Merit-based admissions scholarship awards remain a fixed dollar amount for renewal years (beyond a student's entering year) unless notified in the admissions/scholarship award letter. Students are eligible to receive a single merit-based admissions scholarship award. Awarding of multiple merit-based admissions scholarships is not permitted.

For tuition purposes, the amount of the award will be adjusted to the lower amount of the merit-based admissions scholarship value determined at the initial term in the event that:

1. The legal residency of a student changes to Connecticut residency or in-state status for tuition purposes; or
2. Tuition is adjusted to in-state rate as a military benefit; or
3. The student is participating in a program such as the New England Regional Student Program for New England residents or benefits received through the reciprocal agreement for dependents of employees from the University of Rhode Island or University of Maine.

The University of Connecticut will make every effort to provide first-year admitted students who have been approved to delay their admission for up to one year, and who were awarded a merit scholarship in their original offer of admission, a comparable merit scholarship by award amount and type. It is possible for the merit scholarship award amount to vary from the amount stated in the initial offer of admission and merit scholarship awards are not guaranteed to students choosing to defer admission. Scholarship offers by academic departments, Promise Grants, and offers of need-based financial aid are not subject to assurance under the gap year/deferment policy. In addition, students who earn and transfer credits from another College/University to the University of Connecticut are ineligible for merit scholarships (exception is the President-to-President Scholarship).

Students dismissed because of disciplinary actions may not have their merit scholarships reinstated. For additional information please review the University's Student Code of Conduct.

A student may use the merit-based admissions scholarship toward Education Abroad programs which charge UConn tuition only. Off-campus housing and/or food expenses not associated with University meal plans are not covered by merit scholarships.

Students who receive only merit-based admissions scholarship or receive a combination of merit-based admissions scholarship and a Federal Pell Grant may not have their individual Cost of Attendance (COA) exceeded by the aforementioned types of financial aid. Students who receive a combination of need-based financial aid other than a Federal Pell Grant (e.g. need-based loans, institutional grants, work-study, etc.) and merit-based admissions scholarships cannot exceed federally defined financial need or the individual student's COA.

Matriculated students may request deferment of a merit-based admissions scholarship in the event that:

• They are enrolled less than full-time standing; or
• They are participating in co-op or internship; or
• They are taking a leave of absence for any other reason other than low academic performance.

The student must notify the Office of Student Financial Aid Services for approval before leaving and must complete the Merit Scholarship Reinstatement Request Form upon re-entry.

Off-campus housing and/or meal expenses not associated with University meal plans are not covered by merit scholarships.

Merit scholarship recipients participating in one of the pre-approved academic programs affiliated with the New England Regional Student Program receive the lower amount of any merit scholarship awarded during first-year entry.

For scholarships covering University on-campus housing and meal plan such as Nutmeg, Day of Pride, or Stamps Scholarships, the following conditions apply:

Determination of housing and food expenses:

• The scholarship covers housing and food expenses based on the components within the cost of attendance, as determined by the Office of Student Financial Aid Services.
• The cost of attendance considers an average of housing costs assessed to all students in the prior academic year and the cost of the Value Meal Plan.

Eligibility Requirements:

• The scholarship covers the mentioned expenses only if the student resides on-campus.
• The scholarship will cover up to the cost of a Value Meal Plan for students living on or off campus.
• Students who choose to live off-campus are not eligible to receive the value of the on-campus housing as part of their Nutmeg, Day of Pride, or Stamps award.

Additional details about the cost of attendance can be found on the Office of Student Financial Aid Services’ website.

Presidential Scholars are awarded a one-time, $2,500 grant for educational enrichment. Scholars may use these funds for a variety of enrichment activities, including research, internships, tuition-based education abroad programs, and professional travel during any of the student's first eight semesters as an undergraduate at the University of Connecticut. Students must apply for the enrichment grant at least one semester before the semester they intend to use the award. The enrichment grant must be used prior to the end of the 8th semester of attendance.

Students dismissed due to academic termination may be eligible for reinstatement of merit-based admissions scholarships after their readmission if the minimum required GPA is attained. Students requesting reinstatement of merit-based admissions scholarships must complete the Merit Scholarship Reinstatement Request Form. Students who earn and transfer credits from another College/University to the University of Connecticut are ineligible for reinstatement of their merit- based admissions scholarship.

Students with merit-based admissions scholarships who withdraw voluntarily from the University for a reason other than academic termination and are reinstated to full-time academic status will be eligible for reinstatement of the merit-based admissions scholarship up to the unused semesters of the scholarship. Exception: Students who earn and transfer credits from another College/University to the University of Connecticut are ineligible for reinstatement of their merit- based admissions scholarship. Students requesting reinstatement of merit-based admissions scholarships must complete the Merit Scholarship Reinstatement Request Form.

