Information for Faculty

Part of our mission in the Office of National Scholarships and Fellowships is to increase the number of applicants UT sends forward for various nationally competitive scholarships.

As faculty and advisors at UT, you have the opportunity to meet and work with students everyday. You can assist us in our endeavors by referring those promising students in your classes to our office. We depend on faculty recommendations to help us identify those outstanding students on campus. They deserve the chance to compete for prestigious scholarships, and our office exists to help them prepare to do just that.

How to Identify Exceptional Students

Though the characteristics of an ideal scholarship candidate varies somewhat among different programs, there are several qualities that make all applicants competitive.

Academic Achievement. Most fellowships are academic awards, and even though the highest GPA does not necessarily translate into a win, most awards go to students in the 3.8-4.0 range. Grades are not the only measure, however. Students who exhibit an intellectual curiosity in class and are strong participants in discussion will likely be able to interview well for competitive scholarships.

Strong Motivation. Students who are driven to succeed in their respective fields and who have taken opportunties to get the most from their educational experience at UT, perhaps through research or study abroad, will make more competitive candidates. Expecially in the STEM fields, research experience is important.

Engagement. Students should be involved in more than their academic course work. They should strive to be change agents and should be well-informed about current events. Many fellowship programs look for candidates who have leadership experience, and almost all awards seek applicants who are well-rounded.

How to Refer Students

To refer a student to our office, for a specific award or for general scholarship advising, simply contact the Assistant Director, Rebekah Page.

If you would like to learn more about individual programs for which we advise students, please see the Scholarships & Fellowships section of our website.

Recommendation Letters

If a student has approached you about writing a recommendation, please see our page on Recommendation Letters.

Faculty Advisory Committee

If you are interested in assisting us with the campus evaluation and nomination process for various scholarships, or would like to serve on our more general Faculty Advisory Committee, please contact us.