The University of Southern Indiana Scholarship guide explains the university’s verified undergraduate merit and Foundation award routes. It focuses on the David L. Rice Merit Scholarship, regional and out-of-state awards, transfer funding, and the AwardSpring process.
Scholarship eligibility depends on applicant category, residence, academic record, enrollment, and the rules attached to each award. Admission and scholarship selection are separate decisions, and students should rely on the award terms shown in their official USI account.
Key Facts
- Institution: University of Southern Indiana, a public university in Evansville, Indiana
- Primary merit award: David L. Rice Merit Scholarship
- Rice value: $1,000 to $4,000 per academic year
- Automatic route: Eligible students are assessed from their admission application
- Foundation route: One AwardSpring application matches admitted students with relevant awards
- Transfer route: Eligible full-time degree-seeking transfer students may receive admission-based awards
- Out-of-state route: A qualifying award can cover the non-resident tuition difference plus $2,000 annually
- Study level: The named admission merit awards primarily support first bachelor’s-degree study
- Renewal: GPA, completed credits, full-time enrollment, good standing, and funding rules apply
- Official process: Admission application for automatic awards; AwardSpring for Foundation awards
University Overview
The University of Southern Indiana is a public institution in Evansville offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional education. Its colleges cover business, liberal arts, nursing and health professions, and science, engineering, and education.
Undergraduate applicants enter through freshman, transfer, adult, or international admission routes. Programme requirements can differ, so an applicant must satisfy both general university admission standards and any requirements imposed by the intended major.
Graduate admission is administered through Graduate Studies and the relevant programme. The official international application guidance explains credential evaluation, academic records, English evidence, and applicant-specific steps.
Scholarship Overview
- The David L. Rice Merit Scholarship is USI’s main admission-based merit scholarship for eligible residents of Indiana and specified neighbouring counties.
- Qualified Rice recipients are identified from the academic credentials in the USI admission application.
- Students outside the regional categories may be considered for the Out-of-State Merit Scholarship under its own residence and housing rules.
- Transfer scholarships use the admission application and require the student to pursue a USI degree full time.
- USI Foundation awards use AwardSpring after admission and may consider programme, achievement, service, leadership, or other donor criteria.
- One AwardSpring application can match a student to multiple Foundation opportunities, but some matches may request additional information.
- Departmental scholarships may be limited to a specific college, major, class level, or student group.
- Every offer remains subject to the award notice, funding availability, university good standing, and the applicable scholarship guideline.
Eligible Majors
University-wide merit awards are not limited to one major and can support eligible students pursuing a first bachelor’s degree across USI. Foundation and departmental awards broaden the range but may restrict eligibility to a named college, programme, academic interest, or career objective.
Applicants should choose their intended programme accurately on the admission application because programme information can affect scholarship matching. A later change of major may alter eligibility for donor-funded or departmental awards even when a university-wide merit award continues.
Target Groups
- First-time freshmen with strong secondary-school academic records
- Indiana residents eligible for the David L. Rice Merit Scholarship
- Residents of qualifying counties in Kentucky or Illinois
- Students from other states who meet the Out-of-State Merit Scholarship rules
- Full-time transfer students pursuing their first bachelor’s degree
- Admitted students matched to donor-funded Foundation scholarships
- Current students who satisfy class-level or programme-specific criteria
- International applicants who meet USI admission rules and the criteria of an available scholarship
Benefits
- David L. Rice Merit Scholarship awards of $1,000 to $4,000 per academic year
- Transfer Merit Scholarship value of $1,500 per academic year for eligible categories
- Out-of-State Merit coverage of the non-resident tuition difference
- An additional $2,000 annually under the Out-of-State Merit rules
- Application of Rice funds to allowable USI billable charges
- Non-repayable Foundation scholarship support
- Automatic admission-based review for specified merit awards
- One AwardSpring profile for matching with multiple Foundation awards
The official USI scholarship page distinguishes admission-based awards from Foundation and programme-specific opportunities. Award amounts and combinations are governed by the individual offer and may be adjusted when other aid changes.
Duration and Renewal by Degree
Bachelor’s freshmen: The Rice Scholarship may be used for four consecutive years or eight semesters, ending earlier when the first bachelor’s degree is completed. Awards of $2,999 or less require a 2.50 cumulative GPA; awards of $3,000 or more require a 2.75 cumulative GPA, together with continuous full-time fall and spring enrollment and 27 completed credit hours across those terms.
Out-of-state bachelor’s students: The Out-of-State Merit Scholarship may be used for four consecutive years or until the first bachelor’s degree. Renewal requires a 3.0 cumulative GPA, continuous full-time fall and spring enrollment, and 27 completed credit hours; first-year campus residence is an initial condition.
Transfer students: The transfer award page confirms full-time degree-seeking status and excludes students who already hold a bachelor’s degree. The individual award notice controls its remaining period and renewal conditions.
Graduate students: Rice, transfer merit, and out-of-state admission awards described here are undergraduate awards. Graduate applicants should review programme funding or assistantships separately and should not assume the undergraduate renewal rules apply.
