Scholarships
Scholarships are education funds that do not have to be repaid. Scholarship eligibility is based on review of the following factors:
- Merit (academic achievement, athletic skills, leadership qualities, community service, etc.)
- Need (financial need, hardship, etc.)
- Special Characteristics (ethnicity, place of residence, intended major, etc.)
Applying for scholarships
Many scholarships are based on financial need as well as merit or other special characteristics. Financial need is determined by the results of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. You must complete the FAFSA and the MU Annual Scholarship application in ScholarshipUniverse annually by the Mizzou priority deadlines to have the most consideration for Mizzou scholarships and grants.
All Mizzou scholarships are not transferable among other campuses of the University of Missouri System unless specifically indicated.
Mizzou scholarships
There are 3 main categories of Mizzou scholarships:
- Automatic
- Competitive
- General and departmental
Automatic scholarships
Once you apply and are admitted, you’ll automatically be considered for a range of scholarships. In fact, 4 out of 5 Mizzou students receive some form of assistance through grants, scholarships, loans or other aid. In recent years, Mizzou has awarded nearly $130 million in undergraduate grants and scholarships.
Automatic Scholarships for Missourians
Automatic Scholarships for Nonresidents
Competitive scholarships
Some scholarships are based on academic achievement, while others are specific to departments and programs. Some competitive awards require additional application materials and may have varying deadlines.
Competitive scholarships are available for both Missouri residents and nonresidents.
General and departmental scholarships
You aren’t automatically considered for every scholarship at Mizzou. To be considered for general and departmental scholarships from Mizzou, log into ScholarshipUniverse to answer a series of matching questions. Then complete the individual applications for even more scholarships.
If you are an incoming freshmen or first-time college student you’ll access ScholarshipUniverse via your Application Status Page after you submit the application for admission. Apply to Mizzou by Nov. 15 to meet the scholarship priority deadline.
Transfer students and continuing students should apply to Mizzou by Dec. 15 to meet the transfer scholarship priority deadline.
Financial aid maximum limits and other terms and conditions of scholarships
All scholarships, grants, and financial resources you receive are subject to being reduced if the combined total reaches your maximum Cost of Attendance. If you feel that you have additional educational costs that exceed your standard Cost of Attendance (COA) then you can contact the Student Financial Aid office to see if there is an opportunity to appeal to increase your COA. Keep in mind, that even if your COA is able to be increased it does not mean that all of your financial aid scholarships, grants, or other resources can be increased.
All Mizzou scholarships are not transferable among other campuses of the University of Missouri System unless specifically indicated. Mizzou scholarships are only available in the fall and spring semesters (i.e., you will not receive the scholarships in the summer term).
If you are dismissed from the University for any conduct reason you will lose your Mizzou scholarship. If renewal criteria are met at the conclusion of the academic year (i.e., spring semester), you may regain eligibility in the future. However, any semester(s) for which you were suspended will count as part of your eight-semester maximum eligibility for your scholarship.
If you fail to meet the minimum renewal criteria of total hours completed for the academic term and/or cumulative GPA at the end of your Spring semester, your scholarship can only be reinstated if a scholarship appeal is submitted and approved. For information on appealing, please visit our Scholarship Appeals webpage.