Scholarships help make college affordable for students all across the state. For a majority of these students, the main goal is to maintain a certain grade point average in order to keep their scholarships.
Unfortunately, the college lifestyle can interfere with scholarship eligibility. Excessive drinking and getting charged with a crime could lead to having a scholarship revoked.
How a DUI can affect a scholarship
There are several different types of scholarships, such as those privately issued from an education institution as those offered by the federal government. Upon receipt of the funds, college students receive instructions as to how the scholarship works, with many provisions outlining when the aid becomes null and void. One of the more common provisions involves a student breaking rules or facing disciplinary action from the school. For a number of institutions, facing criminal charges (as in the case of a DUI) leads to retracting scholarship eligibility.
How you can protect a scholarship
If you want to avoid losing scholarship funds, it is a good practice to avoid driving after drinking. However, if there is a point where you face a DUI charge, you can take steps to help protect your record. In some situations, an institution will accept a rehabilitation program as an example of reform. It also depends on whether or not there is an actual conviction for the charge. Federal scholarships have clear boundaries when it comes to guilty verdicts on an individual’s record.
If you lose a scholarship due to criminal charges, there are other options for financially supporting your higher education. It is less costly to retain your scholarship and avoid drinking and driving.