Scholarships and Financial Aid
Need help paying for college?
Thanks to generous donors, the University of Houston College of Education offers numerous scholarships. To demonstrate financial need for these scholarships, we highly recommend all applicants:
- Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Students not eligible to apply for FAFSA may complete the TASFA (Texas Application for State Financial Aid).
- If you do not fill out the FAFSA or TAFSA, you cannot be considered for the College’s need-based scholarships.
- Explore financial aid options offered through UH for undergraduate and graduate students.
College of Education Scholarships
Key Dates
- The scholarship application is currently closed. The application will open on Jan. 6, 2025 and close on Feb. 28, 2025.
- Award notification: The Scholarship Committee will notify applicants via email in April 2025 whether they received a scholarship award for 2025-26.
- All scholarship award recipients will be required to accept or decline their scholarship and submit a donor thank you letter in May 2025.
(Please read ALL the information below before applying.)
Application Process
- ELIGIBILITY: Scholarship applicants must be current or admitted UH students.
- Complete the online application (which includes basic questions about your major and interests).
- Upload the following required information:
- a one-page narrative
- an unofficial transcript
- a résumé (not required for incoming freshmen)
- contact information for two references
- Note: You only submit ONE application and upload ONE set of materials.
Step 1: Review
Review this webpage and the FAQs to understand the application process, and write down key dates. You also may review the list of scholarships to familiarize yourself with the criteria.
Step 2: Prepare
You only have to submit ONE application and upload ONE set of materials. The Scholarship Committee will consider your application for all applicable scholarships.
Prepare the following materials:
1. A written narrative
(one page typed, 12-point font, single-spaced and saved as a PDF)
- Why did you choose your major/program?
- What is your intended career?
- What are your professional goals and aspirations after graduation?
- Describe how you have exhibited leadership (e.g., on class/team project, in extracurricular activities, in school clubs, in community or service organizations, etc.).
- Note: Applicants’ written narrative will be evaluated on content, organization, grammar and spelling.
The UH Writing Center offers one-on-one appointments for assistance with the scholarship application and essay. You can make an appointment online.
Use of AI in the Scholarship Process
The College of Education understands that opinions on using AI for scholarship applications may vary. However, we believe the best essays come from writing in your own voice. We want your personality, individuality and unique experiences to shine through in your writing. We want to hear your story from you, not from AI. Respectively, AI should not be used to write your scholarship essay which replaces your unique voice, perspectives and experiences. For more information about using AI and other online tools in the scholarship process, visit our FAQ page.
Optional supporting documents
- The Leslie and Kim Wheless Scholarship for aspiring teachers requires an additional essay of one page or less sharing your vision of what future students will gain in your class and how you will help them become better citizens.
- The Norman I. Kagan Scholarship for doctoral students in the Department of Psychological, Health, & Learning Sciences requires a five-page abstract detailing the nature of your dissertation research.
2. References and contact information
- Current students/new transfer students: At least one reference must be a college professor, advisor, academic mentor or staff member; they do not have to be affiliated with the College of Education specifically. Note: To protect the integrity of the review process, current members of the Scholarship Committee may not be used as references.
- Incoming freshmen: You are not required to submit references affiliated with a college. The reference may be someone familiar with you and your work such as teachers, school counselors, advisors, coaches, leaders of an organization you are associated with or former or current employers.
Please contact your intended references to request permission prior to listing their contact information on the application. Be sure to confirm the correct names and email addresses. Also, share the application submission deadline It is your responsibility to follow up with your references to ensure they complete and submit the form.
On the application, submit each reference’s name, title, organization and email address. Your references will be emailed a link to the confidential recommendation form and must submit the form directly back to the Scholarship Committee.
3. A professional résumé or CV
You will need to submit a professional résumé or CV that includes relevant work experience, community involvement, awards and affiliations.
Note: Incoming freshmen are NOT required to submit a résumé.
4. An unofficial transcript
- Current students: Go to your account at AccessUH. Select myUH, Academic Records and then UH Official Transcript on the left menu to download an unofficial transcript.
- Incoming freshmen or new transfer students: Request an unofficial transcript from your high school or college that includes the most recent completed semester.
5. Complete FAFSA/TASFA
Step 3: Submit required documents online (the application is closed)
- Answer all the questions on the online application.
- Upload the required documents in the “Upload Documents” tab.
- All required documents must be submitted for your application to be considered complete.
- In order to complete the application, review your answers to all questions before clicking the SUBMIT button.
Questions?
- See answers to frequently asked questions.
- For assistance, please complete this brief form to submit a question. A member of our scholarship team will get back to you Monday through Friday. Due to a high volume of inquiries, please allow 48 hours for a response.
Notice of Award and Requirements
Notification of scholarship awards typically occurs in April. All applicants will receive a notification via email from the Scholarship Committee.
Scholarship recipients should receive the first disbursement of funds within 30 days from the start of the fall semester, contingent upon the following:
- Recipient has completed the requirement of writing a thank you letter and submitting a photo by the deadline listed in the award letter.
- Recipient still meets the scholarship criteria and is in good standing with the University at the start of the fall semester.
These terms are non-negotiable. Students who have received notification of award but do not meet the terms of agreement above will not receive their disbursement.
Additional requirements may include attending a scholarship reception or meeting the donor during the academic year of award.
Additional UH Scholarships
UH College Assistance Migrant Program
The UH College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) provides first-year university students who have migrant or agricultural work backgrounds with the tools and support to begin their undergraduate studies at the University of Houston. The program provides incoming freshman with academic, social and financial support. Please visit the program webpage for eligibility and application information.
Asian American Studies Academic Excellence Scholarship
The UH Asian American Studies Center provides scholarships to qualified undergraduate and graduate students who want to pursue educational and research opportunities in Asian and Asian American Studies. Students who minor in Asian American Studies, or have taken/plan to take Asian American Studies courses, demonstrate academic excellence and have a GPA of 2.7 or higher are eligible to apply. The scholarship application is now open. Visit the Asian American Studies scholarship page to apply.
UH Foundation Scholarships
The UH Foundation scholarship includes several scholarships for College of Education undergraduate students. Applicants must be enrolled in the UH College of Education full time. The application typically opens in March. Please visit the UH Foundation Scholarship page for more information.
University of Houston Alumni Association Foundation Scholarships
The University of Houston Alumni Association Foundation has scholarships available for undergraduate and graduate students. The application typically opens in January. Visit the UHAA Scholarship webpage for more information.
Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers
Prospective and current UH students who want to be teachers are eligible to apply for the Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers. The application is currently open. Please visit the Charles Butt Foundation webpage for more information.