Alaska college grants and scholarships come from two state programs run by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE): the merit-based Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) and the need-based Alaska Education Grant (AEG). Both require the FAFSA, both are used at qualifying Alaska institutions, and a student can qualify for one, the other, or both.
The two programs reward different things. APS pays for a rigorous high school curriculum plus a GPA or test score. AEG pays for financial need. Here is how each works and what to do this year.
Alaska Performance Scholarship: award levels
ACPE calls APS “Alaska’s merit-based scholarship program, awarding eligible students up to $28,000 total towards their postsecondary education” (ACPE, Alaska Performance Scholarship). There are three levels. You qualify for a level with either the GPA or one of the listed test scores:
| APS level | Award | High school GPA | Or ACT | Or SAT | Or WorkKeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Up to $7,000 per year | 3.5 | 25 | 1210 | 18 |
| Level 2 | Up to $5,250 per year | 3.0 | 23 | 1130 | 15 |
| Level 3 | Up to $3,500 per year | 2.5 | 21 | 1060 | 12 |
Source: ACPE’s APS page, read November 2026. ACPE says eligible students “can receive the equivalent of 8 full-time disbursements within 8 years of high school graduation,” so there is room to stop out and come back.
The curriculum requirement
The GPA or test score alone is not enough. ACPE says students “must complete a specific rigorous high school curriculum,” choosing one of three APS curriculum options on the APS Checklist. This is where students lose APS: a senior with a 3.6 GPA who skipped a required course does not qualify. ACPE recommends planning in 7th and 8th grade and working with a counselor through high school.
You must also be an Alaska resident who graduates from an Alaska high school, which ACPE says includes public, private and home school. Preliminary eligibility is communicated in the middle of junior year, and final eligibility after graduation.
How to receive APS
ACPE lists these steps to receive the first APS award:
- Submit the FAFSA by the June 30 priority deadline for the year you plan to attend, listing an eligible Alaska institution or training provider. If the school does not take the FAFSA, submit the Alternative APS Application in the Alaska Student Aid Portal by June 30.
- Be admitted to a qualifying degree or certificate program at a participating Alaska institution.
- Tell your institution before its enrollment certification deadline that you plan to use APS.
- Enroll in at least 12 credits per term for a full-time award, or 6 credits for a reduced half-time award, or a qualifying clock-hour career and technical program.
- Have unmet cost of attendance of $500 or more after other aid.
Keeping APS
To keep APS, ACPE requires satisfactory academic progress, unmet costs of at least $500, and a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5. Full-time undergraduates must complete 24 semester credits in their first year as a recipient and 30 in each later year (12 and 15 for half-time students on a prorated award). Plan your schedule around those credit counts; dropping a class can cost you the next year’s award.
Alaska Education Grant: need-based aid
ACPE says AEG “provides need-based financial aid to eligible Alaska students attending qualifying postsecondary educational institutions in Alaska” and that “AEG awards range from $500 to $4,000 per academic year” (ACPE, Alaska Education Grant). The page does not tie that range to a specific award year.
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To qualify, ACPE says you must:
- Be an Alaska resident for at least 365 days before filing the FAFSA, and be a US citizen or permanent resident.
- Have a high school diploma or GED.
- Be admitted to an undergraduate degree or vocational certificate program at a qualifying Alaska institution.
- Enroll at least half time.
- Not already hold a bachelor’s degree.
- Meet your institution’s satisfactory academic progress rules.
Financial need is measured by the Student Aid Index (SAI) on your FAFSA. ACPE says awarding is prioritized by being a prior-year recipient, the date of FAFSA submission and enrollment level, and that grants go “in order of highest financial need until all available funds are exhausted.” Its plain warning: “Not all eligible students will receive an AEG.”
The AEG deadline is effectively “as early as possible”
ACPE does not post a fixed AEG date. It says to “complete the FAFSA as early as possible because awarding is based on FAFSA submission date.” Since the 2027-28 FAFSA is open, a high school senior or current student who files now is ahead of those who wait for spring. Our FAFSA deadlines guide covers how state and college dates interact, and our guide on how to fill out the FAFSA covers each section.
APS and AEG side by side
| Alaska Performance Scholarship | Alaska Education Grant | |
|---|---|---|
| Basis | Merit: curriculum plus GPA or test score | Financial need (SAI) |
| Amount listed by ACPE | Up to $7,000, $5,250 or $3,500 per year by level | $500 to $4,000 per academic year |
| Application | FAFSA (or Alternative APS Application) | FAFSA, listing a qualifying Alaska school |
| Timing | June 30 priority deadline | File as early as possible; funds run out |
| Enrollment | 12 credits full time; 6 for half-time award | At least half time |
| Where used | Participating Alaska institutions and training providers | Qualifying Alaska institutions |
Qualifying AEG schools listed by ACPE include the University of Alaska Anchorage, Fairbanks and Southeast and their branch campuses, Alaska Pacific University, AVTEC, Ilisagvik College and several others.
How Alaska aid fits with federal aid
Your FAFSA also decides eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant. One federal change to know: for award years beginning on or after July 1, 2026, a student whose non-federal aid equals or exceeds the cost of attendance is not eligible for Pell, according to a June 4, 2026 Federal Student Aid electronic announcement. For most APS and AEG recipients this changes nothing, since cost of attendance includes housing, food and books.
Questions Alaska families ask
Can I use APS outside Alaska?
No. APS is paid to participating Alaska institutions and training providers, and ACPE keeps an eligible institutions list. If you leave the state for college, you would not receive APS there.
I’m an adult going back to school. Do these apply to me?
AEG can, since it requires a diploma or GED rather than a recent graduation date. APS requires that you graduated from an Alaska high school and used within eight years of graduation, so older returning students usually rely on AEG and federal aid.
Where do I check my status?
ACPE uses the Alaska Student Aid Portal for both programs. Create an account to see APS eligibility once the state reports it each August and to track AEG awarding.
Where to go next
Compare Alaska with other states in our guide to state grants for college, and use our free scholarship finder for awards that stack on top. ACPE answers questions at (800) 441-2962, or 907-465-2962 in Juneau, and [email protected].