USU Helps Students, Families Understand Changes to Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarships

Update: Gov. Spencer Cox signed House Bill 286 on March 12.

USU's Office of Student Financial Support is working to help students and families understand and adapt to new changes in nonresident legacy scholarships passed by the Utah Legislature.

If signed by Gov. Spencer Cox, House Bill 286 will bring changes to alumni nonresident legacy scholarships at all institutions in the Utah System of Higher Education.

The new law, which will go into effect May 1, will mean USU will only be able to offer one-year nonresident tuition waivers through USU's Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship. The change means that after two semesters, recipients will need to establish Utah residency or pay nonresident tuition.

While the law is set to go into effect in May, Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarships awarded to new incoming students before May will not be affected by the new change. Students currently enrolled who have received an Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship will also not be affected.

In 2018, the legislature voted to allow Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship recipients to establish residency in Utah while attending school in the state. Since then, 40% of students receiving the Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship have established Utah residency, enabling them to pay in-state tuition.

“Utah is one of the friendliest states when it comes to establishing Utah residency for tuition purposes,” said Craig Whyte, assistant vice president and executive director of Student Financial Support. “Combining the legacy scholarship program with the opportunity to establish Utah residency is one reason that USU continues to rank high in affordability and value.”

HB 286 also limits the Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship to the children of USU alumni, when previously grandchildren were also eligible.

The Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship enriches the USU community by creating multigenerational ties between students and alumni, who “serve as invaluable pillars of support, offering wisdom, resources, and networks,” according to Kim Larson, associate vice president of alumni engagement at USU.

“Generations of Aggie families have been proud to call Utah State their alma mater,” Larson said. “The Alumni Association is committed to continuing to visit future Aggies throughout the country to help them realize their dream of graduating from Utah State."

Since 2016, more than 3,500 prospective students have enrolled with the Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship at USU, according to the Office of Student Financial Support.

“USU is proactive in looking for scholarship and grant opportunities that allow students to come to the university,” Whyte said. “These include academic awards, need-based awards, involvement awards, alumni legacy awards and more than 2,000 donor-funded scholarships.”

Prospective students may contact the USU Admissions Office with questions related to this new law. Prospective students may apply for the Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship at usu.edu/legacy.