What are the Hathaway Scholarship tiers and requirements?

Provisional Opportunity and Opportunity require a 2.5 GPA (with a 17 or 19 ACT), Performance requires a 3.0 GPA and 21 ACT, and Honors requires a 3.5 GPA and 25 ACT, all with the Hathaway Success Curriculum. Higher tiers pay more, and amounts increased effective fall 2026.

How much does the Hathaway Scholarship pay?

As of fall 2026, the Opportunity and Provisional Opportunity levels pay about $1,180 per 12-credit semester, Performance about $1,770, and Honors the most. Students can also receive a Hathaway Need Grant of up to about $2,120 (non-Honors) based on financial need from the FAFSA.

How do you apply for the Hathaway Scholarship?

Qualify for the merit tiers by completing the Hathaway Success Curriculum and meeting the GPA and ACT requirements in high school, and file the FAFSA to be considered for the Need Grant. Work with your high school counselor and confirm current steps and amounts with the Hathaway program.

Wyoming Financial Aid Programs for 2026-27: The Hathaway Scholarship

Q: What state financial aid does Wyoming offer?

Wyoming's main program is the Hathaway Scholarship, which combines four merit tiers with a need-based Hathaway Need Grant for residents attending the University of Wyoming and Wyoming community colleges. It works alongside federal aid like the Pell Grant.

Q: What is the Hathaway Scholarship?

It is Wyoming's merit and need scholarship with four tiers: Provisional Opportunity, Opportunity, Performance, and Honors. Each requires the Hathaway Success Curriculum plus a qualifying GPA and ACT score, with higher tiers paying more. It is used at the University of Wyoming or a Wyoming community college.

Wyoming's signature program is the Hathaway Scholarship, which combines four merit tiers with a need-based grant for Wyoming residents attending the University of Wyoming or a Wyoming community college. The tiers, from Provisional Opportunity to Honors, are based on your GPA, ACT score, and a required success curriculum, and award amounts increased effective fall 2026. You apply by completing the Hathaway requirements in high school and filing the FAFSA for the need-based portion.

If your student attends college in Wyoming, the Hathaway Scholarship is the centerpiece of state aid. Here is how it works for 2026-27.

What state financial aid does Wyoming offer?

Wyoming's main program is the Hathaway Scholarship, which includes merit awards at four levels plus a need-based Hathaway Need Grant, for residents attending the University of Wyoming and Wyoming community colleges. It is one of the more generous state programs relative to Wyoming's tuition.

The Hathaway Scholarship works alongside federal aid like the Pell Grant. For how the federal pieces fit together, see our complete 2026-27 financial aid guide.

What is the Hathaway Scholarship?

The Hathaway Scholarship has four merit tiers: Provisional Opportunity, Opportunity, Performance, and Honors. Each requires the Hathaway Success Curriculum plus a GPA and ACT score: Provisional Opportunity and Opportunity need a 2.5 GPA (with a 17 or 19 ACT), Performance needs a 3.0 GPA and 21 ACT, and Honors needs a 3.5 GPA and 25 ACT. Higher tiers pay more.

Award amounts increased for fall 2026, with the Opportunity level rising to about $1,180 per full-time semester and Performance to about $1,770, and Honors as the highest tier. The award is used at the University of Wyoming or a Wyoming community college.

What are the Hathaway tiers and amounts?

Each tier is set by your GPA and ACT score, with Honors at the top. As of fall 2026, the Opportunity and Provisional Opportunity levels pay about $1,180 per 12-credit semester, the Performance level about $1,770, and the Honors level the most. To keep the award, Opportunity-level students must maintain a 2.25 college GPA, while Performance and Honors students must maintain a 2.5.

Because the tiers reward higher grades and test scores, doing well in high school directly raises your award. For how scholarships fit a full plan, see our guide to paying for college.

What is the Hathaway Need Grant?

The Hathaway Need Grant is a need-based award that students at the non-Honors merit levels can receive on top of their merit scholarship, based on financial need from the FAFSA. The maximum non-Honors Need Grant increased to about $2,120 for fall 2026, adding meaningful help for lower-income students.

Because it stacks with the merit tiers, filing the FAFSA can substantially increase your total Hathaway award. Confirm current amounts with the program.

How do you apply for Wyoming state aid?

You qualify for the merit tiers by completing the Hathaway Success Curriculum and meeting the GPA and ACT requirements in high school, and you file the FAFSA to be considered for the Need Grant. Work with your high school counselor and confirm the steps with the Hathaway program.

Your step-by-step path:

Complete the Hathaway Success Curriculum and meet the GPA and ACT requirements for your tier.
File the FAFSA to be considered for the Hathaway Need Grant.
Confirm your Wyoming residency and current amounts at the Hathaway Scholarship.
Track your college's own aid deadlines.

Your next step

Wyoming's Hathaway Scholarship rewards strong students across four tiers and adds a need-based grant, with amounts rising for fall 2026, so the keys are the success curriculum, your GPA and ACT, and the FAFSA. Complete the curriculum, aim for a higher tier, and file the FAFSA. Read our complete 2026-27 financial aid guide for the federal side, then create your free CollegeLens plan to see your real cost at each Wyoming school.

You're doing the hard, smart work of claiming every program your state offers. That is how Wyoming families make college more affordable.

-- Sravani at CollegeLens