Student Financial Services & Scholarships

Scholarship Office

Beginning Fall 2010

University Scholars Presidential Award $24,000 ($6,000 per year) Renewable award for four years or until graduation, whichever occurs first. Student must enroll a minimum 15 hours per semester, complete a minimum of 30 hours per academic year and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA in order to remain eligible. Requirements Four courses (12 hrs) of AP and/or CE credits earned at UTPA. Earn B or better in each course. Courses must include English 1301 or higher and Math 1340 or higher Minimum 24 ACT or 1090 SAT Composite *Composites do not include Writing portion of ACT/SAT tests. OR Receive International Baccalaureate Diploma. Minimum 24 ACT or 1090 SAT Composite *Composites do not include Writing portion of ACT/SAT tests. OR Top 10% of graduating class from an accredited public or private high school. Minimum 28 ACT or 1250 SAT Composite *Composites do not include Writing portion of ACT/SAT tests. University Scholars Tiered Scholarship Program* *Scholarship is contingent upon availability of institutional funds

University Scholars Meritorious Award $16,000 ($4,000 per year) Renewable award for four years or until graduation, whichever occurs first. Student must enroll a minimum 15 hours per semester, complete a minimum of 30 hours per academic year and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA in order to remain eligible. Requirements Four courses (12 hrs) of AP and/or CE credits earned at UTPA. Earn B or better in each course. Courses must include English 1301 or higher and Math 1340 or higher Minimum 22 ACT or 1020 SAT Composite *Composites do not include Writing portion of ACT/SAT tests. OR Receive International Baccalaureate Diploma. Minimum 22 ACT or 1020 SAT Composite *Composites do not include Writing portion of ACT/SAT tests. OR Graduate 10% of graduating class from an accredited public or private high school. Minimum 26 ACT or 1170 SAT Composite *Composites do not include Writing portion of ACT/SAT tests. University Scholars Tiered Scholarship Program* *Scholarship is contingent upon availability of institutional funds

University Scholars Tiered Scholarship Program How to Apply There is no formal application for the University Scholars Scholarship. It is awarded on a competitive basis on a first come first serve basis. There are limited slots available therefore students are highly encouraged to do the following as early as possible to ensure they are considered for this scholarship: Fill out the UTPA Admission Application at applytexas.org Submit ACT or SAT scores Submit an official high school transcript to the UTPA Office of Undergraduate Admissions, which must include ACT or SAT scores, GPA (on a 100 point scale), and rank and class size (at time of application). Request AP scores (if applicable) be sent directly to UTPA. Student must be admitted to UTPA

UTPA “Excellence” & Departmental Scholarships Must apply for Admissions Submit High School Transcript including class rank and GPA on a 100 pt scale Submit ACT/SAT scores Submit 250 word essay, OPTIONAL Submit one letter of recommendation How to apply: Apply online at Submit Completed application by January 15 NEW: The following 1 st three items must be done with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by December 1st:

UTPA Excellence & Departmental Scholarships

Coca-Cola First Generation Scholars Program NEW

VAMOS/UTPA Endowed Scholarship Program NEW

STARS Matching Scholarship Program SCHOLARSHIP CRITERIA (a)Recipients must maintain permanent legal residence in one of the thirty (30) counties of the South Texas area (Aransas, Bee, Brewster, Brooks, Cameron, Culberson, Duval, El Paso, Goliad, Hidalgo Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kenedy, Kleberg, La Salle, Live Oak, McMullen, Nueces, Pecos, Presidio, San Patricio, Refugio, Starr, Terrell, Webb, Willacy, or Zapata); (b) Recipients must be enrolled at UTPA and remain as full-time students in a degree seeking program during the academic school year and remain in good standing; (c) Recipients must have a minimum 2.7 grade point average to qualify and must maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average to qualify as a recipient for the second semester; and (d) Recipients must have already completed at least twelve (12) credit hours at an institution of higher learning. Award Amount $2000 ($1000 from STARS and $1000 from UTPA) Application Period January 01- March 31

Students can start their FAFSA as early as January 1st! Receive one-on-one assistance at the UTPA Express Lab File a FAFSA over the Internet at RECOMMENDED UTPA PRIORITY DATE March 15 th Financial Aid: It All Starts With The FAFSA NEW

Encourage students to register for both their and their parents’ PIN numbers for FAFSA processing Encourage students to apply for admissions to UTPA before December 1st (for scholarship purposes) Encourage students to complete the UTPA Excellence Scholarship Application online prior to January 15 Reinforce the UTPA FAFSA Priority Deadline of March 15 th VERY IMPORTANT: Encourage parents to file 2012 tax return as soon as possible to ensure availability of IRS data retrieval What Can I Do Prior to January 1st to Help My Students?

Be part of the initial awarding cycle; Entering Freshmen begin to be awarded March 2013 Meet the state’s priority deadline for state grants and increase opportunity to receive some of the institutional grants which are limited in funding Receive award letter prior to tuition and fee due date If necessary, corrections can be completed before tuition and fee due date Avoid paying additional late registration fees Benefits of Applying Early( prior to March 15 th ):

Texas Grant Current Basic Student Eligibility Requirements for Initial Awards  RHSC, DAP or equivalent.  Classification as a resident of Texas.  Registration with Selective Service, or exemption.  No felony conviction or crime involving a controlled substance.  Demonstration of financial need (EFC cap).  Enrollment at least ¾-time as:  An entering undergraduate within 16 months of HS graduation, or  A continuing student who has acquired an Associate’s Degree and enrolls at an eligible institution within 12 months.

