Spark Scholarship
The Nebraska Spark Tuition Scholarship is an opportunity for nonresident students to earn a scholarship after their
first year of college to help offset out-of-state tuition if their academic profile was not quite high
enough to qualify for a scholarship at Nebraska upon admission. To qualify for the Spark Tuition Scholarship,
eligible students must complete the Spark agreement form, which becomes available after May 1st (and is due September 1st),
meet with an academic advisor and an academic success coach during the fall semester of their first year, file the
FAFSA by April 1st, earn a 2.700 cumulative GPA or better at the end of their first year and complete
at least 24 credit hours. This scholarship can only be applied to nonresident University of Nebraska–Lincoln tuition.
Award
Deadline
How to Apply
- Apply for admission by May 1 (apply by February 1 for priority consideration).
- Complete the Spark agreement form that will be available in MyRED by September 1.
- Meet with an academic advisor during the fall semester.
- Meet with an academic success coach during the fall semester.
- File the FAFSA by April 1.
- Earn a 2.700 cumulative GPA at the end of the first year and complete 24 credit hours or more.
Review Basis
The Nebraska Spark Tuition Scholarship is an opportunity for out-of-state students who do not qualify for campus-wide
merit-based scholarships when they are admitted to earn a scholarship beginning their sophomore year. To
do so, a student must earn a 2.700 cumulative GPA, complete 24 credit hours and meet other basic
eligibility requirements during their first year. The financial benefit of the scholarship does not begin until
the second year at Nebraska.
Note: students who are awarded the Nebraska Now Scholarship commitment may still be considered for the Spark Tuition
Scholarship while other nonresident tuition scholarships (e.g., Chancellors, Beadle, Leverton, Scarlet, Legacy, etc.)
preclude eligibility for Spark.
Renewability
The Nebraska Spark Tuition Scholarship is not available for the first year. If initial eligibility is confirmed
and the student is awarded the scholarship for their second year, it is renewable for an
additional two years provided renewal criteria is met. To retain the scholarship for years
3 and 4, students must maintain a 2.000 cumulative GPA and complete 24 credit hours each academic year.
Recipients will receive full eligibility and renewal policies and expectations when offered the scholarship.
Transferability
This scholarship is offered by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The scholarship is not transferable in part or in whole to any
other university, including the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) or the University of
Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). This scholarship will not cover the cost of classes taken at UNO, UNK or UNMC.
Note: The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based upon any protected status.
Please see go.unl.edu/nondiscrimination.
Scholarships are subject to change each year for new incoming students. As a public tuition benefit under Nebraska State
Statute 4-110, individuals awarded these funds must be citizens of the United States or if a qualified alien have been
verified as lawfully present in the United States (Nebraska State Statutes 4-111 and 4-112).