Undergraduate Merit Scholarships

At UB, we believe exceptional effort deserves exceptional recognition. Our undergraduate merit scholarships are designed to support high-achieving students who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential and creative or professional talent. These awards not only make a world-class education more affordable, but they also celebrate the unique strengths you bring to our community. Whether automatically awarded through admission or requiring a separate application, UB’s scholarships open doors to opportunity and help you focus on what matters most—your future.

Community scholarships can be a valuable source of funding, especially for transfer students, since institutional scholarships usually don’t carry over between campuses, even within SUNY.

After completing your first semester at UB, you’ll be eligible to apply for hundreds of donor-funded scholarships through the UB Scholarship Portal, supported by alumni and friends of the university.

If you're a New York State resident, be sure to check out our guidance on state scholarship programs. Many are especially helpful for transfer students.

Philanthropic funds from generous alumni and friends of UB help sustain the University at Buffalo’s academic legacy by supporting the cost of renewable undergraduate merit scholarships. Some of these funds originated as early as 1915. Donor stories and other scholarship opportunities, which comprise the largest scholarship endowment SUNY-wide, are available on our UB Scholarship Portal.

Merit scholarships come with important conditions—like accepting your award by the deadline, maintaining full-time enrollment, and meeting GPA requirements. Review the full eligibility details to make sure you stay in good standing.