Scholarship Requirements
- Admission to USI in the applicant category connected to the award
- Academic credentials that meet the scholarship’s merit threshold
- Residence in the geographic area specified for regional awards
- First bachelor’s-degree status where the scholarship requires it
- Full-time enrollment for transfer and renewable merit awards
- First-year campus residence for the Out-of-State Merit Scholarship
- Required cumulative GPA and completed credit hours for renewal
- Good academic and institutional standing
- Accurate AwardSpring profile information for Foundation matching
- Compliance with programme, donor, financial-aid, and funding conditions
Admission Requirements by Degree
Bachelor’s Degree Requirements
Freshman applicants submit the undergraduate application and official secondary-school academic records. International freshmen are generally expected to present a document-by-document credential evaluation from a NACES member, and USI states a preferred minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
International applicants must send accepted English-proficiency results directly from the testing agency unless an approved exception applies. USI lists routes including TOEFL, IELTS, Cambridge English, ELS completion, PTE Academic, and case-by-case alternatives; programme-specific standards may be higher.
Transfer Degree Requirements
Transfer applicants provide records from every post-secondary institution attended and are reviewed on their academic success to date. International credentials may require the university’s specified evaluation, while transfer credit and English exemptions follow separate official rules.
Graduate Degree Requirements
Graduate applicants need a recognized bachelor’s degree and must meet the academic and subject requirements of the chosen programme. USI’s general graduate rules include official transcripts, programme materials, and English evidence for applicable international applicants; individual programmes may require a resume, recommendations, tests, or other supporting evidence.
Application Steps
Step 1: Select the Correct Admission Category
Identify whether you are applying as a freshman, transfer, international, adult, or graduate student. This determines the admission records and scholarship routes that apply.
Step 2: Review the Official Award Category
Check the residence, degree, enrollment, and academic rules for Rice, regional, out-of-state, transfer, Foundation, or departmental funding. Do not assume one award’s benefit or renewal rule applies to another.
Step 3: Submit the USI Admission Application
Complete the correct admission application and enter academic and residence information accurately. The university uses the admission record for automatic merit review.
Step 4: Send Admission Records
Arrange delivery of official academic records, credential evaluations, and English results where required. Follow any additional request shown by Undergraduate Admissions, Graduate Studies, or the programme.
Step 5: Activate the Student Account
After admission, use the university credentials provided to access MyUSI. Review the financial-aid area for the official award notice and any action required.
Step 6: Complete AwardSpring
Open AwardSpring through MyUSI and complete the unified Foundation scholarship application. Answer every question accurately so the system can match your profile to eligible awards.
Step 7: Complete Matched Requirements
Provide any essay, recommendation, activity record, or programme information requested by a matched Foundation award. A match indicates potential eligibility, not a guaranteed award.
Step 8: Review and Accept the Award
Read the amount, billable-charge rules, enrollment expectations, and renewal conditions in the offer. Complete any acceptance action and keep a copy of the notice.
Required Documents
- USI admission application
- Official secondary-school transcript
- Official post-secondary transcripts
- Credential evaluation report
- English-proficiency score report
- Passport identification page
- AwardSpring general application
- Personal statement or scholarship response
- Letter of recommendation
- Activity or leadership record
- Programme-specific supporting document
Practical Tips
- Advice: Classify your residence and applicant type before comparing award values.
- Advice: Use the exact legal name and academic history across admission and AwardSpring records.
- Advice: Confirm whether an award is automatic or requires a separate Foundation application.
- Advice: Treat the official award notice as the controlling source for your amount and conditions.
- Advice: Track completed credits as well as GPA because renewal checks use both.
- Advice: Ask an academic adviser before dropping below full-time status.
- Advice: Check whether a major change affects a departmental or donor-funded scholarship.
- Advice: Save evidence used in AwardSpring responses and keep the final submitted version.
- Advice: Review housing conditions before relying on an out-of-state award.
- Advice: Compare the scholarship with the full student account rather than treating the headline amount as a cash payment.
Conclusion
The University of Southern Indiana Scholarship system combines automatic admission-based merit awards with Foundation and programme-specific opportunities. A strong application starts with the correct applicant category, complete official records, careful AwardSpring answers, and a realistic plan for maintaining the published GPA, credit, and enrollment conditions.
FAQ
What is the main University of Southern Indiana Scholarship?
The David L. Rice Merit Scholarship is USI’s primary merit award for eligible applicants in the stated residence groups, with annual awards from $1,000 to $4,000.
Is a separate Rice Scholarship application required?
No. Qualified applicants are assessed from the credentials in their USI admission application.
How are Foundation scholarships requested?
Admitted students complete one AwardSpring application through MyUSI and then respond to any additional requirements for matched awards.
Can transfer students receive a USI scholarship?
Yes. Eligible full-time degree-seeking transfers can be considered for transfer awards, but students who already hold a bachelor’s degree are excluded from the transfer scholarship route.
Can international students apply?
International students may pursue scholarships for which they meet the stated criteria, but they must also complete USI’s international admission, credential, and English requirements.
Which majors are eligible?
University-wide merit awards can support eligible students across undergraduate majors. Departmental and Foundation scholarships may restrict eligibility to particular programmes.
Does the Rice Scholarship cover living costs?
The award applies to allowable USI billable charges and is non-refundable. It should not be described as a general living stipend.
How long can the Rice Scholarship continue?
It can continue for up to four consecutive years or eight semesters, subject to renewal criteria and ending when the first bachelor’s degree is completed.
What happens if renewal criteria are missed?
USI publishes options for written appeals or making up certain academic deficiencies, but reinstatement is not automatic and the university’s decision controls.
Where should applicants verify current rules?
Use the official USI scholarship pages, the scholarship guideline for the named award, and the offer displayed in MyUSI.