Trustee Academic & Leadership Scholarships

Requirements

To be considered for academic, leadership, or alumni scholarship assistance, a student must meet unconditional Admissions standards (19 or higher ACT or 990 or higher SAT and 2.0 or better GPA) and apply for admission and scholarship by April 15.

Trustee awards are not available to online students or to international students who are attending UWA through a partnership program or memorandum of agreement with another university or college and/or who have special UWA scholarship provisions. 

To Apply

To apply for on campus freshman/transfer scholarships from the Admissions Office, UWA applicants should fill out the Trustee Scholarship Application found HERE. (You will need your UWA username and password.) If you are a graduate or online student, please click here for scholarship opportunities. 

Please email scholarships@uwa.edu if you have any questions about the scholarship application or awarding process.

Scholarships for Beginning Freshmen

Trustee Academic Awards 

Awards are made to entering  on campus freshmen (or transfers with less than 24 credit hours) with a 21 or higher ACT/ 1060 or higher SAT or 3.0 GPA. Scholarships range from $2,000 to $12,000 per year and are renewable for up to four academic years with the maintenance of a minimum 3.0 GPA. On-campus residency is required for two years to maintain the full value of Trustee scholarships.

Test Scores

Trustee Valedictorian & Salutatorian 

Valedictorian and Salutatorian scholarships are available to on campus freshmen that have been recognized by their high school as one of the top two students in their graduating senior class. Students must meet unconditional admissions standards (19 or higher ACT/ 990 SAT). On-campus residency is required for the first two years at UWA for recipients. Must submit the online UWA Scholarship Application as detailed above. Students can apply through the Trustee Scholarship Application form;  after the Admissions Office is able to confirm valedictorian/salutatorian status, the scholarship will be granted.

Valedictorian & Salutatorian $2,500 per year

Trustee Leadership Awards

These awards are available to entering on campus freshmen (or transfer students with less than 24 credit hours) demonstrating outstanding leadership ability as demonstrated through high school, community, or religious activities. Students must meet unconditional admissions standards (19 or higher ACT/ 990 SAT or a 2.5+ GPA). On-campus residency is required for the first two years at UWA for recipients. Must submit online UWA Scholarship Application as detailed above. Awards vary, up to $2,500 per year. Activities that warrant consideration include:

Trustee Legacy Scholarship

The University of West Alabama Office of Admissions established the Trustee Legacy Scholarship in 2019.  The scholarship is appropriately named, as it will perpetuate the legacy of the University of West Alabama tradition by providing scholarships to academically talented freshman and transfer students who are children of UWA/LU graduates. 

Scholarship Criteria:

• Applicants must be the child or stepchild of a graduate of the University of West Alabama (formerly Livingston University). This must be confirmed by the Office of Alumni Affairs before the scholarship is awarded.

• Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.

• Applicants must be unconditionally accepted into a degree program at the University of West Alabama.

• Applicants must enroll full time in on campus classes. 

Dual Enrollment Scholars Award

Upon high school graduation, students who have completed six (6) semester credit hours of UWA Dual Enrollment, and earned a 3.0 GPA or higher, are eligible to apply for the Dual Enrollment Scholars Award. Upon high school graduation and enrollment at UWA, the Dual Enrollment Scholars Award provides a $1,000 one-time scholarship for on-campus classes.

What are UWA's Particular Talent or Ability Scholarships?

Find out more here.

Community College Transfer Scholarships

Awards are made to entering  on campus transfer students with a 3.0 GPA or above. Scholarships range from $3,000 to $4,000 per year and are renewable for up to two academic years with the maintenance of a minimum 3.0 GPA. 

International Talent Scholarships

International undergraduate students enrolled full-time on-campus meeting criteria in one of the following areas: Academic, Music, or Language would qualify to receive in-state tuition (approximately $4,550 per semester) plus a $100 per semester scholarship for up to eight semesters. 

• Academic Qualifications- Incoming transfers must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA on all college coursework. Incoming freshmen must have a 3.0 cumulative high school GPA and meet the entrance exam qualification or English proficiency qualification. 

• Music Qualifications- Students must provide performance videos and participate in an interview. Also, students are required to participate in a music program while at UWA. 

• Language Qualifications- Students must provide proof of fluency in three or more languages. Transcripts or other objective evidence is required as is an interview. 

Other UWA Scholarships

Alumni Scholarships

For information about Alumni Scholarships and Applications, please visit the UWA Alumni Website. 

Academic Related Scholarships

• Alabama Power: Available to full-time UWA junior and senior students majoring in Environmental Science. The recipient must be a legal resident of Alabama. Contact the Dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at (205) 652-3414. Apply here

• Colquitt Language and Literature Memorial: Amount varies. Contact the Chair of Languages and Literature Department in the College of Liberal Arts at (205) 652-5492. 

• Kelly Land Writing Competition: $1,000 one-time scholarship to entering freshman who has won the Kelly Land writing competition held during April of the student’s senior year. A $500 one-time scholarship will be awarded to the second-place winner. Transfer students are also able to compete in the transfer student division.  For more information, and to register, click here. 

