2026 First Credential (formerly PRIME) Scholarship Application Logo

  • 2026 First Credential (formerly PRIME) Scholarship Application

    This application is for 2026 high school graduates who have completed/will complete the required coursework to prepare academically for college.

  • APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

    This application is for 2026 graduates completing the requirements for a First Credential certificate (formerly the PRIME Transform certificate). 

    Key Eligibility Requirements

    All applicants must:

    • Complete a 2026-27 FAFSA*
    • Complete one of the following experiences^ in high school as directed by the Utah State Board of Education (USBE):
      • 5 general education concurrent enrollment courses (each in a different GE category), OR
      • At least 6 courses, or 300 hours, in a CTE program at a Utah technical college, OR
      • 300 hours toward the completion of an approved youth apprenticeship
    • Meet all application deadlines
    • Enroll at an eligible institution or submit documentation of an approved deferral from an eligible institution starting the fall after high school graduation

    This application will have two parts.

    Part 1 - JANUARY 5, 2026 through MARCH 20, 2026

    Part 2 - MAY 1, 2026 (or sooner) through JULY 1, 2026

    Recipients will receive a one-time award to use for their first semester at an eligible Utah college or university. 

    Please note: To confirm Fall 2026 college enrollment or deferment status, applicants must submit Part 2 of the First Credential Scholarship application. Students who successfully complete Part 1 of the application will receive an email by May 1, 2026, with additional information.  

    An application will not be considered complete unless both parts are successfully submitted. A completed application does not guarantee funding.

    Note: This application must be completed in one session. Applicants will not be able to save their progress and complete the application at a later time. Before starting the application, please ensure you have all the necessary information to complete it.

     *Applicants may opt out of completing a FAFSA if they are financially ineligible for potential financial aid, have personal privacy concerns, or are advised by an institution not to complete the FAFSA. 

    We strongly encourage all applicants to complete a FAFSA. The results of the FAFSA will not impact your eligibility or award amount for this scholarship, but may allow you to qualify for other federal or state aid programs.

    ^The requirements for a First Credential experience are determined and verified by the Utah State Board of Education (USBE), which reviews completion of the required coursework. Students do not need a physical or digital certificate to submit an application or be eligible. Please contact your high school counselor for more information about completing the required courses.

  • Applicant Information

    Please provide basic information about yourself, including your contact information that will be used to provide application updates.
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  • Student Information Release Form

  • Student information is governed by the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This law extends privacy rights to students, age 18 and over, regarding their educational records and information. You are not required to give permission to anyone to access your confidential education records (e.g., grades, financial information, etc). However, you may give permission for specified person(s) to use your personal identification number (PIN) to access your education records related to the First Credential Scholarship by listing them below. Only you or a person on the list may access your records with the PIN.

    You should keep your PIN private and not share it with anyone except those listed below. If you ever want to change your PIN and who has access, you may contact the scholarship office via email (scholarships@ushe.edu) to request an update.


    I, the undersigned, grant permission for the person(s) listed below to access my education records related to the First Credential Scholarship if they provide my PIN number to scholarship staff. I understand that this permission only allows the person(s) listed below to access information, not to make changes to my account.

  • If you would like to authorize a third party to access account-specific information in the future, you will need to submit a Student Information Release form found on our website, https://ushe.edu/first-credential-scholarship/ 

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  • Name of Person(s) to be Given Permission of Release

  • Demographic Information

    Completion of these questions is voluntary. This information will only be shared in summarized reports to inform future advocacy, policy, and funding. Any information shared will be kept private and secure and will not be shared with any other identifying information. This information will not impact your eligibility for the scholarship.

  • If you prefer not to answer these questions, you can simply click Next at the bottom of the page.

  • Educational Information

    Please provide student information from your high school and future college/university.
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  • Acknowledge & Submit

    Your application is not yet complete. Please carefully read the information below and click submit to complete the application.

  • By signing below, you acknowledge the following:

    • I understand that in order to complete my First Credential Scholarship application, I must confirm my Fall 2026 plans in Part 2 of the application (which will be available from no later than May 1, 2026 to July 3, 2026). I agree to reach out to the scholarship office if I have not received an email update by May 1, 2026. 
    • I understand that the submission of an application alone does not confirm my eligibility and that additional documentation or information may be required. This information will be requested via the email provided. I will contact the scholarship team (see contact information below) if I need to update this information.
    • The USHE scholarship team will communicate with me via the email address or phone number provided. 
      • Updates will come from scholarships@ushe.edu. You should add this email address to your safe sender list to ensure you do not miss any important updates.
    • I give permission for USHE scholarship employees to share information with the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) and the college/university I plan to attend for purposes of confirming eligibility, awarding, and administering the scholarship.
    • The Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education is committed to managing and protecting your personal information in accordance with Utah law and federal regulations. The office is legally required to retain certain records for defined periods of time. By submitting, you acknowledge and understand that the information you provide will be retained by the office as required by law.
    • I certify that all statements and dates herein are true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

  • If you have questions regarding any part of this application or would like additional information, please contact the USHE scholarship team at scholarships@ushe.edu.

    If you have additional questions regarding the First Credential (formerly PRIME) experiences and applicable coursework, check with your high school counselor first. If there are questions that your high school counselor could not answer, you can reach out to Christy Schreck for CE inquiries (Christy.Schreck@schools.utah.gov), Jonathan Frey (Jonathan.Frey@schools.utah.gov) for CTE inquiries, and Breckon Heyward (breckon.heyward@schools.utah.gov) for youth apprenticeship inquiries.

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