Finding Your Way in Scholarship Universe

Finding Your Way In Scholarship Universe

  • Create a profile
  • How to use Scholarship Universe
  • Tips for letters of recommendation
  • FAQs

Create Your Profile in Scholarship Universe

(Recommended) File your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before you get started on Scholarship Universe. Many scholarships within your department, college, and the University of Arizona require a FAFSA to even be considered for scholarship awards. We strongly recommend you submit a FAFSA if you are eligible to do so. A FAFSA form must be submitted every year. For more information, visit the Department of Education’s website: https://fafsa.gov.  

Refer to the College of Science instructions for creating your profile:  

Scholarship applications are submitted in the spring semester. Recipients are announced in late spring or early summer for the following Academic Year.

Awards will be disbursed during the subsequent Academic Year to continuing students.

If you will graduate in the same Spring Semester applications are submitted or during the Summer after applications are submitted, do not apply for these awards

If it is determined that you will complete degree requirements prior to the intended semesters of disbursement, you will be deemed ineligible and your application withdrawn from consideration.

You must use the Scholarship Universe online application system to apply for scholarships.

The Scholarship Universe system will match you to scholarships based on how you answer the profile questions, so please answer all questions.

You may feel like you're answering the same question in different ways, but they are all important for your qualification profile.

  1. Login to Scholarship Universe with your UA Net ID and password. If you have already created your Profile, go to Step 3. If not, 
  2. Answer ALL the questions in the PROFILE Tab. This step may take up to 30 minutes if you've never created a profile before. Your answers will be used to match you to UArizona and Non-UArizona scholarships for which you may be eligible to apply for year-round.
  3. Look under the SCHOLARSHIPS Tab and your ELIGIBLE folder for blue-colored scholarships with a deadline of (TBA). Click on one to open it. UArizona scholarships will be blue and non-UArizona scholarships will be orange. You may be eligible for other UArizona scholarships, so read the description to confirm it is from the College of Science and/or the Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences.
  4. Scroll down to the APPLY HERE section of the scholarship you opened. You will see instructions about how to apply. Some scholarship applications can be linked to multiple scholarships which may possibly qualify you for multiple awards.
  5. Follow all of the instructions in the APPLY HERE section. You must upload all of the items required for each scholarship and complete the entire application to be eligible for the award.
  6. Return to one of your College of Science or Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences scholarships and select your documents from the appropriate dropdown menu in the APPLY HERE section.
  7. NOTE: If the application requires a Letter of Recommendation (LOR), please complete this step immediately as you must send an email request through the online application system to the individual from whom you are requesting the letter. It is very important to allow that person adequate time to respond. In your email message, be sure to include these details:
  • Who you are
  • What scholarship you are applying for and a list of the requirements
  • Why you chose them to write your letter (e.g., we worked together in your research lab, I was a TA or preceptor for your course, you are my research supervisor and know my qualifications)
  • The scholarship deadline so they can submit the letter through the link provided before the deadline
  • Your contact information (email, phone) so they may contact you
  • Ask them to confirm with you as soon as they receive your email if they can meet the deadline; If they cannot, just login to the Scholarship University system and request a letter of recommendation from another individual
  • Check back periodically to see if they have submitted the letter of recommendation

IMPORTANT: Even though you may have completed the application and submitted all required documents, if the letter of recommendation is not submitted, your application is marked INCOMPLETE.

VERIFY: Once you verify that all of the scholarship application requirements have been uploaded and the letter of recommendation (if required) has been submitted, you are done!

 

Some, but not all, scholarships require a letter of recommendation (LOR). In your email message to the person you have asked to write a letter on your behalf, be sure to include these details:

  • Who you are
  • What scholarship you are applying for and a list of the requirements
  • Why you chose them to write your letter (e.g., we worked together in your research lab, I was a TA or preceptor for your course, you are my research supervisor and know my qualifications)
  • The scholarship deadline so they can submit the letter through the link provided before the deadline
  • Your contact information (email, phone) so they may contact you
  • Ask them to confirm with you as soon as they receive your email if they can meet the deadline; if they cannot, just login to the Scholarship University system and request a letter of recommendation from another individual.
  • Check back periodically to see if they have submitted the letter of recommendation

IMPORTANT: Even though you may have completed the application and submitted all required documents, if the letter of recommendation is not submitted, your application is marked INCOMPLETE.

VERIFY: Once you verify that all of the scholarship application requirements have been uploaded and the letter of recommendation (if required) has been submitted, you are done!

Find most frequently asked questions here

If you have any questions about eligibility or have difficulty with the application process, please contact the Academic and Graduate Program Coordinator Lupe Romero at romerog@arizona.edu or 520-621-.6831.