Financial Resources for Native American Students

Student Financial Support is dedicated to providing information about financial resources available to our Native American students. We encourage you to take time to review this page to learn more.

Native American Student Scholarship

The Native American Student Scholarship was created to further USU’s mission of educational excellence, access, and inclusion. The Native American Student Scholarship is a “last dollar” scholarship, meaning that it is applied to your remaining tuition and student body fees after all other aid is applied to your account. 

Eligibility Criteria Renewal Criteria

To qualify, a student must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Must be an admitted student at Utah State University 
  • Must be a Utah resident or a non-resident student who qualifies for resident tuition. 
  • Must have a submitted FAFSA
    • Priority Deadline: First day of classes each semester receiving the award. Students who submit a FAFSA after this deadline are encouraged to contact us at scholarships@usu.edu.
    • If a student is selected for verification, verification must be completed before funds are disbursed onto the student's account. 
  • Must be enrolled full-time (12+ credits) in an Associate or Bachelors program. Or enrolled in a Technical Education Certificate program.  
  • All students applying must submit proof of tribal membership of one of the federally recognized tribes in and around Utah: 
    • Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation 
    • Navajo Nation (Diné) 
    • Northwestern Band of Shoshoni Nation of Utah (Washakie) 
    • Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah (Cedar City Band of Paiutes, Kanosh Band of Paiutes, Koosharem Band of Paiutes, Indian Peaks Band of Paiutes, and Shivwits Band of Paiutes) 
    • San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe 
    • Skull Valley Band of Goshute Indians of Utah 
    • Ute Indian Tribe of Uintah & Ouray Reservation 
    • Ute Mountain Tribe of the Ute Mountain Reservation 
    • Hopi 
    • Zuni 
    • Shoshone-Bannock 

To renew, a student must meet all of the following requirements:

  • Renewable for up to 8 total semesters or until Bachelor degree completion (whichever comes first).
  • Yearly completion of FAFSA required. USU encourages students to submit their FAFSA renewal in February.
  • Must maintain a 2.0 GPA while attending USU and remain in good standing each academic year.
  • Must be enrolled full-time (12+ credits) in an Associate or Bachelors program. Or enrolled in a Technical Education Certificate program.

Tribal Funding

Students are highly encouraged to contact their respective tribes for information on additional scholarships and resources available to them. While tribal funding is not required to be considered for the Native American Student Scholarship, it can help support students with additional costs not covered, such as course fees, housing, books, transportation, etc.

Application Process

Students who meet all of the eligibility criteria outlined above will receive an email notification at the beginning of August 2023 with an update regarding the Native American Student Scholarship. 

FAQ

You will need to submit your FAFSA and meet the eligibility criteria by the first day of the semester you wish to receive the scholarship.  

To continue receiving the scholarship after your first year of receiving the scholarship, you will need to meet the renewal criteria and submit your FAFSA every year.  

A FAFSA application always covers 3 semesters at a time. For example, 
  • The 23-24 FAFSA application covers the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 semesters 
  • The 24-25 FAFSA application covers the Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025 semesters 

Yes. You will need to submit your FAFSA and meet the eligibility or renewal criteria by the first day of the semester you wish to receive the scholarship. Students who submit a FAFSA after this deadline are encouraged to contact us at scholarships@usu.edu.

The Native American Student Scholarship can be deferred or held if your University deferment/notification of leave is approved. However, to receive the Native American Student Scholarship when you enroll/re-enroll, you will have to meet all program requirements for the academic year you enroll. 

The Native American Student Scholarship can be used to pay for undergraduate USU tuition and student body fees. 
The Native American Student Scholarship cannot be used to pay for any other expenses, such as: differential tuition, books, class fees, housing, transportation, or personal expenses. 

This scholarship cannot be used for second bachelor’s, graduate degrees or out-of-state online courses. 

If you receive other scholarships or federal aid after the Native American Student Scholarship applies to your account, you may see an adjustment or reduction in your Native American Student Scholarship. This is because the Native American Student Scholarship is a “last dollar in" program and only pays toward tuition and student body fees after all other aid. The scholarship is not ‘refundable’ should you receive other aid. 

This scholarship generally applies to fall and spring semesters (as long as you meet renewal requirements). The scholarship will first be awarded Fall 2023. It can apply toward summer semester (beginning summer 2024), but you will need to contact Student Financial Support and ask for the exception. The use of the scholarship during summer will count toward the maximum of eight semesters available for the scholarship. 

