Pillars of Strength Scholarship

If you are selected to receive the scholarship, you will not need to resubmit the Pillars of Strength Scholarship application each year to continue receiving your award. To renew your award, you will need to:

• Complete the FAFSA each year before the fall federal FAFSA deadline
• Register for at least 6 credits each term if you're an undergraduate student or at least 3 credits each term if you're a graduate student in the fall and spring terms
  • Winter and summer term registration is not required to maintain your eligibility, although the scholarship covers courses taken in those terms
• Remain in good academic standing by meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirement

• For undergraduate students, the scholarship may be renewable for up to seven years.
• For graduate students, the scholarship may be renewable for up to five years.
• Undergraduate recipients with less than 30 transfer credits at the time of the award may request an extension from the Pillars of Strength scholarship committee if needed.

• This scholarship is only applicable to students enrolled in a UMGC associates, bachelors, masters degree or certificate program; doctoral programs are not eligible.
• Students may not be enrolled in an institution of higher education other than UMGC while receiving a Pillars of Strength Scholarship.
• Undergraduate students may pursue an undergraduate certificate, associate, and bachelor's at the same time.
  • The undergraduate certificate and associate degree must be declared prior to completing the requirements for the bachelor's degree.
  • Students may not apply for the undergraduate certificate or associate after receiving the bachelor's degree.
• Graduate students may pursue a graduate certificate while pursing a master's degree.
  • The graduate certificate must be declared prior to completing the requirements for the master's degree.
  • Students may not apply for the graduate certificate after receiving the master's degree.
• You may not change your degree program after completing 50 percent of the required courses in that program.
• All program changes must be approved in advance by the scholarship administrator.
• Additional program restrictions may apply.

You will not be eligible for scholarship funds if you do not meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements each semester. You must also complete the FAFSA each year before the fall FAFSA deadline. Also, you must register for at least 6 credits each term if you're an undergraduate student or at least 3 credits each term if you're a graduate student in the fall and spring terms; winter and summer term registration is not required to maintain your eligibility, although the scholarship covers courses taken in those terms. You will be required to pay for courses on your own until you are able to meet those requirements.

Exceptions to these enrollment requirements need to be approved in advance and will be considered on a case‐by‐case basis due to extenuating circumstances related to military service, caregiver requirements, or other approved hardship issues. Recipients should contact the scholarship administrator at vesseyvrc@umgc.edu to request an exception.

You will not be eligible for additional scholarship funding if you complete your degree program. Undergraduate recipients will need to submit a new scholarship application if they want to pursue a graduate degree program.

UMGC reserves the right to make reductions or cancellations to your scholarship award if you

• Become ineligible for financial aid due to a default status on your Title IV funds
• Are receiving more than one UMGC donor scholarship that exceeds institutional award maximums as determined by the UMGC Office of Financial Aid
  
• Are receiving another tuition-restricted scholarship
  
• Are receiving additional financial aid that exceeds your financial aid eligibility when coupled with this scholarship
  
• Withdraw or fail to complete the required course enrollment for the term
  
• Are deemed ineligible for funding based on unsatisfactory academic performance or financial aid standing
  
• Are academically dismissed or administratively withdrawn from UMGC

Failure to drop or withdraw from a course resulting in a grade of "FN" may lead to forfeiture of the scholarship unless an exception request is approved.

• Review withdrawal policy
• Review exception requests