Program Overview

Introduction to the Eugene McDermott Scholars Program

The Eugene McDermott Scholars Program is a prestigious award offered by the University of Texas at Dallas. The program provides financial support, personal and professional development resources, and a network of scholars and alumni.

The Award

The McDermott Scholarship is awarded for 11 semesters — four years, including summers — while the McDermott Scholar earns a bachelor's degree at UT Dallas. The award includes:

• Financial support
  • Coverage of UT Dallas tuition and mandatory fees.
  • Stipends for housing expenses such as first-year Honors Housing (Sirius Hall), University Village, or off-campus housing (semesterly)
  • Stipends for living expenses such as COMET UNLIMITED Meal Plan (semesterly)
• Personal and professional development resources:
  • Up to $15,000 for study abroad experiences and other engagement.
  • Mentorship, support and a network of McDermott Scholars and Alumni around the world.
  • First-year seminar.
  • Special events, such as arts and culture outings, service activities, semesterly book events and graduation celebrations.
  • Cohort travel to Santa Fe, New Mexico (orientation); Austin, Texas; and Washington, D.C.
  • Membership in the University's Hobson Wildenthal Honors College and its Collegium V academic honors program.

The Award is more than the cost of attendance, valued at roughly $180,000 ($310,000 for non-Texas students).

The Responsibilities

Scholars are expected to:

• Actively participate in all aspects of the Eugene McDermott Scholars Program, including,
  • McDermott First Year Seminar (weekly, year-round).
  • McDermott Summer of Service in the Dallas-Fort Worth area immediately after the spring semester of their first year.
  • McDermott cohort activities and events.
• Maintain high semesterly (and cumulative) GPA requirements.
• Meet or exceed semesterly engagement hour requirements.
• Lead and serve consistently throughout their four years.
• Participate in a combination of full-time McDermott Program-approved activities during second and third summers (e.g., classes, service, study abroad, internship, research, etc.).

Frequently Asked Questions about the EMSP Award

Time Off and Graduation

Scholars have university intersessions and holidays except during the first year when the spring-to-summer intersession overlaps with the McDermott trip to Washington, D.C. The McDermott Scholars Program is a four-year commitment, and scholars often have enough college credit to graduate early but instead use the extra flexibility to add majors or minors and participate in experiential learning (study abroad, research, internships, etc.).

Employment and Stacking Awards

McDermott Scholars cannot work for pay of any kind, except for Program-approved experiential opportunities that must pay a salary or stipend. Third-party scholarships may be stackable with the McDermott Award, but institutional scholarships at UT Dallas such as the Academic Excellence Scholarship (AES), National Merit Scholars Program, Comet Scholars or the Terry Scholars Program are NOT stackable with the McDermott Scholars Program.

International Students

The McDermott Award is not different for international students, but they have additional costs (e.g., required health insurance and administrative fees) and a higher tax burden, which increase the cost of attendance. These additional costs are not covered by the McDermott Award and are the responsibility of the student.