I as an international student applied to different colleges for fall of 2018. Out of these universities, The University of Texas at Tyler had an attractive Scholarship of full tuition, housing & meal, and books. I emailed them if it was available for international students or not, and they confirmed it was available. I applied and got accepted in January. With my acceptance letter, they mentioned that my scholarship would only be confirmed if I paid the freshman confirmation fee of $100 before March 1. I paid the fee immediately on January. On February, they asked for $125 housing deposit and I paid that. Last month they issued my I-20 letter which mentions of my scholarship. I have a Visa interview appointment scheduled in a week. Yesterday, the university emailed me stating that they were out of budget and could no longer offer me the previously promised and confirmed Scholarship. I have rejected the scholarship from other universities as I was sure to go to this university after having received my i-20 and having scheduled my interview. I am totally frustrated now. They say they will give me a scholarship of $5,000 instead of $21,000. I am totally frustrated after having spent a year on the application process. What should be done in such case?
Colleges can change the packages they offer. I attended a private college in my home state and during the last week of the first semester they converted a grant to a loan. If a school runs out of money, I’m not sure there’s much you can do. Better to know it now then at the end of your first year when you’re no longer eligible for freshman grants at other universities. Have you contacted the other colleges to see if you can reverse your decision?
I am really sorry that this has happened to you. It is really terrible practice. I would get on the phone to the other schools you turned down for Tyler and see if they would still take you.
At least I hope they will fully refund your tuition and housing deposit.
Did you get a letter stating that you would receive the scholarship?
Was there any wording that it might depend on availability?
Public universities do run out of funds. They are funded by their individual states, so it does happen.
You need to contact the other universities and ask, before all the monies are used, if you can still accept them.
I think you need to push back, hard. They made an offer, you accepted that offer, there was what is called “consideration” in law (you paid a deposit, you turned down other offers), that makes a CONTRACT. Unless you have some language from them in which they state that there is a possibility of funds running out…I think you have a case to make to the school that they have a contract with you. Worth a shot.
Moderator’s note
Op has not been back to the thread. His story does not align with the school’s website as to what they offer international undergrad students.
This is the scholarship that Op feels that he is entitled to
Unless Op is a citizen/ permmanent resident or eligible non citizen living abroad, Op is not eligible for this scholarship because the requirement of the scholarship is that you must file the FAFSA. If Op is an international student s/he is not eligible to file the FAFSA.
The largest scholarship that UT Tyler has for international students is $4k
http://www.uttyler.edu/admissions/international/freshman-scholarships.php
That is not my understanding. International students are not eligible for federal aid and therefore in most situations they may not be required to fill out the FAFSA - that is not the same as “not eligible to file the FAFSA”. In fact some schools require the form to be filled out just to get a record of international students finances.
They schools is saying they require the FAFSA to be filled. Ok, no problem. The kid can fill it out - even if they are not applying for federal aid.
UT Tyler also says that scholarship funds are limited. The scholarship was never guaranteed to the student. He had to submit his confirmation in order to be considered.
Remember their first obligation will be to the residents of Texas, who are most likely underwiritng these scholarships with their tax dollars
There is a story in the Chronicle of Higher Education about this:
https://www.chronicle.com/article/A-University-in-Texas-Promised/243273
I guess this is one of those cases for not notifying other colleges that you aren’t attending until the last minute. Such a sad situation. I’d be on the phone with other schools you were accepted to and see if you can still attend (granted you can manage their costs with the lessor scholarships.) so sorry this happened. We would be a wreck if that happened to one of our kids.
Can you afford the $10,000 a year that UT Tyler would cost?
@turtletime, did you read posts #6 and #8? The scholarship was NOT promised to the student. He would be only CONSIDERED once he submitted his confirmation. The school did nothing wrong.
@MaineLonghorn They sent the kid an I-20 with the scholarship before deciding not to fund him. This was a very nasty bait and switch. According to post 9 they did this to a lot of kids.
The scholarships were offered, accepted and then revoked at the very last minute:
This is now a national story regardless of whether or not the OP returns.
From the Inside Higher Ed story @scholardad linked to:
And from that Chronicle of Higher Education article:
How is that not a binding contract? Isn’t that consideration?
I’m also wondering if OP is the student featured in the CHE story, which may be why he has not returned.
@MaineLonghorn Um, Did I say the school was at fault? I said it was a sad situation. Since it’s not yet May 1st, there might be a chance to call other schools that op had been accepted too and see if they were still options. If there any schools they can afford but didn’t already notify they wouldn’t be attending, that much the easier. That’s what I suggested. I don’t really see how that could have riled you up.
It can all be legal and upfront and still totally suck.
@MaineLonghorn – the OP’s account, including the date of the original post , is 100% consistent with the Chronicle of Higher Education Article – so your post #6 is clearly mistaken. The linked article explains in detail what happened.
@LucieTheLakie - according to the article there are 63 Nepalese students who were originally offered full “Presidential” scholarships which were rescined on April 13th, with a counter-offer of a $5000 Patriot’s scholarship – so the OP is one of 63. As to why he did not return… the response to his post a CC was that he was disbelieved by a forum moderator,effectively shutting down the converasation 2 days after his initial post. So obviously this was not a useful place for him to get help and information.
Fortunately for him and the other 62 students in his position, there seem to have been many other people like the college counselors and administrators mentioned in the article, who were not so skeptical and more willing to try to help. If I were that student I wouldn’t come back here either.
I didn’t write post #6, but I was mistaken, too. That sounds terrible. 
And post #6 was written on April 16, AFTER the OP’s first and last visit to the site on April 15.
Sorrry – I see now that it was Sybbie’s post with a Moderator’s note at the top - so sorry for assuming it was your post.
But I think the same message being conveyed if the OP had come back. He would have seen that post with the very prominent note. So my point is that might have deterred him from posting again.
I assume that he was scrambling all over the place and probably ended up connecting with the other students mentioned in the article through facebook or twitter.
II’m just wondering why the interval of 1 or 2 days would be significant in terms of divining intent as to whether the OP intended to return? Yes, he only posted once but in a lot of parts of the world internet access is not so easy or reliable, so definiteliy not always an everyday thing.