Yes, students who meet the eligibility or renewal criteria are eligible for the Native American Student Scholarship. 

Visit your Student Profile. Under the 'General Information' section is a 'Residency' line that provides your residency status.

If your profile says 'Resident of Utah,' you have met the Utah Resident requirement for the Native American Student Scholarship. If your profile has a different residency status, visit usu.edu/residency to view the options available to become a resident of Utah.

Visit your Banner Financial Aid account. On the top right is an 'Award Year' drop-down menu. Select the year of the FAFSA application you want to check. This will show you your satisfied or unsatisfied FAFSA requirements.

If it says 'Received Complete' next to 'Need your Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA),' your FAFSA application is complete and on file at USU for that award year.

If there are any Unsatisfied Requirements listed, complete the tasks listed to complete your FAFSA application for that award year.

An indicator that the information has been received will be added to your student information. Actual tribal membership names or numbers are not added to your student profile, just an indicator that the information has been received. 

The Native American Student Scholarship is not available for 2nd Bachelor's or Graduate students. The scholarship is only available to first-time Technical Education Certificate, Associates, and 1st Bachelor students.

Tribal Funding - Financial Need Analysis (FNA)

As a Native American student, you may be eligible to apply for scholarships from your tribal agency in addition to scholarships, grants, Federal Work-Study, and loans. The FNA, or Financial Needs Analysis, is a key part of your tribal scholarship application and must be completed each semester or year, depending on your tribal agency. Your tribal agency will use the FNA to determine your eligibility for their scholarship and/or grant funding.

Requirements

Your tribal agency has requirements you need to meet to qualify for their funds. These requirements may include but not be limited to:

  • Required number of credits you need to be enrolled in
  • Minimum GPA
  • Documentation, such as
    • A completed FAFSA for the corresponding academic year
    • USU Letter of Admission/Re-Admission.
    • Official high school and/or college transcripts
    • Certificate of Indian Blood (CIB) or tribal member verification (i.e.- tribal ID card)

Deadlines

To receive funding from your tribal agency in time for the tuition and fee deadlines, we encourage you to obtain and submit your FNA form as soon as your tribal agency opens their FNA application window. Please note that some tribes require you to enroll in courses before an FNA can be submitted.

Each tribal agency has different deadlines and different processing times. Once USU receives your FNA form, it will take USU 3-5 business days to process your FNA. After USU processes your FNA, USU will submit the FNA to your tribal agency to request the funds for your account. The amount of time it will take your tribal agency to process your FNA and release funds to USU varies among tribal agencies and takes several weeks. 

Use this directory to contact your tribal agency to know the requirements and deadlines you need to meet to receive funds. 

Submit Your FNA Form

The FNA form authorizes USU to record costs and other financial information so that a third party, such as a tribal agency, can provide funding to eligible students.

1

Complete the FAFSA

A completed FAFSA is required before USU can process your FNA.

After you submit your FAFSA, check your email for an email verifying your FAFSA is complete or for an email requesting document(s) to verify information on your FAFSA.

The FAFSA needs to be completed once every academic year and needs to be submitted for the semester(s) you plan to receive funding from your tribal agency. A FAFSA application always covers 3 semesters at a time. For example,
  • The 23-24 FAFSA application covers the Fall 2023, Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 semesters
  • The 24-25 FAFSA application covers the Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025 semesters
2

Obtain the FNA form from your tribal agency

Each tribal agency has a unique FNA form they use. Use this directory to contact your tribal agency to obtain their FNA form.
3

Submit your completed FNA form to USU

  • Complete the student section of the FNA
  • Sign your FNA
    • Signature must be handwritten. No e-signatures.
  • Submit your signed FNA to Student Financial Support using one of the following methods:
    • Online Upload
    • Fax: (435) 797-0654
    • In person drop off to Tamera Larsen (Logan Campus TSC 106) or Pam Hosler (Blanding Campus HSL)
    • Mail: 
      USU Student Financial Support
      1800 Old Main Hill
      Logan, Utah 84322-1800
4

Check your email

After you submit your FNA to USU, USU will email you at the following stages:
  • When USU receives your FNA
  • If there are errors to your FNA
  • When USU submits your FNA to your tribal agency
    • An estimated award placeholder will be added to your Financial Aid Summary until a scholarship check is received from your tribal agency.
  • When USU has received the funding from the tribal agency and applied the funding to your account
    • The funding amount received from the tribal agency will replace the estimated award placeholder on your account.
5

Maintain Your Funds

Once funds are received from your tribal agency, USU will release the funds based on each tribal directive to the student account. If you are not meeting your tribal agency’s requirements notated on your award letter, you must contact your tribal agency for further instructions. Tribal requirements might differ from Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards required for students receiving federal aid (grants, work-study, federal loans).

