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SCHOLARSHIP AGREEMENT FORM

Please read the following Scholarship Agreement carefully. This Scholarship Agreement applies to all students who have received a scholarship award to cover full or partial tuition and required student fees from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. The deadline to complete and submit this Scholarship Agreement is August 17, 2026.

By reviewing and checking each item below, electronically signing, and submitting this Scholarship Agreement, you are committing to abide by the following scholarship requirements and terms.

1. Scholarship Type and Award Limit(Required)

I understand that I have been awarded either a full or partial tuition and required student fees scholarship from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.

I understand that a full tuition and student fees scholarship covers the cost of tuition and required student fees for the number of credits required to complete my degree program, subject to the terms outlined in this agreement.

I understand that a partial tuition and student fees scholarship covers only the amount awarded to me and may not cover the full cost of tuition and required student fees. I am responsible for paying any tuition and fees not covered by my partial scholarship award.

I understand that my scholarship is not refundable to me. If my scholarship exceeds my tuition and required student fees for a semester, I will not receive the remaining scholarship amount as a refund.

I understand that my scholarship award may be adjusted if my residency classification changes or my residency documentation is found to be inaccurate or incomplete; if my enrollment status or credit load changes; if I withdraw from the program or take a leave of absence; if I no longer meet the scholarship eligibility requirements; or if any other changes occur that affect my eligibility under the terms of this agreement.

2. Donor Requirements(Required)

I understand that some scholarship awards may be funded by donors and may include additional requirements, such as writing a thank-you letter, attending a donor-related event, providing a short biography, or meeting other stewardship requirements.

I understand that if my scholarship includes donor-related requirements, I am responsible for completing those requirements by the stated deadline.

I understand that failure to complete donor-related requirements may affect my scholarship eligibility or future scholarship consideration.

3. Standard Program Credits and Scholarship Timeline(Required)

I understand that my scholarship is intended to cover tuition and required student fees only during the standard timeline for completing my degree program and only for the required program credits.

The standard credit requirements and three-semester timelines are listed below:

MA Journalism/MAJ-Bilingual Program

Total Credits Required: 43
Fall, 1st semester: 15 credits
Spring, 2nd semester: 13 credits
Fall, 3rd semester: 15 credits

MA Engagement Journalism Program

Total Credits Required: 40.5
Fall, 1st semester: 15 credits
Spring, 2nd semester: 12 credits
Fall, 3rd semester: 13.5 credits

4+1 Program Students Only: If you are not enrolled in the 4+1 program, select "N/A."(Required)

I understand that if I am a 4+1 program student, my scholarship applies only to the remaining two semesters of the master’s degree program after I am fully enrolled in the graduate program.

I understand that 4+1 program scholarship funds are generally applied during the fall and spring semesters once I am fully enrolled in the master’s degree program.

I understand that if I extend my 4+1 program timeline by one additional semester after becoming fully enrolled in the master’s degree program, I must notify the Office of Academic Affairs no later than July 1 before the affected semester.

I understand that extending my 4+1 timeline may affect how my scholarship is applied and may result in additional out-of-pocket costs.

N/A

4. Tuition and Required Student Fees Covered by the Scholarship(Required)

I understand that my scholarship covers only tuition and required student fees, including the January Academy Intersession Fee, Consolidated Fee, Technology Fee, Program Supplement Fee (Master's Program Fee), and Student Activity Fee (including the Senate Fee).

I understand that my scholarship does not cover other fees or charges I may incur, including, but not limited to, change of program fees, late registration fees, maintenance of matriculation fees, late withdrawal charges, and other non-required fees or penalties.

I understand that I am responsible for paying any fees or charges that are not covered by my scholarship.

5. Academic Advising and Registration Requirement(Required)

I understand that I am required to meet with my academic advisor before registering for classes for my second and third semesters.

I understand that this advising requirement is intended to help ensure that I am enrolled in the appropriate courses and the number of credits required for my degree program.

I understand that if I plan to change my credit load, pursue a four-semester timeline, enroll in a specialization, or take credits beyond the required number for my degree program, I must speak with my academic advisor and notify the appropriate office as outlined in this agreement.

6. Changes to Credit Load(Required)

I understand that I must notify Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism if I change the number of credits I take in any semester, even if I still plan to finish on the three-semester timeline.

Examples of credit changes include taking fewer or more credits than planned, or shifting credits between semesters.

I understand that I must notify Academic Affairs no later than six weeks in advance of the upcoming semester if I plan to change my credit load.

I understand that failure to notify the School by the deadline may affect how my scholarship is applied and may result in my having to make separate arrangements to pay any outstanding balance.

I understand that I may not be able to register for classes if I fail to notify Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism of changes to my credit load.

Students who plan to change their credit load or program timeline must notify the Office of Academic Affairs at academicaffairs@journalism.cuny.edu no later than July 1 before the affected semester. Academic Affairs will coordinate with Finance and Development, as needed.

7. Four-Semester Timeline(Required)

I understand that if I reduce my credit load and choose to complete my degree program in four semesters instead of the standard three-semester timeline, I must notify the Office of Academic Affairs no later than July 1 before the third semester.

I understand that changes to my planned course schedule are subject to review and may affect my scholarship, as determined by the appropriate offices, including Finance and Development.

I understand that completing my program in four semesters may affect how my scholarship funds are applied.

I understand that a four-semester timeline may result in additional out-of-pocket costs if my scholarship does not fully cover tuition and required student fees for the additional semester.

