Eligibility Requirements:

To apply for an AITE Full-Time Student Scholarship, an applicant must:

• Be admitted as a matriculated student to an approved full-time AITE master’s degree program;
• Have a completed a bachelor’s degree with a minimum grade point average of 2.7;
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Terms of Award:

• A recipient of an AITE Full-Time Student Scholarship will receive up to $25,000 in funding from UTRC.
• For a Full-Time Student award, UTRC funds may be used for tuition and fees or to provide a stipend, as determined by the student’s university. 
• UTRC funds may be spent over up to four consecutives semesters after the award is made. 
• Funds may not be used to reimburse tuition for semesters already completed before the time of the award.

To remain in good standing, an AITE Full-Time Student Scholarship recipient must: 

• Remain enrolled in an approved transportation master’s program; 
• Not be employed elsewhere full time; 
• Fulfill the course requirements and other academic requirements of the Master’s Program;
• Remain an employee of the sponsoring agency; 
• Maintain a GPA of 3.0 in the Master’s Program; and  
• Complete a transportation-related research project as identified in his or her AITE application.

Matching Fund Requirements:

• Matching funds for an AITE Full-Time Student Scholarship are provided by the recipient’s University.
• The university may provide this match in the form of academic release time of academic advisor, tuition, or through a stipend; however, the source of this match cannot be from a federal funding source.

PARTICIPATING UNIVERSITIES:

Student Application Process

Completed applications are due to UTRC on April 29, 2016. Potential scholars are required to apply via UTRC’s Online System, following the steps listed below:

1.  To create a Student account, an applicant should access the UTRC web page
   
   (www.utrc2.org/welcome-utrc-ii-submission-system).
2. Once the account is activated, the student should sign in; the student will then see a link to the online application. 
3. The student should complete the online application, and should upload all required supporting documentation, as defined in the Program Announcement.  Required Materials will include:

• A brief essay (750 words or less):

o   For Agency Employee applicants, this essay should discuss the applicant’s career goals and how pursuing the planned master’s degree will help the applicant to achieve these goals;

o   For Full-Time Student applicants, this essay should discuss the student’s proposed research topic;

• A resume;
•  An undergraduate transcript(s) demonstrating the required GPA and confirming graduation from a bachelor’s degree program;
• One letter of recommendation;
• Proof of acceptance to an approved Master’s program (Copy of an official admission letter or a letter confirming admission signed by the University’s AITE Coordinator);
• A signature page, provided with the program announcement, that is signed by the Agency AITE Coordinator (for Agency Employee applicant) or the University AITE Coordinator (for Full-Time Student applicants) approving the application.
  
   

• All complete applications will be reviewed in May 2016 by a UTRC review committee.  Approximately ten applicants will be selected for awards. The UTRC AITE Program Coordinator will notify University AITE Coordinators, Agency AITE Coordinators, and student recipients of their awards by the week of June 1 , 2016. 
  
   

• Upon recipient of the award, successful applicants will be required to sign and return an acceptance form for the award.  Agency employee recipients will also be required to submit an approval for work release signed by their agency supervisor.  If an awardee chooses not to accept the scholarship, the next highest rated applicant among those who did not receive an award will be invited to accept the scholarship.