Scholarships for First-Time College Freshmen
Scholarships are education funds that don’t have to be repaid. Scholarship eligibility is based on the following factors:
- Merit (academic achievement, athletic skills, community service, etc.)
- Need (financial need, hardship, etc.)
- Special characteristics (ethnicity, place of residence, intended major, etc.)
Mizzou scholarships
There are three main categories of Mizzou scholarships for first-time college freshmen.
- Automatic
- Competitive
- General and departmental
Automatic awards
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. And recently, MU awarded nearly $167 million in undergraduate grants and scholarships.
Automatic Scholarships for Missourians Automatic Scholarships for NonresidentsAutomatic Scholarships for International Students
Competitive awards
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.
See all competitive awards
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 – both internal and external.
You’ll access ScholarshipUniverse via your Application Status Page after you submit the application for admission.
Automatic awards
Once you apply and are admitted, you’ll automatically be considered for a range of scholarships.
Automatic awards for Missouri residents
Award details listed below apply to first-time college freshmen entering Fall 2023. All awards are renewable provided certain criteria are met. Renewal criteria are available on the Student Financial Aid website. Unless otherwise noted, scholarships may not be combined. Missouri resident scholarships are available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.
Students applying test-optional for admission and do not have official test scores on file are reviewed holistically for scholarships.
| AUTOMATIC AWARDS FOR FALL 2023 | AMOUNT PER YEAR | MINIMUM CRITERIA | ADDITIONAL CRITERIA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chancellor’s Award | $7,200 | See chart below | — |
| Curators Scholars Award | $5,000 | See chart below | — |
| Excellence Award | $3,500 | See chart below | — |
| Provost’s Award | $1,000 | See chart below | — |
| Missouri Land Grant | 100% of unmet need for tuition and fees | For Pell-eligible students | Must submit FAFSA to MU by Jan. 7. Also available to transfer students. |
| National Merit Finalist & Semifinalist Scholarship | 100% tuition and fees + $3,500 additional stipend + $10,940 one year on-campus housing and dining + one-time payments $2,000 for research/study abroad $1,000 for tech enrichment |
Deemed a National Merit Finalist or Semifinalist by National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) |
— |
| Perfect Score Scholarship | 100% tuition and fees + $3,500 additional stipend + $10,940 one year on-campus housing and dining + one-time payments $2,000 for research/study abroad $1,000 for tech enrichment |
36 ACT or 1570-1600 SAT (superscores used) | — |
Other awards for Missouri residents
Award details listed below apply to first-time college freshmen entering Fall 2023. These awards are available to students enrolling at Mizzou the first semester after high school graduation and are renewable provided certain criteria are met. They may be combined with the automatic awards for Missouri Residents listed above.
| OTHER AWARDS | AMOUNT PER YEAR | MINIMUM CRITERIA | ADDITIONAL CRITERIA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Flight* | Up to $3,000 | Awarded by the State of Missouri | — |
| CAFNR Award* | $1,000 | Automatically awarded to students with the Chancellor’s Award or Curators Award who choose a degree in the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources | Awarded until Jan. 1 |
*Bright Flight and CAFNR Award may be combined with other awards.
Unless noted, all scholarships/fee reductions require recipients to enroll at Mizzou the first semester after high school graduation. Some scholarships/fee reductions are subject to change without notice. They are not to be regarded as offers to contract. Financial aid awards from all sources (federal, state, institutional or private aid) may not exceed the annual cost of attendance assigned by MU. Scholarships are only applicable to the fall and spring semesters; therefore, students cannot receive these awards in the summer semester. Students starting in the middle of the academic year (Spring term) will receive half of the scholarship award for their first term of entry.
Automatic awards for Nonresidents
Award details listed below apply to first-time college freshmen entering Fall 2023. All awards are renewable provided certain criteria are met. Unless otherwise noted, scholarships may not be combined. Nonresident scholarships can only be applied to the nonresident portion of tuition. Nonresident scholarships are available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only. Nonresident distance students admitted into an online program are not eligible for automatic scholarships due to paying a different tuition rate.
Students applying test-optional for admission and do not have official test scores on file are reviewed holistically for scholarships.
| AUTOMATIC AWARDS FOR FALL 2023 | AMOUNT PER YEAR | MINIMUM CRITERIA | ADDITIONAL CRITERIA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Twain Level 1 | $21,500 | See chart below | — |
| Mark Twain Level 2 | $8,500 | See chart below | — |
| Black & Gold Level 1 | $21,500 | See chart below | Have a biological, adoptive or stepparent who graduated from the University of Missouri (Mizzou) |
| Black & Gold Level 2 | $11,000 | See chart below | Have a biological, adoptive or stepparent who graduated from the University of Missouri (Mizzou) |
| Black & Gold Border County Award | $21,500 | Have a biological, adoptive or stepparent who graduated from the University of Missouri (Mizzou) | Reside in a county bordering Missouri |
| Tiger Border County Award Level 1* | $21,500 | 3.8+ cumulative high school GPA on a 4.0 scale | Reside in a county bordering Missouri |
| Tiger Border County Award Level 2* | $17,000 | 3.25-3.799 cumulative high school GPA on a 4.0 scale | Reside in a county bordering Missouri |
| Border State Award** | $3,000 | See chart below | Reside in one of the eight states that border Missouri. Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Tennessee |
| National Merit Finalist Scholarship | $22,500 | Deemed a National Merit Finalist by National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) | Declare the University of Missouri first choice with NMSC |
Awards cannot be combined unless otherwise noted.
