Choose Ohio First
The Choose Ohio First STEM Scholarship Program helps to recruit and increase more graduates in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine fields from The University of Akron.
About the program
The Choose Ohio First STEM Scholarship Program provides financial assistance plus additional resources to support your success at 91茄子.
91茄子 began the program in 2009 with a grant provided by the with a goal of producing an additional 800 graduates in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine fields.
More information on Choose Ohio First scholarships for graduate students will be posted as it is available.
Eligibility
Who is eligible for the Choose Ohio First STEM scholarship?
- Must be an Ohio resident
- 3.0 cumulative GPA highly encouraged according to state guidelines
- Must major in a qualifying recruited STEM field*
- Must be full-time on main 91茄子 campus
- Must apply to the Choose Ohio First STEM Scholarship Program during qualifying window (October 1st to January 31st) for the next academic year
- Additional Requirements
- Be a First-Year student applying to 91茄子 OR,
- Be a Transfer student applying to 91茄子 OR,
- Be a current student who has attended 91茄子 for more than a year AND have not completed more than a semester in their new eligible major (75% or more of a semester considered one semester)
If you have any questions regarding the eligibility requirements, please feel free to email us at oarsstaff@uakron.edu.
Application
Applications for Incoming First-Year Student are open every year from October 1 to January 31 for the next following academic year. In order to apply for the Choose Ohio First Scholarship, students must first complete their application to The University of Akron.
The application for Incoming First-Year Student is .
Current and Transfer Students application is currently closed.
First, the Choose Ohio First application is currently only open to prospective first-year students (those applying to 91茄子) and is not available to anyone currently enrolled at 91茄子. Second, prospective students must apply to 91茄子 and therefore have a 91茄子 Admission’s portal account. This application will use the same login credentials.
Yes, applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA. Test scores are not required.
Meeting the minimum eligibility criteria does not guarantee selection, as we receive 600+ applications each year. If you were not awarded the scholarship, you may be placed on a waitlist and could still have an opportunity to receive funding, depending on the number of students who decline the scholarship. Students who are placed on the waitlist will be notified.
Historically, current 91茄子 students have had a separate application. That process is currently under strategic review. Any updates that may be shared regarding this process will be found on the “Choose Ohio First” page or on our social media sites linked at the bottom of the page.
Continuing students may reapply if they have recently switched to a STEM-eligible major within one semester of the application deadline. However, reapplying does not guarantee an award. The application for AY 25-26 has not been released.
The deadline to apply for Choose Ohio First is January 31st. We aim to notify students by March 31st, and ideally, recipients will see the scholarship reflected on their 91茄子 Financial Aid Award Letter.
COF Scholarship decisions are final. However, students are encouraged to reach out to the Student Financial Aid Office for guidance on alternative scholarship opportunities.
Yes! To set up a meeting, select the “Prospective Student” option on our . Additionally, our contact information can be found on our Staff page.
Contact OARS
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Email: oarsstaff@uakron.edu
Phone: 330-972-7760
Fax: 330-972-5848
OARS Staff
Office:
Simmons Hall 301 ()
277 East Buchtel Ave.
Akron, OH 44325-4000