University of Wyoming GEAR UP Institutional Scholarship
Student Continuation Process
Continuation:
1. To continue receiving the UW GU Institutional Scholarship students must be making
satisfactory progress toward their program of study requirements as defined by UW.
2. Students must also continue to file a FAFSA by April 1st of every year.
3. Each semester UW GU staff will send a list of UW GEAR UP students and their W#s
to UW Financial Aid Office (POC currently Christy Nordmann).
a. The Financial Aid office will verify recipients’ continued UW eligibility.
b. If eligible, UW GU staff will print Banner Financial reports for each applicant
and determine how much each applicant will be awarded after the UW
add/drop date has passed. The UW GU Institutional Scholarship award amount
is determined by:
i. Calculating the student’s total Financial Aid Amount – not including
student loans.
ii. Subtract the total Financial Aid Amount from the total student’s UW
bill to determine the student’s actual unmet cost/UW GU Institutional
Award.
1. The total award amount combined with all other federal monies
received by the student cannot exceed their cost of attendance
as defined by UW.
2. The total award amount will not exceed $6000.00 per semester
(Please see below for additional award clarification.)
c. Students are awarded by semester not by year.
4. An Award letter is e-mailed to the student’s UW e-mail account notifying them of
their award amount no later than October 10st (fall semester) or March 10st (spring
semester) by UW GU staff.
a. Final Award amounts are not determined until after the add/drop date of class
because all financial aid must be awarded before GEAR UP can award the UW
GEAR UP Institutional Scholarship.
b. Students will also be notified of needed continued eligibility requirements in
this e-mail letter.
5. A copy of the Award letter e-mails are printed and placed in the students’ files.
6. UW Financial Aid Staff inputs the award amounts into the students’ accounts.
a. UW Financial Aid staff also checks for award accuracy and UW compliance.
b. Checks are processed and mailed to the students’ addresses on file by the UW
Financial Aid office.
c. Award amounts may change after award payment if additional information is
received from UW Financial Aid.
7. The UW Financial Aid office staff inputs the GU award amounts into the students’
accounts. Financial Aid staff also checks for award accuracy and UW compliance.
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Award Clarification:
1. Students may also receive up to $500 for books.
a. UW GU staff sends a list of all students eligible to establish a book credit
account to the UW Bookstore.
b. This requires the student to set up an expense account with the UW Bookstore
that will allow their book purchases to be placed on his/her student financial
account. In this way, the student’s book expenses will be included in their
expenses on their Banner Financial report.
c. If a student withdraws/drops out from UW he/she will be required to pay back
all received book money for that semester to GEAR UP.
2. Students may also receive an additional living stipend.
a. This stipend is determined each semester. The living stipend is based on a
sliding scale determined by the monetary amount a student receives back from
UW in the form of a credit balance check.
b. The student’s percentage of participation in the UW GEAR UP Mentoring
Program will also be taken into consideration.
c. There will be different sliding scales for students living on- and off-campus.
d. The UW GEAR UP Institutional Scholarship will not pay for single occupancy
residence hall rooms. The GU scholarship will only pay for double occupancy
residence hall room.
e. The UW GEAR UP Institutional Scholarship will not pay for off campus living
f. The UW GEAR UP Institutional Scholarship will not pay for sorority or
fraternity living or meal plans. These will be considered off-campus living.
3. Students may only use the GEAR UP Institutional Scholarship toward an
undergraduate/associate degree. They cannot use the scholarship for earning a master
or doctorate degree.
Additional Awards:
8. Students who serve as Mentors in the UW GEAR UP Mentoring Program may receive
an additional $250 stipend each semester based on available funds as long as they are
deemed a contributing mentor.
9. Continuing students may participate in International or National Student Exchange
(ISE or NSE) with the UW GU Institutional Scholarship:
a. All on-campus eligibility requirements apply to students going on Exchange.
b. Students may receive a GU award equal to the maximum Total Cost of
Attendance, as defined by UW (2010 - $8190), for this semester.
10. Continuing students may participate in Study Abroad with the UW GEAR UP
Institutional scholarship:
a. Students must be denied ISE or NSE first.
b. Students must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and apply for the Cheney
Scholarship.
