International Student Scholarships

The PTW is a financial award for international students seeking a degree at IUP. Students who are awarded PTW will have the funds automatically applied to their tuition bill. PTW recipients are chosen based on financial need. If you are not a sponsored or exchange student and do not have a GA or TA position, you may be eligible for a Partial Tuition Waiver. International student-athletes and international students in the Cook Honors College receive a different type of PTW award. The funding cannot be combined.  

International students awarded a PTW receive the following amount of money each academic semester (fall and spring only), provided they maintain good academic and immigration status and complete the required service hours. The PTW award will be automatically applied towards a student's fall and/or spring semester tuition bill after the drop/add period.

PTW Amounts are as Follows:

• Full-time undergraduate students: receive $2,500/semester and are required to complete 40 hours of community service.

• Part-time undergraduate students: receive $210/credit and must complete 20 hours of community service.

• Post-Bacc Students: receive $125/credit up to 12 credits and are required to complete 20 hours of community service for nine- to 12-credit waiver; 10 hours for six-credit waiver or less.
  
  
• Graduate Students: receive $140/credit up to 9 credits and are required to complete 20 hours of community service for six- to nine-credit waiver; 10 hours for three credits or less.
  
  
• Graduate Students who have a 10-hour GA receive $70/credit up to nine credits and are required to complete 10 hours of community service for six- to nine-credit waiver.

Exclusions:

• PTW money cannot be applied towards: summer or winter distance education courses, or thesis or dissertation credits.
• PTW money cannot be awarded to those who have a 20-hour GA or more.

Completing the PTW Contract

PTW students must complete a Qualtrics survey every funded semester which will function as their PTW contract. A link to this survey will be provided by email to PTW students. If you do not complete the survey, your PTW will be revoked.

Mandatory Volunteering

PTW students must complete unpaid, volunteer service each semester PTW is awarded. If you do not complete the mandatory volunteer hours, your PTW will be revoked.

To maintain a PTW, students must complete mandatory service hours.

• Undergraduates: 40 hours/semester for nine- to 12-credit waiver or 20 hours/semester for six-credit waiver
• Graduates: 20 hours/semester for six- to nine-credit waiver and 10 hours for three credits.

• All PTW recipients, regardless of full-time status, must participate in major OIE events: International Education Week (fall), International Unity Day (spring), and the OIE Food Drive. PTW students can earn up to 10 service hours for participating in these events. Details of these events and the participation requirements will be provided by the Office of International Education via the OIE weekly email and PTW emails.
• Volunteer hours must be completed in conjunction with organized activities from IUP clubs, IUP offices, Indiana community organizations, or local businesses. Casual volunteering (i.e., walking the neighbor's dog, tutoring a friend, or helping at a club meeting) is not acceptable. The Office of International Education has final authority to determine the acceptability of volunteer hours.

If you have questions about the acceptability of hours from a volunteer activity, please email [email protected] or [email protected] to receive approval.

PTW students are responsible for submitting proof of volunteer hours to the OIE by the deadlines listed each semester. Hours must be officially submitted to the OIE by completing the Partial Tuition Waiver Hour Confirmation Sheet. Another acceptable form of reporting service hours is through a report by supervisors or faculty via direct email or a letter to the Office of International Education. Please note that, if submitting a PTW Hour Confirmation Sheet with more than 10 hours for a volunteer service, you are required to provide a specific list of the days and times of the volunteer service to substantiate the hours.

To guarantee that students will continue to receive the PTW, service hours must be reported by the following deadlines:

• Fall Hours Due: Last day of fall semester classes
• Spring Hours Due: Last day of spring semester classes

Partial Tuition Waiver Hour Confirmation Sheet

Partial Tuition Waiver Appeal Form

Additional information about financial assistance can be found in the links below.

Graduate Assistantships and Scholarships

Undergraduate Tuition and Fees and Graduate Tuition and Fees

eduPass: Guide to studying in the USA

IIE for Funding Sources in United States

Loans for Latin American and Caribbean Students

International Student Loans

All PTW students are required to participate in the following OIE events: International Education Week (fall), and International Unity Day (spring). These volunteer hours are on campus and are guaranteed.

Below are other OIE-sanctioned volunteer opportunities. These are not guaranteed, may be off-campus, and may require interviews and/or obtaining clearances. The OIE can offer advice on how to obtain clearances.

Four Footed Friends

This will be a weekly event, every Tuesday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. The Office of International Education will transport you to Four Footed Friends, where you will be responsible for walking dogs, playing with the cats, and cleaning the litter boxes and the pens the dogs stay in. If you attend each week, this will cover an undergraduate's 40-hour requirement.

Indiana Regional Medical Center

Volunteers provide a variety of services, such as greeting patients, sorting incoming hospital mail, and escorting patients to the appropriate areas. To be considered as a volunteer, please complete the online volunteer application or call the Volunteer Office for a paper application at 724-357-7138. Clearances are needed. See IRMC Volunteer Opportunities.

IUP Libraries

The IUP Libraries have many opportunities for volunteering. Contact Linda Cramer, [email protected], for opportunities that are available.

ICCAP

ICCAP provides programs aimed at helping low-income families and individuals attain self-sufficiency. The programs provide new ways to solve household problems, manage emergencies, learn new living skills, and foster community involvement. They also examine and promote methods by which organizations and institutions can deal with the problems of rural and disadvantaged people.

ACE Tutoring or SkillZone

American Culture and English (ACE) tutoring is a unique opportunity for ALI students to benefit from individualized instruction with highly qualified peer tutors. SkillZone tutors will help international students develop essential academic skills, such as study strategies, managing classroom expectations, technology, and academic integrity. You must interview for these volunteer opportunities.

YMCA of Indiana County

Visit the YMCA website to download the application, or contact George Nace by email at [email protected] or by calling 724-463-9622 for more information on how to get involved in the YMCA of Indiana County Programs.

• Welcome Center
  Help to check in members and perform some light office work.
• Youth Programs
  Volunteer to help in childwatch, help run activities during our monthly special events or fun days. Clearances will be needed.

For more volunteer opportunities, visit the Office of Service Learning in Pratt Hall Suite 302 or by visiting their website.

PTW students are responsible for submitting proof of volunteer hours to the OIE by the deadlines listed each semester. Hours must be officially submitted to the OIE by completing the Partial Tuition Waiver Hour Confirmation Sheet. Another acceptable form of reporting service hours is through a report by supervisors or faculty via direct email or a letter to the Office of International Education. Please note that, if submitting a PTW Hour Confirmation Sheet with more than 10 hours for a volunteer service, you are required to provide a specific list of the days and times of the volunteer service to substantiate the hours.

To guarantee that students will continue to receive the PTW, service hours must be reported by the following deadlines:

• Fall Hours Due: Last day of fall semester classes
• Spring Hours Due: Last day of spring semester classes

Partial Tuition Waiver Hour Confirmation Sheet is available below for download.

If you are an undergraduate student, you can appeal a PTW denial after two semesters. If you are a graduate student, you can appeal a PTW denial after one semester.