Scholarship Limits

UC scholarship awards are made by many different offices at the university. While these offices work together to create the best possible financial aid package for a student, it is important for awarded students to understand the limits of offers made to them.

COMBINED AWARDS
The following limitations ensure that the university awarding offices are being good stewards of scholarship funds. Awarded students should also be aware of these limitations.

• Multiple Awards: Students receiving multiple UC scholarship awards may have more than one award designated for the same UC charge (e.g. tuition) or receive awards intended to work in combination to meet a specific total.  When there is overlap of awards, reductions to individual scholarship awards may need to occur.  At minimum, the value of the highest single scholarship will be maintained.
• Maximum Award: A student’s UC scholarship total may not exceed direct costs (i.e., tuition, room, board) and UC-determined book allowance. If a student is also receiving non-UC funds (including federal aid), the total of all funds cannot exceed total direct and in-direct costs of education. Indirect costs include UC allowances for personal and transportation expenses. 
• Acceptance Agreement: Acceptance of an individual scholarship award is an agreement to the terms and conditions of that award as well as all policies governing UC scholarships. Every student’s award package is subject to audit with final determination of scholarship & other aid values to be made by the UC Student Financial Aid Office.

TERMINOLOGY
Additionally, awards can carry with them very specific terms. Students should review their award offer letter and agreements carefully to understand the terms of that scholarship.

• Tuition: Tuition is composed of instructional, general, ITIE, and campus life fees and, for out-of-state students, the instructional non-resident surcharge. Note that scholarships can limit awards to tuition or components of tuition. As well, students are generally responsible for any overload tuition costs for excess registration. 
• Tuition-Restricted: Tuition-designated awards can only be used for tuition charges.
• Room and Board: An offer of room or board is designated only for that cost. Students may not be eligible for these funds if they are not living on campus or in university-affiliated housing. Room awards (unless designated otherwise) are for a traditional, double occupancy room. Board awards are for the cost of the lowest priced residential meal plan. Students who choose alternate on-campus housing, affiliated housing, or higher meal options will be responsible for additional costs.
• Out-of-State Awards: Awards designated as out-of-state are only applicable if the student is charged non-resident fees not otherwise scholarshipped.
• Renewability: All scholarships are awarded for a single term or year unless specific renewability criteria are outlined in the award offer.
• Tuition Remission: Tuition remission offered through UC employment is considered a scholarship for aid purposes. It will reduce overall aid eligibility, tuition-based or restricted funds and the Cincinnatus Century Scholarship. NOTE: Tuition remission estimates by Student Financial Aid are based on indications of eligibility; final determination of eligibility and all awarding is done by UC Human Resources as a benefit specific to employment status.

As with any financial aid, final scholarship determinations are subject to university audit and adjustment by the Student Financial Aid Office.

Students who have questions on how their scholarship award may be limited should contact the awarding office or the Scholarship & New Student Financial Aid Center (513-556-2420; financeaid@uc.edu).

An understanding of how your specific awards work (individually and in combination) is important when planning your personal finances.