I. Title
Scholarships Procedure
II. Objective
This procedure establishes the policies and procedures for the establishment, awarding, and disbursement of scholarships at UTA to ensure compliance with the Board of Regents, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and federal regulations.
III. Scope
Applies to all University departments that award University scholarships.
IV. Procedure
A. Coordination
- The Executive Director of the Office of Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Veteran Affairs (or designee) coordinates all scholarship benefits.
- All student awards must be processed through the Scholarship Office and accounted for by the Financial Aid Office.
B. Scholarship Committee
- Each awarding unit must designate a Scholarship Committee Chair.
- The Chair ensures all certifications on disbursement forms are accurate.
- The Chair’s signature is kept on file to verify disbursement requests.
C. Disbursement Process
- Authorization: The “Request for Disbursement of Scholarship/Fellowship Award Form” authorizes payments and must be submitted to the Scholarship Office.
- Signatures: The form requires signatures from both the Account Administrator and the Scholarship Committee Chair.
- Disbursement Method: Awards are disbursed once per term and credited directly to the student’s account.
- Priority: Funds are applied first to outstanding University charges; residual funds are returned to the student.
D. Enrollment and Timing
- Requirement: Students must be enrolled for the award period to activate funds.
- Deadlines: Forms may be processed up to two weeks after the end of finals each term.
- Exceptions: Submissions after the deadline require justification and case-by-case review by the Executive Director. Awards for prior fiscal years will not be approved.
E. Nonresident Tuition Waivers
Nonresident or international students may pay in-state tuition if their scholarship meets these conditions:
- Award is at least $1,000 for the academic year.
- Granted by an official UTA Scholarship Committee.
- Criteria are published and available to the public in advance.
- Funds and selection are under institutional control.
- Open to both residents and nonresidents.
F. Scholarship Restrictions and Gift Agreements
- Approval: All gift agreements must be drafted/approved by University Advancement.
- Thresholds: Minimum thresholds are $25,000 for endowed scholarships or $1,000 annually for 4 years for annual scholarships.
- Legal Scrutiny: Agreements with specific restrictions must be approved by the Vice President of University Advancement and the Chief Legal Officer.
- Protected Classes: Preferences based on race, ethnicity, or national origin are generally prohibited. Preferences based on sex are strictly limited.
V. Definitions
None.
VI. Relevant Federal and State Statutes
- Texas Education Code Section 54.213 Scholarship Student
VII. Relevant UT System Policies, Procedures and Forms
- UTA Policy EI-PO-04 Non-Discrimination Policy
- UTA Form 21-1 Request for Disbursement of Scholarship/Fellowship Award
- UTA Form 21-2 Scholarship Committee Chair
VIII. Who Should Know
UTA faculty, staff, and students.
IX. UTA Office(s) Responsible for Procedure
- Responsible Officer: Senior Associate Vice President for Student Enrollment Services
- Sponsoring Department: Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
X. Dates Approved or Amended
- November 26, 2018; June 14, 2021; August 19, 2021.
XI. Contact Information
- Scholarship Office: 817-272-2197 | uta.edu/scholarships
- Policy Notifications: policysite@uta.edu