Academic & housing scholarships offered to students through multiple schools in Alabama & Mississippi
The University of West Alabama is paving the way for community college students to transfer seamlessly and earn academic and housing scholarships at UWA as they continue their studies in pursuit of bachelor’s degrees. Since the beginning of the year, UWA has announced partnerships with four Alabama community colleges and four in Mississippi, with more expected soon.
Each agreement allows UWA and the partner school to have a clearly defined transfer process and enhanced communication with students regarding transfer from the community college to UWA. This includes academic advising and scholarship opportunities. Participating schools include Bevill State Community College, Enterprise State Community College, Northwest Shoals Community College, and Coastal Alabama Community College in state, and in Mississippi, Meridian Community College, East Mississippi Community College, East Central Community College, and Itawamba Community College.
“Providing a pathway for students to further their education, thereby enhancing their quality of life, is at the forefront of UWA’s mission,” said Dr. Ken Tucker, UWA President. “Partnerships like those we have have formed with these community colleges help students navigate the transfer process while finding the educational opportunities at UWA that best fit their career goals.”
Through the agreement, students at each school with a minimum 2.0 grade point average (GPA) and 45 to 50 transferable credit hours, depending on the school, are guaranteed admission. Likewise, students who complete their associate’s degree at the partnering community college are guaranteed admission.
As students navigate their transfer, academic advising will be offered by both schools, a step that will help ensure students follow a purposeful path in their studies with academic and career goals in mind.
Academic scholarships are available from UWA to any eligible student transferring from the partner schools. These scholarships range from $3,000 to $4,000 per year and are renewable for up to four consecutive semesters. To be eligible for the academic scholarship, a transfer student must have a 3.0 or higher GPA.
Additionally, students transferring from partner schools and meeting the criteria to have received academic scholarships will be eligible to apply for scholarships through UWA Housing, receiving $2,000 for the first year to encourage and support campus residency.
“We expect the housing scholarship to make a tremendous difference for students,” said Richard Hester, vice president of student affairs at UWA. “Studies show that campus life plays a vital role in student development, and we want students transferring from community college to have those opportunities and experiences at UWA.”
Prior to these agreements, UWA already offered and continues offering reverse transfer credit to students who transferred to UWA before completing the associate’s degree at their community college but subsequently earned adequate credit to have completed the associate program’s requirements. With this, eligible students may be awarded an associate’s degree retroactively, in addition to the bachelor’s degree pursued at UWA.
“Ultimately, we want students to be equipped to make a meaningful contribution to the workforce and their respective communities, and through partnerships like these with Alabama and Mississippi schools, we can ensure that students gain the experiences, skills, and knowledge they need for a lifetime of success,” Tucker said.
To learn more about UWA’s commitment to supporting students who wish to transfer to UWA, contact Transfer Admissions Counselor Brenda Jones at bjones@uwa.edu or 205-652-5431.
