Financial Aid and Scholarships

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). Undocumented students may complete the TASFA (Texas Application for State Financial Aid).
- Note: 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 typically opens in December and closes at the end of February.

(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 GPA requirements and other criteria.

Step 2: Prepare

You only have to submit ONE application and upload ONE set of materials. The Scholarship Committee will review your application only for scholarships for which you meet the criteria.

Prepare the following materials:

1. A written narrative
(one page typed, 12-point font, single-spaced and saved as a PDF)

Answer the question: “What makes you a strong candidate for a UH College of Education scholarship?” In your response, you must include all of the following points:

Why did you choose your major?
What’s 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: Take the criteria for scholarships that apply to you into consideration in your response. 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. For additional questions about the Writing Center, please contact Lorinda Robb at lrobb@uh.edu.

Optional supporting documents

Certain scholarships require additional submissions:

For the Leslie and Kim Wheless Scholarship, which targets aspiring teachers, submit an 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.
For the Norman I. Kagan Scholarship, submit a five-page abstract detailing the nature of your dissertation research.
To demonstrate financial need for various scholarships, the College of Education highly recommends that you complete the online FAFSA; undocumented students may complete the TASFA (Texas Application for State Financial Aid).

2. References and contact information

You will need to provide contact information for two professional references, who will be asked to complete a recommendation form:

Current students: At least one reference must be a College of Education professor, advisor or staff member.
New/transfer students and incoming freshmen: You do not need someone affiliated with the College of Education as a reference.

On the application, you will be asked to submit each reference’s name, title, organization and email address. Your references then will be emailed a link to the confidential recommendation form and must submit the form directly back to the Scholarship Committee.

Please make sure you have asked your references for permission to list their name and email address. Don’t forget to remind your references about the deadline.

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.

Please 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.

Step 3: Submit required documents via the online application

Answer all the questions on the online application. The application is currently closed.
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, verify your personal information and answer the questions before clicking the SUBMIT button.

Questions?

See answers to frequently asked questions.
If you need help, please fill out this brief form to submit a question , and a member of our scholarship team will get back to you. Due to a high volume of inquiries, please allow 48 hours for a response during normal business operations.

Notice of award and requirements

Scholarship applicants will be notified in April if they were awarded a scholarship or not. Scholarship recipients will be required to write a thank you letter to their donors; please look out for emails about this process. Recipients also may be required to attend a scholarship reception or to otherwise connect with their donor. These occasions will be required except for extenuating circumstances.

Additional 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, complete AAMS 2300 and/or AAMS 4300, demonstrate academic excellence and have a GPA of 2.7 or higher are eligible to apply. The application typically opens in February. Visit the Asian American Studies scholarship page for more information.

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 and to apply online.

University of Houston Alumni Association Scholarships

The University of Houston Alumni Association has scholarships available for undergraduate and graduate students. The application typically opens in March. Visit the UHAA Scholarship webpage for more information.

Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers

UH has been selected to be part of the innovative initiative through the Charles Butt Foundation. As part of this initiative, prospective and current UH students who want to be teachers are eligible to apply for the Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers. The application typically opens in October. Please visit the Charles Butt Foundation webpage for more information and to apply.