Outside Scholarships
Outside Scholarships are funds provided by off-campus agencies and may be available to undergraduate and graduate students. UTRGV does NOT guarantee the availability of scholarships on these sites, nor are we involved in selecting scholarship recipients. Questions about an individual scholarship should be directed to the individual private scholarship foundation.
Scholarships from Local and National Organizations
The information below is provided to permit easy access to some available outside scholarships. The content is frequently revised as old scholarship offers expire and new ones take their places. There are many other outside scholarships available that aren’t covered in this guide, so be sure to do other searches related to your intended major, your parents’ employers, your church or denomination, and other unique aspects about you.
Legitimate scholarship offers will require specific information about you and often the application requires you to provide a written statement about your need or qualification eligibility, but none will ask for personal financial access information (your personal bank account or credit card information). In your searches, those kinds of personal financial information are generally an indication of an illegitimate offer, and they should be avoided. If you are completing an online application, look in the URL address line to be sure you are logged into a secure site (https://). If you are not, the information you provide may be accessed by others. If you are unsure of a specific scholarship or application process, please get in touch with the scholarship provider.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund
www.hsf.net
Valley Alliance of Mentors for Opportunities and Scholarship (VAMOS)
www.vamosscholars.org
Hispanic Association for Colleges and Universities (HACU)
www.hacu.net
CollegeBoard Opportunity Scholarship (High School Students)
opportunity.collegeboard.org
View additional listings of outside scholarships (Scholarship provider: complete the scholarship vetting form to have your scholarship added to the list of scholarship opportunities.)
Stars Scholarship Fund (STARS)
Stars Scholarship Fund awards scholarships annually to academically talented and highly motivated students who intend to pursue full-time undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral degrees. Stars Scholarship Fund recipients represent every level of higher education and all fields of study, as we award students of either gender, ethnicity, religion, or background.
To learn more visit starsscholarship.org.
TheDream.US
TheDream.US is a scholarship program for undocumented students. UTRGV is a partner institution and provides support for the scholarship. Students DO NOT have to have DACA or TPS to apply. Students attending UTRGV who are either high school or community college graduates can apply for TheDream.US - National Scholarship. To learn more about this scholarship click here.
Instructions to Turning in a Scholarship Check to UTRGV
Scholarship checks will be divided equally between fall and spring semesters unless otherwise indicated in writing by the donor.
As a student you are required to provide written consent to release your record information to individuals and/or organizations. Please complete and return the Consent to Release Student Information Form.
Student Instructions
- Turn in the check at UCentral.
- Ensure to provide them with your student ID and indicate if there is anything, in particular, we should know about your scholarship.
Organization/Private Foundation Instructions
- Make checks payable to UTRGV. (For wire transfer instructions, please contact: Brenda Cowart @ brenda.cowart@utrgv.edu)
- Provide this form in conjunction with the check.
- Mail scholarship check and any additional information to:
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Scholarship Office, ESSBL 3.104
1201 West University Drive
Edinburg, TX 78539
If you have any questions or comments, please email us at scholarshipchecks@utrgv.edu.
Enrollment Verification Information
Request official enrollment or degree verification from Student Clearinghouse at nscverifications.org. Wait two weeks after the current semester census day to submit a request. Students currently enrolled have access to an unofficial transcript from ASSIST that may be accepted as enrollment verification (provided they do not have active holds).
Reporting Outside Scholarships
Submit the scholarship information here for any outside scholarship check received to assist with your cost of attendance expenses not provided to UTRGV directly.
Important
- Do not report aid already included in your financial aid awards visible in ASSIST
- You do not need to include gifts from friends or relatives.
Please be advised that an outside scholarship may affect your financial aid eligibility. An outside scholarship can first reduce work-study or loans; however, because of federal or state regulations, other aid such as grants and/or scholarships may be adjusted.
Outside Scholarships and Impact on Existing Financial Aid Award
The impact of an outside scholarship on existing financial aid depends on the amount of the scholarship and the type of financial aid you are receiving. To learn more, visit here.
In the case of an impact, the Scholarship Office will contact the student with the following options:
- Request a Cost of Attendance Adjustment - A student’s cost of attendance can be adjusted when there is a change to expenses incurred during the academic year. To view forms to complete for a possible COA adjustment.
- Contact Donor - There are occasions when the Scholarship Office contacts the donor for approval of award term deferral, allowing the scholarship to be transferred to a subsequent semester. If the donor rejects the change, funds are returned to the donor at the end of the academic year.
When changes to a scholarship occur, the student is notified and reflected on ASSIST.
Need Help?
Contact Us
Scholarships and Enrollment Communication
Edinburg
ESSBL 3.104
Phone: (956) 665-2935
Brownsville
Visitors Center 1.113
Phone: (956) 882-4026
Email: scholarships@utrgv.edu