Automatic and competitive scholarships for incoming freshmen | first-time college (FTC) students entering Mizzou in the fall semester

At Mizzou, automatic and competitive scholarships are awarded by the Admissions office based on several criteria that are reviewed at the time of admissions such as academic achievement, personal talents, interests, leadership qualities, financial need, or a combination of these.

For automatic scholarships, there is nothing else you need to do to apply for these scholarships. Simply apply for admission. There is no deadline to apply and you will be notified if you are selected. Criteria and amounts for automatic scholarships can be found on the Admissions website.

Some competitive scholarships require an additional application and/or submission of materials. You must apply for admission first and competitive scholarships have deadlines. Criteria and amounts for competitive scholarships can be found on the Admissions website.

Students applying test-optional for admission are reviewed holistically for scholarships.

Receiving scholarships

To receive an automatic or competitive scholarship you are selected for, you must enroll full time (a minimum of 12 credit hours) at the University of Missouri on the Columbia campus the first regular semester (fall or spring) following graduation from high school. Automatic and competitive awards are only applicable to the fall and spring semesters; therefore, you cannot receive these awards in the summer semester.

Automatic and competitive scholarships may be reduced to keep your total financial aid package within your Cost of Attendance for the academic year, or in situations where other sources are paying for or waiving tuition and fees for you. If you are a nonresident who gains Missouri residency while receiving a nonresident scholarship you will no longer be eligible for this scholarship.

All Mizzou scholarships are not transferable among other campuses of the University of Missouri System unless specifically indicated. Please see additional terms and conditions as listed in the section below entitled Financial aid maximum limits and other terms and conditions of scholarships.

Renewal criteria

You are eligible for automatic and competitive scholarships for an additional 3 years for a maximum of 8 continuous fall or spring semesters (automatic and competitive scholarships may not be utilized during the summer semester), or until you earn enough credits to receive a bachelor’s degree, whichever occurs first. To remain eligible for automatic and competitive scholarships, you must meet the following renewal criteria outlined in the chart below.

Automatic scholarships

Required criteria for renewal of automatic scholarships:

• Must be enrolled full time (minimum of 12 credit hours);
• Remain continuously enrolled each academic year in the fall and spring terms (award does not apply to summer semester);
• Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP); and
• Maintain the minimum cumulative GPA required for the scholarship listed in the chart below.

Competitive scholarships

Required criteria for renewal of competitive scholarships:

• Must be enrolled full time (minimum of 12 credit hours);
• Remain continuously enrolled each academic year in the fall and spring terms (award does not apply to summer semester);
• Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP); and
• Maintain the minimum cumulative GPA required for the scholarship listed in the chart below.
• Additional criteria for the George C. Brooks Award Only – student must also participate in the US Success Program through the Center for Academic Success and Excellence and the Honors College.

Other scholarships for incoming freshmen | first-time college

Transition Grant

Award amount: $2,500 per year

This scholarship is only available in the fall and spring semesters (i.e., you will not receive this award in the summer term).

How to apply: No application required as you will be automatically considered for the award once admitted to Mizzou.

Minimum qualifications: Scholarship will be awarded based on several criteria that are reviewed after admissions such as academic achievement, personal talents, interests, leadership qualities, financial need, or a combination of these in addition to the following:

• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and a resident of Missouri;
• Must enroll at Mizzou the first fall or spring semester after high school graduation:
• Must be a member of a racial or ethnic minority group that is underrepresented in relation to Mizzou’s goals to achieve educational benefits to a diverse student body; and
• Must complete the Summer Bridge Program (For all MAP or Summer Bridge Program Inquiries, please email mucase@missouri.edu or call 573-882-9208).

Renewal criteria: You are eligible for this scholarship for an additional 3 years for a maximum of 8 continuous fall or spring semesters (automatic and competitive scholarships may not be utilized during the summer semester), or until you earn enough credits to receive a bachelor’s degree, whichever occurs first.

