Keeping good grades, renewing your scholarship, and more
As a Cox Scholar, you are expected to successfully balance your coursework with your work assignment.
Here are the Cox Scholars Program standards and guidelines for academic success:
Credit Hours
As a Cox Scholar, you are required to enroll in a minimum of 12 credit hours as a degree-seeking student each fall and spring academic semester on the Bloomington campus of Indiana University.
Attending a Different College
If as a Cox Scholar you choose to attend another college or university full time (including an IU campus other than IU Bloomington), your Cox Scholarship will be forfeited and will not be available for future reinstatement.
Withdrawing
If as a Cox Scholar you decide to withdraw from Indiana University, your Cox Scholarship will be forfeited. If you must withdraw temporarily for a medical reason, you should notify the Cox Scholars Program Director and your individual program coordinator.
Deferments
If you’re offered a Cox Scholarship, you can choose to defer admission to IU for up to one year (due to reasons other than enrolling at another college or university), and your Cox Scholarship may be deferred to the new entry term. To defer, notify the Cox Scholars Program Director, in addition to submitting a formal deferral request to the Office of Admissions.
Your GPA
As a Cox Scholar you must maintain a cumulative program GPA of 3.0 at Indiana University, which will be verified each semester by the Office of Scholarships. If your cumulative program GPA falls below 3.0 at the end of spring semester, your Cox Scholarship will not be renewed for the following academic year. Information about how to potentially reinstate your scholarship will be provided by the Cox Scholars Program.
Renewals
Scholarship renewal eligibility is reviewed on an annual basis at the end of each spring semester. There is no mid-year review. Should your cumulative program GPA be raised to the required level during a subsequent spring semester, Cox Scholarships will be reinstated at that time for the following academic year. If you raise your cumulative program GPA to a 3.0 or higher prior to the start of the fall semester, your scholarship will be automatically reassessed.
Education Abroad
Cox Scholarships can be applied toward full-time enrollment in an education abroad program that meets the following conditions:
- IU-approved program.
- Full-time (12 or more credit hours) enrollment, registered through Indiana University Bloomington.
- Billed through Indiana University Bloomington.
Cox Scholars are encouraged to contact the Education Abroad office to verify if a specific program is compatible with use of their Cox Scholarship.
Cox Scholars should meet individually with the Cox Scholars Program Director well in advance of when they plan to study aboard to learn about how their individual financial package may be applied to studying abroad.
Internships
Cox Scholars participating in internships during the academic year must be enrolled full-time for the disbursement of their scholarships. Certain internship courses act as a placeholder to allow students to receive disbursement of scholarships. To determine if their placeholder course allows for disbursement of their scholarships, Cox Scholars are encouraged to contact Student Central.
Graduate School
Cox Scholars who complete their undergraduate degrees at Indiana University Bloomington before using all eight semesters of their scholarship may apply to use their remaining funding toward an IU Bloomington graduate program. Scholars must meet the following criteria:
- Eligibility: Scholars must be enrolled full-time in a graduate program and meet standard renewal requirements. Graduate program enrollment must follow directly after undergraduate completion (no enrollment gaps).
- Work Requirement: Scholars must complete 300 hours of work annually in a position provided by the Cox Scholars Program. Exemptions from this requirement are limited to one semester and must be related to education abroad, required internships, or work-study opportunities.
- Financial Cap: The total scholarship amount is capped at 200% of the official IU cost of attendance, and scholars are responsible for any additional fees.
- Application Process: Scholars must submit a request for graduate funding no later than three months before the graduate program start date, along with written confirmation of work eligibility from the program.
For more details, contact the Cox Scholars Program at iubcox@iu.edu. To apply to utilize your Cox Scholarship for graduate school, please fill out this request form.
Approved Work Exemptions
Education Abroad, Student Teaching, and Internships
As a Cox Scholar, you are encouraged to participate in educationally meaningful activities, such as education abroad, student teaching, and internships. To receive support for participation in these activities, you may be eligible to receive an one-time exemption from the work requirement.
One-Semester Exemption
This exemption must be submitted three months in advance of the semester you plan to be away. It must be approved both by your program coordinator and the Cox Scholars Program Director. Once approved, you are also expected to communicate your plans for such an absence with your worksite host as soon as possible.
Full Academic Year Exemption
If you plan to be away for an entire academic year, additional steps are required:
- Approval Requirements: You must meet with your program coordinator, worksite host, and the Cox Scholars Program Director for approval. We recommend that these meetings occur at least 15 months prior to the semester for which you are requesting the exemption.
- Alternate Work Arrangement: An alternate work arrangement will need to be established to ensure you fulfill your work commitment.
- Work Hours: You will be required to complete a total of 450 work hours during the academic year prior to the year for which you are requesting an exemption. These will be completed at your current worksite. If they do not have capacity for the additional work hours, an alternate plan will need to be created.
These steps are designed to ensure that you maintain your eligibility and meet the program’s requirements while taking advantage of educational opportunities.
If you want to participate in an educationally meaningful activity, please fill out this exemption request form to notify the Cox Scholars Program of your plans.