<p>My child won a art contest scholarship prize of $5000. When he told one of his professors that he won, he was told that the financial aid dept. would reduce his financial aid award. The only financial aid that he gets is Stafford loans and a small amount of work/study. However, his award letter includes a substantial Dean’s Scholarship from the school. </p>
<p>Is it common for a school to reduce a Dean’s scholarship if a student goes out and gets an outside scholarship?</p>
<p>Were you told the Dean’s scholarship would be reduced? It’s up to the school but, at my kids’ schools, outside scholarships first went to unmet need, then to reduce loans or work-study with school grant/merit being affected last. I’ve heard that some schools split the outside aid. I would ask if your child can use the funds to reduce work-study and loans.</p>
<p>You will have to find out from the financial aid office how that particular school handles. it. It doesn’t really matter if it is common elsewhere, does it?</p>
<p>Your child should talk to the financial aid folks. If I were a betting woman, I would say the professor doesn’t have all the details of how the school actually deals with outside scholarships.</p>