• James Pate History Essay Competition Scholarship: $1,000 one-time scholarship to entering freshman who has won the James P. Pate History Essay competition held during April of the student’s senior year. A $500 one-time scholarship will be awarded to the second-place winner. Transfer students are also able to compete in the transfer student division.  For more information, and to register, click here. 

• Darryl Hutcheson Memorial: Amount varies. Available to students majoring in technology in engineering technology. Contact the Dean of the College of Business and Technology at (205) 652-3687. 

• Julia Tutwiler Scholarship Fund: Available to deserving students majoring in education. Contact the College of Education at (205) 652-5426 or visit the College of Education webpage for more information. 

• Black Belt Teacher Corps Teach for Alabama:  The Black Belt Teacher Corps Teach for Alabama scholarship program is created to address teacher shortages in Alabama’s Black Belt region, rural Alabama areas, and Alabama high needs public school districts.  The Black Belt Teacher Corps Teach for Alabama program enhances teacher recruitment, preparation, and retention in the field of education by offering tuition scholarships to the College of Education, providing leadership and service training, and provides mentoring for scholars as they enter the teaching profession.  Scholars complete a public school/community-based Service Project and commit to teach in public schools in the Black Belt Region, rural areas, and high needs Alabama school districts for up to three (3) years after graduation.  Visit the Black Belt Teacher Corps Teach for Alabama website to learn more about the program.

• The Jessica Hill Memorial Marine Biology Scholarship was created in memory of Lt. Hill to promote the education of deserving full-time undergraduate students pursuing a degree in Marine Biology in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at The University of West Alabama.  The primary goal of the Hill Scholarship is to help defer the cost of attendance during the summer programs at Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL). Apply Here

• Project INSPIRE: Through the NSF-funded INSPIRE scholarship, UWA juniors and seniors majoring in a STEM field and pursuing teacher certification may apply for up to $14,400 annually in support. More information here. 

• The UWA BOSS II scholarship is designed to support students financially and academically to complete their college degree within four years, ultimately leading to a career in biological or environmental sciences or joining graduate or professional schools. More information here. 

• Project EARN scholarships are awarded to full-time students who are accepted to UWA and meet the nursing program admission requirements. More information can be found here. 

Other UWA Scholarships 

• UWA Cheerleading: Yearly scholarships. For tryout dates and more information, visit the cheer webpage here. 

• UWA Band: Amount varies. For more information, please contact the Director of Bands at (205) 652-5412. Audition required. More information here. 

• UWA Choir: Amount varies. For more information, contact the Fine Arts Department at (205) 652-3510. Audition required. More information here. 

Outside UWA Scholarships

These scholarships require a separate application. Contact information required. 

• Allyrae Wallace Educational Trust: Designated for students from Wilcox County, Alabama. Must contact by writing a letter of request (for application) to: Allyrae Wallace Educational Trust, PO Box 433, Camden, AL 36726.

• American Legion Auxiliary: For an application, please write to: Executive Secretary, American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Alabama, 120 North Jackson Street, Montgomery, AL 36104.

• J. L. Bedsole Scholars Program: A scholarship based on character and leadership. Student must be graduating from an accredited school in the following counties: Mobile, Clarke, Baldwin, Monroe, or Washington (graduates of Sweetwater High School also eligible). For more information, call (334) 432-3369 or email patty@jlbedsolefoundation.org.

• Simpson Scholarship: Must be a resident of Wilcox County, AL, and apply between January 1 and March 1 of the year of graduation from high school, Alabama Southern Community College or George Wallace Community College. For more information, visit: www.thesimpsonfoundation.org.

• United Daughters of the Confederacy: Must be a lineal descendant of an eligible Confederate (one who served honorably in the Confederate Army, Navy, or Civil Service or who gave Material Aid to the Cause). For more information, visit: www.hqudc.org/Scholarships.

• Scooters N' Chairs is sponsoring a $1,000 scholarship for a manual or power wheelchair user. Click here for more information and the scholarship application. 

• Pursuant to the purpose of The McPhearson Foundation, the Board of Directors has elected to provide an annual scholarship to assist spinal cord injured people in continuing their education. The scholarship may be awarded to a graduating senior or a deserving student already enrolled in a post-secondary school. More information concerning eligibility and criteria for this scholarship can be found here.  Any interested student seeking this scholarship shall complete and return The McPhearson Foundation, Inc. application. 

• The Alfa Foundation is helping cover the cost of college or technical school for up to 100 outstanding students. High School seniors and post-secondary undergraduates enrolled or planning to enroll in a two or four-year college, university, or technical school in the state of Alabama are encouraged to apply. One hundred scholarships worth $1,000 will be awarded statewide.  The application is available at www.alfainsurance.com from November 17, 2020- January 31, 2021. 

• Black Warrior Electric Cooperative Foundation Scholarship Program: To qualify, the student must be a graduating high school senior who is the dependent of a BWEMC member. The award is good for four years and can be used for anything that can be purchased through the school tuition, books, room, and board, etc. More info can be found here.