Federal Aid Recipients: 
  • New First-Year Admits: You will not need to worry about meeting SAP Standards until after your first semester.
  • New Transfer/Re-admits/Continuing students: You must be meeting SAP Standards for the term that you are trying to receive aid. If you are not meeting SAP Standards then you must have an approved SAP Appeal on file for the term that you want to receive aid.
6

Resubmit Your FNA Form

Plan ahead! Every tribal agency has a different FNA process. Ask your tribal agency if you need to submit an FNA form each semester or each academic year to receive your funds. Once you are ready to resubmit your FNA form, repeat these steps.

Directory of Tribal Agencies

If you need help with your FNA, contact Tamera Larsen at (435) 797-0180 or tamera.larsen@usu.edu.

USU Scholarships

Incoming Students

Academic Scholarships

When you submit your application for admission to USU, you will automatically be considered for Academic Scholarships. In order to be eligible and awarded an Academic Scholarship, students must meet the following requirements:

For additional assistance, please contact the USU Admissions Office.

Non-Academic Scholarships

The following scholarships require separate applications and have different application deadlines. For more information, visit the scholarship link or contact the USU Admissions Office.

    • USU Ambassador Program: Ambassadors develop leadership skills and attributes by volunteering for leadership positions within the program, taking a leadership class each fall, and by hosting various leadership trainings for high school and junior college students.
    • Involvement Scholarship: Scholarships are awarded to those students who have demonstrated qualities of leadership and have made superior contributions to their school and community
    • Legacy Awards: Awarded to first-time, undergraduate students who have at least one parent or grandparent who graduated from Utah State University.

Incoming and Continuing Students

As an admitted student at USU, your profile has already been created in the USU General Scholarship Application. Within this application, you will find:

    • Institutional (USU) scholarships
    • Private, Community, and Corporate scholarships
    • College, Department, Major and Campus specific scholarships

The Application uses your student information to match you to scholarships you meet the eligibility criteria for. This means that the search for scholarships will be done for you and you will be matched to scholarships you meet the eligibility requirements to. Within your scholarship profile, you will be asked to answer additional questions about your experience, employment and involvement. The more questions answered, the increased likelihood of being matched to scholarships. Once you confirm you meet the eligibility criteria for a scholarship, all you have to do is apply for the scholarship!

For additional assistance, please contact the Scholarships Team.

Additional Resources

USU MESAS 

The Mentoring and Encouraging Academic Success (MESAS) Program provides support for American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students at USU. The goal of the program is to cultivate a sense of community, culture, and belonging in order to support students' well-being and educational success. 

SCHOLARSHIPS - MESAS has gathered information about additional scholarships available to Native American students.

For additional information, contact Danny Piper.

USU Student Money Management Center

After you are admitted to USU, you can schedule a meeting with a Financial Coach in the Student Money Management Center. Financial Coaches will meet with you (and your parent/guardian if you would like) in person at USU Blanding, USU Eastern or USU Logan, or from anywhere via Zoom and help you create an earning/spending plan for your first year at college. This will help you know exactly how much you must earn, how many hours per week you must work, if any, and at what wage if you want to spend certain amounts on food, housing, transportation and entertainment.

USU Inclusion Center

Relax and be proud of who you are. Our students, staff, faculty, and alumni embrace, support, and advocate for every member of our Aggie family. The USU Inclusion Center creates an environment of acceptance, respect, and empowerment. You are valued here and your involvement with our clubs and organizations will make us even stronger.

Frequently Asked Questions

As a member of a tribe, you may be eligible for Utah residency for tuition purposes. Review the general exemptions at usu.edu/residency to learn more and to submit a residency application.

EFC is an acronym for Expected Family Contribution. Your EFC is an index number used to determine your eligibility for federal student financial aid. This number results from the information you provide in your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

Unmet need is the amount of allowable funding a student could receive from another source. Unmet need takes into account FAFSA information, funding already received, and is limited by the cost of going to school for one or more semesters. Unmet need does not guarantee that a student will receive more financial assistance or receive assistance equal to the amount of unmet need. 

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