*Tiger Border County Award cannot be combined with other MU grants or scholarships
**Border State Award can only be combined with Mark Twain Level 2 or Black & Gold Level 2
Unless noted, all scholarships/fee reductions require recipients to enroll at Mizzou the first semester after high school graduation. Some scholarships/fee reductions are subject to change without notice. They are not to be regarded as offers to contract. Financial aid awards from all sources (federal, state, institutional or private aid) may not exceed the annual cost of attendance assigned by MU. Scholarships requiring a separate application (including ScholarshipUniverse Application, Stamps, Brooks, and all Scholars & Fellows programs in the Honors College) have a due date of Dec. 1. The recommended date to apply for Admission to meet this deadline is Nov. 15. Scholarships are only applicable to the fall and spring semesters; therefore, students cannot receive these awards in the summer semester. Students starting in the middle of the academic year (Spring term) will receive half of the scholarship award for their first term of entry.
Competitive awards for both Missouri residents and Nonresidents
Competitive award details listed below apply to first-time college freshmen entering Fall 2023. These awards are available to students enrolling at Mizzou the first semester after high school graduation. They are renewable provided certain criteria are met. Renewal criteria are available on the Student Financial Aid website. Unless otherwise noted, none of these scholarships may be combined with any other awards.
| COMPETITIVE AWARDS | AMOUNT PER YEAR | MINIMUM CRITERIA | ADDITIONAL CRITERIA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stamps Scholars Award | Full Scholarship (up to estimated cost of attendance) + one-time award $16,000 for academic development and leadership |
32–36 ACT or 1420–1600 SAT and 3.5 core GPA |
Must be admitted to Mizzou and the Honors College by Dec. 1 and submit required documents by Dec. 1. The most distinguished applicants will become semifinalists and will be notified of the next steps in the interview process. |
| Mizzou Scholars Award (Missouri only) |
$11,000 | Must be a Missouri resident with 33–36 ACT or 1450–1600 SAT and excellent academic record | An application for admission, a résumé and essay must be submitted by Dec. 1. A committee will review candidates’ credentials and supplemental material. Strongest consideration will be given to the strength of the academic record. |
| George C. Brooks Award | Missouri: $8,000
Nonresident: $29,500 |
Membership in a racial or ethnic minority group that is underrepresented in relation to the university’s goal to achieve education benefits of a diverse student body, minimum ACT composite score of 25 or an SAT score of 1200 and excellent academic record. | An application for admission and required materials (link below) must be submitted by Dec. 1. |
| Diversity Award | Missouri: $3,000
Nonresident: $21,500 |
Membership in a racial or ethnic minority group that is underrepresented in relation to the university’s goal to achieve education benefits of a diverse student body. | Recipients are automatically screened upon admission and selected based on high school class rank, ACT or SAT scores, and grades in college prep courses. |
| Columns Award (Nonresidents only) |
Starting at $15,000 | Nonresident, incoming, first-time college students | Recipients are automatically screened upon admission and selected based on criteria including, but not limited to, geography, legacy status and overall academic record. This award cannot be combined with other MU grants or scholarships. A limited number of these awards are available. |
FAFSA
Mizzou gives out many scholarships based on financial need. You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the priority deadline on Jan. 7 to be considered for these scholarships.
Other information
Private scholarships
Check out the Office of Student Financial Aid’s guide to private scholarships to see a list of organizations that provide online scholarship resources and search services.
When looking for scholarship search services, always be aware of any potential scams.
Find Every Dollar
Take advantage of all the opportunities to help pay for college. Maximize the amount of financial aid you receive by following the steps laid out on the costs and aid page.
Dates & deadlines
Recommended apply-by date for scholarships
Nov. 15
You can apply to Mizzou at any time, but you’re encouraged to apply for admission by Nov. 15 to ensure you are able to meet the earliest scholarship deadline of Dec. 1. Learn how to Apply.
Once you’ve applied to Mizzou, use ScholarshipUniverse to apply for general and departmental scholarships by Dec. 1.
Apply for general and departmental scholarships
Dec. 1
The priority deadline to apply for general and departmental scholarships is Dec. 1. Apply using ScholarshipUniverse. You have to submit your application for admission first.