Elaine Marieb College of Nursing Scholarship FAQs
Are scholarships different from loans?
Yes! Apply away!
I have a J1 visa. Can I apply for scholarships?
Yes!
I’m thinking of applying to UMass Nursing. Can I apply for scholarships?
Thank you for considering UMass Amherst for your nursing education! We are greatly appreciative. Scholarships are only available for current students.
I'm planning on attending UMass Amherst. When can I apply for scholarships?
Thank you for choosing UMass Amherst! College of Nursing scholarships opens once a year in September. New students who are currently enrolled in classes when scholarships open in September are eligible to apply.
Where do I apply for scholarships?
Apply here: https://umass.academicworks.com/
The URL you gave me isn’t working!
Make sure you don’t type in www; just enter umass.academicworks.com into your browser.
I'm a senior. Can I apply?
Funds are distributed to student accounts in Fall for the current academic year. If you graduate before the fall semester, check out https://www.umass.edu/umfa/scholarship for other opportunities.
When does the scholarship application cycle open?
In September. ALL students receive emails with particulars closer to the date.
How many scholarships can I apply for?
This varies based on your nursing track, but as many as you qualify for. You just need to complete the General Application, College of Nursing Application, and if applicable, answer questions for the Dr. Sheridan, Dr. Hayes, and Elizabeth Woolrich scholarships (these require certain criteria to apply for), and you'll be applied for all possible scholarships. You'll receive an email detailing this information. Here is a link to external scholarships: https://www.umass.edu/umfa/scholarship
Which scholarships are available to apply for?
Scholarships are available for Undergraduate and Graduate students, including Accelerated Nursing students. When you log into AcademicWorks, complete the General Application and the College of Nursing Application. You’ll be automatically matched into all of the scholarships that you are eligible for. Note Dr. Sheridan, Dr. Hayes, and Elizabeth Woolrich scholarships require an extra question to be answered for your application to be complete for those scholarships.
I'm a freshman/first-year student. Which transcripts should I include?
If you are in the first year of the UMass nursing program, upload the most current transcript from the high school/institution you came from. Otherwise, please include your UMass transcripts.
Am I eligible to apply if I'm enrolled in a certificate program?
Unfortunately, all current students must be enrolled in a degree program when scholarships reach student accounts.
Can I apply for a scholarship if I received one last year?
You certainly can! By completing the AcademicWorks application, you'll be considered for the other scholarships available.
What format can I submit my transcript and resume/CV?
Ideally, these will be in PDF format. For your resume/CV, you can also use Microsoft Word. Please do not save your resume/CV in .pages, as that file doesn't open up on our end from AcademicWorks.
I've filled out the general and conditional (Nursing specific) applications. What is the list of scholarships I'm seeing?
Those are scholarships that you might be eligible for. These typically require an extra essay question. Don't forget to fill these out!
How do I know if I have completed my scholarship applications?
Look at the dashboard on AcademicWorks. It will tell you if your applications are complete.
When can I see when I’ve been matched with a scholarship opportunity?
You will know by December 31 if you will receive a scholarship. We will let you know either way.
I submitted the general application and the College of Nursing application in AcademicWorks. Now what?
Make sure you’ve answered all of the questions for the Dr. Sheridan, Dr. Hayes, and Woolrich scholarships if you are eligible for those scholarships. If you’ve done that, Congratulations! You are all done for now! If you are awarded a scholarship or we need more information, we will be in touch.
Who decides the scholarship awardees?
The Scholarship Committee, comprised of administration and faculty from our undergraduate, graduate, and accelerated programs.
I’ve received a scholarship! What do I need to do?
Congratulations! By March 10, you need to:
- Log into umass.academicworks.com
- Accept the award
- Upload a high-quality professional picture
- Upload a personal biography (first or third person is fine)
- Upload a thank you note (Should be 2-3 paragraphs. Please explain why you are grateful for being awarded a scholarship and what this will enable you to do in your studies and/or career.
Great! I did all of that. Why does it say $0 for my award?
Apologies for the wait; you’ll find out the award amount by April 30.
I want to look at other scholarship application opportunities for UMass students. Where can I go?
Check out this page from UMass Amherst Financial Aid: https://www.umass.edu/umfa/scholarship.
Is my information saved every year in the system?
Don’t count on it. Some information might be saved, but the AcademicWorks system does a clean sweep of all of the applications after the process is done. PLEASE save all of your work on a personal drive.
If awarded a scholarship, should the biography be written in the first or third person?
It's up to you, whichever writing style you feel most comfortable with.
How will I know when the scholarship money is in my UMass account?
You will receive an email to your UMass account in September, (a year after you applied) notifying you that the funds have reached your account. The funds will be applied to your bursar’s bill.
Do my scholarship funds reflect on my fall balance?
Yes! When recipients receive the amount of their scholarship in April, by the end of May, the scholarship amount will be reflected in SPIRE. At this point, this scholarship amount is automatically applied to the fall bill and is factored into the amount the student will owe. Please note the funds actually reach the student account in September, but the scholarship dollar amount will be reflected in the fall bill amount by the end of May.