Scholarship Opportunities for Non-Traditional Students and Military Personnel (& families)

Please visit the following pages for information about scholarships which may be available to you. Please note that application requirements and deadlines vary; students should read scholarship descriptions carefully to note important instructions and information.

Be sure to also visit our Current Student and Incoming Transfer Student webpages for information about other scholarship opportunities!

Institutional Scholarships for New MTSU Students

• The Osher Reentry Scholarship of $2000-4000 is awarded to up to 15 non-traditional students who are incoming freshmen or transfer students, and who have experienced a cumulative gap in their education of five or more years. This new award was established beginning with Fall 2011 semester; scholarship availability for future years will be dependent on funding from the Bernard Osher Foundation. Online applications are available beginning in mid-December and must be submitted by March 1.
• Academic scholarships such as Enrichment, Vision, and MT Diversity Scholarships may be available to new students (including non-traditional students and current or former military) after the start of a semester, if funding is determined to be available at that time. One-semester scholarship applications are available on-line through ScholarX beginning two weeks before the start of the term. Additional scholarships (if available) will be awarded after the start of the term. Applicants will be notified of their status via email at that time, typically 4-6 weeks after the start of the semester.

Institutional Scholarships for Current MTSU Students

• The OWLs (Older Wiser Learners) student organization offers a limited number of scholarships to currently enrolled students who are members of the OWLs organization, a student organization for adult learners (students who have adult responsibilities outside of the university, regardless of age). These awards may range from $1000 for one year to $3000 for four years. Learn more about the organization and the available scholarships on the OWLs website. Applications must be submitted by March 1.
• Academic scholarships such as Enrichment, Vision, and MT Diversity Scholarships are available to current students, including non-traditional students. Applications are available each fall for the following academic year, and must be submitted online by February 15. Awards are based on a student's cumulative GPA after the fall semester; for some awards, diversity and financial need are also considered.
  
  Missed the deadline? Scholarships may be available after the start of each semester, if funding is determined to be available at that time. One-semester scholarship applications are available on-line through ScholarX beginning two weeks before the start of the term. Additional scholarships (if available) will be awarded after the start of the term. Applicants will be notified of their status via email at that time, typically 4-6 weeks after the start of the semester.

Awards Available to Tennessee Residents

• Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarships
  Non-traditional students who are at least 25 when they begin college (or when they reenter college after a break of at least 2 years may qualify for a lottery scholarship of $4000 per year. A student must meet residency, financial need, and academic requirements to qualify. Visit our Non-Traditional Lottery Scholarship webpage for more information.
  
  The state allows certain exceptions for military personnel and their families in regard to the lotery scholarship enrolment and residency rules:
• A student who lives out side of Tennessee and graduates from a high school in another state or country due to a parent's military service or employment with the Department of Defense.
• A student who withdraws mid-semester or does not enroll for a required semester due to active military service
• A student whose spouse, child, mother, or father is mobilized for active duty
• A student who attends an out-of-state college due to military mobilization
• A student who entered active duty within two years after high school graduation
  
  

The student must be otherwise eligible, apart from the specified exception, and must provide documentation of the military service. Visit our Lottery Exceptions for Military webpage for more information.

• Helping Heroes Grant
  A small grant is awarded by the state of Tennessee to veterans who have been awarded an Iraq Campaign Medal, an Afghanistan Campaign Medal, or a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (on or after 9/11/01) and who meet certain other requirements. The award is applied after the end of a semester, based on the number of credit hours successfully completed for that term. Visit TSAC's Helping Heroes webpage for more information and an application.
• State Scholarships, Grants, and Loan Forgiveness Programs http://www.tn.gov/CollegePays/
  Tennessee residents may qualify for state-based aid programs, which include a need-based grant, several scholarships based on merit or other factors, and loan forgiveness programs for students in certain majors.

Other Opportunities

• Private Scholarships
  Information about how to search and apply for the millions of private scholarships given to US students each year; instructions on how to submit a scholarship check to be applied to your account.
• College Goal Sunday
  A free event offered to incoming freshmen and non-traditional students each year, to help you file the Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA), the application for grants, loans, and the lottery scholarship. Not in the Murfreesboro area? Visit www.tn.gov/collegegoalsunday or http://www.collegegoalsundayusa.org/ to find a College Goal Sunday site near you!
• Click here for Helpful Hints for finding and winning scholarships.

Questions? Please contact us!

Return to MTSU Scholarships homepage

Updated October 2012