CollegeCounts Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by Office of the Alabama State Treasurer (CollegeCounts 529)
About This Scholarship
The CollegeCounts Scholarship is Alabama's flagship state-sponsored scholarship for college-bound students, administered through the Office of the Alabama State Treasurer and the CollegeCounts 529 Fund. It awards $4,000 to students enrolling at eligible four-year Alabama institutions and $2,000 to students heading to two-year Alabama schools, paid out across the fall and spring semesters of the first year.
The program is deliberately aimed at students who are often overlooked by merit aid: applicants attending a four-year school must have an ACT score of 29 or below, and the selection board ranks candidates on demonstrated financial need first, followed by test scores, GPA, work and activities, service, and honors. A minimum 2.75 GPA is required, and no CollegeCounts 529 account is needed to apply.
Applicants must be Alabama residents, U.S. citizens, and high school seniors or first-time college freshmen planning to enroll at an eligible Alabama college. Homeschooled students are welcome to apply, and winners are notified by email by the end of April.
Eligibility
- Alabama resident and U.S. citizen
- High school senior or first-time college freshman enrolling at an eligible Alabama two-year or four-year institution
- Minimum 2.75 GPA; ACT score of 29 or below required for four-year school applicants
- Demonstrated financial need (primary selection factor)
How To Apply
- Complete the online application through the CollegeCounts Scholarship portal linked from the Alabama State Treasurer's website between December 1 and February 28.
- Report your GPA, ACT score (four-year applicants), activities, work experience, and financial need information; no 529 account is required.
- Watch for an email notification by the end of April; funds are split across fall and spring semesters of the first year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a CollegeCounts 529 account to apply?
No. The scholarship is funded by the CollegeCounts 529 program, but there is no requirement to own or open a 529 account, and there is no application fee.
Why is there a maximum ACT score?
The program is designed to help students with solid but not elite academic records who often miss out on merit aid. Four-year applicants must have an ACT of 29 or below; two-year applicants do not submit a score.