Academic Elite
ListedCollege programFull tuition
- Award
- Seven awards: four years of tuition, first-year standard housing, and $9,000/year for four years. One top award: tuition, first-year housing, $9,000 in year one, $19,000/year in years two through four, plus a $5,000 research/study allowance.
- Deadline
- December 8, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Central (Witt Fellows application and any endorsement)
- How to apply
- Obtain UA admission and submit Honors College and Witt Fellows applications, including anonymous resume and essays, by December 8, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Central. Any required endorsement form has the same deadline. Semifinalists interview in late January 2027; finalists attend February 19-20, 2027 interviews. Eight Witt Fellows receive Academic Elite.
- What you'll need
- An honors college application
- Who can apply
- Admitted first-time freshmen applying to Witt Fellows: automatic route requires at least 3.5 high-school GPA and non-superscored ACT 32 or SAT 1420. Applicants outside those thresholds may use an endorsement from a high-school representative or UA faculty member with at least non-superscored ACT 29 or SAT 1330. Honors College acceptance is required.
- Good to know
- Maintain Witt Fellows membership for four-year funding; program requirements include overall 3.5 GPA, the 16-credit Social Innovation and Leadership minor and required Black Belt experience. Academic Elite replaces a lower-value previous UA merit package; National Merit stipends reduce its supplemental award. Institutional funds are capped at cost of attendance. Top-award $5,000 research/international-study allowance is available after one year at UA. Housing covers the regular room rate only in year one.