By Will Geiger

Will Geiger is the co-founder of Scholarships360 and has a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. He is a former Senior Assistant Director of Admissions at Kenyon College where he personally reviewed 10,000 admissions applications and essays. Will also managed the Kenyon College merit scholarship program and served on the financial aid appeals committee. He has also worked as an Associate Director of College Counseling at a high school in New Haven, Connecticut. Will earned his master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania and received his undergraduate degree in history from Wake Forest University.

Updated: June 28th, 2021

The University of Virginia was founded by U.S. President and Declaration of Independence author Thomas Jefferson. UVA is known as being an elite academic institution and has 121 different majors across eight undergraduate colleges and three professional schools.

UVA is also known as one of the most scenic universities in the world. The entire campus is actually a UNSECO World Heritage site! Like many other elite institutions, UVA has a robust financial aid and merit scholarship program for students! These UVA scholarships can include awards of up to full tuition! 

Jump ahead to:

• UVA Tuition & Cost
• UVA Merit Scholarships
• Jefferson Scholarship
• UVA Financial Aid
• UVA Average Student Loan Debt
• Is UVA a good value?

Keep on reading to learn more about how to win scholarships and secure financial aid at the University of Virginia! 

UVA Tuition & Cost

Since the University of Virginia is a public institution, the tuition will vary depending on whether you are an in-state Virginia resident or an out-of-state student.

Additionally, tuition rates will vary depending on what college you are attending in the university.

You can check for the most updated tuition rates on the UVA Financial Aid webpage.

UVA Merit Scholarships

UVA offers a number of merit scholarships for students to apply to, including the prestigious Jefferson Scholarship. These scholarships are highly competitive and may require an additional application to be eligible. You can learn more about the other scholarships UVA offers here.

Jefferson Scholarship

The University of Virginia Jefferson Scholarship is one of the most renowned undergraduate scholarship programs in the world. The Scholarship covers not only tuition, room, and board, but also funding for research, summer experiences, study abroad, etc. There are also extensive enrichment and programming opportunities for Jefferson Scholars.

The Jefferson Scholarship is awarded through the Jefferson Scholars Foundation and requires a separate application from students. The Jefferson Scholarship application process includes multiples stages including an invitation to interview in Charlottesville at the University of Virginia.

UVA Questbridge Scholarship

UVA is also a member of Questbridge, which means that high achieving students with demonstrated financial need can potentially win a full ride to attend UVA.

UVA Financial Aid

UVA is one of the few public universities in the US to meet 100% of demonstrated financial aid for all undergraduate students. In order to qualify for need-based financial aid students will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (or FAFSA) and the CSS Profile. Some of the need-based scholarships students may be eligible for are specifically aimed to support students in the state of Virginia!

According to the data from the Department of Education, the net cost of UVA for the average student (taking into account grants and scholarships) was $20,281 per year.

UVA Financial Aid Codes

To apply for UVA financial aid, students must use the following school codes:

• CSS Profile: 5820
• FAFSA: 003745

UVA Financial Aid Deadlines

UVA’s financial aid deadlines depend on a student’s application plan. As with all financial aid, students will need to submit their financial aid applications before they receive any official decision from the university.

Here are the 2020-2021 UVA financial aid deadlines:

• Early Decision students: November 1st
• Early Action students: December 1st
• Regular Decision: March 1st

Remember, both the CSS Profile and the FAFSA are available on October 1st, so you don’t need to wait to get them submitted!

If you want to estimate your financial aid from UVA you can use the Net Price Calculator. While this is not an official financial aid offer, it will provide you with a good sense of the cost of UVA for you and your family.

UVA Student Loan Debt

In addition to scholarships and need-based grants, student loans are another way that you may pay for college. However, unlike other types of financial aid, student loans need to be repaid. That’s why it is important to consider how much student loan debt you may be taking out.

According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, 28% of UVA students will graduate with federal student loans. The average monthly payment for these students is between $124 and $216 per month. Note that this does not include Parent PLUS loans or private student loans.

Is UVA a good value?

College is an investment, which is why it is important to assess the return on your education. By completing the net price calculator, you will have a good sense of how much UVA will cost you.

The big factors that will determine a good value are outcomes including graduation rate, retention rate, and average earnings upon graduation.

Here’s how UVA stacks up:

• Graduation Rate: 93% within 8 years
• Retention Rate: 97%

The Average Earnings of students two years after graduation will vary from major to major. Luckily the College Scorecard has a breakdown of average earnings for every major at UVA. This is a great tool to assess the value of UVA for your major.

Questions about UVA Financial Aid

If you are a current UVA student, an admitted student, or are considering UVA as an applicant and have questions, you can reach out to the UVA Student Financial Aid Services via phone or email:

• Phone:  434-982-6000
• Email: [email protected]