Undergraduate Scholarships
2025-2026 undergraduate scholarship applications open December 1, 2024
Applications will be open from December 1, 2024 - February 15, 2025
ATTENTION STUDENTS: THIS PAGE CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON HOW TO APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS IN THE COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE. PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ EACH SECTION THOROUGHLY.
CSBS Undergraduate Scholarships
The College of Social and Behavioral Science provides merit-based and need-based scholarships for exceptional students, thanks to the generosity of many individuals and families. As noted below, consideration is only given for those who have declared their major in the college, not pre-majors.
Scholarships are primarily in the form of tuition reduction, and typically range from $1,000 - $5,000. Often the amount of a scholarship depends largely on the competitiveness of the pool of the applicants and the amount of available funding.
1. Important Deadlines
- September 10, 2024: University of Utah general scholarship application opens
- December 1, 2024: CSBS scholarship applications open
- February 15, 2025: CSBS scholarship applications close
- Spring 2025: Scholarship offers issued
- May 2025: Acceptance materials due
2. Check Your
Scholarship Eligibility
Be declared in one of the following
majors in the college:
Anthropology | Criminology | Economics | Environmental & Sustainability Studies |
Human Development & Family Studies, Financial Planning & Counseling | Geographic Information
Sciences | Geography | Health, Society and Policy | Political Science Psychology |
Sociology
Are you an incoming freshman or transfer student?
Apply to the University of Utah by December 1 and meet with your advisor to declare
your major.
3. Complete Your FAFSA Application
- To be eligible for need-based scholarships, make sure to submit a FAFSA application. FAFSA applications will be available in December this year.
- Dreamers (with or without DACA) and International Students can fill out a paper
FAFSA application. Once completed, submit it to the University Office of Scholarships
& Financial Aid in the Student Services Building, Room 105. For questions about a
paper FAFSA application contact the University's Financial Aid Office at financialaid@utah.edu
or 801-581-6211.
4. Complete the University of Utah General Scholarship Application
- You must first complete the University of Utah General Scholarship Application before you can apply for any other scholarships.
5. Complete Your
Major's Application
When you complete your major application, you are actually applying for multiple scholarships!
(If you are a double major within the College of Social and Behavioral Science, you
must complete an application for each of your majors in order to be considered for
all possible scholarships.)
Anthropology Scholarship | Economics Scholarship | Environmental and Sustainability Studies Scholarship | Family & Consumer Studies | Geography / GIS Scholarship | Health, Society and Policy Scholarship | Political Science Scholarship | Psychology Scholarship | Sociology/Criminology Scholarship
6. Apply For Other CSBS Scholarships
-
Dowdle Endowed Scholarship Undergraduate student who has experienced physical or emotional hardship.
-
Oakley J. Gordon Memorial Endowed Scholarship Recipients will have been out of high school for at least 7 years, during which time there was a period when they were not enrolled in college.
-
Jameson Family Scholarship Undocumented or DACA students accepted as an HD144 student at the University of Utah, have been accepted as an HB144 student by the University of Utah, and completed one year of study at the University of Utah
-
Siegfried G. & Ellen G. Karsten Scholarship Undergraduate student who is currently (or has been) in the foster care system
-
Solutions Scholars This program admits a cohort of approximately 20 students each fall to be part of a two year program. These scholars are committed to addressing key challenges facing our world like immigration, inequities facing women, climate change, poverty, human rights, the obesity crisis and more.
Scholarship Resources
- All of our scholarship applications are required to have two letters of reference. At least one MUST be an academic reference, a current or former professor/teacher. The other can be an employer, volunteer supervisor, but not a friend or family member.
- Your reference must agree to write a letter BEFORE you put their contact information into your application because the very moment their contact information is input, an auto notification will be sent to them. If your reference did not agree to write a reference letter for you, they have every right to reject the system’s request!
- Once your reference has agreed to write a letter for you, it is up to YOU to check your application to make sure the letter was submitted. You cannot see the letter but will be able to tell if it was received.
- All letters of recommendation are due the day the of the scholarship deadline.
- Click here to learn how to ask for a letter of reference
- There are essay question(s) in each application and your essay matters! Each essay question will guide you to topics to consider as you write. Be thorough and thoughtful. We recommend that you prepare your answers in Word and paste them into the application keeping in mind that most essays have 300-500 word limits.
- A personal statement or essay is not an autobiography. Instead you may be asked to
describe:
- Why you’ve chosen your area of study
- Your academic achievements or awards
- Professional interests
- Demonstrated community service and leadership opportunities
- Your motivation and capacity to succeed or unusual or extraordinary circumstances regarding your situation which you feel should be known in considering your application and
- Why you feel you are a viable candidate
- The University Writing Center can be a great resource.
- You may be asked to upload your degree dashboard (Formerly DARS) or an unofficial transcript with grades depending on your major. If you have been at the University of Utah for less than two semesters, you may be asked to submit a transcript from other schools attended.
- Please do not include any punctuation in any of the file names. Please upload only PDF and Word docs.
OTHER SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Campus-Wide Scholarships
Alumni Association
The Alumni Association is proud to recognize the academic achievements, community
and University involvement, and outstanding potential of current and incoming students
by offering a number of scholarships each year to qualified candidates. The Alumni
Association helps students reach their academic goals by awarding more than $250,000
in scholarship funds annually.
LEARN MORE
Hinckley Institute of Politics
The Hinckley Institute offers scholarships both for the academic year and for Washington
DC and international internships.
Student Union Scholarships
The University of Utah's Union has various scholarships for students, including scholarships
for student leaders, refugee students, veteran students, underrepresented students,
and more. Check out their scholarships available!
Bennion Center
The Bennion Center offers scholarships and stipends for students who are involved in voluntary service and civic participation.
Veterans Support Center
The Veterans Support Center has scholarships for students; as well, their website includes other excellent local and national scholarships for military-affiliated students.
Women's Resource Center
The Women's Resource Center offers scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Utah. Check their website for more information on eligibility requirements.
Underrepresented Students
Center For Disability Services
The Center for Disability Services offers scholarships for students with any qualified student with a disability. See their website for more info.
Dream Center Scholarships
The Dream Center has scholarships for students; as well, their website includes other excellent scholarships for undocumented/DACA students.
International Student and Scholar Services
This office offers scholarships available for international students and scholars on campus.
LGBT Resource Center
The LGBT Resource Center has scholarships for students; as well, their website includes
other excellent local and national scholarships for LGBTQ+ students.
Student Union Scholarships
The University of Utah's Union has various scholarships for students, including scholarships for student leaders, refugee students, veteran students, underrepresented students, and more. Check out their scholarships available!