• Must be enrolled full time (minimum of 12 credit hours);
• Remain continuously enrolled each academic year in the fall and spring terms (award does not apply to summer semester);
• Participate in the CASE Cohort Program through Academic Retention Services; and
• Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) scholarships

Award amount: Housing and meals scholarships are available to you if you are selected for three- and four-year National Level ROTC Scholarships and participate in the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) at Mizzou. National ROTC scholarship recipients will receive on-campus housing and meals based upon living in the designated ROTC community (currently Brooks Hall) and selection of the Platinum dining plan.

Any housing and meal charges that exceed $10,945 for the 2021-22 academic year will be your responsibility. If you are receiving the ROTC scholarship then you may not exceed the Cost of Attendance. ROTC awards may not be combined with automatic and competitive scholarships, the Dr. Suggs Scholarship, and the Transition Grant. You will receive the largest award for which you qualify.

Who qualifies: High school national scholarship winners

Additional information:

• Mizzou Army ROTC scholarships
• Mizzou Air Force ROTC scholarships
• Mizzou Navy ROTC scholarships

Mizzou Alumni Scholars Program

Award amount: $500 – $5,000 per year

This scholarship is only available in the fall and spring semesters (i.e., you will not receive this award in the summer term).

How to apply: The Mizzou Alumni Association uses ScholarshipUniverse to award all incoming freshmen, transfer students, and continuing students. Log into ScholarshipUniverse and answer a series of matching questions. Once you have been matched to your scholarships, you can search for those offered by the Mizzou Alumni Association organization and complete the applications provided. Students must submit their applications for Alumni scholarships by the appropriate scholarship deadline.

Bright Flight Program

The Bright Flight Program is a scholarship that is a Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development (DHEWD) merit-based program that encourages top-ranked high school seniors to attend an approved Missouri college or university. For more information on the criteria and award amounts for this program please review the Bright Flight Program DHEWD website.

Dr. Donald Suggs Scholarship

Award Amount:

• Missouri Resident: $15,000 per year
• NonMissouri Resident: Waiver of the nonresident tuition and fees
• An additional amount of $7,000 for a study abroad experience may also be included;
• A $2,000 stipend for your freshman year participation in the MU Discovery Fellows Research Program;
• This scholarship cannot be combined with automatic and competitive Mizzou scholarships, as well as other the Brazeal Honors College Endowed Diversity Scholarship; and
• It is only available in the fall and spring semesters (i.e., you will not receive this award in the summer term).

How to apply: Interested applicants should apply for admission to Mizzou, submit official transcripts and test scores (from the test score providers ACT or College Board) no later than December 1. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications for this scholarship listed below should select one of the following two essay prompts and submit a one-page response through their Application Status Page after they submit the application for admission.

1. We all have goals. But those who are most successful in reaching them take concrete and bold actions towards them rather than merely imagining them. Describe an as yet unattained goal you have in your life – intellectual, personal, or academic – and explain why and how it became a goal, as well as the considered and aspirational steps that you plan to take to achieve it.
2. We have all been challenged in our lives and forced to accept changes that we may not have wanted or been prepared for. Describe a time in your life when you tackled a challenge or stood up for a belief, your motivations for doing so, the outcome of the situation, and how you see that as a shaping factor for your future endeavors.

Questions about this scholarship can be emailed to suggsawards@missouri.edu.

Minimum qualifications: Scholarship will be awarded based on several criteria that are reviewed after admissions such as academic achievement, personal talents, interests, leadership qualities, financial need, or a combination of these in addition to the following:

• Composite ACT Score of 27 or higher or an SAT score of 1260 or higher;
• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident;
• Must enroll at Mizzou the first fall or spring semester after high school graduation;
• Must be a member of a racial or ethnic minority group that is underrepresented in relation to Mizzou’s goals to achieve educational benefits to a diverse student body; and
• First preference shall be given to students who are residents of the greater St. Louis, Missouri metropolitan area.

Renewal criteria: You are eligible for this scholarship for an additional 3 years for a maximum of 8 continuous fall or spring semesters (automatic and competitive scholarships may not be utilized during the summer semester), or until you earn enough credits to receive a bachelor’s degree, whichever occurs first.

• Must be enrolled full time (minimum of 12 credit hours);
• Remain continuously enrolled each academic year in the fall and spring terms (award does not apply to summer semester);
• Participate in the US Success Program through the Center for Academic Success (CASE); and
• Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

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 page.