The University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) awards athletically related financial aid (“athletics aid”) to student-athletes in accordance with NCAA, Lone Star Conference, and institutional regulations. This statement describes the criteria, process, and timelines by which athletics aid is awarded, renewed, increased, reduced, or canceled. It is published to satisfy Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board requirements that institutions publicly disclose the written criteria and deadlines governing competitive athletic scholarships.
Eligibility
- A student-athlete must meet all applicable NCAA, Lone Star Conference, and UT Dallas eligibility requirements to receive athletics aid.
- Athletics aid may be awarded for a maximum of 10 semesters of eligibility. Any institutional aid provided beyond that limit is awarded at the University's discretion, consistent with general UT Dallas financial aid policy.
- A student-athlete must be enrolled in a minimum full-time program of study to receive athletics aid, except in the final term needed to complete degree requirements, or as otherwise permitted by NCAA rules.
- Freshman and transfer student-athletes must receive final academic and athletic eligibility certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center, and complete applicable transfer verification, before athletics aid can be awarded.
How Awards are Determined
UT Dallas is limited each academic year to a maximum number of scholarship equivalencies per sport, set by NCAA Division II rules. Within that limit:
- The head coach of each sport recommends which student-athletes receive athletics aid and the amount of each award, based on the athlete's ability, academic eligibility, and the sport's available scholarship equivalencies.
- Athletics aid is awarded up to a maximum dollar amount not exceeding a full grant-in-aid, defined as tuition and mandatory fees and housing and meals. The University will not award institutional financial aid in excess of the student's cost of attendance.
- Every award recommendation is reviewed and must be approved by both the Director of Athletics and the Office of Financial Aid before it becomes a binding offer.
- Initial awards, once signed, cover a full academic year and are paid in equal amounts each term, except where an exception is documented.
- A written Athletics Scholarship Agreement is issued to each student-athlete confirming the terms of the award before it takes effect. The student-athlete has 7 calendar days to sign and return the agreement.
Annual Renewal Timeline
Athletics aid is awarded one academic year at a time and is not automatically renewed. Each spring, head coaches submit renewal, increase, reduction, or non-renewal recommendations for the following academic year by sport-season deadline:
- Fall sports: May 15
- Winter sports: May 15
- Spring sports: June 15
All returning student-athletes are notified in writing, on or before July 1, whether their athletics aid will be renewed at the same level, increased, reduced, or not renewed for the coming year.
Reduction or Cancellation During the Period of Award
Once an award period has begun, UT Dallas may not reduce or cancel athletics aid on the basis of athletic ability, athletic performance or contribution to the team, injury, illness, or any other athletically related reason. Athletics aid may be reduced or canceled during the period of award only if the student-athlete:
- Becomes ineligible for intercollegiate competition;
- Fraudulently misrepresents information on an application, letter of intent, financial aid agreement, or medical disclosure;
- Engages in serious misconduct warranting a substantial disciplinary penalty from the University;
- Voluntarily withdraws from the sport; or
- Violates another material condition of the Athletics Scholarship Agreement, UT Dallas Student-Athlete Manual, or team policies.
Any recommendation to reduce or cancel athletics aid must be documented by the head coach, reviewed by the Director of Athletics, and confirmed for NCAA compliance before the Office of Financial Aid issues written notice to the student-athlete.
Right to Appeal
A student-athlete whose athletics aid is reduced, canceled, or not renewed has the right to appeal that decision to the Office of Financial Aid's Athletics Aid Appeals Committee. Students-athletes are notified in writing of any change to their aid and of their right to appeal within 14 calendar days of that notice, and have 10 business days from notification to submit a written appeal. The Appeals Committee reviews all submitted materials and issues a final written decision within 30 calendar days of receiving the appeal. The Office of Financial Aid's decision on appeal is final.
Contact
Questions about athletics aid, this criteria statement, or the appeals process may be directed to the UT Dallas Office of Financial Aid.
Competitive Waivers of the Non-Resident Portion of Tuition:
- Beginning for the awarding cycle of the 2027-28 academic year, the Director of Athletics is recognized as a representative of the Committee on Student Scholarships.
- Beginning for the awarding cycle of the 2027-28 academic year, athletic scholarship funds qualifying eligible students for the non-resident tuition waiver must be made available to both Texas residents and non-residents, permitting equal consideration and competition.
- To be considered for a competitive waiver, awards must be at least $1000.
- If a student who has been awarded a competitive waiver later becomes a Texas resident for tuition purposes, the waiver is no longer valid.
- Students can only receive one waiver per semester, even if the student has a combination of academic and athletic aid that individually would qualify for a waiver.
- The Director of Athletics, in conjunction with the Athletic Compliance team, will review athletic scholarship awards, including those considered for competitive waivers.
- Any competitive waiver awarded to a student athlete follows the required competitive waiver rules administered by the state and specific rules administered by UT Dallas.
- The Office of Financial Aid will certify annually that the number of competitive waivers does not exceed the applicable Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board threshold and that total institutional competitive waivers, including athletic waivers, remain within the 5 percent cap on student headcount.
- The Office of Financial Aid retains final, independent authority to approve or deny the tuition waiver for eligibility and compliance purposes
- More information here: https://finaid.utdallas.edu/aid-programs/exemptions-and-waivers/competitive-scholarships/
Athletics Scholarship Agreements
Coaches may offer recruits up to the full cost of grant-in-aid as determined by UT Dallas Office of Financial Aid. This aid and any additional aid may not exceed the cost of attendance as determined by the UT Dallas Office of Financial Aid. Athletics scholarships are awarded for an academic year as stated on the agreement. There are not four-year scholarships. A PSA may accept an offer of athletics aid, but may not sign the athletic scholarship until the following periods:
High School Seniors, Two-Year Transfers: Second Wednesday in November-August 1 the following year.
Four-year transfers may sign an athletics aid agreement at any time.
Once a PSA signs an athletic scholarship agreement, no future recruitment is permitted by other NCAA institutions, there is a contact prohibition that takes effect.
Signing An Athletics Scholarship Agreement:
