Verification of Student Eligibility for UI Scholarships

Student Financial Aid Services is responsible for ensuring that student-recipients selected for scholarships meet the criteria of the specific award programs and that institutional policies for awarding UI scholarships are followed.

Enrollment Requirements for University of Idaho Scholarship Recipients

Because University of Idaho Scholarships are awarded to students to assist them with the educational costs associated with completing UI coursework for a UI degree, scholarship recipients are required to meet certain enrollment requirements before scholarship awards are disbursed.  UI scholarships are awarded with the expectation that the recipients will enroll as fulltime students in a recognized UI degree program. 

Students who qualify for these specific programs - the National Merit, Go Idaho, and Presidential Scholars - must meet the following criteria regardless of their home campus site:

• Major in a recognized UI degree program
• Enroll in a minimum of 12 UI credits.

UI Scholarship-Recipients whose home campus site is other than Moscow:

Students who receive any other individual UI scholarships awarded on a one-time, non-renewable basis must meet the following criteria:

• Enroll fulltime for the term. Fulltime students are defined as those that enroll for at least 12 credits as undergraduates, 9 credits as graduate students, and 10 credits as law students
• Enroll in a minimum of 6 credits of UI classes for the term 
• Enroll in a degree program offered through the university’s off-campus center

UI Scholarship-Recipients on consortium who attend another school:

Consortium agreements were created to allow UI degree-seeking students with special circumstances and a need to enroll at another institution for one or two semesters to receive UI financial aid and scholarships.  Scholarship-recipients who submit a consortium will be asked to explain their reasons for attending another school and provide information about their future enrollment plans.  Once this information is received, Student Financial Aid will determine the student’s eligibility for a scholarship disbursement on a case by case basis.



Award Limits

In addition, Student Financial Aid Services reviews financial aid awards for students who have financial aid and scholarships in excess of the total cost of attendance.  This policy is established to allow students to receive scholarships to pay up to their total cost of education, but not receive more than those required funds so as to make a profit on attending college. Thereby, the policy also allows the institution to provide some of the limited funds to other quality students who may not have the resources necessary to attend college.  Following is the approved policy language on UI scholarships as related to the cost of education: 

The Financial Aid Office will establish a cost of education for designated categories each year. That cost will consider tuition, fees, books and supplies, room, board, miscellaneous costs and transportation. The amount for each category will be reviewed each year. Students may appeal their cost of education in writing to the office if they gave unusual costs for the defined enrollment term. The same guidelines for adjusting the cost of education will be used for federal, state and institutional funds.

 

University of Idaho scholarship funds will not be awarded to a student over the established cost of education. A default standard budget will be set for students who do not apply for federal financial aid, using the standard undergraduate/graduate and resident/nonresident budgets. If a student has other financial aid and/or resources (excluding veterans Chapter 30 benefits, AmeriCorps, Peace Corp, or like national service programs where benefits are paid after services are performed), the combination of UI scholarships, financial aid, and resources shall not be greater than the cost of education. Funds awarded above the cost of education will be canceled and re-awarded to other deserving students. If federal funds are involved the standard federal tolerance will be allowed. Federal guidelines to reduce funds will be followed for students receiving federal funds.

Student Financial Aid Services also will review student eligibility for non-resident tuition waiver awards as well as cash scholarships.  When adjustments to UI scholarships and waivers are made, students are notified of these adjustments and the reason for them.