Undergraduate Scholarship Awards

Presidential, University, and Transfer Merit Award Guidelines

All students who receive a Presidential, University, or Transfer Merit Award are subject to the following guidelines:

GPA Requirements: 2.8 for Presidential, University, Transfer Merit Award, Transfer Achievement Award, and Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Scholarship

  • Grade point average (GPA) is checked at the end of each academic year in May, once final grades are posted.
  • Students must earn the required cumulative GPA for continuance of their scholarship. The scholarship will be lost if the cumulative GPA drops below the requirement, but can be reinstated and maintained if the semester GPA remains at the required level thereafter.
  • It is the responsibility of the student to contact Enrollment Services to request reinstatement for GPA issues.

Continuous Full-time Enrollment

  • Scholarship recipients must pursue continuous full time enrollment as defined by 12 credits per semester. Fewer than 12 credits will result in permanent loss of the scholarship; it cannot be reinstated.
  • Credit requirements are based on enrolled credits, not billed credits.
  • The student will lose their scholarship if they do not complete their full-time coursework (i.e. receive Incomplete, Unsatisfactory, or NW grades). If their grade is subsequently changed or completed, they can contact Enrollment Services to request scholarship reinstatement.
  • Students who take a Leave of Absence are considered to be breaking full-time continuous enrollment. 
  • Students who are registered for Off-Campus Study as part of a URI approved program must pursue a minimum of 12 approved credits each semester to continue their scholarship. The amount of the scholarship may be prorated based on tuition (educational costs) charged by the program. (The exception to this rule is the IEP internship semester where the student does not receive their scholarship).

Residency

  • If a student’s residency status is changed from Out-of-State to In-State or Regional, the Scholarship award will be reduced accordingly due to the decrease in tuition rates. The Scholarship will be increased if the tuition is changed from In-State or Regional to Out- of-State.
  • Note:  Incoming first-year students majoring in Supply Chain Management are subject to mid-career residency changes as described in the University Catalog.

Semesters of Eligibility

The scholarship is offered for 8 semesters (6 for a transfer scholarship) of continuous full time undergraduate enrollment.

  • If a student extends their study beyond the original total semester award, the Scholarship will not be extended.
  • Semesters lost due to a GPA  below the requirement and/or unapproved off-campus study are charged to the total semesters of eligibility.
  • Eligibility ceases upon undergraduate degree completion
  • Awards are only available during the fall and spring terms

URI Faculty/Staff Waiver
Students eligible for this waiver will not receive the Presidential (formerly Centennial), University Scholarship, or Transfer Merit awards. The waiver will replace the scholarship.

National Guard STAP Waiver
Students eligible for this waiver will not receive the Presidential, University Scholarship, or Transfer Merit awards. The waiver will replace the scholarship. Should your tuition waiver status change, your scholarship will be reinstated.  This policy is effective with the Fall 2024 admission cycle.

University of Connecticut/University of Maine Tuition Exchange Agreement
If your parent or legal guardian is a full-time employee of the University of Connecticut or the University of Maine, you may be eligible for in-state tuition at URI through our tuition exchange agreement. If this is the case, and you have received a merit scholarship from URI, your scholarship award will be adjusted to the corresponding in-state scholarship amount.

Merit Appeal Process

A Presidential (formerly Centennial)/University/Keaney Blue/Transfer Merit Award Scholarship Appeal Committee meets at the end of each semester to consider appeals for discontinued scholarships due to academic /credit completion performance. Students will receive communication from Enrollment Services with the opportunity to submit an electronic appeal upon the loss of their scholarship.  Supporting documentation (i.e. letters from physicians) may be included if appropriate. Decisions from the committee are FINAL.  

Future reinstatement:  Students who lost their merit scholarships due to academic performance/credit completion and an unsuccessful appeal may appeal to have their merit award reinstated in future semesters if they improve their academic performance with a 2.8 or greater in a full-time course schedule. Reinstatement Requests should be sent to: Presidential/University/Keaney Blue/Transfer Merit Award Scholarship Reinstatement Committee, Enrollment Services, Green Hall . 6 Rhody Ram Way, Kingston, RI 02881  Please note that approved reinstatement appeals will only be applied to future semesters.

Please note that Enrollment Services merit appeals are separate from any scholastic standing appeals that may be required from your academic college.