Eligibility for Puget Sound scholarships and grants is limited by the following policies.
- Puget Sound scholarships and grants are awarded for the entire academic year and will be divided equally between the fall and spring semesters. Scholarships and grants cannot be applied to summer enrollment.
- Puget Sound academic scholarships, Puget Sound Grant, Puget Sound Scholarship, and Puget Sound Opportunity Grant are available for up to 10 semesters. Named scholarships are available for 8 semesters. A semester of eligibility is counted if any portion of the award is used.
- Puget Sound scholarships and grants require that you be enrolled each semester as a full-time student for at least three (3.0) units per semester.
- Puget Sound scholarships and grants may only be applied towards the cost of Puget Sound tuition. If you receive other scholarships, grants, stipends, tuition remission or tuition exchange assistance designated to be used only for tuition and the sum of these awards exceed the cost of tuition, your scholarship or grant will be reduced or withdrawn until the amount of your tuition designed scholarship dollars equal the amount of tuition.
- The total amount of need-based federal, state, or university scholarship and grant aid received cannot exceed financial need.
- The total amount of aid received from all sources cannot exceed the cost of attendance.
If a student's financial aid award must be reduced, the reductions occur in the following order: need-based loan assistance, work-study employment, and finally grant assistance.
Maintaining Eligibility
In order to remain eligible for federal, state, and university financial aid, students must meet the following criteria.
- Maintain full-time enrollment of at least 3.0 units.
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress by completing at least 75% of the units in which enrolled.
- Undergraduates must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or higher; graduate candidates must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher.
- Maintain the required eligibility criteria for certain scholarships (grade point average, major, performance requirement, etc.).
- Must reapply for need-based financial aid by completing the FAFSA each year.
Need-Based Financial Aid
In order to remain eligible for federal, state, and university need-based financial aid, a student must continue to demonstrate financial need by completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The amount of need-based financial aid a student is eligible to receive each year may vary depending on their level of financial need and/or other scholarship or grant assistance received.
Co-Operative Education
The Co-Operative Education Program allows students to formally link a work experience to their curriculum for academic credit. Students participating in a .50 unit or 1.0 unit co-op program are eligible for federal or state financial aid, excluding work-study, but are not eligible for Puget Sound scholarships or grants.
Enrollment Requirements
Unless otherwise specified on the Financial Aid Award, all financial aid and scholarship recipients are required to maintain full-time enrollment. Enrollment is defined as the number of units registered for at the end of the "drop without record" period (the tenth day of enrollment) for fall and spring terms. If you have not enrolled in the minimum number of units your financial aid award was based on, your financial aid will be subject to change.
Terms & Conditions
Tacoma Public Schools Commitment