Distinguished Transfer Scholarship

UTSA is committed to the success of its students. To recognize their academic achievements, UTSA offers the merit-based Distinguished Transfer Scholarship to students who display exceptional scholastic achievement at their previous institution.

Non-resident and international students awarded the Distinguished Transfer Scholarship for a minimum of $1,000.00 for the academic year will be granted a waiver for non-resident tuition if scholarship eligibility is maintained.

How to Apply

Admitted students transferring in at least 24 credit hours at the time of admission will be given automatic consideration based on academic merit. This scholarship is valued at up to $6,000 ($1,500 each semester) for up to four consecutive semesters (not including summers) if renewal eligibility is maintained. The value is awarded on a competitive basis, while funding is still available.

Deadline to be considered for the Distinguished Transfer Scholarship:

• Fall transfers must be admitted by May 1
• Spring transfers must be admitted by October 15

Qualifications

Students must:

• transfer 24 or more semester credits of academic coursework (dual credit and work in progress not included)
• have a 3.8 transfer GPA (4.0 Scale)

Term of the Award

Your Distinguished Transfer Scholarship has been awarded for a total of four consecutive semesters of eligibility (fall and spring semesters only) toward completion of your first undergraduate degree, provided you meet the following renewal criteria by the end of each spring semester.

Semester Criteria

You must remain enrolled in UTSA courses as a full-time undergraduate student with a minimum of 12 UTSA credit hours each fall and spring semester in order for your scholarship to disburse. If you enroll for fewer than 12 UTSA credit hours and your scholarship did not disburse, you forfeit that semester’s award, and that semester still counts against your maximum award terms of eligibility.

How to Renew

Fully Renewing Your Scholarship

In order to fully renew your scholarship, you must successfully complete the following by the end of each academic year (fall and spring)

• Earn 24 UTSA credits in the fall and spring of each academic year
• Earn a UTSA 3.0 cumulative GPA

Students whose first award is in the spring semester will need to earn a minimum of 12 UTSA credit hours and maintain a UTSA cumulative 3.0 GPA to fully renew their scholarship for the following year. Students will then be required meet the standard renewal eligibility for their final semester.

Any break in enrollment without an approved deferment on file with the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office will result in a loss of your scholarship.

Qualifying Types of Credit Hours for Renewal

• UTSA Credit Courses (excludes repeated courses)
• UTSA Sponsored study-abroad courses

The following does not satisfy credit-hour requirements for renewal eligibility; however, these may be used toward your overall credits for degree completion.

• Repeated courses
• Incompletes or audited course
• Advanced placement credits, dual credits
• CLEP test
• Study Abroad hours from non- UTSA sponsored programs
• Graduate Courses

Change of Enrollment Status

Students who are seeking to submit a letter of deferment, appeal or hardship should submit a typed letter and any supporting documentation in person at the One Stop Enrollment Center or via email at utsascholarships@utsa.edu.

Scholarship Deferments

If a student needs to have a break in enrollment, they can submit a deferment letter to keep their Distinguished Transfer Scholarship on hold for up to 2 years. Students must be in good scholarship standing to have a deferment approved.

• Students must successfully complete one semester at UTSA to be eligible for a deferment.
• Acceptable reason for deferments are:
  • Internship
  • Unique educational experience tied to student’s degree program.
  • Medical or Family leave
• If you leave the university without a deferment on file you forfeit your scholarship.
• If you leave UTSA and attend another post-secondary institution while on deferment, your scholarship will be forfeited.

Scholarship Appeals

If a student has lost the Distinguished Transfer Scholarship because they are not meeting the requirements for the scholarship to be awarded, disbursed or renewed, a student can submit a scholarship appeal letter. Submission of an appeal letter does not guarantee that a student will be awarded the Distinguished Transfer Scholarship.

• Students who are seeking to regain their scholarship must meet full renewal requirements at the time of their appeal.
• Acceptable reasons for Appeal:
  • Loss of scholarship because of Cost of Attendance
  • Left the university for a semester without deferment on file
• All Appeal letters must include the reason a student is submitting an appeal letter, any additional documentation that provides support to the appeal.

All appeal letters are approved on a case by cases basis and are subject to funding availability.

Scholarship Hardship appeals:

If a student has a medical, family or academic reason for not meeting the Distinguished Transfer Scholarship renewal requirements, a student can submit a hardship appeal. If a hardship appeal is approved, a student will be evaluated based on the number of hours completed at UTSA ONLY and awarded accordingly.

• Students who are seeking a hardship appeal must submit a letter immediately following their return to UTSA.
• Acceptable reasons for Hardship appeal:
  • Emergency medical leave
  • Academic withdraw for family reasons
  • Family emergency
• All hardship appeals are encouraged to have supporting documentation based on what the student is comfortable submitting.