David L. Rice Merit Scholarship Guidelines
Awarded to students who initially enrolled between Fall 2016 – Summer 2021
The David L. Rice Merit Scholarship (DLR) is offered to first-year students who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance in high school. The scholarship can be applied towards tuition, on campus housing/meal plans, books purchased at the USI Campus Store, and other university charges. Application for admission to USI as a degree seeking student must be completed by March 1 of the student's senior year of high school. All incoming freshmen who are admitted to the University by the above deadlines will be automatically considered for this scholarship. No additional application is required.
- Beginning in fall 2015, new admitted first-time freshmen who meet the following criteria will be considered for this scholarship;
- Indiana resident or resident of a Kentucky reciprocity county
- b. minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5/4.0 or rank in the top 25% of their high school class at the time of application (no earlier than the 6th semester of high school)
- meet minimum SAT/ACT test score requirements for admission
- The DLR Scholarship is good for a total of 8 consecutive semesters of enrollment, or the point at which a student earns his/her first undergraduate degree, whichever comes first.
- Award recipients who meet bachelor's degree requirements in less than 8 semesters and have been admitted to a USI graduate program may apply the remaining eligible semesters (up to 2 semesters or one year) of a DLR for USI graduate coursework (e.g., student uses 6 semesters of eligibility completing a first bachelor's degree, the remaining two semesters may be used for the first year of graduate coursework at USI).
- Award recipients must enroll as full-time students (at least 12 credit hours) during the fall and each successive regular semester following award notification. Exceptions are made to permit December graduates to enroll in the spring if application for admission is completed by the preceding November 1. Official enrollment is determined on census day (5th day of fall/spring semester). Failure to comply with enrollment requirements nullifies the award and all future entitlement.
- Semesters in which a student enrolls are charged against the offer regardless of completion of classes, incomplete grades, or no grades.
- The award may be renewed automatically if the student enrolls full-time (12 credit hours) and successfully completes a minimum of 27 semester hours each academic year (fall/spring) and maintains the required minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA). The Student Financial Assistance office will evaluate earned hours and cumulative GPA after two semesters of full-time attendance and at the conclusion of each spring semester thereafter. Students may make up cumulative GPA or earned hours deficits in the summer term at their own expense. A written appeal for reinstatement of DLR eligibility must be sent to the USI Student Financial Assistance office after the summer grades are officially recorded on the student's transcript. The required cumulative GPA is as follows:
For students receiving annual awards in excess of $1,000:
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- after earning 0 to 59 hours, a cumulative GPA of 2.50/4.0;
- after earning 60 or more, a cumulative GPA of 2.75/4.0;
For all other students receiving DLR awards:
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- after earning 0 to 60 hours, a cumulative GPA of 2.25/4.0;
- after earning 60 or more hours, a cumulative GPA of 2.5/4.0;
- Award recipients may utilize this award for fall, spring, and summer enrollment. To use this award for summer enrollment, recipients must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 credit hours during the summer semester and must be meeting all award renewal criteria at the end of spring. Usage of this award in summer will count towards one of the 8 semesters of eligibility.
- Students who decline USl's offer of a DLR forfeit all future entitlement to this award. The DLR offer is valid only during the next regular (fall/spring) semester of the year in which the award is made and will not be offered a second time.
Appeals Process
Students may request exceptions to the David L. Rice Scholarship (DLR) Regulations when unusual or mitigating circumstances warrant such action. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Student Financial Assistance Appeals Committee at USI. Send all correspondence to: Student Financial Assistance, University of Southern Indiana, 8600 University Boulevard, Evansville, IN 47712. Decisions of the Appeals Committee are final.
NOTE: All participating students must maintain good standing at USI. Students who are dismissed from the University for any reason, forfeit all entitlement to the DLR.
Awards are subject to approval based on availability of funding. No cash refunds are made to students from the DLR scholarship.
Students may check their MyUSI account for the most current financial aid information. USI reserves the right to make necessary adjustments. Renewal of this scholarship depends upon future funding. The University reserves the right to change scholarships, policies, and award amounts. The right to correct errors is also reserved.
