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Freshman Scholarships

Freshman scholarships and Honors College consideration are available to students the fall semester immediately following high school graduation. To be considered, you must be admitted by DECEMBER 1. A completed admission file includes an application for admission, the $40 application fee, your high school transcript, and ACT or SAT scores. A current Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required for all undergraduate scholarships. The Southern Miss priority date for financial aid is December 15.

For Freshman Academic Scholarships, Designation-Based Scholarships, and Competitive Scholarships, only standardized test scores (ACT or SAT) earned through December of student's senior year will be considered.

For students exclusively submitting SAT scores, the combined scores of the Critical Reading and Quantitative sections will be the standardized test scores of record for the purposes of scholarship awarding and Honors College admission consideration.
This score will be converted to the equivalent ACT score based on the testing concordance in place at the time of the testing date. (Click here and view Table A2.)
For students taking the December standardized test during their senior year, official scores must be submitted to the Office of Admissions by February 1 for scholarship consideration. Notifications regarding an updated scholarship offer will be mailed in February.

Core GPA is calculated using the student's grades earned in coursework that is part of the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC) as set forth by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning.
Core GPA is calculated on a four-point scale; thus, weighted grades earned in AP, advanced or honors classes are not calculated into core GPA.
For freshman scholarship consideration, core GPA will be calculated from the official high school transcript based on the student's first six semesters of high school work.

High school students with dual enrollment credit will still be considered for freshman scholarships as long as they are attending Southern Miss the fall semester immediately following high school graduation.

FRESHMAN ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS

DECEMBER 1: Students admitted to The University of Southern Mississippi by this date will be automatically considered for freshman academic scholarships.

MAY 1: Students must accept Freshman Academic Scholarships in the GO System.

Students will receive the first round of scholarship and financial aid award notifications by January of their senior year.

For students taking the December standardized test during their senior year, official scores must be submitted to the Office of Admissions by February 1 for scholarship consideration. Notifications regarding an updated scholarship offer will be mailed in February.

Note: Chart uses 2020-21 Scholarship Amounts. Tuition rates are based on current 2020-21 amounts. Tuition rates are subject to change without notice by the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning.

Academic Credentials	Academic Excellence Scholarship Discount	Tuition Due for Mississippi Resident (Resident Tuition Rate minus Academic Excellence Scholarship)	Tuition Due for Nonresident (Nonresident Tuition Rate minus Academic Excellence Scholarship)
30 - 36 ACT + Core GPA of 3.0 or higher	Full value of tuition	$0	$0
28 - 29 ACT + Core GPA of 3.0 or higher	$6,500 ($3,250 per sem)	$2,396 ($1,198 per sem)	$4,396 ($2,198 per sem)
26 - 27 ACT + Core GPA of 3.0 or higher	$5,500 ($2,750 per sem)	$3,396 ($1,698 per sem)	$5,396 ($2,698 per sem)
24 - 25 ACT + Core GPA of 3.0 or higher	$4,500 ($2,250 per sem)	$4,396 ($2,198 per sem)	$6,396 ($3,198 per sem)
21 - 23 ACT + Core GPA of 3.0 or higher	$2,500 ($1,250 per sem)	$6,396 ($3,198 per sem)	$8,396 ($4,198 per sem)

FRESHMAN COMPETITIVE SCHOLARSHIPS

JANUARY 15: Submit the General Application and Competitive Scholarship Application through the GO System. [Note: Students must be admitted by DECEMBER 1 for Freshman Competitive Scholarships.]

MAY 1: Students must accept Freshman Competitive Scholarships in the GO System.

Click here for instructions on How To Apply for Competitive Scholarships in the GO System.

Students can login to the GO System and learn their status of the competitive process for Honors College, Luckyday Scholars Program and McCarty Scholars Program on March 15.

HONORS COLLEGE INCOMING FRESHMAN SCHOLARSHIPS
Honors College website | honors@usm.edu | 601.266.4533

The Honors College at The University of Southern Mississippi fosters a deep, communal engagement with ideas and an atmosphere of personal connection and achievement by providing students with small classes, opportunities for active learning, and research experiences. We create a supportive and challenging intellectual community, promote attentive mentoring, and expose our students to cutting-edge scholars and artists. Above all, we encourage our students to seize opportunities and boldly determine their own paths—both at the university and beyond.

For more information about eligibility and requirements, visit our website.

All students admitted to the Honors College will receive some form of financial support as outlined below:

HONORS SCHOLAR AWARD:

All entering freshmen admitted to the Honors College will automatically be awarded the Honors Scholar Award, which consists of the following:

$2,000 annual scholarship for 4 years

All Honors College applicants will be considered for two achievement awards: the Presidential Scholarship and the Discovery Scholarship. These highly-competitive scholarships are awarded to a small number of students who exemplify the core ideals of the Honors College: intellectual curiosity, creativity, openness to new ideas, passion for learning, and drive. Please note that these scholarships are awarded through a competitive process and are not automatically given to students who meet the minimum consideration requirements. All students who have been admitted to the Honors College and who meet criteria eligibility will be placed into competition for these awards; no additional materials are required. Please note that although these are not need based awards, all recipients are required to submit a current year FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

Honors College Discovery Scholarship

A select group of students participating in the Honors College Achievement Award competition will be awarded the Discovery Scholarship, which consists of the following:

Full tuition for four years
Meal plan
The cost of campus housing for the fall and spring semesters of freshman year
A one-time $5,000 scholarship toward the USM study-abroad program of the recipient’s choice, to be used beginning in the summer following the freshman year.
A one-time $1,750 research grant designed to support Honors College thesis research, to be used once a student advances to the research portion of the curriculum
Click here to access the application via the Golden Opportunities Scholarship Application System.