All merit-based admissions scholarships are renewable annually for a maximum of eight semesters of University-approved full-time undergraduate study upon maintaining a 2.5 cumulative grade point average, with the exception of the Day of Pride Scholarship and Nutmeg Scholarship which require maintaining a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. Recipients will be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure compliance with the SAP/GPA requirements. More information on that process can be found on the Office of Student Financial Aid Services website.

For detailed information regarding tax liability for scholarships and grants, please visit UConn's Tax and Compliance Office's Student Tax FAQs.

United States residents for tax purposes: If your scholarship(s) or grant(s) exceed the costs of required tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment, then the excess is taxable income, which you are required to report to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) on your income tax return.
Room and board, travel, insurance, and medical expenses (including student health fees) are not considered required expenses therefore, grants or scholarships that cover any of these items will likely be taxable.

International students: If you are considered a “nonresident alien” for US tax purposes, and your scholarship(s) or grant(s) exceed the costs of required tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment, then the excess is taxable income, which you are required to report to the IRS on your US income tax return. Taxable scholarship income is subject to 14% US income tax withholding unless the international student qualifies for a reduced rate of tax under an applicable Tax Treaty.

The US income tax will be withheld/retained from your scholarship(s) or grant(s) and remitted to the IRS on your behalf. US income tax withheld/retained from scholarships or grants will appear as a debit (Nonresident Alien Tax) on the Fee Bill.

For further information regarding nonresident alien tax withholding, please visit UConn's Tax and Compliance Office's Nonresident Tax FAQs.

STEM Academic Excellence, STEM Leadership, and STEM Presidential Scholars are merit offers consisting of a STEM Scholar Award and an associated scholarship such as Academic Excellence, Leadership, or Presidential Scholars. These awards are a renewable fixed amount for a maximum of eight semesters of full-time undergraduate study contingent upon meeting the terms and conditions set by the University as follows:

• Students must have continuous enrollment in a STEM major, as defined by the University. For a list of approved majors, please visit https://admissions.uconn.edu/academics/stem
• Students must have continuous enrollment in the Honors Program and meet all Honors Program academic and participation requirements. For a list of requirements, please visit https://honors.uconn.edu/requirements/
• Students must participate in approved curricular and extra-curricular STEM activities defined by the Honors Program which may include:
  • STEM-designated Honors seminars and courses
  • STEM-focused events and activities
  • STEM-focused research, internships, and study abroad

For a full list of these activities, please visit https://honors.uconn.edu/stem-scholar-opportunities/

Failure to achieve and maintain the conditions above will result in a reduction and/or adjustment to a non-STEM Merit Scholarship such as Academic Excellence, Leadership or Presidential Scholarship as long as the required minimum grade point average of a 2.5 is maintained. Academic Excellence and Leadership have a lower value than STEM Academic Excellence and STEM Leadership. Presidential Scholars holds the same value as STEM Presidential Scholars. The non-STEM Merit scholarship component of this award will continue to apply as long as all applicable policies and conditions are met for the remainder of the eight semesters of undergraduate study at the University of Connecticut. Students must carefully review and accept all policies and conditions before accepting this award.

For students receiving a tuition waiver, the value of the merit-based admissions scholarship award will be applied to University and student fees, UConn's housing and/or university meals. For students living off-campus or attending a regional campus, merit-based admissions scholarships may be applied to University and student fees only. Scholarships will not be applied to program-related fees.

UConn Promise Grants are a renewable fixed amount for four years of full-time undergraduate study contingent upon meeting the terms and conditions set by the University and Promise program (Hartford, New Haven, or Waterbury). Submission of the FAFSA by February 15 is required of all UConn Promise Grant recipients. UConn's renewal criteria for merit and/or recruitment scholarships/grants must be met annually in addition to compliance with the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. UConn Promise Grants cannot be combined with additional UConn scholarships awarded by Undergraduate Admissions. Students who are eligible for UConn Admissions scholarships that exceed the value of Promise Grants will have the higher of the two award amounts applied as credit to their University bill. UConn Promise Grant terms and conditions may be revised on an annual basis.

The University of Connecticut applies all merit-based admissions scholarship awards directly to charges on the student's University fee bill (including university tuition, university and student fees, University on-campus housing and meal plans). All merit-based admissions scholarships take the form of a credit to the student's account in the amount established for each scholarship in a particular year. There is no cash value to the scholarships, nor can they be carried over from one semester to the next. All admissions merit-based scholarship recipients must be full-time students matriculated in an undergraduate degree program only. The duration of scholarship eligibility is set at a maximum of eight semesters of University-approved full-time undergraduate study.

Merit-based admissions scholarship awards cannot be applied towards winter intersession or summer courses.