Frequently Asked Questions

No. Only three letters of recommendation will be accepted. Therefore, students must choose recommenders carefully. References should be able to share insightful information about the student’s qualifications for the Levine Scholarship.

Yes. In the absence of high school counselors, homeschooled students can be nominated by professors or teachers. The nominator cannot be related to the student. Students can also submit a self-nomination.

No. Recommenders must use the online submission form, accessible through the link provided in the email sent to recommenders from the Levine Scholars Program. This email will be sent to recommenders via the email address provided by the nominee on the application.

No. Both in-state and out-of-state students will be considered.

If an applicant discovers that a recommender is unable to submit a recommendation, applicants should change that recommender immediately. On the status page of the Levine supplemental application, applicants have the ability to remove the name of a recommender they originally listed and replace it with a new recommender. After changes are made, the new recommender will automatically be notified via email, but will still be held to the November 15 deadline.

After receiving a counselor/college advisor or self-nomination, candidates will receive an email from the Levine Scholars Program that contains instructions on how to access the Levine supplemental application. To be considered for the Levine Scholarship, nominees must submit a complete first-year admissions application by November 1 and Levine supplemental application by November 15.

Interested students must receive a nomination from their high school counselor/college advisor or submit a self-nomination before they can access the application for the Levine Scholars Program. High school counselors and interested students can submit nominations online starting on August 15. Nominations will be accepted until October 15.

The Levine Scholars Program awards scholarships to approximately 20 incoming freshmen each year.

There is no limit to the number of students from each high school who can be nominated or selected as finalists for the Levine Scholarship

Once you submit the online sections of the scholarship application, you will be able to check the status of your scholarship materials by logging into the Future 49er Portal. It is your responsibility to ensure that the Office of Undergraduate Admissions has received your application fee or approved fee waiver, official high school transcript, and essay by November 1 and that the November 15 deadline is met by your recommenders. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

• First-year applicants, submitting the SAT or ACT is optional.
   
• Test scores, if submitted, will not be the primary reason for our admission decision; they are considered in context and as supplemental information.

If you are selected as a finalist, you will receive an invitation in early January to the Levine Scholars Finalist Program, which will takes place in February. Students who have not progressed to the finalist stage will be notified through their Levine Scholars portal.

No. As a Levine Scholar, you can major in any subject offered at UNC Charlotte. We offer more than 170 different undergraduate majors from which students may choose. Click here to view UNC Charlotte’s academic programs.

No. Scholarships are awarded based on academic performance, a demonstrated commitment to community service and a capacity for ethical leadership.

No. All application materials must be submitted online.

Two letters of recommendations are required to complete your application, while the third is optional. Without two recommendations, your application will be deemed incomplete and will not be evaluated. Applicants are responsible for touching base with their recommenders to ensure their letters are submitted by the deadline. Late recommendations will not be accepted under any circumstances. If recommenders are not responsive to requests, applicants are strongly encouraged to change their recommenders prior to the deadline.

Emails are immediately sent to recommenders as soon as students submit Section A. Applicants should check with their recommenders to ensure they receive the notification. Occasionally, recommenders will not receive the email if the applicant entered the recommender’s email address incorrectly or the email was blocked by a spam/junk filter. If the notification has not been received, students should instruct the recommender to contact the Levine Scholars Office at levinescholars@charlotte.edu or 704-687-5880.

Remember that the application materials and essays are the first items a committee reviewer will see about you. Consider how you want to make a first impression. Application materials and essays should be complete, well packaged and absent grammatical or spelling errors. Your responses should be thoughtful, succinct, and showcase a depth of thought that reflects careful consideration of the questions. The most engaging and compelling essays are clearly focused and tell a story. Your writing should reveal your passions and personality, demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively in writing, and include robust details that cannot be gleaned from your transcripts.

We are not looking for a specific set of activities; rather we are interested in how you have chosen to invest your time and effort outside of the classroom during high school. Have you been a member of groups and organizations? Have you demonstrated leadership that goes beyond title? Have you engaged in research or summer enrichment opportunities? Have you invested significant time in a few large projects, worked at jobs that developed certain skills and/or led community service projects? A laundry list of clubs, organization memberships and leadership titles does not always equate to impactful leadership and/or significant service.

The Finalist Program is held in February. Finalists and their families are invited to campus for a Sunday evening orientation and dinner with faculty and other members of the campus and Charlotte community. Interviews begin Monday morning with each student participating in a set of interviews. Interviews are conducted by select faculty, senior University leaders, program alumni, and distinguished members of the Charlotte community. Each interview typically lasts 20 to 30 minutes, and the day also includes a luncheon and personalized campus tour. Additional details will be sent to the finalists.

Letters will be mailed and notifications are released in the Future 49er portal to all finalists on March 1. Recipients will have until April 1 to notify the Levine Scholars Program of their decision.

Candidates must be applicants for first-year enrollment at UNC Charlotte in a bachelor’s program for the fall term immediately following their high school graduation. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and should present an excellent academic record, demonstrate a commitment to community service and possess a capacity for ethical leadership.