Eligibility Requirements:

To apply for an AITE Agency Employee Scholarship, an applicant must:

• Be an employee of a participating transportation agency*; 
• Be admitted as a matriculated student to an approved AITE master’s degree program;  
• Have a completed a bachelor’s degree with a minimum grade point average of 2.7.; and
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

* Participating agencies currently include the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, MTA New York City Transit, the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, and the New York State Department of Transportation.

Terms of Award:

A recipient of an AITE Agency Employee Scholarship will receive tuition support to pursue a master’s degree only  in an approved AITE degree program.  UTRC will provide up to $25,000 to be spent toward the student’s tuition and fees.  This $25,000 may be spent over up to four consecutive semesters after the award is made.  Funds may not be used to reimburse tuition for semesters already completed before the time of the award.

To remain in good standing, an AITE Agency Employee Scholarship recipient must:

• Remain an employee of the sponsoring agency;
•  Remain enrolled in an approved transportation master’s program;
• Fulfill the course requirements and other academic requirements of the Master’s Program;
• Maintain a GPA of 3.0 in the Master’s Program; and
• Complete a Master’s Project on a topic approved by a University academic advisor and by an agency supervisor.

Matching Fund Requirements:

Matching funds for an AITE Agency Employee Scholarship are provided by the recipient’s employer in the form of paid work release.  Employer agencies will be required to certify an employee’s salary and approved work release at the time the award is made.  In order to remain eligible for UTRC funds, an agency employee recipient must continue to be employed by the participating agency for the duration of the scholarship.  Agency Employee Scholarships do not require a financial contribution from the participating University.

Participating Agencies

Approved Masters Programs for Agency Employee Applicants:

Student Application Process

Completed applications are due to UTRC on April 29, 2016. Potential scholars are required to apply via UTRC’s Online System, following the steps listed below:

To create a Student account, an applicant should access the UTRC web page

(www.utrc2.org/welcome-utrc-ii-submission-system)).

Once the account is activated, the student should sign in; the student will then see a link to the online application.

The student should complete the online application, and should upload all required supporting documentation, as defined in the Program Announcement.  Required Materials will include:

• A brief essay (750 words or less):
• For Agency Employee applicants, this essay should discuss the applicant’s career goals and how pursuing the planned master’s degree will help the applicant to achieve these goals;
• For Full-Time Student applicants, this essay should discuss the student’s proposed research topic;
• A resume;
• An undergraduate transcript(s) demonstrating the required GPA and confirming graduation from a bachelor’s degree program;
• One letter of recommendation;
• Proof of acceptance to an approved Master’s program (Copy of an official admission letter or a letter confirming admission signed by the University’s AITE Coordinator);
• A signature page, provided with the program announcement, that is signed by the Agency AITE Coordinator (for Agency Employee applicant) or the University AITE Coordinator (for Full-Time Student applicants) approving the application.

All complete applications will be reviewed in May 2016 by a UTRC review committee.  Approximately ten applicants will be selected for awards. The UTRC AITE Program Coordinator will notify University AITE Coordinators, Agency AITE Coordinators, and student recipients of their awards by the week of June 1, 2016.

Upon recipient of the award, successful applicants will be required to sign and return an acceptance form for the award.  Agency employee recipients will also be required to submit an approval for work release signed by their agency supervisor.  If an awardee chooses not to accept the scholarship, the next highest rated applicant among those who did not receive an award will be invited to accept the scholarship.

To apply, please visit the UTRC Submission System: http://www.utrc2.org/welcome-utrc-ii-submission-system

Questions/Contacts:

• Applicants with questions pertaining to the applications process, the online submissions system, or account administration should contact Ms. Nathalie Martinez (martinez@utrc2.org).
• Students with questions pertaining to scholarship administration should contact their university AITE Coordinator (contacts listed above).
• Agency and University Program Coordinators with questions pertaining to program requirements should contact Dr. Alison Conway (aconway@ccny.cuny.edu).