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c. Students may receive a GU award equal to the maximum Total Cost of
Attendance, as defined by UW (2010 - $8190), for this semester..
d. Students may only use GEAR UP funds for a maximum of (2) two semesters
of study abroad.
11. Continuing students may take UW classes with a travel component:
a. The maximum GU award a student may receive for these classes, above
mandatory tuition and fees, will be determined by the class instructor’s
estimation of costs for the trip, but cannot exceed $3500.
b. The class must contribute to the degree program in which the student is
enrolled.
12. Continuing students may take summer classes.
a. Students must notify UW GEAR UP office of their summer class enrollment
no later than May 1st of each year.
b. The summer classes must contribute to the degree program in which the
student is enrolled
c. Summer semesters will count as a semester of GU eligibility.
Non Eligibility:
Suspension:
13. If the student does not meet UW/GU’s continued eligibility requirements, the student
is placed on UW academic probation. This has no effect to the student’s UW GEAR
UP scholarship. If the student does not meet the probation requirements and is
suspended from UW, they are no longer eligible for the UW GEAR UP scholarship.
14. For a student to regain eligibility for the UW GEAR UP Institutional Scholarship after
suspension, the student:
a. Must successfully appeal to be reinstated at UW.
b. Must re-enroll at UW within 1 year (two consecutive semesters – spring/fall)
of their semester of suspension.
c. Must reapply for the GEAR UP scholarship.
d. Must successfully complete the GU Institutional Scholarship appeals process.
Drop-outs/Withdrawals:
15. If a student drops out or withdrawals from UW, that student will be required to pay
back the money they had received from UW GEAR UP for their books for that
semester.
16. For a student to remain eligible for the GEAR UP Institutional Scholarship after
dropping out or withdrawing, the student:
a. Must re-enroll at UW within one year (two consecutive semesters – spring/fall)
of their incomplete semester.
b. Must be less than 22 years of age when they re-enroll.
c. Must reapply for the UW GEAR UP scholarship.
d. Must successfully complete the GU Institutional Scholarship appeals process.
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Appeals Process:
17. The student is required to submit to the UW GEAR UP office:
a. A minimum 3 full page (12 font) double-spaced letter that indicates:
i. (heading 1) What led to my suspension or withdrawal/drop-out
ii. (heading 2) What actions I will take to avoid being suspended or
withdrawing/dropping out again.
iii. (heading 3) What I learned from getting suspended or
withdrawing/dropping out.
iv. (heading 4) My future academic goals and how I plan on achieving
them, including plans to use academic resources available at UW.
v. (heading 5) What does higher education mean to me?
b. A letter of support from your academic advisor that indicates:
i. You have met with them and established a plan for academic success
upon reinstatement.
ii. You have a solid understanding of your future academic goals and what
you will need to achieve them.
iii. They support your continued enrollment and will support your possible
success at UW.
18. Appeals letters are reviewed by the UW GEAR UP office.
a. Appeals will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
b. An e-mail letter will be sent notifying the student of the appeal outcome.
c. Students may only appeal one time; however, exceptional circumstances will
be reviewed on a case by case basis.
Approved Appeal:
19. An award letter is e-mailed to the student at their UW e-mail account notifying them
of their accepted appeal status and award amount.
a. Final Award amounts are not determined until after the add/drop date because
all financial aid must be awarded before GEAR UP can award the UW GEAR
UP Institutional Scholarship.
b. Note: Students are awarded by semester not by year.
20. These letters are sent as an e-mail attachment to the Financial Aid Office every
semester.
21. Copies of award letters are printed and placed in each student’s file.
Denied Appeal:
22. A letter is sent to the student notifying them of their denied appeal.
23. Copies of denial letters are kept in each student’s file.
Students Transferring To/From Community Colleges:
24. If a student transfers from UW to a Community College the number of semesters they
had attended UW will be deducted from the potential maximum number of semesters
(6) they could have attended the community college to determine the students
remaining GU Federal/UW Institutional Scholarship continued eligibility.
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25. The same is true for students transferring to UW (maximum 12 semesters) who have
or have not received an associate degree.
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