Merit Scholarships at UVA

So I'm really excited about applying to UVA, but I'm a bit concerned about the cost. I was wondering if UVA offers a good amount of merit scholarships? If so, how do I apply for them?

UVA offers a number of merit scholarships, however, keep in mind that the competition for these scholarships can be quite high due to UVA's reputation and large applicant pool.

One of the main merit scholarships at UVA is the Jefferson Scholars Foundation Scholarship, which awards full tuition, fees, and a living stipend for four years. This scholarship, however, isn't one that you directly apply for. Instead, you're nominated by your school's nominations committee, so you would have to impress them enough to get a nomination.

Another prestigious merit scholarship is the Rodman Scholars program, intended for top engineering students. If you're applying to the School of Engineering and excelled in academics, you might be considered for this scholarship.

In general, when you apply to UVA, you're automatically considered for many of the merit scholarships. Some, like the Jefferson Scholarship, require a separate process, or a nomination from your school.

You should still search for additional scholarship opportunities outside of UVA's offerings - there are many websites that serve as databases for scholarships, and you can filter by your qualifications and interests. They could help you lower the cost of your education even further, so it's definitely worth your time to investigate. Don't discount even smaller scholarships - every little bit helps, and smaller awards often have less competition.

Last but not least, don't forget to fill out the FAFSA to be considered for need-based financial aid. While your question was about merit scholarships, need-based aid plays a big role in college affordability too.

Finally, on a separate note, if you want tips on maximizing your chances of acceptance at UVA, so that you can take advantage of their excellent scholarship and financial aid opportunities, I'd check out this blog post from CollegeVine, which breaks down how to tackle their school-specific supplemental essays: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-university-of-virginia-essays/

Remember, every scholarship counts towards making your education more affordable, so don't hesitate to apply to as many as you can. Good luck!