How does the College decide who receives scholarships?

The scholarship process is competitive; less than 20% of students who apply receive an award. Awardees usually:

• have a minimum grade point average of 3.7
• demonstrate achievement in academics outside the classroom (UCARE, thesis, research, etc.)
• demonstrate leadership in department, campus, or civic activities

A SCHOLARSHIP RUBRIC is used to evaluate applications; point values are assigned to each of four categories (academic record, UNL leadership, career goals, and letters) and totaled.

The College of Arts & Sciences Dean's Office, in conjunction with the College Committee on Academic Distinction & Awards for Students and the program advisor (when appropriate), chooses recipients for College scholarships. This group also recommends students for certain scholarships awarded by the Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid.

What do I need to complete the application process?

We require from every applicant:

• Resume
• A one-page narrative evaluating your own scholastic performance to date in terms of your professional goals and objectives.
  • The most effective statements are those in which students comment upon their performance in their classes and how their learning in these settings supports/connects to their professional and life goals.
  • We aren't looking for students to comment on their grades (which we know from their gpa), but on what they learned in these courses and how they made the most of their course experiences.
• Two letters of recommendation from instructors submitted by them to the Dean's Office by February 1. Lab assistants and teaching assistants count as "instructors." Please provide each instructor with a Right of Access Form. Because of Federal legislation, confidentiality of the instructor's statement will be guaranteed only if you have waived right to access. Please see the form for more information.

What else can I include on the application?

• If you are an individual who has experienced disadvantages educationally or economically prior to enrollment at UNL, have demonstrated financial need and a graduate of a Nebraska High School, please include a one-page narrative addressing these disadvantages.
• If you have demonstrated a commitment to public affairs and the public service at the state (Nebraska), national (United States), or international level, have senior standing, are a graduate of a Nebraska High School, and you would like to be considered for the Theodore C. Sorensen Scholarship, please include a one-page narrative demonstrating this. Note: preference will be given to Nebraska High School graduates.
• If you are planning to be involved in an experiential learning activity (study abroad, experience-based field courses, or summer service learning internships) that are taken for credit (e.g. advisor approval/signature required, student involvement office) you may be eligible to apply for the Dean's Experiential Learning Scholarship. Please provide a one-page narrative demonstrating reasons for applying for the Dean's Experiential Learning Scholarship, how the learning experiences fit into the your goals and objectives, and what you expects to gain from this experience. (Students should engage in the experiential learning experience between Summer 2011-Spring 2012.)
• If you have demonstrated excellence in scholarly activities and campus leadership, are a full-time undergraduate in Arts & Sciences with a at least a cumulative GPA of 3.75, and have junior or senior standing, please provide a one-page narrative describing reasons for apply for this scholarship, how your accomplishments distinguish you for the Arts & Sciences Dean's Scholar Society award, and how the experiences of being a Dean's Scholar will add value to others learning experiences.

What are the guidelines for narratives?

A narrative is a summary or recount of events. These should be kept to one page. There are no rules for font size, page margins, or line spacing, but they should be legible.

What is a "non-traditional" student?

A student who is older and did not go to college within a year or two from high school graduation.

How to Apply

You must be enrolled full-time with a major in the College of Arts & Sciences and currently attending at the time of application.

1. Log into your MyRED account and look for the scholarship application for current undergraduate students.
This is the combined Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid and College of Arts & Sciences Upper-class Scholarship Application Form. Submit the completed application, including your resume and narrative(s), by February 1.

2. Have two instructors submit a letter of recommendation to the College of Arts & Sciences Dean's Office.
Give a Right of Access Form (PDF) to each of these instructors. The Right of Access Form can also be found at the appropriate link in the online scholarship application.

3. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by going to www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Many of the college scholarships require demonstrated need.

You will then be considered for all of the college scholarships for which you are eligible. Award letters will be sent out in early April. All applicants will receive a letter one way or the other.

If you are nominated by the Committee on Student Academic Distinction, Awards, and Appeals to represent the College in the Kate Field Grant-in-Aid or Donald Walters Miller competition, you will be contacted to have an official transcript of your grades submitted to this office and possibly a third letter of recommendation, not necessarily from an instructor (required for the Kate Field Grant-in-Aid).

Office of the Dean, College of Arts & Sciences
1223 Oldfather Hall
Lincoln, NE 68588-0312

Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid
17 Canfield Administration
Lincoln, NE 68588-0411

Other Scholarships

Edythe Wiebers International Studies Program Scholarship
This scholarship subsidizes expenses for one academic year associated with a foreign study program. One or more grants ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 are available to undergraduates and/or graduates attending the UNL. Special application forms can be obtained from college offices across campus and from the International Affairs office.

University Scholarships
There are numerous awards and scholarships available through the Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid. The Scholarship Application for Current Undergraduate Students is all that you need to complete for this process.

Departmental Scholarships
There are numerous awards and scholarships earmarked for specific majors, all of which are administered individually by the departments in the College of Arts and & Sciences. To find out which scholarships you might be eligible for and the procedures for applying, please contact the appropriate department for information.

Eligibility may depend on information provided by the Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid. Therefore, applicants for all scholarships should complete the combined Office of Scholarships & Financial Aid and College of Arts & Sciences Application through your MyRED account by February 1 of each year. Click on "Scholarship Application for Current Undergraduate Students".

Nationally Competitive Fellowships and Scholarships for Undergraduate and Post-Baccalaureate Study
There are many highly competitive national awards that require careful planning well in advance of the application deadline. Some require institutional nomination and endorsement and students can nominate themselves for others. If you have any questions about whether or how to apply to a specific merit-based competition, contact Dr. Laura Damuth, Academic Coordinator, Office of Undergraduate Studies, 201 Seaton Hall, (402) 472-5024.

Recommended by the College

Donald Walters Miller Scholarship

• approximately $1,000
• sophomore standing or above

Kate Field Grant-in-Aid

• approximately $6,000 for one academic year
• ten-year Nebraska resident, in the upper 3/4 of class
• any level undergraduate
• financial need may be considered

Two letters of recommendation from instructors must be submitted to the Dean's Office by February 1. Lab assistants and teaching assistants count as "instructors."

Please provide each instructor with a Right of Access Form. Because of Federal legislation, confidentiality of the instructor's statement will be guaranteed only if you have waived right to access. Please see the form for more information.

For faculty and administrators:
Undergraduate Scholarship Recommendation Form