US Bowling Congress Announces Updates to Scholarship Program

The Scholarship Management and Account Reporting for Tenpins (SMART) policy recently was updated to expand the use of SMART scholarships for student-related expenses.

Under the new guidelines, a student can use their SMART scholarships to be reimbursed for expenses related to tuition and certain related student expenses, or to have a payment made for such expenses as off-campus housing and/or student-loan debt.

While there are now more ways for students to use their SMART scholarships, student-athletes must remain aware of the restrictions.

Regulations of colleges and college sports governing bodies, such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), have specific restrictions for student-athletes. It is the responsibility of the student-athlete to check with their school administrator and their sport governing body (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA) regarding all regulations before using their SMART scholarships.

The reimbursement related to tuition and certain related student expenses is a new policy, as previously funds only could be sent directly to an educational institution. The reimbursement check will be made out to the owner of the SMART account and mailed to the address on the account, so it is important for recipients to always keep their SMART account information up to date.

To check, and provide any needed edits, to an address, recipients can visit the SMART profile page.

Payments for off-campus housing cannot be used if renting from parents, relatives or friends, and payment will go directly to the company or managing owner of the property, once the proper paperwork is submitted.

To use SMART scholarships to make payments on student-loan debt, current student-athletes again should make certain they are following regulations for their sport. Once the correct documentation is received, the payment will go to the student loan provider.

Visit BOWL.com/SMART to learn more about the SMART program and visit the Recipients page for the SMART Waiver Form, to request funds, and the SMART Student-Athlete information page that discusses how SMART scholarship funds can impact their eligibility.

United States Bowling Congress
The United States Bowling Congress serves as the national governing body of bowling as recognized by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC). USBC conducts championship events nationwide including the largest participation sporting events in the world – the USBC Open and Women's Championships – and professional events such as the USBC Masters and USBC Queens.

Founded in 1895, today USBC and its 1,638 state and local associations proudly serve more than a million members. USBC is headquartered in Arlington, Texas, working toward a future for the sport. The online home for USBC is BOWL.com.