ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Who Can Apply?

The ACCESS Scholarship Program is intended for undergraduate students at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez who are enrolled in one of the following engineering programs:

  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering

Applicants must demonstrate academic talent, financial need, and potential to contribute to engineering fields of national and regional strategic importance.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the ACCESS Scholarship Program, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Enrollment

Be enrolled as a regular student in one of the ACCESS-eligible engineering programs at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez:

  • Civil Engineering
  • Computer Engineering
  • Electrical Engineering

Citizenship

Eligible students include:

  • U.S. citizens
  • Legal permanent residents
  • Qualified refugees

Financial Need

Financial need certified by the UPRM Office of Financial Aid. Used to determine the scholarship amount, not as a selection criterion.

Academic Requirement

Have approved at least 70% of the graduation credits corresponding to the current academic level and maintain a GPA of 2.50 or above.

Disciplinary Requirement

Have no pending disciplinary cases or offenses on record.

Required Documents

The following documents are required:

  • Online application form
  • One-page essay
  • Current academic transcript
  • Authorization for academic record review by the selection committee

Application Process

1

Registration Form

Interested students complete a registration form.

2

Informative Session

Students learn about ACCESS and its benefits.

3

Supporting Materials

Applicants provide an essay and a copy of their current credit transcript.

4

Candidate Interview

Scholarship candidates attend an in-person interview.

5

Review and Selection

Candidates are evaluated and assigned an overall score.

6

Scholarship Notification

Applicants are notified about the result of the selection process.

Program Details & Policies

Selection Criteria

The ACCESS selection process is based on academic talent and potential.

The selection committee may consider:

  • Academic performance
  • Essay quality
  • Academic and professional potential
  • Potential to contribute to areas of national strategic need
  • Interview performance, if interviews are required

Financial need is required for eligibility and scholarship amount determination, but it is not used as a selection criterion.

Scholarship Benefits

ACCESS scholars may receive up to $15,000 per year for up to three years.

The support period depends on the student’s academic classification and remaining time to graduation.

The scholarship is intended to help cover educational costs and reduce the need for off-campus work, allowing scholars to focus on academic progress, professional development, research, internships, and career preparation.

In addition to financial support, ACCESS scholars receive:

  • Faculty mentoring
  • Peer mentoring
  • Professional development workshops
  • Research and experiential learning opportunities
  • Career preparation support
  • Internship and COOP preparation
  • Academic guidance
  • Community-building activities

Scholar Responsibilities

ACCESS scholars are expected to:

  • Maintain regular enrollment in an ACCESS-eligible engineering program.
  • Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.50 or above.
  • Meet academic progress requirements.
  • Maintain financial eligibility as certified by the UPRM Office of Financial Aid.
  • Maintain citizenship or eligible residency status.
  • Comply with UPRM and ACCESS academic and professional conduct standards.
  • Participate in mentoring activities with faculty and peer mentors.

Scholars are strongly encouraged to participate in ACCESS activities, workshops, talks, seminars, mentoring opportunities, and professional development events, as these activities are designed to support academic success, professional readiness, and program evaluation.

  • Engage in formative and experiential learning opportunities.
  • Notify ACCESS of any academic, financial, COOP, internship, or personal situation that may affect scholarship eligibility.
  • Provide feedback through surveys or evaluations when requested.

Continuity Criteria

To remain eligible for ACCESS support, the following requirements continue to apply:

Enrollment

Remain enrolled as a regular student in Civil, Computer, or Electrical Engineering at UPRM.

Citizenship

Maintain U.S. citizenship, legal permanent residence, or qualified refugee status.

Financial Need

Continue to have financial need certified by the UPRM Office of Financial Aid.
Financial eligibility is re-certified annually.

Academic Progress

Maintain a GPA of 2.50 or above and continue making satisfactory academic progress.
Academic eligibility is reviewed at the end of each term.

Conduct

Continue to have no pending disciplinary cases or offenses on record.

Probation Policy

Scholars who do not meet the GPA or credit progress requirements may be placed on ACCESS probation for one semester.

During the probation period, scholars may continue receiving support while following a structured improvement plan designed with guidance from their faculty mentor.

The improvement plan may include:

  • Diagnosis of academic challenges
  • Referral to academic or student support services
  • Follow-up meetings with faculty or peer mentors
  • Monitoring of academic progress

Scholars who improve may return to good standing. Failure to improve may result in loss of scholarship eligibility.

Tutoring referrals

ACCESS connects scholars with academic, professional, and wellness support services available at UPRM.

Support may include:

  • Faculty mentoring
  • Peer mentoring
  • Academic advising
  • Tutoring
  • Writing support
  • Career workshops
  • Resume and interview preparation
  • COOP and internship guidance
  • Counseling and wellness services
  • Professional development seminars
  • Research and experiential learning opportunities

Important Dates
  • Application opening date: August 28, 2026.
  • Application deadline: August 31, 2026.
  • Information Session 1: Tuesday, September 1, 2026, 10:30 a.m. | S-222, Stefani Building.
  • Information Session 2: Wednesday, September 2, 2026, 5:30 p.m. | CI-103, Civil Engineering Auditorium.
  • Interview period: To be announced by ACCESS.
  • Scholar notification date: To be announced by ACCESS.
  • Scholarship processing: Scholarship funds are processed by the UPRM Office of Financial Aid after scholar selection and financial need certification.