Texas Grant Additional Academic Requirements for Priority Consideration  Beginning with the academic year, in addition to the basic eligibility requirements, students must meet requirements in at least 2 of the following 4 areas for priority consideration: AreaRequirement(s) Advanced Academic Program 12 hours of college credit (dual credit or AP courses), complete the Distinguished Achievement Program (DAP), or complete the International Baccalaureate Program (IB). TSI ReadinessMeet the Texas Success Initiatives (TSI) assessment thresholds or qualify for an exemption. Class StandingGraduate in the top one/third of the HS graduating class or have a B average. Advanced MathComplete at least one math course beyond Algebra II. NEW

The UTPAchieve Program will cover a gap in tuition and fee expenses and $500 of book expenses per semester for the regular academic year (fall and spring) that is not being covered by other forms of gift aid (grants or scholarships), including Federal, State, private, and institutional aid. * Have a family income of $40,000 or less and demonstrate financial need as reported on the FAFSA. *Be classified as a Texas Resident *Be enrolled for 15 hours or more per semester *Be enrolled as an undergraduate in a degree-seeking program towards a first Bachelors’ degree. *Entering Freshman with an ACT composite of 19, SAT composite of 900 or be in the top 10% of graduating class *Returning students must be meeting the financial aid satisfactory academic progress requirements and have a minimum 2.5 GPA * New Transfer student must have a 2.5 transfer GPA. *Priority will be given to students that have filed the FAFSA for the upcoming academic year by March 15th

The scholarship is primarily intended to provide gift assistance to needy students currently receiving little or no gift aid. The maximum award amount is $2,000. *An Entering Freshman must have a minimum ACT composite score of a 20, or SAT Composite score of 950, or be in the top 10% of their high school graduation class. *Be an undergraduate student without a prior Bachelors’ degree *Be enrolled full time *Must file a FAFSA and demonstrate high financial need *Be a Texas Resident *Must not have Texas Grant *Currently enrolled students must be making satisfactory academic progress and have a minimum 2.5 GPA *First time transfer students must have a transfer GPA of 2.75 UTPA Assistance Scholarship

Summer Boost NEW This program is designed to help students decrease time to graduation by encouraging summer enrollment. Students that meet the eligibility requirements can receive $500 for enrolling in 1 class and $1,000 for enrolling in 2 classes. *Have successfully completed 24 hours during regular academic year (fall and spring) *Student must be in a degree seeking program towards a first Bachelor’s degree *Must demonstrate financial need as per FAFSA information *Complete summer financial aid application (summer notification) *Be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements *Have a 2.0 GPA

Entering Freshman that are not offered loans must attend a mandatory Freshmen Loan Counseling Session before they can get awarded loans. Students must already have their Financial Aid application on file at UTPA. Students may sign up for this session at under Financial Aid Toolbox/Workshops. Additionally, please be advised that all first time loan borrowers will receive their funds until 30 days after their first class day of the specified term/loan period. Student Loans

Once a student is classified as a Senate Bill 1528 student by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, they may qualify for State-based Financial Aid. Students will need to bring copies of both their and their parents current year tax return transcript, foreign tax return (if wages were earned in another country) or notarized statement of earnings. Students can obtain the TASFA application packet at the Financial Aid office beginning mid to late January or online in the Prospective students/Senate Bill NOTE: Income information is only used in-house to determine financial need. These documents will not be shared with any outside Federal or State agency. Senate Bill 1528 Students

NEW 15 Hour Cash Back Incentive Program! The 15 Hour Cash Back incentive program becomes available starting spring 2013! Students that meet the eligibility requirements can receive up to $500 during each regular semester (fall or spring). There is no financial aid application or separate application required! To be eligible to receive 15 Hour Cash Back award, students must: *Be in a degree seeking program towards a first Bachelor’s degree *Have a 2.5 cumulative institutional GPA *Complete 15 hours that count towards your degree during the prior regular semester (fall/spring) *Be enrolled for 15 hours during current regular semester (fall/spring) *Not have tuition, fees and book costs fully covered by scholarships or grants This award is available for resident, non-resident and international students. If other gift aid is partially covering tuition, fees and book costs, the award amount will be limited to the difference not covered, up to $500. Repeat courses do not count toward meeting the 15 hour requirement. It is available for a maximum of eight semesters. A student earning a 15 Hour Cash Back incentive during their final undergraduate term may use it during their first Graduate semester if enrolled the following immediate regular semester (fall or spring).

Advisors Problem Solving –Unusual Cases - Dependency Overrides –Income Reduction Cases Verification Issues –Document Tracking –Incomplete Files Award Status –If a student has not been awarded, Why not? –Application data Outreach and Recruitment Assistance with FAFSA Preparation Presentations to Students/Parents Assistance at your GO Center High School Nights Financial Aid Fairs Assistance for Senate Bill 1528 Students How can we be of Service?

The UTPA Student Financial Services Website offers a wealth of information and convenience to you and your students! New website! Students can: accept their awards online request additional financial aid fill out their Scholarship applications complete their loan process at search for their Work-Study job sign up for work shops download financial aid forms Why Wait in Line? GO Online!

Need to schedule a presentation or FAFSA Drive?

Student Financial Services Scholarship Office Or Go To: Thank You!