Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded to new and continuing students based on academic excellence, leadership, service, talent, financial need, and any criteria required by the scholarship donor.

Unlike loans, scholarships do not have to be repaid. Many scholarships are need-based and require students to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in conjunction with the scholarship application. The scholarship applicant is responsible for completing forms and providing valid documentation for scholarship consideration.

UAlbany Scholarships Application - Opens January 25, 2013

Our scholarship site will open on January 25, 2013 for the 2013-2014 academic year. If you submitted an application for any previous academic year you can use the same password to access and revise the 2013-2014 application.

The due dates for these scholarship applications to be submitted are;

• University at Albany Foundation Endowed Scholarships
  Applications Due July 15, 2013

Please Note: Scholarship funds are limited. Meeting the application and scholarship criteria does not guarantee that you will receive a scholarship. Students who are awarded a University at Albany Foundation endowed scholarship will be notified via email.

Scholarships Paid to the University

Most scholarships awarded by the University (University Honors, Frederick Douglass, Athletic Scholarships, and most external donor scholarships) are paid directly to the Office of Student Accounts on your behalf. Funds UAlbany receives directly from the program or donor are credited to the student's account as "anticipated aid".

When scholarship checks from donors are made payable to the University, we simply credit them to your account as soon as we receive them. When a scholarship check from a donor is made payable to you, we send out a postcard asking you to come to the Office of Student Accounts Bursar counter to endorse it and then apply the amount to your account.

Scholarships Paid Directly to the Student

Other scholarships, such as some external donor scholarships, are paid directly to you -- not to the Office of Student Accounts. For this reason, they are not credited as anticipated aid on your account. You may use the money for any education-related expense.

Scholarships Can Change Your Financial Aid Eligibility

If you are receiving financial aid, you must inform the University's Financial Aid Office of any scholarship you receive from any source outside the University. If you do not, you may be overfunded with financial aid and may owe a repayment. That is, the amount of other financial aid may be reduced because of the scholarship, resulting in a new "balance due" on your account.

Receiving Your Scholarship Money

Scholarship awards are automatically credited to your UAlbany student account.

Thank You Letter & Scholarship/Donor Reception

Thank You Letter

Upon receiving a scholarship you will be asked to write a thank-you letter (this may be done via e-mail.) Many of the scholarships at UAlbany are made possible by contributions from generous donors. Receiving a thank you letter from scholarship recipients is meaningful to donors or their relatives. Thank you letters give UAlbany supporters the opportunity to see the impact the scholarship has made in the life of a student recipient. Please help us thank our generous donors who have helped make your scholarship possible.

Scholarship Reception & Photographs

You will also be asked to attend a Scholarship/Donor Reception, which is held annually in the fall by The University at Albany Foundation. This event gives student scholarship recipients the opportunity to meet the donors who made their scholarship possible, and gives the donors the opportunity to meet & greet the recipient of their scholarship. At this event, and at times throughout the academic year, The University at Albany Foundation may request that you meet with their office to get your picture taken, so that it can be sent to the donor and used in our printed and on-line publications.

Please note: If you are awarded a scholarship, you will be notified as such. You may also check with your School or Department for other scholarship opportunities that may be available.  Many scholarship opportunities are listed on the External Scholarship Opportunities page of the UAlbany Financial Aid Website.