State Grants & ProgramsFormula-based

Alaska Performance Scholarship

Offered by Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education · Free to apply

Award

$3,500-$7,000/yr depending on tier

renewable in later years

Deadline

June 30, 2027

deadlines recur around June each year

Estimated odds

Formula-based

allocated by formula

Application effort

~1.5 hrs

paperwork, not a competition

Alaska's merit award pays $3,500 to $7,000 a year toward a qualifying in-state college or career program, with the tier set by whichever is stronger, the student's GPA or the test score. The entry point is a 2.5 GPA or a 21 ACT, the middle tier takes a 3.0 or a 23, and the top tier takes a 3.5 or a 25, all on top of the state's required rigorous course sequence. The high school determines initial eligibility from the transcript, so confirm with the counselor that the courses on file match that sequence; private and homeschool students file an eligibility determination form with the state education department instead. Claiming the money each year means filing the FAFSA, or the state's alternate application if the college does not receive FAFSA data, by June 30. Up to eight full-time disbursements can be used within eight years of high school graduation.

How hard is the Alaska Performance Scholarship to win?

This is not a competition. Aid is allocated by a published formula, so meeting the criteria and filing on time is what determines whether the money arrives.

Estimated odds: qualifying students generally receive it
Paperwork: ~1.5 hrs to file

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

Fewer rivalsOpen only to Alaska residents
Fewer rivalsOpen to a single grade level only
Fewer rivalsRequires at least a 2.5 GPA
Fewer rivalsRequires a minimum test score

How Solyo estimates this: State programs that allocate by published formula are modelled on qualification and filing, not on competition, because there is no selection committee choosing between applicants. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Alaska Performance Scholarship?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

Must be a resident of Alaska
Open to high school seniors
GPA of 2.5 or higher (unweighted)
SAT score of 1060 or higher
ACT score of 21 or higher
Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)

Confirm these before applying

Must complete the state's required rigorous high school curriculum in addition to GPA or test benchmarks
FAFSA (or an alternative application for non-Title IV schools) must be filed by the annual priority deadline (June 30)

Good to know

Must graduate from an Alaska high school (public, private, or homeschool) and be an Alaska resident
Students qualify by GPA or by test score, whichever is better; both are not required
Qualifying solely with WorkKeys scores limits the student to the career and technical education (CTE) award, not degree programs
Must attend a qualifying Alaska institution; up to 8 full-time disbursements may be used within 8 years of high school graduation

What the application takes

No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is June 30, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around June 30 each year. Applications open when the FAFSA opens on October 1. Verify early in senior year that the transcript meets the curriculum rule; June 30 governs only the FAFSA step.

FAFSA opens: October 1, 2026
High school confirms curriculum and GPA: Senior year
FAFSA or alternate application due: June 30, 2027

Apply on the official site →Free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge a fee.

Does your student actually qualify?

See if your student qualifies in 30 seconds. Solyo checks 20+ criteria against their real profile: GPA, state, grade level, intended major, and more, across every award in this directory at once.

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Common questions about the Alaska Performance Scholarship

How much is the Alaska Performance Scholarship worth?

The Alaska Performance Scholarship awards $3,500-$7,000/yr depending on tier and is renewable in later years.

When is the Alaska Performance Scholarship deadline?

When do Alaska Performance Scholarship applications open?

Applications open when the FAFSA opens on October 1, and close June 30, 2027. Verify early in senior year that the transcript meets the curriculum rule; June 30 governs only the FAFSA step.

Who is eligible for the Alaska Performance Scholarship?

Key requirements: Must be a resident of Alaska; Open to high school seniors; GPA of 2.5 or higher (unweighted); SAT score of 1060 or higher. 2 more criteria are listed on this page.

Does the Alaska Performance Scholarship require an essay?

No essay is required. The application is light on requirements. Expect to spend about 1.5 hours on it.

How hard is it to win the Alaska Performance Scholarship?

This is not a competition. Aid is allocated by a published formula, so meeting the criteria and filing on time is what determines whether the money arrives. Solyo classifies this award as formula-based, meaning qualifying students generally receive it. Plan on about 1.5 hrs of paperwork.

Is the Alaska Performance Scholarship free to apply?

Yes. The Alaska Performance Scholarship is free to apply. Legitimate scholarships never charge an application fee, and Solyo verifies every listed award against its official page.

More state grants & programs

Lists this award appears on

Award details are curated by Solyo and verified against the official scholarship page. Deadlines and requirements can change between cycles, so always confirm on the provider's site before applying.