Good students have many opportunities to obtain financial assistance through scholarships and summer professional employment. UT has a number of general scholarships available that should be pursued by qualified students. These are listed in the Undergraduate Catalog. Early admission application is essential to the scholarship selection process. Hope Scholarships are also available to most Tennessee residents. Students are encouraged to complete the admission process during the fall semester of their senior year. All students who have been accepted for admission to UT by the February 1 st deadline are automatically considered for all General University scholarships. No other application is needed to apply for these scholarships. Students are ranked by the General Scholarship Committee according to their high school GPA and standardized test scores. Most General University scholarships are based on academic merit only; however, some scholarships are based on academic merit and financial need and/or leadership and community service activities. Students should be sure to complete the Scholarship Data Sheet included with the admission application. Although the Scholarship Data Sheet is not required for consideration, this will help the scholarship committee to better evaluate students. Honors and awards received by students should be listed as well as community service activities and any employment positions. Also, students should list activities and employment experiences whenever possible, and especially on standardized test forms.
In addition, special opportunities exist for Nuclear Engineering students:
Pasqua Nuclear Engineering Scholarships are $2000 scholarships offered to incoming freshman and transfer students. The Department provides ten to fifteen of these per year.
American Nuclear Society Scholarship. The American Nuclear Society offers scholarship with grants of $1,000 to $3,000. The Department will assist qualified students in applying for these scholarships.
National Academy for Nuclear Training. The Academy offers a $2,500 scholarship to outstanding Nuclear Engineering students. The Department will assist students in applying for these scholarships.
Co-op and Internship Program. The Nuclear Engineering Department participates in the UT Engineering Co-op and Internship Program. Students work in nuclear engineering positions in industry and at national laboratories. Students gain valuable experience and income through participation in the co-op and internship program.
DOE Summer Programs. The Department of Energy has numerous summer employment positions for Nuclear Engineering students at national laboratories across the country. The Department maintains a file of information about these opportunities and helps students obtain appointments.
There are also extraordinary opportunities for minority students at UT Knoxville through a special program. Established in 1973, the minority engineering scholarship program encourages minority students to take advantage of the growing opportunities in engineering. The program combines academic work at UT with periods of paid, on-the-job engineering training with companies. Students in the program can receive as much as $36,000 in scholarship money and co-op earnings. This combination of work experience and academic course work results in better career preparation than academic courses alone can provide. UT ranks thirteenth in the nation in the number of degrees awarded to minority engineering students.
Overall, Nuclear Engineering students at UT have an unparalleled opportunity to finance a large portion of their educational costs. Over half of UT undergraduate Nuclear Engineering students have one or more scholarships each year.