Alaska Performance Scholarship: Amounts, GPA Levels, FAFSA Deadline & How to Apply (2027 Cycle)
Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS): up to $28,000 total in 3 GPA levels ($7,000 / $5,250 / $3,500 per year) for Alaska HS graduates. FAFSA by June 30 each year. Eligibility, levels and how to apply.
Focus keyword: alaska performance scholarship
Quick answer: the Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) is a state merit scholarship paid by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE). It pays up to $28,000 total – equivalent to eight full-time disbursements – in three levels of $7,000, $5,250, or $3,500 per year depending on your GPA or test tier. You do not write an essay: you qualify in high school by completing a rigorous curriculum, then file the FAFSA by June 30 each year listing an Alaska school. When we checked in August 2026, the 2026-27 use year opens with the June 30, 2027 FAFSA priority deadline, so the 2027-28 cycle deadline is June 30, 2027.
What Is the Alaska Performance Scholarship?
APS is the flagship merit program of Alaska. It is administered by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE), with eligibility reported by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development (DEED). The money is paid directly to your college or university – you never receive a check.
Two things make APS different from a typical scholarship: first, your award level is fixed in high school by your curriculum, GPA, and test score – not by a new evaluation in college. Second, it is need-adjacent: you only receive what your unmet cost of attendance is after all other non-loan aid. If everything else already covers your bill, APS pays nothing.
Award Amounts by Level
| Level | Payout per year | Typical qualification path |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | $7,000 | Top tier of the APS curriculum, minimum 2.5 GPA or qualifying top-band SAT/ACT/WorkKeys score |
| Level 2 | $5,250 | Mid tier of the APS curriculum, same academic baseline |
| Level 3 | $3,500 | Entry tier of the APS curriculum, same academic baseline |
| Total across 8 disbursements | Up to $28,000 | Within 8 years of high school graduation |
Three practical rules on the money: (1) APS is capped by your unmet cost of attendance after all other non-loan aid, (2) your unmet costs must be $500 or more for any payment to occur, and (3) the award is disbursed in two payments per academic year, straight to the institution.
Eligibility Requirements
- You are an Alaska resident who graduated from an Alaska high school (public, private, or homeschooled).
- You completed a rigorous high school curriculum – one of the three APS curriculum options on the official APS Checklist.
- You hold a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5, or a qualifying score on the SAT, ACT, or WorkKeys (the test tiers determine your level).You are admitted to and enrolled in a qualifying degree or certificate program at a participating Alaska institution; an approved CTE program also qualifies.
- Your unmet cost of attendance is $500 or more after all other non-loan aid.
- You submit the FAFSA (or the APS Alternative Application for Non-Title IV schools).For private/homeschool students: an additional APS Eligibility Determination Application to DEED with supporting documents.
If you are a non-Alaska student searching for performance scholarships, the model closest outside Alaska is a state-service or state-funded state scholarship in your own state. If you are a California healthcare-track student, see our HCAI scholarship guide for the state-service equivalent in that state.
Renewal Rules
APS is automatically renewable for up to eight full-time disbursements, but only while you stay eligible:
- Keep a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
- Complete at least 24 credits in your first full-time year, then 30 credits per year afterward.Meet your school’s satisfactory academic progress rules.Use the award within 8 years of your high school graduation.
Deadlines for the 2027 Cycle
Because APS is tied to the academic year you are attending, “the deadline” repeats every year on the same dates. As of August 2026:
- June 30 – priority deadline to file the FAFSA (or the APS Alternative Application for non-Title IV schools) for the year you will attend. The 2027-28 use year deadline is therefore June 30, 2027.July 15 – private and homeschool students must have their DEED APS Eligibility Determination application in.Mid-August – DEED reports your eligibility data to ACPE. Check your status in the Alaska Student Aid Portal (ASAP).There is no essay deadline because there is no essay.
How to Apply (Step by Step)
- Complete one of the three rigorous APS curricula during high school – the district/DEED assigns your level.
- File the FAFSA at studentaid.gov by June 30, naming your participating Alaska institution as the receiving school.If your school is non-Title IV (many CTE and training providers are), submit the APS Alternative Application through the Alaska Student Aid Portal by the same June 30 date.Be admitted to a qualifying program at a participating Alaska institution and tell the institution in writing, before its enrollment certification deadline, that you plan to use APS.Track everything in the Alaska Student Aid Portal: acpestudentaidportal.alaska.gov/ASAP.ACPE contact if anything looks wrong: [email protected]. For private/homeschool DEED questions: Felicia Swanson, 907-465-2980 – [email protected].
If you are comparing APS to another state-funded merit or state-service scholarship, our Courage to Grow Scholarship guide covers a smaller but similarly straightforward program in Washington state.
FAQs
How much is the Alaska Performance Scholarship?
Up to $28,000 total, paid across eight full-time disbursements in three levels: $7,000, $5,250, and $3,500 per year. Your actual amount is capped by your unmet cost of attendance after other non-loan aid, and your unmet costs must be at least $500.
What GPA do I need for APS?
A cumulative high school GPA of at least 2.5, or a qualifying SAT/ACT/WorkKeys score in the tier that matches the level you want. The level is assigned by the district/DEED based on the APS Checklist, not re-evaluated in college.
Do I have to write an essay for APS?
No. There is no essay. APS is a state merit program keyed to your high school curriculum, GPA or test score, and FAFSA filing. It is one of the few major state merit scholarships in the US with no application content beyond the FAFSA.
Who can apply for the Alaska Performance Scholarship?
Alaska residents who graduated from an Alaska high school (public, private, or homeschooled), enrolled in a qualifying program at a participating Alaska institution, with at least $500 of unmet cost of attendance. Non-Alaska residents and out-of-state high school graduates are not eligible.
What is the APS deadline for 2027?
APS repeats on the same calendar dates every year. For the 2027-28 academic year the FAFSA (or APS Alternative Application) due date is June 30, 2027, with the DEED private/homeschool determination by July 15, 2027.
Final Verdict
If you are an Alaska high school graduate with 2.5+ GPA (or a qualifying test score), the Alaska Performance Scholarship is one of the highest-value, lowest-effort state merit awards in the US – up to $28,000 with no essay. The single action that matters: file your FAFSA by June 30 each year with your Alaska school on it. Miss the FAFSA, and the scholarship does not exist for you that year regardless of GPA.