Can I accept a partial award if I receive the scholarship?

Answers to various questions regarding the SMART Scholarship application process. Includes many tips and statistics.
Sdillon94
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Can I accept a partial award if I receive the scholarship?

Post by Sdillon94 »

I've been notified that I am a semi finalist, and I'm hoping for a phone call soon, but we'll see. I've also just been accepted to a graduate program at Arizona State University. The graduate program award Includes full tution, insurance, and a 12 month stipend as a research assistant. I've already accepted this award, but I'm a little worried/ confused about what will happen if i recieve the SMART scholarship.

Can I accept parts of the SMART award? (No tuition/fees, just stipend?)
If I can't, should I choose one over the other? (ASU is offering less than the minimum SMART award amount)

Any advice before the announcements/interviews??

eruwaedhiel
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Re: Can I accept a partial award if I receive the scholarshi

Post by eruwaedhiel »

I think you generally have to choose one award or the other. I won a university fellowship at my graduate school and also am a semifinalist for SMART. If I will this scholarship I will have to choose whether to replace my fellowship with SMART or to turn down SMART and keep the fellowship. As you mentioned, this scholarship is a great deal for graduate students, and since I am planning to work for the DoD after graduation anyway, I intend to replace my fellowship if I win. I think most schools are aware of this option, as they usually do the same for other awards like NSF or NDSEG.

Callister

Re: Can I accept a partial award if I receive the scholarshi

Post by Callister »

This is directly out of the SMART Scholarship Program Participant Handbook (Dated 22 March 2016):

5.8. Outside Funding
During phase 1, SSPPs may accept funding from sources outside of SMART, including private scholarships, fellowships, grants, and private or federal student loans. SSPPs may not accept funding from federal scholarships, fellowships, grants (including the Federal Pell Grant) or other federal funding sources other than SMART with the exception of salary supplements provided by SFs and Veteran’s Affairs programs (ex: Montgomery GI Bill, Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, the Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program).
There is no monetary limit on the amount of outside funding a SSPP may accept. Acceptance of outside funding may in no way impact SSA obligations. Receipt of outside funding does not reduce or eliminate the service commitment.

Callister

Re: Can I accept a partial award if I receive the scholarshi

Post by Callister »

One thing to consider is that as a SMART scholar, you are only permitted to work 16hrs/wk. My guess is that your situation is very similar to mine: I receive full tuition and a monthly stipend; however, that is in compensation for 20hrs of work/week (in my case, as a teaching assistant). My guess is that if you only worked 16hrs/wk, your funding would be cut by 20%. Either that or you'd have to work out a deal with your SF to work the full 20hrs.

My question would be this: for tax reasons, my income includes not only my monthly stipend but my tuition assistance as well. If I enter the SMART program and continue working as a TA, would the school have to pay me the income stated on my tax form since they are no longer providing the tuition assistance?

Sdillon94
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Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2017 2:24 am
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Re: Can I accept a partial award if I receive the scholarshi

Post by Sdillon94 »

Callister wrote:One thing to consider is that as a SMART scholar, you are only permitted to work 16hrs/wk. My guess is that your situation is very similar to mine: I receive full tuition and a monthly stipend; however, that is in compensation for 20hrs of work/week (in my case, as a teaching assistant). My guess is that if you only worked 16hrs/wk, your funding would be cut by 20%. Either that or you'd have to work out a deal with your SF to work the full 20hrs.

My question would be this: for tax reasons, my income includes not only my monthly stipend but my tuition assistance as well. If I enter the SMART program and continue working as a TA, would the school have to pay me the income stated on my tax form since they are no longer providing the tuition assistance?
I e-mailed the SMART scholarship program and they mentioned the same thing mentioned in other replies. The SSPP may accept funding from a private institution, but if the tuition and fees covered by your university ARE federally funded, you'd likely have to choose one over the other. I did ask about the summer work and they quoted me 18 hrs/wk, but it may be different for everyone. They also mentioned that the SSPP must attend an 8-10 week internship during the summer (during your grad studies--for me it'd be summer 2018), although if this time-frame can cause issues with thesis work/projects, it can be deferred or altered accordingly (obviously communication is KEY if you get the award).

I still haven't heard from any SF's and I may not even get a call (they mentioned that in the email stating I'd made it to the next application phase). I'm going to look closer into the funding I've already accepted from ASU, and I highly recommend at least letting your advisers/mentors know if you're even just a semi-finalist, that way your prepared for either an award or a rejection, and you have a financial game plan.

eruwaedhiel
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Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2017 7:58 am
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Re: Can I accept a partial award if I receive the scholarshi

Post by eruwaedhiel »

My mistake, as everyone else said, SMART itself doesn't prevent you from accepting other funding so long as it is not federally funded. My particular university fellowship is what has the stipulation that I cannot have two awards, so should I win SMART, I would have to decline my other fellowship. Definitely take a look at your offer, if it doesn't have any such restriction you might be able to have both.

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