<p>I’m a high school senior attending UA next year and I won the $2500 National Merit scholarship. My understanding of NMSC’s rules is that I have to decline this because I’m receiving Alabama’s NMF package. Is that correct?</p>
<p>I also applied to a few other outside scholarships before I knew that I was going to Alabama and that I didn’t need money. If I were to win those, would I be allowed to accept them? I’m not going to have any college-related expenses until my sophomore year, but if I can convince the company that awards the scholarships to give me cash or defer the scholarship, is there any UA rule that prohibits that? </p>
<p>There is no problem in accepting the other outside scholarships. UA actually words their scholarship awards to say they are for the value of tuition instead of specifying they are for tuition, so that if other outside awards only apply to the value of tuition they will be applied first and then UA will still award the full value of their scholarships and you will get any amount above the costs billed to your account refunded to you. If any of the money is used for room and board or other non-educational expenses then you will have to pay taxes on it. </p>
<p>I don’t know about the National Merit award, so will let someone else address that question.</p>
<p>Contact the scholarship rep at UA (I believe Amber) to double-check that this is still the case, but when my son received the $2500 National Merit Scholarship 2 years ago he was told to accept it. UA credited this $2500 on his 1st semester bill. On the 7 remaining semesters, they gave/will give him a $500 credit for being a National Merit Scholarship. This adds up to $6,000 in total for him. Again, call UA and ask them but if nothing has changed, accept this award. You will also receive all the other Alabama awards for being a NMF (Presidential, stipend, one year room and board, etc.) too. Sweet!</p>
<p>Bama lets you take the nmf money for the first year and gives you 3500 per year. you still get the tuition money, housing for a year, ipad, etc.</p>
<p>Thanks for clarifying mom2… I thought they may have changed how they did it since my student got it.</p>