About Scholarships
- Scholarships are awarded for the upcoming full academic year (Fall and Spring). Students who anticipate graduating before Spring semester are not eligible.
- Scholarship recipients are invited to attend the Department of Sociology Awards Banquet to receive awards. Information supplied with this application may be used as biographical information to introduce scholarship winners.
- Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Items to prepare for scholarship applications
Personal Statement
Essay (maximum 500 words) in which you describe your academic, professional, and personal
goals, as well as include any special circumstances that you want to share with the
scholarship committee.
Two Letters of Recommendation
On the application, you will be asked to provide a name and email address of one reference
that has agreed to submit a confidential reference form or letter on your behalf.
Your letter should come from either an academic or non-academic source, but not a
family member. Your reference will be notified via email through the application process
on how to submit their confidential reference form or letter.
FAFSA
While it is not a requirement for the application, the committee encourages all eligible
applicants to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) so that you don't miss out on opportunities for a Pell Grant.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Some of the information you will be asked in the application may appear sensitive in nature but fits the award criteria identified by some of our donors. All of your information is held confidentially and will be seen only by qualified FERPA trained selection committee members and administrators.
Scholarships Currently Offered
COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP
The Department of Sociology prides itself on being one of the most diverse undergraduate majors at the University of Utah. Many of our highest achieving students come from historically underrepresented groups. Additionally, many are members of the first generations in their families to attend or graduate from college. Students from these backgrounds have surmounted great odds to succeed in their college careers and they face many challenges, especially financial ones, as they strive to complete their degrees.
In order to recognize their outstanding achievements, and to assist in the challenges of meeting the rising costs of attaining a degree, the Sociology Department is collaborating with alumnae and supportive members of our community to provide the Sociology Community Scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded annually to majors in Sociology who demonstrate academic persistence and community engagement. Eligible students will also be those from diverse, underrepresented backgrounds including undocumented students, and/or be first generation college students. The Community Scholarship covers up to $1000.
Community Scholarship Eligibility Requirements
- Submit a completed application by the specified date
- Be in good academic standing (not on academic probation)
- Be a declared Sociology major and anticipate a minimum of 12 credit hours for academic year funded
- Address how scholarship will help support progress toward graduation
- Have engaged in community service work
- Demonstrate need (within personal statement)
- Be a member of an underserved population
SOMOS SCHOLARS
Somos Foundation: Somos is the Utah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce foundation dedicated to strengthening Utah’s Latina/o/x community. The goal of the foundation is to create strong leaders that will help our community to develop and prosper economically. Somos is helping students reach their full potential by providing scholarships so that young people can have access to education and mentorship.
The same form is used for both the Community Scholarship and Somos Scholars. Students identifying as Latina/o/x may be additionally eligible for matching funds, up to $2000, from the Somos Foundation and will be automatically considered upon completion and submission of the Community Scholarship application.
Somos Scholars Eligibility Requirements
- Submit a completed application by the specified date
- Be in good academic standing (not on academic probation)
- Be a declared Sociology major and anticipate a minimum of 12 credit hours for academic year funded
- Address how scholarship will help support progress toward graduation
- Have engaged in community service work
- Demonstrate need (within personal statement)
- Be a member of a Latina/o/x community
SOCIOLOGY SCHOLARSHIP
The Sociology Department offers a number of Sociology scholarships each year that cover up to 18 hours of resident tuition for two semesters. Continuing Sociology students, transfer students, and incoming freshman are encouraged to apply for these scholarships.
Sociology Scholarship Eligibility Requirements
- Be a declared Sociology major
- Minimum 3.5 cumulative gpa (if transferring, 3.5 from transfer institution)
- Utah resident
- Must anticipate a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester for the academic year that is funded
- Must be a U.S. citizen.
THE UTAH CORRECTIONAL ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP
The Utah Correctional Association (see history here) supports a minimum of one $1500 scholarship annually. The scholarship will be awarded to a student majoring in Criminology, in good standing with a minimum GPA of 3.0, who has stated the intent to work for a state, county, or local criminal/juvenile justice agency or provider of services to the agencies, after graduation, with preference given to those who already work in the aforementioned agencies.
The Utah Correctional Association Scholarship Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a Criminology major
- Must be in good standing with the University
- Must have or maintain a 3.0 average
- The student has the stated intent after graduation to work for a state, county, or local criminal/juvenile justice agency or a provider of services to these agencies. (Note: preference will be given to those applicants who already work in the above agencies)
- Must complete an essay regarding why they think they deserve the scholarship as well as their career goals
- Application must be accompanied by two letters of recommendation, and at least one of these must be from an academic source (please note, if you are a Criminology major already working in the criminal Justice/corrections field, it is recommended that one letter be from a supervisor who can verify your employment).