Thank you for your interest in the UM TRIO Upward Bound Programs. The application process starts here. Before you download and complete the application, please review the following eligibility information.
Federal Eligibility Requirements
The UM TRIO Upward Bound Programs are funded by grants from the US Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education and we must follow their eligibility requirements. All Upward Bound participants must meet the following requirements:
- Citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States, or in the process of becoming a permanent resident,
- Either a potential first-generation college student, or from a low-income family, or is at high-risk for academic failure,
- Has a need for academic support in order to successfully pursue education beyond high school,
- Is at least 13 years old, but not older than 19 and in grades 9-12.
A potential first-generation college student is a high school student who aspires to go to college and whose parents do not have a baccalaureate (i.e. 4-year) degree. Note, if the parent(s) went to college but didn’t graduate, or if the parent(s) have an Associates degree (i.e.2-year degree) or a 1-year certification, but do not have 4-year degrees, then the student qualifies as a potential first-generation college student. Additionally, if one of the student’s parents has a 4-year degree, but the student lives with the parent who does not have a 4-year degree, that student qualifies as a potential first-generation college student.
A low-income family is a family whose taxable income for the year before the student applies is less than 150% of the poverty level for that year. This is based on family size. Please see the current income levels at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/trio/incomelevels.html for more information.
A student who is at-risk high for academic failure is one who has not scored at the proficient level in state assessments in reading, language arts, or mathematics, or has not successfully completed pre-algebra or algebra by the beginning of the 10th grade.
UM TRIO Upward Bound Requirements
In addition to the federal requirements, the University of Montevallo Upward Bound Programs have the following requirements. The applicant must”
- Be planning to attend college the fall semester following their high school graduation with the intention of earning a 2-year or 4-year degree
- Have a 2.5 GPA or higher (or an average of 70% or higher) in their core courses: math, science, English, social studies, and foreign language for the previous year, the previous semester, or the cumulative high school transcript.
- Attend one of the schools we serve:
Bibb County | Chilton County | Shelby County |
---|---|---|
Bibb County High School | Chilton County High School | Calera High School |
West Blocton High School | Isabella High School | Montevallo High School |
Jemison High School | Shelby County High School | |
Thorsby High School | ||
Verbena High School |
This list of requirements can be intimidating, but don’t let that stop you from applying. If you think that you qualify, please apply. If you don’t know if you qualify but you really want to be in Upward Bound, please apply.