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Edited By: Full-Tuition Scholarships
Key takeaways:
- Full-tuition scholarships cover the entire cost of tuition, which allows students to attend college without paying out of pocket for classes.
- Some full-tuition scholarships can only be used at one school, while others can be used at a select group of institutions. A select few scholarships can be used at any college or university.
- Full-tuition scholarships are highly competitive, so it’s a good idea to apply for other scholarships as well. Smaller awards can add up and make a significant dent in total college costs.
In 2023, the average cost of tuition for a 4-year institution was $17,709 per year. Even after adjusting for inflation, that’s a 42% increase since the start of the 21st century alone. Fortunately, many colleges and organizations offer full-tuition scholarships to help make higher education more affordable. These awards can play a major role in reducing debt and increasing student access to degrees.
The 25 Best Full-Tuition Scholarships with Approaching Deadlines in 2025
What are full-tuition scholarships?
Full-tuition scholarships are financial awards that cover 100% of college tuition costs. This means that you won’t have to pay for your classes, saving you tens of thousands of dollars over the course of your degree. These scholarships can come directly from a specific school or from private foundations, nonprofits, and corporations. While many of these scholarships are based solely on academic merit, others might consider financial need, leadership, community service, or a combination of these or other qualities.
It’s important to remember that full-tuition scholarships generally only cover tuition. Other costs, such as housing, meals, textbooks, and fees, are not usually included.
How to apply for full-tuition scholarships
When you create a free account on Scholarships.com and add your demographic information, you’ll receive a list of scholarships you’re eligible for. If you sort those scholarships from highest to lowest amount, all the full-tuition scholarships will be placed at the top of the page.
You can also look for scholarships greater than $50,000. While not all of these scholarships cover full tuition, you can sort them by award amount to see all of the full-tuition scholarships available.
Many full-tuition scholarships, especially those with need-based components, will require you to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Some scholarships may ask that you submit the FAFSA along with your scholarship application while others will only ask you to submit it later on in the process.
If you’re unsure if or when you need to complete the FAFSA for a given scholarship, contact the scholarship provider directly. Submitting the FAFSA doesn’t mean you have to take out federal student loans; it just means you’re making your financial information available to schools.
What are the best full-tuition scholarships?
The best scholarship for you will vary depending on your background, interests, academics, and the colleges you’re interested in. Generally, scholarships targeted to a smaller, more specific group, of which you’re also a part, will be easier to win as there will likely be fewer applicants.
Consider the interests and passions that make you unique when searching for full-tuition scholarships. While there may not be as many of these scholarships as smaller scholarships available, there are still enough full-tuition scholarships out there to make the search feel overwhelming, so narrowing down your options is a great way to begin.
This is another reason why creating an account on Scholarships.com is a good idea; it allows you to focus on a smaller amount of full-tuition scholarships tailored to you. This not only saves time when searching, but also ensures that you don’t miss out on any scholarships you’re eligible for.
For example, the WGA Evans Scholars Program is a full-tuition and housing scholarship for golf caddies with strong academics and financial need. While this scholarship does not apply to most students, it could be the perfect fit for student golf caddies looking to get their tuition and housing covered.
Other full-tuition scholarships are geared toward a specific area of study and type of university. The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program covers tuition as well as fees, books, and room and board for students pursuing degrees in agriculture, food sciences, or related fields at any 1890 Historically Black Land-Grant University.
Frequently asked questions about full-tuition scholarships
Full-tuition scholarships are highly competitive, so it’s a good idea to apply for smaller scholarships as well. Keep in mind that if you’re awarded a full-tuition scholarship, you may receive less institutional financial aid so you aren’t awarded more money than the school’s cost of attendance. Some institutions might also limit the amount of outside scholarship money that can be applied to expenses other than tuition, such as housing or books.
Despite this, applying to additional scholarships, especially if they cover costs not included in a typical full-tuition scholarship, is still worthwhile. Always check with your school’s financial aid office to find out how different combinations of scholarships will affect your overall funding.
The majority of full-tuition scholarships are awarded directly by colleges, and can only be applied if you choose to attend that specific institution. If you receive one of these school-specific scholarships but decide not to attend that school, you'll have to decline the scholarship.
One example is the Ohio State University Stamps Eminence Scholarship Program, which offers a full-tuition scholarship as well as an enrichment grant. However, it’s only available to students who enroll at Ohio State.
Other full-tuition scholarships are tied to a group of schools rather than just one. For example, the QuestBridge National College Match offers full-tuition awards that can be used at any of its 55 partner schools.
However, there are a few full-tuition scholarships that can be used at any accredited college or university. These scholarships are far less common and even more competitive than other types of full-tuition awards. For instance, The Coolidge Scholarship is a prestigious, merit-based award that covers tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years at any accredited U.S. institution.
In most cases, full-tuition scholarships are limited to undergraduate programs, and therefore can’t be used after you complete your bachelor's degree. However, there are some separate full-tuition scholarships you can apply for after you finish undergrad.
For example, the Johns Hopkins Tuition-Free Medical Scholarship covers the full cost of attendance for students admitted to the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine M.D. program. This includes tuition, living expenses, and other fees.
The vast majority of full-tuition scholarships are awarded to incoming freshmen. However, there are a few scholarships that offer these awards to current college students.
For example, while technically not a full-tuition scholarship, the Strive Foundation Stamps Scholarship may award scholarships of up to $90,000 per year for incoming college sophomores and juniors. This is often more than enough to cover all of a students’ tuition costs. However, this award is only offered at certain Stamps Scholar Partner Institutions, including Dartmouth College, the University of Chicago, the University of Georgia, and the University of Michigan.
Other awards are exclusively for students already in college. The Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is awarded to current community college students who plan to enroll in a bachelor program at a college or university the following year. Although the Cooke Scholarship isn’t technically considered a full-tuition scholarship, it provides up to $55,000 per year, which may well cover a student’s entire yearly tuition depending on their institution of attendance.
If you’re a current college or university student searching for full-tuition scholarships, you can create an account on Scholarships.com, go to your personalized scholarship matches, and then sort by highest-value scholarships. Any full-tuition scholarship for which you qualify will be listed there.
In general, full-tuition scholarships only cover the cost of tuition. This typically excludes expenses like housing, meals, textbooks, or personal costs. If a scholarship covers all or some of these additional expenses, it may be considered a full-ride scholarship.
Full-ride scholarships often include room and board, required fees, books, and sometimes even money for travel or personal use. For example, The Gates Scholarship is considered a full-ride scholarship because it provides funding for the full cost of attendance not covered by other financial aid. This includes fees, room, board, books, transportation, and other personal costs in addition to winners’ tuition.