Undergraduate Scholarships
Undergraduate Scholarships
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.
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.
Students will receive the first round of scholarship and financial aid award notifications
by January of their senior year.
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) |
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:
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).
A select group of students participating in the Honors College Achievement Award competition will be awarded the Discovery Scholarship, which consists of the following:
A select group of students participating in the Honors College Achievement Award competition will be awarded the Presidential Scholarship, which consists of the following:
* 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.
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.
MAY 1:
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.
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.
Valedictorian/Salutatorian | Student Body President | Eagle Scout/Gold Award | Boys/Girls Nation | Distinguished Young Women: State (Mississippi Residents Only) | STAR Student (Mississippi Residents Only)
Boys/Girls State (Mississippi Residents Only) | Distinguished Young Women: Local (Mississippi Residents Only)