ONSF Policies for Applicants

Required for all students submitting application materials for a U-M Nominated scholarship or fellowship. 

ONSF Canvas sites and modules offer an in-depth look at applying to U-M Nominated scholarships and fellowships. The information on these sites is available to U-M applicants only. 

Current Applicants (i.e. students who are in the process of applying for a program) receive announcements, updates, and advising through their program's section on Canvas. If you’re enrolled in an ONSF Canvas site, please make sure your notifications are turned on.

When should a student enroll in Canvas?

Prospective applicants can enroll in Canvas at any time! Once enrolled, students complete the self-guided materials to gain a better understanding of their intended program.

Once you decide to apply, register your intent with ONSF via the embedded applicant survey. This will unlock additional information for applicants only, as well as access to ONSF advising appointments and group workshops. 

ONSF uses Canvas to communicate with applicants throughout an application cycle, so be sure to enroll early and stay up-to-date on announcements and resources. 

Questions about ONSF Canvas sites or modules can be directed to onsf.info@umich.edu. 

Required for all students submitting application materials or letters of recommendation to ONSF.

In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. § 1232g) (FERPA), students have the right to read letters of recommendation sent to an institution upon request unless the student has waived access to the letters. 

When should a student submit their FERPA form?

STUDN otherwise stated on the program page, this form is the first step when applying to an ONSF scholarship or fellowship! 

• In addition to serving as a FERPA Waiver, the ONSF Student Waiver also allows ONSF to store letters of recommendation on U-M technology.
• After completing the ONSF Student Waiver, students will receive an automated email reply to forward to their recommenders that includes an online submission link for letters of recommendation (see Letters of Recommendation below for details).

All of our nominated scholarships are under the same application management system. Students submit their FERPA form at the bottom of their application. This final section is where students add information for their recommenders and also will choose to waive their right or not. This choice will be recorded and sent to the recommender in an email.

Many scholarship and fellowship programs require students to submit transcripts as part of the application package. Typically, unofficial transcripts are sufficient for the U-M nomination process and often for the initial phases of the national competition. However, students should be aware they may need to produce official transcripts if they receive the scholarship/fellowship and should read foundation instructions carefully. 

Check the specific requirements on a scholarship or fellowship page to find out if an "Unofficial Transcript" or "Official Transcript" is needed. 

U-M offers electronic official transcripts via Wolverine Access

• To send an official U-M transcript to ONSF, simply check the "Send to third-party" option and enter "onsf.applications@umich.edu" as the recipient. ONSF will then download the official transcript and add it to your application.  

Transfer Students & Transcripts: 

Any student who was a degree-seeking student at another university, including 2- and 4-year schools or colleges, is considered a Transfer Student to the University of Michigan. 

• Transfer students should plan to submit transcripts from their previous institutions when applying to a program that requires unofficial or official transcripts. Each institution is different, and some will only agree to send transcripts via mail or postal service, so plan ahead! Check with your previous school for transcript ordering guidelines.

When are transcripts optional for an application? 

• NOT typically needed for non-degree-seeking courses taken while still in high school.   
• NOT typically needed for study abroad courses unless they are relevant to the scholarship to which you're applying. 
• Transcripts ARE typically required for summer courses taken at another 2- or 4-year institution while enrolled as a degree-seeking student at U-M. 

Consult onsf.info@umich.edu with questions. 

National scholarship foundations such as Rhodes, Marshall, and Mitchell look at many different parts of your academic record including your Class Ranking at U-M. Class Rankings help national foundations contextualize what a GPA means at different colleges and universities, along with information provided by your recommenders. 

• Not all scholarship or fellowship applications require this form. Check the specific Canvas site or module page for details! 

In order to add your Class Ranking to your final application packet, a signed release form needs to be completed by the applicant and sent to the U-M Office of the Registrar. 

Please note that the Office of the Registrar may choose to reject any request that includes a digital signature, a signature in ink other than black or blue, an email sent from a non-UMICH email address, or a form that is otherwise incomplete.

How long does it take to submit this form?

The processing time is seven business days for the Office of the Registrar to receive your request and send the documentation to Dr. Henry Dyson to be included in your application file. 

We recommend you submit this request to the Office of the Registrar as soon as possible to avoid any late submissions and please be sure to copy onsf.applications@umich.edu when you do so. 

If you are applying to multiple scholarships, you only need to submit one request but you should include all relevant scholarship names on the form. 

Where can I find the Class Ranking Form?

A copy of the Class Ranking Form along with detailed instructions can be found on the Canvas Site or Module where applicable. If your Canvas site does not list the Class Ranking Form as part of the application materials, then one is not required for your application.