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Osher Foundation Re-entry Scholarship and Crankstart Re-entry Scholarship Program

UVM is able to award both the Osher Foundation Re-entry Scholarship and the Crankstart Re-entry Scholarship to students who are resuming progress toward their first Bachelor's Degree after a gap in their studies of five years or more, and who meet the additional criteria outlined below. There is one combined application for these scholarships, and students are selected on a competitive basis.

The Bernard Osher Foundation was founded in 1977 by Bernard Osher, a respected community leader and businessman. Mr. Osher and his wife, Barbro Osher, are deeply committed to helping non-traditional age students successfully complete their college education. The Foundation made a generous grant to the University of Vermont to provide scholarship support for students seeking their degree after a significant break in their studies. Scholarships are generally awarded for $2,000 for the year.

The Crankstart Re-entry Scholarship Program at the University of Vermont is intended to expand the scholarship support available to UVM students who are returning to complete their first undergraduate degree after a significant gap in their studies. This program is made possible by a gift from Crankstart, and is patterned after the Osher Re-entry Scholarship Program. The awards are intended for people with great financial need whose education has been interrupted for five years or more and who want to resume their undergraduate studies in order to earn their first Bachelor's Degree. Scholarships are awarded for $5,000 for the year.

The following criteria apply for both the Osher Scholarship and Crankstart Scholarship:

  • Recipients must have a cumulative gap in their education of at least five years.
  • Recipients must be at the undergraduate level, pursuing their first Bachelor's Degree.
  • Recipients must demonstrate financial need, socio-economic status, challenges and/or hardships, academic qualifications, achievements and promise, as well as a commitment to completing their degree.
  • Recipients are ideally between the ages of 25 and 50, and anticipate workforce participation for a significant period of time following graduation.
  • Recipients may be enrolled full-time or part-time at UVM.

The number of scholarships is limited and selections are competitive based on the above critera.

Students must have a 2024-2025 FAFSA on file with UVM in order to be considered for either scholarship.

The 2024-2025 application should open by early May 2024.