Scholarship Renewal Information

 

What scholarships renew with the Scholarship Renewal Proposal Form?

A Plus, AFS Returnee, Alumni, Boy’s State, Comm./Junior College Transfer, Fee Waiver, Girl’s State, High School Renaissance, Missouri Scholars Academy, National Honor Society/Beta Club, National Merit, Pershing, Phi Theta Kappa, President’s Combined Ability, President’s Competitive, President’s Honorary, President’s Leadership, President’s Recognition, President’s Service Award, Truman Leadership, Youth for Understanding

What criteria must I meet to renew my scholarship?

Scholarships are normally reviewed for renewal after spring semester. You must pass at least 24 credit hours during the academic year and not have used eight semesters of scholarship or the pro-rated number of semesters if you are a transfer student. Only Truman hours and GPA are used to calculate renewal.  Scholarship renewal values will be calculated according to the following scale.

All scholarships are renewed for the academic year with this scale.

3.25 and above Full renewal

3.20 – 3.24 90% of original value

3.10 – 3.19 80% of original value

3.00 – 3.09 70% of original value

What if my first semester of enrollment and scholarship was a spring semester?

Students who initially enroll and receive scholarships in spring semesters received awards that are off schedule – spring/fall awards instead of fall/spring. Renewal for these students is not reviewed until after the second semester of the scholarship award which would be fall semester. Students who meet the renewal criteria for the subsequent spring semester are reviewed again after that spring to be on the normal semester cycle of renewal.

How do I renew my scholarship?

You need to complete the Scholarship Renewal Proposal Form, which is available in the Financial Aid Office or on the Truman website at http://financialaid.truman.edu/.

If your scholarship requires the service option and you elect to take full renewal, you need to locate a department that agrees to have you perform the service hours and have your supervisor and the division head sign the form before returning it to the Financial Aid Office, MC 103. We must receive a completed scholarship renewal form before scholarships are applied to your student account.

How many service hours are required for each semester?

All scholarship awards that total $751 or more per semester require 60 service hours for each semester of renewal. Failure to complete the 60 hours will result in a charge to your student account. This charge is a prorated amount of your scholarship based on the percentage of hours not completed. The service requirement is the same if you live on or off campus. Because the value of your scholarship could increase after fall semester, it is possible to not need to perform the service hours for one semester then have the value increase for spring and be required to do the hours for that term.

What if my scholarship requires the service hours for full renewal and I don’t want to perform the service requirement?

Sign section ‘B’ of the Scholarship Renewal Proposal Form and submit to the Financial Aid Office, MC 103. You will receive one-half the value of your scholarship without the service requirement.

Can I perform the service hours in more than one department?

Yes. If your first choice of a position does not have sufficient work for you to complete 60 hours in one semester, you are responsible for finding other positions to fulfill the requirement. Please complete a separate scholarship renewal form for each position.

When do I need to complete the scholarship renewal form?

Each renewal scholarship recipient is required to complete the scholarship renewal form annually, beginning with the third semester of the award. You should complete the renewal form as soon as you know you qualify for renewal. You may complete and submit the renewal form prior to leaving campus in the spring if you anticipate that you will meet the criteria for renewal. If you wait until the beginning of the fall semester to submit your renewal form to the Financial Aid Office, it may take several weeks to process your scholarship. If you have not worked on campus either doing scholarship service, Federal Work-Study or Institutional Payroll, then you will need to also complete the I-9 and W-4 forms in the Payroll Office. This requires two forms of identification.

Do I need to complete a renewal form if my scholarship does not require work?

Beginning Fall 2007, you do not have to submit a scholarship renewal form if your scholarship is $750 or less per semester and does not require service hours.  The Financial Aid Office will automatically renew your scholarship as long as you meet all requirements.

Can I change my scholarship service position?

Yes. You can change departments at any time. Please complete a new renewal form which is available in the Financial Aid Office and on the Truman Financial Aid Website at http://financialaid.truman.edu.

Can I perform my service hours off campus?

Yes, in certain areas of the community. If you wish do this, you must submit an appeal explaining where you wish to do the service. The service must be strictly on a volunteer basis. You cannot be paid by the organization for the service hours. Some examples of approved areas are A. T. Still University, Kirksville R-3 School District, Victim Support Services, United Way, Adair County Red Cross, Adair County Sheriff’s Department, Family Advocacy Center, Adair County Public Library, Northeast Community Action Agency, and the Adair County Historical Society. You may submit this appeal through the on-line scholarship appeal petition .  Religiously affiliated organizations will not be considered for scholarship service.

I-9 and W-4 Paperwork

If you have never worked for the University (Federal Work-Study, Institutional Payroll, or scholarship), you must complete I-9 and W-4 forms in the Payroll office, McClain Hall 105. This can be done prior to leaving campus for the summer. You may complete these forms when you return in the fall, but your scholarship will not be applied to your student account until the paperwork is completed. You need two forms of identification in order to complete these forms.

If I complete extra service hours, do they count toward another semester?

No. Hours may not be accumulated during a semester to apply to future terms. However, you may work in the summer to make up hours for the previous spring semester or to apply to the immediate fall semester if the appeals committee grants you special permission. Fall service hours must be completed between May graduation and December 31, and spring hours must be completed between January 1 and May 31. Hours cannot overlap calendar years.

If I lose my scholarship, can I get it back?

Yes. If after any term you raise your Truman cumulative GPA within range of the renewal scale and/or make up any deficient hours, contact the Financial Aid Office. Hours taken at Truman the summer following the academic year may count toward the deficient hours and/or GPA. However, credit hours taken at other institutions will not be counted toward renewal.

What if I don’t meet the renewal criteria due to extenuating circumstances?

You have the option of appealing. Appeal forms are available in the Financial Aid Office or through the on-line process at http://financialaid.truman.edu/forms.asp. The appeal is reviewed by a committee, which can award you any percentage of your scholarship they deem appropriate. The percentage awarded then becomes the full amount of your scholarship for that particular time period should you choose to use your scholarship. If you opt to take a 1/2 renewal and not do the service hours, but the 1/2 refers to half of the amount awarded by the appeals committee, not the original award.

I want to move off-campus. What happens to my scholarship?

If your scholarship is for an amount greater than your tuition bill, you have two options. All scholarship students are eligible to use excess funds toward (1) a meal plan or bonus bucks, with a limit of $200 toward bonus bucks. Students with scholarships that are considered full rides (tuition + room and board, Pershing Scholars, or full ride packages which include tuition + room and board + Truman Week Fee, and Bright Flight and/or National Merit) have a second option, (2) an off-campus living allowance. This allowance is in the amount of $330 per semester for sophomores and juniors or $500 per semester for seniors and can only be used instead of option 1. If you fall into the full ride category and you choose the 1/2 renewal option, it will cover 1/2 of your tuition and you are still eligible for the living allowance.

What do I need to do to renew my Bright Flight?

As long as you are enrolled for the next semester and meet the academic progress criteria, you will be eligible to renew this scholarship. You must pass 20 hours per academic year with a GPA of 2.0 or higher. If you do not meet the requirement you have the option of appealing. Renewing the Bright Flight does not require any paperwork on the student’s part. Students who enroll after a semester begins should notify the Financial Aid Office.

For further information regarding the renewal of scholarships, contact the Financial Aid Office by phone at 660-785-4130, e-mail finaid@truman.edu or in person at McClain Hall 103.