Exploring UCF Pegasus Scholarship Requirements and Other Financial Aid Opportunities

The University of Central Florida (UCF) offers a multitude of scholarship opportunities designed to assist students in financing their education and achieving their academic aspirations. These scholarships cater to both incoming and current students, with awards based on a variety of criteria including academic achievement, financial need, leadership skills, and community involvement. In addition to UCF's own scholarships, students can also explore opportunities available through platforms like Bold.org, which offers a diverse range of scholarships. By combining these resources, students can significantly expand their access to financial aid and better realize their academic and career goals.

Navigating the Scholarship Landscape at UCF

UCF scholarships consider several factors for eligibility, reflecting the university's commitment to recognizing excellence in various forms. These factors include high school academic performance, ACT or SAT scores, application timing, and involvement in leadership and extracurricular activities. There aren't rigid guidelines; the process is dynamic and multifaceted.

Accessing UCF Scholarships Through A2O

Many of UCF's colleges and departments provide scholarships tailored to specific fields of study. These opportunities can be found in UCF's scholarship application system, known as Access 2 Opportunities (A2O), which lists UCF scholarships with varying award amounts.

Maximizing Scholarship Awards

Exploring available scholarship opportunities and applying early can significantly impact a student's ability to finance their education. A scholarship award can be a game-changer for college students.

External Scholarship Resources

In addition to UCF's internal scholarships, external resources like Bold.org can provide further financial assistance. Each Bold.org scholarship has its own eligibility criteria. Some scholarships may be open to all students, while others may target specific groups, such as women, minorities, or first-generation college students. By carefully reviewing the requirements for each scholarship, you can find the scholarships that best match your qualifications and interests.

Bold.org: A Gateway to Diverse Scholarships

Bold.org is a mission-driven platform designed to tackle student debt by connecting students and recent graduates with financial aid. The site features a scholarship search engine with excellent filtering features, allowing students to find scholarships tailored to their interests, majors, and career paths. There is no restriction on the number of Bold.org scholarships you can apply for on the platform, providing students endless opportunities to reduce their financial burden. Bold.org's Scholarship Blog provides the latest insights, tips, and news about scholarships, as well as topics covering everything from scholarship application advice to career guidance.

Key UCF Scholarship Programs

Florida Bright Futures Scholarship

The Florida Bright Futures Scholarship is a merit-based award available to eligible UCF students based on their high school academic achievements. The scholarship includes two categories: the Florida Academic Scholars Award (FAS) and the Florida Medallion Scholars Award (FMS).

Florida Academic Scholars (FAS) Award

The FAS is the most competitive and generous scholarship, providing funding for up to five years and 120 semester hours toward a first baccalaureate degree. FAS recipients with the highest academic ranking in their county also receive the Academic Top Scholars Award.

Florida Medallion Scholars (FMS) Award

The FMS scholarship is less competitive than the FAS but still has high minimum test scores and GPA requirements. FMS recipients can receive funding for up to five years and 120 semester hours toward a first baccalaureate degree.

Pegasus Scholarship Programs

UCF's Undergraduate Admissions awards the prestigious Pegasus Scholarships to incoming students who have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement. These highly competitive scholarships recognize the brightest minds seeking to pursue their academic careers at UCF. Unlike other scholarship programs, there's no separate application process for the Pegasus Scholarship. Any student who applies for admission to UCF for the summer or fall term is automatically considered.

Pegasus Scholarship Details

The UCF Pegasus Gold, Silver, and Bronze Scholarships are awarded to entering students by Undergraduate Admissions to recognize outstanding academic performance. There is no separate application for this scholarship program. Students who apply for admission to UCF for summer or fall terms are automatically considered. Students must enroll full-time (a minimum of 12 UCF credit hours) each fall and spring term. Dual or transient hours taken at another institution will not be considered in the hours calculated for full-time enrollment for the purpose of this scholarship. The only exception to the full-time enrollment requirement is granted to students during their graduating semester. This is renewable for four years. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA for renewal. The number of awards will vary, and the maximum dollar amounts will vary (these can cover up to full-tuition). These scholarships are awarded to entering high school graduates by Undergraduate Admissions to recognize outstanding academic performance. There is no separate application for this scholarship program. Students whose major requires 124 or more hours may receive a one-term extension (Double majors and minors are not considered). Eligible students who need less than 6 credit hours to graduate. These students must submit a letter (on official letterhead) from their student success coach. Graduate level hours may be approved by the student’s student success coach if the graduate level hours will count toward the undergraduate degree completion requirements. These students must submit a letter (on official letterhead) from their student success coach.