I understand that if I am a partial scholarship recipient, I remain responsible for any tuition and fees above my scholarship award.

I understand that if I am a full scholarship recipient, my scholarship covers tuition and required student fees up to the credits required for my degree program, subject to the terms of this agreement.

9. Credits Beyond the Required Degree Credits(Required)

I understand that my scholarship is intended to support completion of the required credits for my degree program (43 or 40.5 credits)

I understand that if I enroll in credits beyond the required number of credits for my degree program, including additional credits for a specialization, I am responsible for additional tuition and fees.

10. Partial Scholarship Recipients(Required)

I understand that if I am a partial scholarship recipient, any extension of my program beyond the required 43 credits, 40.5 credits, may result in additional charges not covered by my scholarship. I am responsible for paying those additional charges.

11. Full Scholarship Recipients(Required)

I understand that if I am a full scholarship recipient and enroll in credits beyond the required number of credits for my degree program, including credits for a specialization such as Documentary, those additional credits may not be fully covered by my scholarship.

I understand that coverage for additional credits is subject to my residency status (including whether I am classified as an in-state, out-of-state, or international student) during the semester the credits are taken, the availability of remaining scholarship funds, and whether the additional credits fall within the applicable tuition and fee structure.

Students who qualify for New York State resident tuition and are billed at the University’s flat-rate tuition may enroll in additional credits, provided the cost of those credits is covered by the remaining balance of their scholarship award. Any tuition or fees beyond the available scholarship balance are the student’s financial responsibility. Enrollment in additional credits remains subject to Academic Affairs approval and course availability.

I understand that if I originally entered as an out-of-state student but later became classified as an in-state resident, different scholarship rules may apply based on my new residency classification and remaining scholarship balance.

I understand that if I am classified as out-of-state or international in my final semester, I may be required to pay out-of-pocket, per credit, for any credits beyond the required degree credits that are not covered by my remaining scholarship balance.

12. Residency Changes(Required)

I understand that I must notify the Finance Office within seven days if my (domestic students) residency status changes from out-of-state to in-state.

I understand that my scholarship may be adjusted if my tuition rate decreases due to a change in residency status. For example, if I become classified as an in-state resident and my tuition drops, the School may reduce my scholarship to match the lower tuition cost — this is not a loss of scholarship, but a recalibration to reflect the new rate. The School may also review the scholarship eligibility across semesters if the change affects your overall program costs.

For more information, please review the CUNY New York State residency requirements.

13. Academic Standing and Satisfactory Academic Progress(Required)

I understand that I must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. If I do not meet the cumulative 3.0 GPA requirement and/or have two Incomplete grades at the end of a semester, I may be placed on academic probation.

I understand that if I do not meet the academic requirements during my academic probationary semester, my scholarship may be canceled, and I may be responsible for paying tuition and required student fees for the affected semester.

I understand that my scholarship may be considered for reinstatement after I meet the cumulative 3.0 GPA requirement and complete all outstanding academic requirements, subject to review and approval by the School. If I fail a course, I understand that I am responsible for covering the cost of replacing the credits.

Failed Courses and Additional Credits: Scholarship funds are awarded only for the credits required to complete the degree program as outlined in the student’s scholarship award. If I fail a course, withdraw from a course after the applicable deadlines, or otherwise do not earn the credits required for degree completion, any additional coursework needed to replace those lost credits or satisfy degree requirements will be my financial responsibility. The scholarship will not cover the cost of retaking failed courses or enrolling in additional courses required to make up lost credits, unless expressly approved in writing by the School.

14. Course Withdrawal(Required)

I understand that if I withdraw from a course, my scholarship may not cover the tuition and fees associated with that course.

I understand that withdrawing from a course may result in tuition liability depending on the date of withdrawal and applicable CUNY refund policies.

I understand that, before withdrawing from a course, I must consult with my academic advisor and the Office of Academic Affairs to understand how the withdrawal may affect my academic progress, scholarship eligibility, and student account balance.

15. Leave of Absence and Withdrawal from the School(Required)

I understand that an official Leave of Absence is not the same as withdrawing from the School.

I understand that if I need take a Leave of Absence, I must request and receive written approval for an official Leave of Absence from the Associate Dean.

I understand that if I withdraw from the School without an approved written Leave of Absence, my scholarship may be forfeited and may not be reinstated.

I understand that an approved Leave of Absence can freeze my scholarship for a maximum of one year.

I understand that if my Leave of Absence extends beyond one year (two academic semesters), my scholarship may be forfeited or subject to additional review.

Questions About Scholarship

Students with questions about their scholarship disbursement, scholarship adjustments and New York state residency tuition adjustments should contact the Finance Office at:

Students with questions about academic planning, course load, degree requirements, or changes to their program timeline should contact the Office of Academic Affairs at:

16. Acknowledgment and Submission(Required)

I acknowledge that I have read this Scholarship Agreement carefully.

I understand that by checking each item, electronically signing, and submitting this Scholarship Agreement, I agree to follow the scholarship requirements and terms outlined above.

I understand that I am responsible for reviewing my degree requirements, scholarship terms, program worksheet, and official School policies.

I understand that I must contact the appropriate office before changing my course schedule, credit load, program timeline, residency status, or enrollment status.

I understand that a copy of this completed agreement will be sent automatically to my J-School email address for my records.

To complete this agreement, I must provide today's date, my full name, my J-School email address, and my electronic signature.

Date(Required)

Student Name (Printed)(Required)

J-School Email Address (Only)(Required)

Student Signature(Required)

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