Navigating the ZTA Foundation Scholarship: A Comprehensive Guide

The Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) Foundation offers various scholarship opportunities to its members, supporting their academic pursuits and fostering the organization's mission. This article provides a detailed overview of the scholarship requirements, application process, and related information, drawing directly from the ZTA Foundation's guidelines.

The ZTA Foundation's Mission and Scholarship Program

The mission of the Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation is to fulfill the founding principles of Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity by providing, in compliance with IRS guidelines, support for programs that are educational, philanthropic and always responsive to the needs of a changing society, further enhancing Zeta Tau Alpha’s leadership position in the fraternity/sorority community and its influence in the world. The ZTA Scholarship Program remains at the heart of the ZTA Foundation’s mission. Thanks to contributions from Zeta Tau Alpha alumnae chapters, collegiate chapters, members and friends, the Foundation gave more than $1.4 million in scholarships to over 450 undergraduate and graduate members for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a ZTA Foundation scholarship, you must be a member of Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity in good standing. Also, you must be attending college full-time for the fall AND spring semesters/quarters of the year for which you are applying. If you are an undergraduate student, you must be a junior or higher during the academic year for which you are applying. These requirements are strictly enforced to ensure that the scholarships support dedicated members who are actively pursuing their education.

Full-Time Enrollment

A critical requirement for eligibility is full-time enrollment. Unfortunately, to be eligible for a scholarship, you must be a full-time student for the entire academic year. If you are attending part time, you are not eligible unless you complete the Scholarship Confirmation Form, acknowledging your ineligibility. The determination of full-time status is based on your college or university rules.

Academic Standing and Membership

Every ZTA Foundation scholarship recipient is required to be a member in good standing of the Fraternity.

Specific Scenarios of Eligibility

The following scenarios clarify eligibility based on specific academic situations:

Undergraduate to Graduate Transition: If you will be an undergraduate student for the fall semester and a graduate student for the spring semester, yes, you can apply.
Senior Year Completion: If you are currently an undergraduate in your senior year but will be attending school full time next year to complete your undergraduate degree and plan on requesting alumna status with the Fraternity, yes, you can apply.
GPA Considerations: A GPA below 3.0 at a previous school might raise concerns, but if you have transferred and your GPA is now 3.0, you meet the minimum academic requirement. The Foundation Scholarship Committee reviews applications and ranks them based on leadership in Zeta Tau Alpha, academic achievement (minimum GPA 3.0); active participation in chapter, campus and community activities; and financial need.
Part-Time Graduate Students: If you are a part-time student working toward your graduate degree, note that only applicants who are going to be enrolled full time for the upcoming school year are eligible to apply.
Graduation Timing: Graduating in December makes you ineligible to receive a scholarship for that full academic year.

Application Process

The deadline for applications is February 27. After that time, the online application system is closed and we can no longer accept scholarship applications for the upcoming school year.

Recommendations

You can log into your SmarterSelect account and edit your application to select a new recommender. Remember, the deadline for recommendations is February 27. Late recommendations will not be accepted.

Technical Issues

If you seem to be having technical issues with the SmarterSelect online scholarship application process, first contact SmarterSelect customer service.

Application Review and Notification

The Foundation Scholarship Committee will review applications in the summer, and all applicants, whether or not they received a scholarship, will be notified by late July.

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Checking Application Status

You can log into your SmarterSelect account to check the status of your application any time before the deadline of February 27.

Scholarship Acceptance Process

The Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation and Scholarship Committee would like to congratulate you on being a Foundation Scholarship recipient. To ensure you receive the scholarship money in a timely manner, please follow each directive accurately. You must complete and submit all required forms by August 15. Please follow the steps below by the August.

Submit Your Scholarship Confirmation Form: If you don't have access to your proof of full-time enrollment by the August, complete the Scholarship Confirmation Form. If you are attending part time, please complete the Scholarship Confirmation Form.
Provide a Headshot: This picture may be used to promote the scholarship program and announce scholarship recipients to the general Fraternity membership. Please make sure the photo is of just you, without others, ideally from the waist up.
Double-Check Your Materials: Confirm that all your materials and information is complete: Headshot, Full-time proof of enrollment and Confirmation of your scholarship check payment information.