Maintaining Eligibility for Pegasus Scholarships

To maintain eligibility for the Pegasus Scholarship, students must meet specific requirements:

Full-time Enrollment: Students must enroll full-time (a minimum of 12 UCF credit hours) each fall and spring semester. Dual or transient hours taken at another institution will not be considered in the hours calculated for full-time enrollment for the purpose of this scholarship.
GPA Requirement: Students must earn the required minimum UCF cumulative GPA by the end of each spring term.
Renewal Evaluation: Scholarship renewal requirements are evaluated annually after grades have been posted.

Exceptions and Appeals

Graduating Semester Exception: An exception to the full-time enrollment requirement can be granted during a student’s graduating semester. If a student enrolls in less than six UCF hours during their graduating semester, the exception must be reviewed by the UCF Scholarship Committee. Students should submit their request at least two months prior to the beginning of their graduating semester for a decision to be rendered before the tuition payment deadline.
Extenuating Circumstances: If extenuating circumstances exist that prevent full-time enrollment, students may appeal to the UCF Scholarship Committee. If extenuating circumstances caused a student to do poorly, they may submit a Scholarship Appeal Form.
Deferment: Acceptable reasons to defer a scholarship include, but are not limited to: military service, documented medical conditions, internships/Co-Ops, religious missions, etc. At the time of deferment, the student must be meeting the renewal criteria for the scholarship. Students seeking a deferment must complete a State Programs and Scholarships Appeal Form and submit a letter indicating the reason for the request, along with supporting documentation.
Scholarship Appeal Form: All Pegasus Scholarship appeals must be received in the Office of Student Financial Assistance no later than June 30th to ensure no delay in processing their upcoming Fall semester. Students will need to select the Pegasus Program category to indicate which Pegasus scholarship they are appealing. The State Programs and Scholarships Appeal Form allows you to select multiple awards you would like to appeal. The Pegasus Scholarship Program includes National Merit, National Achievement, National Recognition Program and the Pegasus Scholarships. In addition, we have several Transfer Scholarships that are awarded based on high academic achievement. They include the Ralph C.
Time Away from UCF: Possibly. You must submit a Scholarship Appeal Form and letter stating the reason(s) that you need the time away from UCF. The appeal must be submitted prior to the term(s) that you plan to be away. The UCF Scholarship Committee will review your request and render a decision. If you leave UCF without asking for the time off, you will not be reinstated to the scholarship program upon your return.

Scholarship Cancellation

If a student falls below the hours and/or GPA requirements, they will be permanently canceled for the scholarship program.

Maximum Term Limit

A maximum of 8 terms or until graduation, whichever is less. Students whose major requires 124 or more hours may receive a one-term extension (double majors and minors are not considered). A letter from the department verifying the number of hours required must be submitted to the Office of Student Financial Assistance prior to the 9th term.

Additional Scholarship Information

Transfer Scholarships

Transfer Scholarships are only available for students graduating with an AA degree from a Florida public state college who transfer directly to UCF for the fall semester. There is a separate application for this scholarship program. Students can obtain an application at any Florida public state college.

Read also: Achieving the Order of Pegasus

Private Scholarships

Private scholarships are non-institutional scholarships offered by private organizations, companies, and individuals to students attending UCF. To ensure a smooth financial aid journey, it's essential for students anticipating funds from private scholarships to report them via the Self Report Private Scholarships on their myUCF. This report serves as a placeholder, enabling the financial aid team to make necessary adjustments before disbursing aid. Failing to report outside funds could lead to unwelcome adjustments to your financial aid, potentially resulting in reduced disbursed aid. It is not necessary to report scholarships received from Florida Bright Futures, UCF colleges, departments, and alumni associations, as these scholarships will be communicated directly to the Office of Student Financial Assistance by the respective areas.

