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VCU Engineering Scholarship Policies

Please direct all questions regarding College of Engineering scholarships to the Scholarship Coordinator at engrscholars@vcu.edu.

Award Names

When a student receives a scholarship offer, including both Progressive Scholarships and Opportunity Awards, the initial offer may be assigned to a placeholder account name. After the start of the student's first semester the scholarship will be assigned to a specific funding account or may even be split between two accounts.

When scholarships are assigned to a funding account the name of the award changes to reflect the account, the placeholder name will go away. If this happens to your award you will be notified by email at your official VCU email address to indicate the new name you will see on your student account. Name changes do not change any other terms of the award.  When an award is split between two accounts, the sum of the accounts will combine to match the original offer.

Renewal Requirements

All scholarship offers are designated for a specific value over a limited time. Offer letters clearly state if the award is for a term of 1, 2, 3, or 4 years. Renewal eligibility will be reviewed at the end of each semester. To be eligible for automatic renewal students must do all of the following:

  • Remain enrolled with a major in the VCU College of Engineering
  • Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0
    • First-Year students with a first semester GPA of 2.7 to 2.999 are given a warning with the second semester to raise their GPA
    • Transfer students do not receive a warning semester
  • Demonstrate progress toward an Engineering or Computer Science degree by
    • Meeting all VCU Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements
    • Registering as a full-time student each semester (12-plus credits)
    • Completing at least 28 credits in each academic year
      • Taking Summer courses counts toward the 28 credits, but does not change the scholarship value
    • Not withdraw from any course (receive a grade of “W”)
      • Medical withdrawals will be reviewed by the Engineering Scholarship Committee with leniency
      • In extraordinary circumstances the Engineering Scholarship Committee may grant approval in advance for a withdrawal
  • Scholarships are not extended beyond the original term for students who have not graduated by that time

Students who meet all requirements do not need to do anything to make the award renew.

Exceptions to renewal requirements may be allowed upon review by the Engineering Scholarship Coordinator or Scholarship Committee. Students who do not meet the renewal requirements will be placed on Scholarship Probation (see below for more information about probation.)

Renewal Notifications

Every semester the scholarship coordinator sends students a notice regarding the status of their award. These notices include a reminder of the scholarship value and the final renewal semester.

Scholarship Holds and Part-Time Enrollment

Students on Co-Op

Many VCU Engineering Students will spend a semester or a year completing a co-op.  The College strongly encourages co-ops, and will hold scholarship funds while a student is on a co-op. Placing a scholarship on hold allows the student to receive the full value of the original offer, but with a modified disbursal schedule. Please contact the Scholarship Coordinator at engrscholars@vcu.edu as soon as possible when you make co-op plans to have your disbursal schedule modified and your final renewal date updated.

Students Studying Abroad

If you plan to study abroad for a semester you may be able to receive your scholarship through the VCU Financial Aid Office if VCU has a tuition agreement in place with the university where you study abroad. If such an agreement is in place then your award will be distributed normally. If VCU does not have an agreement in place with then you should contact the Scholarship Coordinator at engrscholars@vcu.edu to make alternative arrangements; typically this involves holding

Part-Time Enrollment and Other Circumstances for a Semester Off

If you expect to need a semester off for a reason besides a co-op and study abroad, or if you expect to enroll less than full time during any semester for any reason please contact the Scholarship Coordinator in advance at engrscholars@vcu.edu.  All such requests are handled on a case-by-case basis and approval is not guaranteed.  However we want to work with you to ensure that you reach graduation and whenever possible will help develop a plan to extend the time for your scholarship to accommodate your part time semester.

Combining Engineering Scholarships With Other Scholarship Offers

Merit Awards From Other VCU Offices

Some students may receive additional merit scholarship offers from the VCU Office of Admissions or another VCU office. In general Engineering scholarships may be combined with other VCU merit scholarships up to the total cost of in-state tuition, fees, room and board.  If the total value of any such awards exceeds the total cost, then the Engineering Scholarship Coordinator will collaborate with VCU Financial Aid and other relevant departments to decrease one or more award to match the total cost.

We collaborate with other VCU departments on initial scholarship offers to minimize modifications in advance, but students should be aware that additional scholarship offers can result in changes to existing awards.

For new first-year and transfer students College of Engineering scholarships do not combine with Presidential Scholarships or Provosts Scholarships from VCU Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Awards from VCU Engineering

If you already have a scholarship from the College of Engineering in most cases it cannot be combined with a second award from the College of Engineering.

For new first-year and transfer students the College of Engineering might offer you an alternative to your original offer. If this happens the larger offer will replace the smaller offer, you will receive only the larger of the two awards.

For returning students if you already have an Engineering Scholarship and apply for additional Engineering Scholarships in the RAMS Scholarship Hub you will only be able to receive the larger of the two awards. There are a few exceptions that allow combined Engineering Scholarships. These awards will be clearly marked in the Scholarship Hub description.

Impact on need-based awards

In some situations receiving a merit-based scholarship may impact your eligibility for need-based grant or loan programs. The VCU Financial Aid office can help you understand the complete picture of your financial aid package.

Engineering Progressive Scholarships

The Engineering Progressive Scholarship (EPS) model is designed to increase the support for students each year as they progress through the College of Engineering. This model is applied across several different scholarship accounts. If you were offered a Progressive Scholarship then the original offer shows both the total value and the value for each semester. The values listed at the original offer will remain in effect for the duration of your award. Each semester you should receive a renewal notice that shows the semesters remaining on your award.

Engineering Opportunity Awards

The Engineering Opportunity Award is designed to promote access and opportunity to as many students as possible.

Award Value

For students entering in Fall 2023 Opportunity Awards will be either $3,000 or $4,000 per year. Your scholarship offer will clearly state the yearly value of your award. For new first-year students the offer covers four years (eight semesters) of enrollment. For new transfer students the award covers two years (four semesters) of enrollment. The value of an Opportunity Award does not change over time.