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Scholarship Check Information: Please note that scholarship checks will not start to be processed until after August. All scholarship checks reflect full payment of the scholarship. If you have your check made out to your college or university, you will need to discuss with them how the payment should be applied. If you have a special request that your school needs the ZTA Foundation to confirm, please include that information in your acceptance form. We accept several types of documents, including your class schedule, fee statement, registration confirmation and/or an official letter stating that you are a full-time student.
Write a Thank You Note: Be sure to write a thank you note to the sponsor of the scholarship you received and/or the ZTA Foundation and Scholarship Committee. Here are some tips on how to write a good scholarship thank you note:
- Address your letter to the name of the scholarship sponsor or the Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation and Scholarship Committee.
- Include the name of the scholarship that you received in your letter.
- You can briefly tell them:
  - Why this scholarship is important to you and/or your family
  - How receiving this scholarship has impacted your academic career
  - How receiving this scholarship will positively impact your future
  - Any information about your background, goals, interests and activities that you would like to share with the donor
- Express gratitude and be sincere.

Financial Aspects of the Scholarship

All scholarship checks reflect full payment of the scholarship. If you have your check made out to your college or university, you will need to discuss with them how the payment should be applied. If you have a special request that your school needs the ZTA Foundation to confirm, please include that information in your acceptance form.

Additional Opportunities and Giving

There are various avenues for supporting the ZTA Foundation and its mission:

Day of Giving: The mission of the support our collegiate and through essential programming assistance. Our mission is than ever. Your gift to the allows us to continue to support our chapters and to be flexible to meet needs as they arise. All gifts made on the Day of Giving are undesignated. Your gift will also help us continue to Think Pink and support breast cancer education and awareness, not just in October, but throughout the year.
Sisterhood Circle: A Sisterhood Circle allows you to join forces with as many sisters as you’d like to make undesignated donations to the Foundation. This could be sisters from your new member class, everyone in your collegiate or alumnae chapter, Zetas from your state, women who serve in a specific officer role, scholarship recipients, Leadership Consultants-the possibilities are endless!
Recognition Scholarship: For a minimum donation of $2,000, the Foundation will provide an additional $500 for a total scholarship. You are able to name the scholarship and provide preferred criteria (i.e., chapter, major, etc.). The Recognition Scholarship Form is available on Z-Learning.
Endowed Scholarship: For a minimum donation of $50,000 given over three years, you may create an Endowed Scholarship. You are able to name the scholarship and provide preferred criteria (i.e., chapter, major, etc.). The scholarship, which is based on return rate averages over a rolling five-year period, will be given each year.

Philanthropic Activities

Zeta Tau Alpha’s national philanthropy is breast cancer education and awareness. ZTA partners with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to fund two research projects using mammography data and artificial intelligence, as well as funding general prevention projects. American Cancer Society, ZTA is the National Survivor/Thriver Ambassador of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer®. more than 25 million ZTA Think Pink® ribbons to generate breast cancer awareness, support breast cancer survivors and honor those who have lost their lives to the disease.

Membership Policies

Zeta Tau Alpha is an international women’s social fraternity that has chosen to adopt membership selection policies that do not discriminate based on race, creed, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation or disability. ZTA membership is open to individuals who consistently live and self-identify as women.

Legacy and Letters of Recommendation

ZTA is committed to building a more inclusive membership experience, and to achieve a more equitable experience for all potential new members during recruitment, Zeta Tau Alpha will not give legacies preferential consideration in the recruitment process. The term “legacy” will continue to recognize the special relationship between Zetas and their sisters, daughters or grandmothers. While members will continue to cherish the connection a legacy may have to ZTA, it will not play a role in membership selection. Membership Information Sheets may be submitted by alumnae on behalf of PNMs with whom they have a long-standing relationship.

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