Merit Based Scholarships
Merit-based scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis and do NOT require the submission of a scholarship application. To be considered, students must be admitted to UTRGV by December 1st. Students in Dual Enrollment are required to submit their college transcript prior to the deadline in order to be considered for these scholarships. Awards are offered on a first come first serve basis until funds are exhausted. Apply early!
Students opting to participate in the Coordinated Admission Program (CAP) are not eligible for UTRGV's general and merit based academic scholarships administered through the Scholarship and Enrollment Communications Office.
Types of merit-based scholarships:
UTRGV Scholars Program
Renewable for up to 4 years of undergraduate studies or until graduation (whichever comes first)
Presidential Scholarship
Valued up to $32,000
Distinguished Scholarship
For out of area students onlyValued up to $40,000
With a 2-year housing component
Meritorious Scholarship
Valued up to $20,000Note: Scholarship awardees must accept the scholarship within 30 days of offer and must be enrolled for the fall semester by June 1st; otherwise, the award will be canceled if either requirement is not met.
Renewable Requirements:
- Enroll each fall and spring semester in a minimum of 15 hours leading to the completion of a baccalaureate degree.
- Complete a minimum of 30 hours per academic year (fall, spring, summer). To retain this scholarship, you must complete at least 12 of the 15 credit hours enrolled in each of the fall and spring semesters. Consider taking summer classes to meet the 30 credit hour academic year requirement if necessary. Courses must be taken at UTRGV; transfer work or CLEP exams are not accepted.
- Maintain a 3.0 Cumulative Institutional Grade Point Average (GPA). GPA is based on all grades received at UTRGV in college-level courses, including those taken while in high school.
- Scholarship may be retained for 4 years of undergraduate study or until graduation, whichever occurs first. This scholarship terminates upon transfer to another institution or upon non-enrollment at UTRGV for any fall or spring semester. In exceptional circumstances, prior approval for an absence from a fall or spring semester may be authorized, but you must first notify and get approval from the Scholarship Coordinator.
Appeals Process:
Scholarship recipient not meeting requirement 1, 2, or 3 may submit a scholarship appeal @ www.utrgv.edu/appeals to be considered for the award. The scholarship appeal must be submitted by the first tuition due date of the corresponding semester.
MSA Scholarship
Renewable up to 2 years of undergraduate studies or until graduation (whichever comes first). A Fall and Spring semester scholarship covering full tuition and fees, $500 per semester for books and double occupancy housing not covered by other federal, state, institutional grant, scholarship, or other gift-aid programs (s).
Note: Scholarship awardees must accept the scholarship within 30 days of offer and must be enrolled for the fall semester by June 1st; otherwise, the award will be canceled if either requirement is not met.
Renewable Requirements:
- Enroll each fall and spring semester in a minimum of 15 hours leading to the completion of a baccalaureate degree.
- Complete a minimum of 30 hours per academic year. To retain this scholarship, you must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours in each of the fall and spring semesters. Courses must be taken at UTRGV; transfer work or CLEP exams are not accepted.
- Maintain a 3.0 Cumulative Institutional Grade Point Average (GPA). GPA is based on all grades received at UTRGV in college-level courses, including those taken while in high school.
- Scholarship may be retained for 2 years of undergraduate study or until graduation, whichever occurs first. This scholarship terminates upon transfer to another institution or upon non-enrollment at UTRGV for any fall or spring semester. In exceptional circumstances, prior approval for an absence from a fall or spring semester may be authorized, but you must first notify and get approval from the Scholarship Coordinator.
Appeals Process:
Scholarship recipient not meeting requirement 1, 2, or 3 may submit a scholarship appeal @ www.utrgv.edu/appeals to be considered for the award. The scholarship appeal must be submitted by the first tuition due date of the corresponding semester.
UTRGV Housing Scholarship
Renewable for up to 4 years of undergraduate studies or until graduation (whichever comes first). The scholarship is valued up to $16,000.
Note: Scholarship awardees must accept the scholarship within 30 days of offer, enrolled for the fall semester by June 1st and have completed a UTRGV Housing Application by June 1st; otherwise, the award will be canceled if any of the requirements is not met.
Renewable Requirements:
- Enroll each fall and spring semester in a minimum of 12 hours leading to the completion of a baccalaureate degree.
- Complete a minimum of 24 hours per academic year. To retain this scholarship, you must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours in each of the fall and spring semesters. Courses must be taken at UTRGV; transfer work or CLEP exams are not accepted.
- Maintain a 3.0 Cumulative Institutional Grade Point Average (GPA). GPA is based on all grades received at UTRGV in college-level courses, including those taken while in high school.
- Scholarship may be retained for 4 years of undergraduate study or until graduation, whichever occurs first. This scholarship terminates upon transfer to another institution or upon non-enrollment at UTRGV for any fall or spring semester. In exceptional circumstances, prior approval for an absence from a fall or spring semester may be authorized, but you must first notify and get approval from the Scholarship Coordinator.
Appeals Process:
Scholarship recipient not meeting requirement 1, 2, or 3 may submit a scholarship appeal @ www.utrgv.edu/appeals to be considered for the award. The scholarship appeal must be submitted by the first tuition due date of the corresponding semester.
Gateway Scholarship
One time award valued up to $3,000
Note: Scholarship awardees must accept the scholarship within 30 days of offer; otherwise, the award will be canceled if requirement is not met.
Top 10% Scholarship
A one-time scholarship of $1,000 awarded to students graduating in the top 10% of their high school class. School must be within the Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, Starr, or Zapata counties. Students must not already have a UTRGV Institutional scholarship of at least $1,000. Upon receiving the award students are required to enroll in a minimum of 12 hours per semester at UTRGV.
Note: Scholarship awardees must accept the scholarship within 30 days of offer; otherwise, the award will be canceled if requirement is not met.