Q: Does everyone get a scholarship?
A: No. Approximately 20% - 25% of applicants are awarded scholarship funding through the College of Nursing.
Q: Are students automatically considered for scholarships?
A: No. Any students, either applying for admission or continuing in nursing programs, must apply annually for scholarships.
Q: What if my application is late?
A: Late and/or incomplete scholarship applications are automatically disqualified. This includes applications where the Letter of Recommendation is not received by the deadline. There are NO exceptions.
Q: What if my letter writer doesn’t get their letter in for my application by the deadline?
A: Your application will be disqualified, since the letter of recommendation is part of the application and all components of the application must be received by the deadline for your scholarship to be considered. Please allow adequate time for your letter writers, and follow up with them prior to the deadline. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that letter writers are appraised of deadlines.
Q: What if I have technical issues while I am submitting my scholarship application that cause me to miss the deadline?
A: Do not wait until the deadline to submit your scholarship. Deadlines are final, regardless of any technical issues that you may encounter.
Q: Will I get a reminder before the deadline if my scholarship application is incomplete?
A: No. It is your responsibility to know when the scholarship deadline is, and to ensure that ALL components of your application, including the letter of recommendation, are submitted in time.
Q: What if I have a family or medical emergency and I am not able to submit my scholarship application by the deadline?
A: Do not wait until the scholarship deadline to submit your application. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Q: If I know a scholarship donor or a faculty member, are my chances of getting a scholarship better?
A: No. The College of Nursing has Conflict of Interest policies in place to ensure that Scholarship Committees are not reviewing students for whom they have written letters of recommendation and to disclose potential conflicts.
Q: Is there someone I can meet with to talk about my scholarship application?
A: There are scholarship materials available on the College of Nursing website to help you with your application. If you want help with your scholarship essays, you can make an appointment with the University Writing Center at the Marriott Library. If you have other questions, you can email Sumiko.Martinez@nurs.utah.edu.
Q: If I get a scholarship, do I still have to pay tuition?
A: Yes. The College of Nursing scholarship agreement clearly states “Tuition payments are the student’s responsibility. Please be prepared to pay your tuition as instances do occur when funds may not post until after the tuition deadline date.” Your scholarship may also not cover the full tuition and fees for the semester, and it is the student’s responsibility to pay the remaining tuition if necessary.
Q: If I don’t get a scholarship, can I appeal the decision?
A: No. Scholarship decisions are final.
Q: How will I be notified about scholarship results?
A: You will be notified by email to your official UMail address about all scholarship decisions.
Q: What will make me a competitive scholarship applicant?
A: College of Nursing scholarships are evaluated by the appropriate faculty committee–Undergraduate, Graduate, PhD, or Gerontology. Each committee evaluates scholarships using a slightly different rubric. However, the common standards for application excellence are: a. Professional/ research interests, education, and career goals i. Well-articulated goals that are measurable and achievable ii. Strongly align with nursing profession b. Academic or professional achievements & merits (past 1-5 years) i. Notable high achievement (academically or professionally) and/or notable professional award(s) c. Leadership and Service (past 1-5 years) i. Consistent, sustained leadership and service to CoN, University, or community in significant ways d. Letter of Recommendation i. Letter is from a reputable source who appears to be knowledgeable with regard to applicant’s leadership, service, or academic merit. ii. Letter clearly explains and justifies the outstanding qualities of the applicant. iii. Letter gives numerous examples of how/why applicant stands out. Updated November 2017
Q: What is the prompt for the general scholarship essay?
A: “Please write a 1-2 page essay that clearly addresses the following topics: your professional/research interests, your educational and/or career goals, your academic and/or professional achievements, and your leadership and/or community service.”
Q: When will I be notified about scholarship decisions?
A: Scholarship notifications are typically sent out 10–12 weeks after the deadline.
Q: Do I need to file the FAFSA to apply for scholarships?
A: All students are advised to file a FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov. The FAFSA is a required part of the application for many, but not all, College of Nursing scholarships. Any scholarship that is partially or entirely based on financial need will required the student to submit a FAFSA in order to be considered.