common questions students and parents have about full ride scholarships below.

A full ride scholarship is an award that covers all expenses related with college. This includes tuition, books, fees, room and board, and possibly even living costs. The goal is to remove any need for additional financial aid.

Anyone can be eligible for a full ride scholarship, depending on their background, skills and expertise. Most students earn full ride scholarships because of their academic history, athletic prowess, leadership or merit. But other types of these scholarships can be offered by schools for different reasons, and they can be offered by the school, state or federal government or by private organizations.

Not all schools offer full ride scholarships, but many do. Also, because some full ride scholarships come from different areas, students could end up studying at any institution without having to worry about the cost of education.

Full tuition scholarships usually only cover the cost of education, which includes tuition, book fees and other education fees. However, these scholarships likely don’t offer help with room and board, living costs or travel costs.

Yes, even if they’re transferring from a community or two-year college. Each school will have their own process for transfer students having the chance to land a full ride scholarship, so it’s best to check in with your school of choice.

Less than 1 percent of students get full ride scholarships, showing just how difficult it is to earn one. However, with the right background, proper planning and by knowing where to look, your chances of landing a full ride scholarship can increase.

Finding a full ride scholarship without any help can be difficult. Fortunately, there are experts who have plenty of experience connecting students to the right scholarship opportunities. Here are some tips from Veronica Schofield, an academic success coach:

We’ve covered what full ride scholarships are and how to find them. To let you know what some of the full ride scholarships available are, here are some specific examples.

Merit can mean different things, but generally a merit-based full ride scholarship requires excellence in academics, leadership or service. Some schools recognize merit by offering full ride and full tuition scholarships.

Available to students with exceptional academic credentials, most of the Trustee Scholarship recipients have a perfect 4.0 GPA in high school. Students who earn this scholarship also demonstrate creativity, experience and achievement. This scholarship is offered to about 20 students each year and is renewable for four years.

Deadline: Early December

Available to all incoming freshmen, the trustee scholarship is offered to ten students over four years. Included in the scholarship is full tuition and room and board. This scholarship is awarded based on academic accomplishment, which may include GPA, curriculum rigor, class standing, or test scores.

Deadline: No special application is required; all applicants for admission are automatically considered.

Named after the founder of the school, the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship offers full tuition as well as summer stipends for study abroad, research or service projects. This is awarded to students who show a combination of outstanding academic achievement with strong leadership and contributions outside the classroom.

Deadline: December 1

The Nancy Susan Reynolds Scholarship covers tuition and room and board, as well as offering $3,400 annually for personal expenses. Scholars can also apply for up to $5,000 each summer to support research, study, or travel projects between their first and senior years.This award is offered to students that take the hardest courses available and have among the best GPA and/or standardized test scores (if submitted) in the nation. Each year, up to five recipients are selected.

Deadline: December 1

The John B. Ervin Scholars Program combines intellectual, leadership and service achievement with Washington University’s commitment to diversity. This scholarship offers full-tuition with a $2,500 stipend or partial-tuition scholarships, and it is renewable each year.

Deadline: January 4

With the rising costs of college, financial need-based full ride scholarships are becoming more common. Some schools, like Harvard and Yale, even offer full ride scholarships to all students from low income households. For other schools, here are some financial need-based full ride scholarships:

Offered each year to an incoming first-year student as a merit- and need-based award, the Goizueta Foundation Scholarship has a four-year value of $272,000 – more than enough to cover tuition, room and board.

Deadline: January 30

Covering up to the cost of tuition, the Soka Opportunity Plan covers any additional costs of education after other grants and scholarships are taken into consideration. This scholarship is for students whose families make less than $90,000 per year and have never gone to college.

Deadline: Late March

First-year students that have demonstrated academic excellence, outstanding potential to be future leaders, and mastery of complex challenges are considered ideal candidates for the Alan and Jane Handler Scholarship. Given to students with high financial need, this scholarship provides complete financial support, including tuition, fees, room, board, and books, and includes up to $5,000 in guaranteed funding for academic or professional enrichment.

Deadline: December 1

Pell-eligible high school seniors from low-income households who plan to enroll full-time in four-year degree program are eligible for The Gates Scholarship. A 3.3 minimum cumulative weighted GPA is required, and applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. This award covers the full cost of attendance not already covered by other financial aid and the Student Aid Index.

Deadline: September 15

Top Arizona high-school seniors that plan to attend a public university in Arizona are eligible for the Flinn Scholarship. Valued at more than $135,000, the program covers tuition, fees, housing, and meals, as well as two study abroad experiences. Students must be Arizona high-school seniors, and about 20 top applicants are chosen each year.

Deadline: Late October

While the award varies from student to student, the goal of the College Scholarship Program is to cover a significant share of the student’s educational experience, providing as much as $55,000 per year. Applicants must have a 3.5 GPA or higher, and family income must be lower than $95,000.

Deadline: Late October

There is more than $1.8 million in awards offered through the Regeneron Science Talent Search, and the top award is $250,000 – more than enough to cover education. Applicants must compete in the Regeneron Science Talent Search to be eligible.

Deadline: Varies

A scholarship may be described as “full ride,” but that doesn’t always mean that every expense will be covered. Here are other costs you should consider even if you get a full ride scholarship:

Students don’t need to rely on a full ride scholarship to be able to afford a college education. There are other ways students pay for college, all of which can be easier than depending on the chance of a full ride. Here are some alternative ways students afford college: