Scholarships
Help fund your education with scholarship support. Opportunities are available for undergraduate and graduate students with a range of interests and career goals. Check requirements and deadlines early so you have time to prepare a strong application.
College of Education Scholarships
Apply for scholarships made possible by our generous donors. With one application, you’ll be considered for all College awards for which you qualify.
Key Dates
- Application opens: Oct. 15, 2026
- Priority deadline: Dec. 15, 2026
- Award notification: Applicants will receive notice via email in spring 2027 whether they received a scholarship award for 2027-28.
- Award acceptance: Recipients must accept or decline their award and submit a donor thank you letter within two weeks of notification.
Complete the FAFSA or TASFA by Dec. 15 to be considered for need-based college scholarships.
Eligibility
- Scholarship applicants must be current or admitted UH students. This includes returning undergraduate and graduate students as well as incoming freshmen and transfer students.
- Review the scholarship directory to familiarize yourself with available awards and criteria.
How to Apply
- Complete the online application (which includes basic questions about your major and interests).
- Upload the following required information:
- a one-page narrative
- an unofficial transcript
- a résumé (not required for incoming freshmen)
- contact information for two references
- To qualify for need-based scholarships, also submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) or TASFA (Texas Application for State Financial Aid) by the scholarship priority deadline. These forms are submitted separately from the College scholarship application.
AI Usage
The College of Education believes the best essays come from writing in your own voice. We want your personality, individuality and unique experiences to shine through in your writing. We want to hear your story from you, not from AI. Respectively, AI should not be used to write your scholarship essay, replacing your unique voice, perspectives and experiences. For more information about using AI and other online tools in the scholarship process, visit our FAQ page.
Application Materials
You only have to submit one application and upload one set of materials. The Scholarship Committee will consider your application for all applicable scholarships.
- One page typed, 12-point font, single-spaced and saved as a PDF
- Answer the question: “What makes you a strong candidate for a UH College of Education scholarship?” In your response, you must include the following points:
- Why did you choose your major/program?
- What is your intended career?
- What are your professional goals and aspirations after graduation?
- Describe how you have exhibited leadership (e.g., on class/team project, in extracurricular activities, in school clubs, in community or service organizations, etc.).
- Note: Applicants’ written narrative will be evaluated on content, organization, grammar and spelling.
- The UH Writing Center offers one-on-one support to help with scholarship applications.
Certain scholarships require additional submissions:
- The Leslie and Kim Wheless Scholarship for aspiring teachers requires an additional essay of one page or less sharing your vision of what future students will gain in your class and how you will help them become better citizens.
- The Norman I. Kagan Scholarship for doctoral students in the Department of Psychological, Health, & Learning Sciences requires a five-page abstract detailing the nature of your dissertation research.
Provide contact information for two professional references. On the application, submit each reference’s name, title, organization and email address. Your references will be emailed a link to the confidential recommendation form and must complete, sign and submit the form directly back to the Scholarship Committee. Please note that your application will not be reviewed if your reference email is your own email address.
- Current students/new transfer students: At least one reference must be a college professor, advisor, academic mentor or staff member; they do not have to be affiliated with the College of Education specifically. To protect the integrity of the review process, current Scholarship Committee members may not be references.
- Incoming freshmen: You are not required to submit references affiliated with a college. The reference may be someone familiar with you and your work such as teachers, school counselors, advisors, coaches, leaders of an organization you are associated with or former or current employers.
Reminders:
- Contact your intended references to request permission prior to listing their contact information on the application. Confirm their correct name and email address.
- Share the application submission deadline. It is your responsibility to follow up with your references to ensure they complete and submit the form.
Current students: Go to your account at AccessUH. Select myUH, Academic Records and then UH Official Transcript on the left menu to download an unofficial transcript.
Current UH freshman only: The College will access your grades and GPA in December. You will not submit a transcript.
Incoming freshmen or new transfer students: Request an unofficial transcript from your high school or college that includes the most recent completed semester.
Application Submission
- Answer all the questions on the online application.
- Upload the required documents in the “Upload Documents” tab.
- All required documents must be submitted for your application to be considered complete.
- In order to complete the application, review your answers to all questions before clicking the SUBMIT button.
“Receiving this scholarship has brought me peace of mind during a time that could have otherwise been overwhelming. Your investment in my journey truly makes a significant difference in my future.”
Danielle Marin
Scholarship recipient
Notice of Awards and Requirements
Notification of scholarship awards typically occurs in March. All applicants will receive a notification via email from the Scholarship Committee.
Scholarship recipients should receive the first disbursement of funds within 30 days from the start of the fall semester, contingent upon the following:
- Recipient has completed the requirement of writing a thank you letter and submitting a photo by the deadline listed in the award letter.
- Recipient still meets the scholarship criteria and is in good standing with the University at the start of the fall semester.
- These terms are non-negotiable. Students who have received notification of award but do not meet the terms of agreement above will not receive their disbursement. Additional requirements may include attending a scholarship reception or meeting the donor during the academic year of award.
Questions?
For assistance, please complete a brief question form or view our frequently asked questions. A member of our scholarship team will get back to your questions Monday through Friday. Due to a high volume of inquiries, please allow 48 hours for a response.
Other Scholarship Opportunities
These scholarships have separate application processes and deadlines.
Asian American Studies Academic Excellence Scholarship
The UH Asian American Studies Center offers scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing educational and research opportunities in Asian and Asian American Studies. Applicants must demonstrate academic excellence, have a GPA of at least 2.7, minor in Asian American Studies or have taken or plan to take Asian American Studies courses.
- Application opens: Oct. 15, 2026
- Application deadline: Dec. 15, 2026
- How to apply: Asian American Studies Scholarships
University of Houston Foundation Scholarships
The UH Foundation offers several scholarships for College of Education undergraduate students enrolled in the College full time.
- Application opens: Typically March
- Application deadline: Typically April
- How to apply: UH Foundation Scholarships
University of Houston Alumni Association Foundation Scholarships
The UH Alumni Association Foundation has scholarships available for undergraduate and graduate students.
- Application opens: Typically January
- Application deadline: To be announced
- How to apply: UH Alumni Association Scholarships
Charles Butt Scholarship for Aspiring Teachers
Prospective and current UH students who want to be teachers are eligible to apply.
- Application opens: Oct. 9, 2026
- Application deadline: Feb. 8, 2027
- How to apply: Charles Butt Foundation