ClaimYourCollegeFree, private college funding guide Open the free guide
Alaska state college aid

How Alaska college aid works

If you live in Alaska, the state runs its own college aid on top of federal aid. The one to know is the Alaska Performance Scholarship and AK Education Grant, run by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education. Here is what it is, who qualifies, when to apply, and how it fits with the FAFSA.

Alaska's state aid programs

Alaska's flagship state aid is the Alaska Performance Scholarship. It also offers the AK Education Grant, administered by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education.

How to apply for Alaska grants and aid

FAFSA by June 30; Performance Scholarship tracks HS curriculum/GPA.

The FAFSA is the master form. Filing it early puts a student in line for federal Pell grants and work-study, and it starts most state and college aid too. Some state funds are first come, first served, so it is safer to file the week the FAFSA opens than to wait.

Lowering out-of-state tuition

As a Alaska resident, you may also qualify for the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE): Western residents pay at most ~150% of in-state tuition at participating public colleges in other WUE states. Participation varies by campus and major, so check the official program list.

Official source. Confirm current amounts and deadlines with the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education: acpe.alaska.gov. Program rules and dates change year to year, so always check before you file.

See Alaska's aid in your plan, free

Add these Alaska programs to a personalized plan that also finds the national grants and scholarships a student qualifies for, with every deadline in one place. No account, no ads, and nothing you enter is ever sent to us.

Build my free Alaska plan

Not starting today? Take the deadlines with you.

Leave an email and I will send the FAFSA and aid dates that actually matter this school year, starting with the printable FAFSA night handout. The 2027-28 FAFSA opens by October 1, 2026.

This is a mailing list, not an account. It holds your email and nothing else. Nothing a student enters into the guide is ever sent to us, and this address is never connected to it. One-click unsubscribe on every email, and it is never sold.

Common questions about Alaska college aid

What is Alaska's main state financial aid program?

Alaska's flagship state aid is the Alaska Performance Scholarship and AK Education Grant, administered by the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education.

When do you apply for Alaska college aid?

FAFSA by June 30; Performance Scholarship tracks HS curriculum/GPA. Exact dates shift every year, so confirm the current cycle on the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education site before you file.

Do you need the FAFSA for Alaska state aid?

Yes. Filing the FAFSA (or your state's alternative application) is what starts your Alaska state grant, and it also unlocks federal Pell grants and work-study. File it as early as you can.

Western Undergraduate Exchange states

Alaska shares the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) with these states, so their residents get similar out-of-state tuition breaks:

Arizona California Colorado Hawaiʻi Idaho Montana Nevada New Mexico North Dakota Oregon South Dakota Utah Washington Wyoming

Other states' college aid

Every state runs its own aid on top of federal grants. See how it works in another state:

Arkansas Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Illinois Indiana Iowa All 50 states and DC

Guides that help in every state

These apply wherever you live, alongside your Alaska state aid:

When does the FAFSA open? How to maximize financial aid What is the CSS Profile?

State aid details verified as of September 4, 2026. Dates shift each cycle, so always confirm the current deadline on the official Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education site.