Honors College Presidential Scholarship

A select group of students participating in the Honors College Achievement Award competition will be awarded the Presidential Scholarship, which consists of the following:

Tuition, campus housing and a meal plan for four years
$500 per semester educational allowance
Click here to access the application via the Golden Opportunities Scholarship Application System.

* Please note that recipients must live on campus during their freshman and sophomore years, and recipients who choose to move off campus during their junior and senior years will retain only the tuition and book stipends.

LUCKYDAY SCHOLARS PROGRAM (MISSISSIPPI RESIDENTS ONLY)
Luckyday website | luckyday@usm.edu | 601.266.5981

The Luckyday Scholars Program is grounded in student engagement through a robust living-learning community, leadership development, scholastic achievement, and community service. In addition to being a Mississippi resident with a minimum 3.0 high school core grade point average, successful applicants have a history of involvement within their communities and have challenged themselves academically while balancing varying responsibilities. The selection committee engages in a holistic, intensive review process that examines all aspects of the application. Students who feel that they embody the ideals of the program (strong work ethic, social responsibility, academic persistence, a strong desire to pursue an undergraduate education, needs support to pursue higher education, and committed to the growth of others) are encouraged to apply. Only complete applications will be reviewed, which includes all questions, essays, recommendations, and well developed ZeeMee profile. The Luckyday Scholars Program scholarship is stackable with most other scholarships, with the exception of Presidential or National Merit, but it cannot exceed the federal calculated cost of attendance for the academic year.

Students are required to live on campus their freshman year in Luckyday Citizenship Hall, take a Luckyday Seminar Class fall semester of their freshman year and commit to serving in the Hattiesburg community at least 10 hours each semester. Students will receive a $6,000 annual scholarship for 4 years pending the satisfaction of program requirements.

Mississippi residents only
3.0 core high school grade point average or higher
Demonstrates commitment to building community, engaging in service, developing as a leader, and pursuing academic excellence
Click here to access the application via the Golden Opportunities Scholarship Application System.

OSEOLA MCCARTY SCHOLARS PROGRAM (MISSISSIPPI RESIDENTS ONLY)
Office of Undergraduate Scholarships | scholars@usm.edu | 601.266.4540

The Oseola McCarty Scholars Program honors the legacy of a Hattiesburg native who gave a significant portion of her life savings to the University in order to help students afford college. Oseola Mccarty had a strong work ethic, giving heart, and a love for helping others. Students will receive a $2,000 annual scholarship for 4 years.

Mississippi residents only
Minimum 3.0 core high school grade point average and at least a 21 composite on the ACT
Must be from a public high school in south Mississippi, show demonstrated financial need, desire to serve the community, and strong leadership skills
Click here to learn how to apply
Click here to access the application via the Golden Opportunities Scholarship Application System.

FRESHMAN NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS

MAY 1:

National Merit Semifinalists: Deadline to accept semifinalist scholarship in the GO System.
National Merit Finalists: Deadline to apply for National Merit Finalist Scholarship in the GO System. Finalists must list USM as their first-choice institution with the National Merit Corporation.

AUGUST 15: Finalists must accept Freshman National Merit Finalist Scholarships in the GO System.

[Note: Students must be admitted by DECEMBER 1 for Freshman National Merit Scholarships.]

Click here for instructions on How To Apply for National Merit Scholarships in the GO System.

Scholarship is equivalent to tuition for four years
Semifinalists do not have to apply for the semifinalist scholarship, but must be admitted by December 1.

Scholarship is equivalent to tuition, campus housing, meal plan, and a $500 semester educational allowance for four years. Finalists will also receive a one-time $4,000 study abroad scholarship.
Finalists must must apply and submit official documentation by May 1 through the GO System for National Merit Finalist Scholarship. Finalists must list USM as their first-choice institution with the National Merit Corporation.

FRESHMAN DESIGNATION-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS

JULY 1: Submit general and designation-based applications through the GO System. [Note: Students must be admitted by DECEMBER 1 for Freshman Designation-Based Scholarships.]

AUGUST 15: Students must accept Freshman Designation-Based Scholarships in the GO System.

Students will receive notification of When will I be notified if I have been awarded a Freshman Designation-Based Scholarships by August 1.

$1,000 Annually for 4 years

Boys/Girls State (Mississippi Residents Only) | Distinguished Young Women: Local (Mississippi Residents Only)

One-time $1,000