Financial Aid

External Scholarships

So you have been awarded an outside scholarship by a church, civic organization, your high school, business, private donor, foundation or any number of external agencies—Congratulations! Billions of dollars are earned by college students every year across the country.

This page will provide a step by step guide on how to notify the Tennessee Technological University (TTU) Office of Financial Aid about your outside/external/private scholarship. Federal regulations require that you notify the University regarding all externally funded (not awarded by TN Tech) scholarships, and we want to make sure all federal regulations are followed.

Applying for Outside Scholarships

We offer helpful tips and advice for applying for outside scholarships on our Scholarships website.

Scholarship Scams

Every year, several hundred thousand students and parents are defrauded by scholarship scams. Be wary of scholarships with an application fee, scholarship matching services who guarantee success, advance-fee loan scams and sales pitches disguised as financial aid “seminars."

How to Submit External Scholarships to Tennessee Tech

Please be aware that you are required to notify the Financial Aid Office at Tennessee Tech whether or not the award is paid to you directly by a donor or through the university. You are responsible for ensuring that your Tennessee Tech Financial Aid reflects all scholarship funds that you receive. This is important to ensure that no one inadvertently violates federal regulations regarding total eligibility for other forms of financial aid. When you receive notification of any award from a donor other than Tennessee Tech, please immediately notify the Tennessee Tech Financial Aid Office.

If you, the student, receive a scholarship check from a private entity:

• Please submit the scholarship check to the Tennessee Tech Financial Aid Office immediately upon receipt by the donor. Checks should be submitted no later than August 1 for the fall term, December 15 for the spring term, and April 15 for the summer term in order for them to be processed by the first Fee Payment Deadline. Checks submitted after those dates may not be applied in time to assist you with bill payment.
• Make sure the scholarship check has your name and Tennessee Tech ID (your T#) listed on the Memo at the bottom of the check. If you go by a nickname or your middle name, be sure to provide your legal first name.
• Check to see whether the check is written just to Tennessee Tech, or to both Tennessee Tech and you. If your name is included in the "Pay to the Order of" line, you will need to endorse the check by signing the back of it.
• Make a copy of your award letter or any information included with the scholarship check (such as a check stub). We will need a copy of this information, but you should also keep a copy for your records. Then, remit to the Tennessee Tech Financial Aid Office.

If you, the donor, wish to send scholarship checks directly to Tennessee Tech:

• Please note the student's name and Tennessee Tech ID (T-Number) in the Memo section at the bottom of the check, and/or in an accompanying letter. If the student goes by a nickname or a middle name, be sure to use the student's legal first name.
• The check should be made payable to Tennessee Tech. If the check is made to both Tennessee Tech and the student, the student will need to endorse the check by signing the back of it. This may delay the award, as we will have to contact the student and ask them to come to campus and sign the check. If the donor must make the check out to the student, please follow the instructions above for sending the check to Tennessee Tech.
• The donor should include a copy of the award letter, or a cover letter with any instructions we must follow. For example, they will need to address whether the scholarship is intended to be applied entirely to the fall semester, or to be split between fall and spring.
• The donor should include a contact person's name, phone number, and email address in case we have questions about the scholarship or its requirements. Then, remit to the Tennessee Tech Financial Aid Office.
• If requested by the donor, we will mail a letter to the donor confirming that the scholarship was applied. During particularly busy times of the year such as the months of July, August, and January, the receipt letter will be sent approximately one month after the scholarship check is applied. During other months, the receipt letter will generally be sent within two weeks after receipt of the scholarship check.

Scholarship checks and any accompanying paperwork or information should be mailed to:

Office of Financial Aid,  Attn: Outside Scholarship Specialist
Campus Box 5076

1000 N. Dixie Ave
Cookeville, TN 38505

If you plan to deliver a scholarship letter or check in person, bring it to the Tennessee Tech Financial Aid Office located in the Jere Whitson Building, Room 301.

How Scholarships are Applied to Your Student Account

• We will apply the scholarship to your account in approximately two business days. Delays due to issues such as a missing signature can occur and we will notify you via your  Tennessee Tech email address. Cost of Attendance (COA) over-award issues may also delay the processing time.
• Through the last day of the fall term: the scholarship will be divided into two equal portions for fall and spring unless the scholarship donor provides alternate instructions.
• After the last day of the fall term: the full scholarship amount will apply to the spring semester unless the scholarship donor provides alternate instructions.
• You will be able to see your award when you access your Eagle Online Account (Log into Tech Express then click the Eagle App) once it has been applied.
• If you don't see the scholarship applied to your Tennessee Tech Eagle Online account as quickly as you expect, please check with the donor to determine when the check was mailed. Allow at least two weeks from this date for the check to arrive and be processed. (Please note that many scholarship donors do not release scholarship checks until after the semester begins).
• Some donors require enrollment verification or an official copy of your billing statement before they will issue payment; any such requirements are your responsibility to complete. There are self-serve functions available on your Tennessee Tech Eagle Online Account (Log into Tech Express then click the Eagle App) for the purpose of fulfilling these common donor requests.
  • Enrollment Verification can be accessed through your Eagle Online account (Log into Tech Express then click the Eagle App). Information about obtaining this information can be found on the Tennessee Tech Office of Registrar's website under Enrollment Verification. If the most current term’s data has not yet been uploaded by the National Student Clearinghouse, this function may not work as intended. If you receive an error message, contact the TTU Records Office.
  • A copy of your official billing statement, which includes financial aid details as well as your class schedule, may be accessed through your Eagle Online account (Log into Tech Express then click the Eagle App), the Student tab, then the Student Accounts option. For questions about billing, please look at the Bursar's website. They also have frequently asked questions and provide tutorials on how to access these type of options: Bursar Office FAQs and Tutorials
• If the donor gives you a form (asking for financial aid data, enrollment verification, etc), that information can be found on your Eagle Online Account (Log into Tech Express then click the Eagle App, choose the TN Tech Shopping Sheet).
• We will generally divide the scholarship into two equal portions for fall and spring, unless the scholarship donor provides alternate instructions in an accompanying letter.
• You will be able to see your award when you access your Eagle Online Account (Log into Tech Express then click the Eagle App) once it is applied.

If you have further questions about an outside/external scholarship check and the process, please stop by our office or e-mail financialaid@tntech.edu, ATTN: Outside Scholarship Specialist. 

Please ensure your T-Number is on all documentation and in your email. We want to make sure your award is posted to the correct student.

529 / Prepaid Plans

Prepaid plans are college savings plans which pay a specific number of credit hours based upon the type of plan purchased. In order to utilize prepaid plans at Tennessee Tech please contact your plan administrator to begin this process. You will need to let them know that you will be attending Tennessee Tech and request information on their policy for releasing funds. Once all documentation is complete, please notify the Office of Financial Aid by e-mailing financialaid@tntech.edu, ATTN: Outside Scholarship Specialist, they will assist in the posting and billing process, and ensure that your student account reflects the credit toward the balance due.