MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University awards an array of guaranteed academic merit scholarship opportunities to first-time, incoming freshmen based on ACT scores and GPA.
But students must have a complete application on file with the MTSU Admissions Office by Dec. 1 to be considered for a scholarship. And with Dec. 1 falling on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, anything students need from high school counselors must be obtained before the holiday break.
“I tell students and parents that to be safe, you should apply immediately,” said Deb Sells, vice president for student affairs and vice provost for enrollment services. “With Dec. 1 falling on the holiday weekend, students will need to request transcripts and take care of other details before their schools close for Thanksgiving.”
What is a complete application?
- Admission application to MTSU
- Application fee paid
- Qualifying official ACT and/or SAT test score (without the writing sub-score) (Only ACT/SAT scores through the December test date are considered)
- Qualifying official sixth-semester high school transcript with cumulative GPA requirement
- Must be U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
- No separate scholarship application is required for guaranteed academic scholarships. Student will receive notification of the scholarship award offer by February.
“If you apply and submit materials by Dec. 1 and meet the appropriate academic criteria of one of our awards, you will get a scholarship,” Sells said. “If you apply after Dec. 1, you will not get one of these scholarships — no matter how great your credentials might be.”
Sells said it is heartbreaking when “we have terrific students with amazing credentials, who can’t get a scholarship at MTSU because they didn’t file by the Dec. 1 deadline.”
“Whether MTSU is your destination university, or we are one of many options you are considering, we urge all qualified applicants to apply by Dec. 1,” she said. “Simply put, it’s money on the table and keeps your options open.”
Sells said students who qualify must accept the scholarship by May 1.
The fine print:
- GPA and test scores on file with the Admissions Office at the time of the scholarship review will be used for awarding purposes. Typically, the sixth-semester cumulative GPA and ACT/SAT scores (without writing sub-scores) through the December test date will be used for scholarship considerations. Students taking a December test should include MTSU as a score recipient to ensure that scores arrive in time for scholarship consideration.
- MTSU is happy to accept a weighted GPA if one is provided by the high school, but are unable to calculate a GPA other than what is provided on the official transcript. Your highest test score (without writing sub-scores) on a single national or state test date will be considered.
- Unless noted, scholarships are granted for a maximum of eight semesters. Scholarships are not available during the summer term.
- Recipients must meet GPA, enrollment, and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements to maintain continuing eligibility. In general, students receiving most MTSU Academic Merit Scholarships must earn a 3.0 cumulative MTSU GPA as measured at the end of each fall/spring semester.
- In the event that MTSU offers multiple scholarships to a student, only one scholarship from the MTSU Financial Aid and Scholarship Office (including the Buchanan Fellowship) can be accepted. A student may receive a university scholarship in addition to a Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship.
- A student's total aid, including scholarships, cannot exceed his or her budgeted Cost of Attendance.
