Scholarships for Incoming Freshmen | First-Time College (FTC)

View scholarships that freshmen — also known as first-time college (FTC) students — can be considered for at Mizzou.

 

Automatic scholarships

Awards in this category: Chancellor’s Award, Curators Scholars Award, Excellence Award, National Merit, Perfect Score Scholarship, Mark Twain Levels 1&2, Black & Gold Levels 1&2, Border State Award, Tiger Border County Award Levels 1& 2, Columns Award, CAFNR Award

Award amount (click to expand)

  • High school students considering Mizzou: visit the Admissions website for the most current award amounts for incoming freshmen.
  • If you are a current Mizzou student and a Missouri resident, you will continue to receive the same award amount you were initially awarded at the time of admission. Award amounts can vary between different class years and are not subject to change.
  • If you are a current Mizzou student and a non-Missouri resident, you will continue to receive the same award amount you were initially awarded at the time of admission and are not subject to change unless you gain Missouri residency. Nonresident students who establish residency become eligible for in-state tuition rates but are no longer eligible for the automatic or competitive scholarships received on admission. Learn more about the benefits of gaining residency in the “Missouri residency and impacts on financial aid” section of our terms and conditions page.

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

Renewal criteria (click to expand)

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 do not apply to summer terms) if you meet the following requirements: maintain full-time enrollment (12 or more credit hours per semester); remain continuously enrolled each academic year in the fall and spring terms (award does not apply to summer terms); meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP); maintain the minimum cumulative GPA required for the scholarship listed in the chart below. Note: The amount you are awarded will remain the same for each term, even if the scholarship changes for future incoming students.

Scholarship Minimum cumulative GPA required for renewal
Chancellor’s Award 2.75
Curators Scholars Award 2.75
Excellence Award 2.75
National Merit 2.75
Perfect Score Scholarship 2.75
Mark Twain Levels 1 & 2 2.75
Black & Gold Levels 1 & 2 2.75
Border State Award 2.75
Tiger Border County Award Levels 1&2 2.75
Columns Award 2.75
CAFNR Award Consult CAFNR for renewal criteria for this award

 


Competitive scholarships

Awards in this category: Mizzou Scholars Award, Diversity Award, George C. Brooks Award, Stamps Scholars Award

Award amount (click to expand)

 

  • High school students considering Mizzou: visit the Admissions website for the most current award amounts for incoming freshmen.
  • If you are a current Mizzou student and a Missouri resident, you will continue to receive the same award amount you were initially awarded at the time of admission. Award amounts can vary between different class years and are not subject to change.
  • If you are a current Mizzou student and a non-Missouri resident, you will continue to receive the same award amount you were initially awarded at the time of admission and are not subject to change unless you gain Missouri residency. Nonresident students who establish residency become eligible for in-state tuition rates but are no longer eligible for the automatic or competitive scholarships received on admission. Learn more about the benefits of gaining residency in the “Missouri residency and impacts on financial aid” section of our terms and conditions page.

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

Renewal criteria (click to expand)

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 do not apply to summer terms) if you meet the following requirements: maintain full-time enrollment (12 or more credit hours per semester); remain continuously enrolled each academic year in the fall and spring terms (award does not apply to summer terms); meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP); maintain the minimum cumulative GPA required for the scholarship listed in the chart below. Note: The amount you are awarded will remain the same for each term, even if the scholarship changes for future incoming students.

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.

Scholarship Minimum cumulative GPA required for renewal
Mizzou Scholars Award 2.75
Diversity Award 2.20
George C. Brooks Award 2.50
Stamps Scholars Award Consult the Honors College for renewal criteria for this award

Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) scholarships

Award amount: varies

How to apply: Learn about ROTC scholarships on the programs’ websites.


Mizzou Alumni Scholars Program

Award amount: See full list of award amounts and criteria on the Mizzou Alumni Association website.

How to apply: ScholarshipUniverse


Bright Flight Program

Award amount: up to $3,000 depending on ACT or SAT scores

How to apply: No application necessary for eligible students (note: this scholarship is available to Missouri residents only)

Learn more at the Bright Flight Program DHEWD website


Dr. Donald Suggs Scholarship

Award Amount (click to expand)

  • 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 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 (click to expand)

 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 (click to expand)

 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(click to expand)

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);
  • Successfully complete 24 credit hours each academic year;
  • 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.

Important Dates

Dec. 1 - Scholarship deadline for first-time college students

Jan. 7 - Scholarship deadline for current & transfer students

Feb. 1 - FAFSA priority deadline

Resources & Information

Review the following pages for clear understanding of the financial aid programs and ensure maximum aid eligibility from year to year.