General Financial Aid Information

FAFSA Completion

The first thing to do is complete the FAFSA and continue to do so annually to ensure a smooth application process and secure any scholarship awards. UCF has a comprehensive Financial Aid Checklist to help you navigate the application process. The FAFSA uses financial information from the prior, prior year.

Pell Grants

The federal government awards Pell Grants to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need by filling out the FAFSA. Students with a bachelor’s or professional degree are not eligible. Pell Grants do not need to be repaid. If you receive a Pell Grant, the award amount should remain consistent at any college you gain admission to.

Financial Counseling Services

UCF also offers financial counseling services to help students manage their finances and make informed decisions about their student loans and other financial aid options. Students can schedule one-on-one appointments with a financial counselor to discuss their financial situation and get advice on managing their finances.

Navigating A2O (Access to Opportunities)

A2O includes scholarships from most colleges/departments across campus. The college/department will be listed on each scholarship opportunity. Once you have logged in, you will be asked to complete a general application. After the application is completed, you will be considered for scholarships opportunities that you may qualify for based on responses and academic information. No further action is required for those scholarships. Once the general application is completed, you may be prompted for additional scholarship opportunities that you may qualify for but require additional information such as a resume, essay or documentation upload. Citizenship restrictions: Students who are classified as DACA, TPS, or undocumented, are not eligible for UCF scholarship funds. To browse ALL scholarships awarded through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, select “Ours” under Opportunities. To view scholarship opportunities filtered based on your responses to the general application, click Recommended under Opportunities. Note: Recommended opportunities will only be available once you have logged in and filled out the general application. Recommended opportunities will only populate with current opportunities. The Deadline column indicates the deadline to complete the application to receive consideration. This is not the deadline to accept the award. To view a list of external scholarships, select “External” under the Opportunities sub-header. While efforts are made to vet scholarship opportunities before posting, the Office of Student Financial Assistance does not assume responsibility for external scholarships, or any information requested.

Additional Resources and Tips

Online Search Engines: There are many different ways to begin searching for scholarships such as online search engines like FastWeb.com.
Bright Futures Award Restoration: If a student has an opportunity to restore the Bright Futures award, the grades from the summer term may be used to meet restoration requirements. Florida Bright Futures awards are not considered definite until the state has notified UCF of students’ official eligibility.
Florida Prepaid: Florida Prepaid is handled through the Student Accounts Office and is applied directly to the student’s account. When the Bright Futures is disbursed, it will be applied to any institutional charges on the student account, and any left-over credit will be refunded to the student.
Donor Requirements: If your donor requires financial need verification, please submit the documents to our department in order for your information to be verified and returned to the donor.
Out-of-State Students: As an out of state student your scholarship is comprised of two portions, a scholarship portion and a waiver portion. The scholarship portion of your award will serve for deferment purposes, and your waiver will be applied directly towards your tuition, but will not serve as a deferment. Only students who are enrolled full-time will receive the waiver.* The waiver will be applied the week after the add/drop period has ended. *The only exception to the full-time enrollment requirement is granted to students during their graduating semester.
Co-ops and Internships: Yes. If you want to Co-Op or intern, you must let us know in writing which term you plan to Co-Op or intern prior to that term.
Extenuating Circumstances: Extenuating circumstances are the exception. You must submit a letter describing in detail the circumstances supporting your appeal. Your written statement must include a description of the problem/incident indicating dates and time period involved, as well as the impact on your academic performance. The FAFSA for the academic year you are requesting reinstatement must be on file at the time your appeal is submitted. The Scholarship Committee chaired by the Executive Director of the Office of Student Financial Assistance. You must submit your appeal, along with documentation, in sufficient time for the appeal to be reviewed before the next scheduled meeting. Incomplete applications and requests for additional documentation will cause delays. Please plan accordingly in case you experience a delay in your scholarship appeal. Supporting Documentation includes, but is not limited to, divorce decrees, death certificates, and letters from doctors, counselors, advisors etc. Written statements from a professional should reference your name, diagnosis, dates of treatment and length of time for healing. Include any statements (on company letterhead) from third-party persons (e.g. clergy, employers, medical professionals, etc.) who can verify your extenuating circumstances. Report of incident/s, such as a police report, insurance damage report, and bill/s for services related to emergency, obituary, etc.

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