MTSU awards an array of academic merit scholarship opportunities based on ACT scores and GPA.

Prospective students should go to the Admissions website, mtsu.edu/apply, and begin the enrollment process in order to be eligible for the awards. The new scholarships will not stack with previously awarded guaranteed scholarships nor will they be upgraded once awarded. Refer below for ACT/SAT equivalent scores, renewal requirements, and fine print.

For students who missed the December 1st deadline for MTSU Freshman Guaranteed Scholarships, MTSU is offering the following scholarships to academically eligible Freshman who apply to MTSU for Fall 2025 by August 1, 2025.

Scholarship	ACT	GPA	Amt/Yr
Century Scholarship	34 – 36 ACT	3.50	$6,000/year
Lightning Scholarship	30 – 33 ACT	3.50	$3,000/year
Blue Raider Scholarship	25 – 29 ACT	3.50	$2,500/year
Future Alumni Scholarship	22 -24 ACT	3.50	$1,500/year

Academic Requirements and award amounts for MTSU Freshman Guaranteed Scholarships Effective Fall 2025 for students who meet all requirements by December 1, 2024.

To be considered for a Freshman Guaranteed Scholarships, students must meet the following requirements: 

(ALL of the following information must be on file with the Admissions Office postmarked by December 1st to be considered for a scholarship in the chart above.)

• Application for admission as a new Incoming Freshman
• Admissions Application fee paid or completed and qualified for fee waiver
• Official ACT and/or SAT test score (without the writing subscore)
  • Students must have an official ACT/SAT test score on file by December 1^st and be admitted to MTSU to be reconsidered for a scholarship award or upgrade due to a higher December test score.
• Official sixth-semester high school transcript with cumulative GPA requirement (transcript must reflect GPA through end of junior year).
  • MTSU will consider the seventh-semester high school transcript (through end of the 1^st semester of Senior year) if the transcript is on file as of December 1
• Must be a US Citizen or permanent resident.
• Be a first-time incoming freshman who plans to enroll at MTSU in the Summer or Fall semester.

Refer to the above chart for qualifying ACT^* test score and high school GPA requirements. 

       *Refer below for ACT/SAT equivalent scores.

No separate scholarship application is required for guaranteed academic scholarships. Student will receive notification of the scholarship award offer by February. To take advantage of the scholarship offer, students must accept the scholarship by May 1! Instructions of how to accept the scholarship will be included in the scholarship award notice.

Notes:  Students who will be joining MTSU in the summer or fall semesters, who apply by the priority deadline, AND who meet minimum eligibility requirements will be offered the appropriate scholarship starting Fall 2024 as long as funding is available. 

Students can receive these scholarship for up to four years (or 8 semesters) as long as the scholarship renewal eligibility requirements are met after each semester. Continuing Scholarship eligibility is checked after every Fall and Spring semester. In order to have the scholarship renewed, students must be enrolled full-time every Fall & Spring semester in coursework applicable towards their program of study; maintain full-time enrollment throughout semester; and have at least a 3.00 cumulative GPA. This information is conveyed to students when they officially accept the scholarship offer via their Pipeline account. 

*SAT equivalent scores are for tests taken March 2016 and after and will include Evidence-Based Reading/Writing and Math scores. 

• ACT Composite score of 22-24 is equivalent to 1100-1190 SAT Total score
• ACT Composite score of 25-29 is equivalent to 1200-1350 SAT Total score
• ACT Composite score of 30-33 is equivalent to 1360-1480 SAT Total score
• ACT Composite score of 34-36 is equivalent to 1490-1600 SAT Total score

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. When determining which scholarship a student is eligible for, we will consider your GPA based on either the 6^th or 7^th semester transcript and highest composite test score (without writing sub-scores) on file with the Admissions Office as of the Dec 1st priority deadline. Students must have an official ACT/SAT test score on file by December 1^st and be admitted to MTSU to be reconsidered for a scholarship award or upgrade due to a higher December test score.

MTSU does NOT accept ACT or SAT Super-Scores. A Super-score is when the student’s sub-scores from multiple tests are combined to form the highest composite score.

We are 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. 

Students who graduate high school with either a GED or HiSet are NOT eligible due to no high school GPA provided.

Unless noted, scholarships are granted for a maximum of 8 semesters. Scholarships are not available during the summer term.

Recipients must be US citizens or permanent residents. Recipients must also be EVEA verified (or lawfully present in the United States). For more information regarding EVEA, please visit https://www.mtsu.edu/how-to-apply/evea/

In the event that MTSU offers multiple scholarships to a student, (including scholarships awarded through other departments but funded by the Financial Aid & Scholarship Office, including the Guaranteed Academic Scholarships, the National Merit Scholarships, Buchanan Fellowship, and Freshman DREAM Scholarship), the student will be awarded the higher of the two. A student may receive a university scholarship in addition to a Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship.

A student’s total financial aid, including scholarships and grants, may be reduced based on specific financial aid sources that are restricted to Cost of Attendance (COA) limitations. In most cases, if a student is receiving federal and/or state aid, their total financial aid can NOT exceed COA. For more information, please contact the MT One Stop.

The awarding of scholarships is based on the availability of funds and the criteria set forth by the appropriate governing bodies, and is subject to change without notice. 

The Buchanan Fellowship is awarded through the prestigious MTSU Honors College, and is the highest academic award given to an entering freshman at Middle Tennessee State University. Students must plan to enroll for the first time in the summer or fall semester to be eligible for the Buchanan Fellowship.

Buchanan Fellows must complete a separate application process that is administered through the Honors College. Fellows selected for participation enter the university as a part of an elite cohort and participate in a specially designed cohort curriculum of courses. Fellows receive a host of special benefits including a full tuition scholarship for up to 16 credits each semester, special seminars, priority registration, a book allowance, priority consideration for study abroad, and much more. The Buchanan Fellowship award is guaranteed for four years, providing you continue to meet all requirements.

To compete for a Buchanan Fellowship, an applicant must

• apply for undergraduate admission to Middle Tennessee
• complete and return the Buchanan application form to the Honors College by December 1 of the year prior to fall enrollment
• have a high school GPA greater than or equal to 3.5
• have a composite ACT greater than or equal to 30 (or SAT equivalent)
  • Prior to March 2016- SAT score of 1280 (Critical Reading & Math)
  • March 2016 and future tests- SAT score of 1360 (Evidence-Based Reading/Writing & Math)
• provide an official transcript of all high school work completed
• be EVEA verified (or lawfully present in the United States). For more information regarding EVEA, please visit https://www.mtsu.edu/how-to-apply/evea/

Successful applicants generally possess qualifications that equal or surpass those required for other MTSU academic scholarships. For more information and scholarship application, visit the website of the Buchanan Fellowship. 

Update May 6, 2025:  This scholarship is funded by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) Student Success and Innovation funds.  Future awards are not guaranteed as these funds are approved yearly.  The criteria for this scholarship is currently under review and no new or continuing awards are currently being made for the academic year 2025-2026. 

MTSU offers approximately 700 endowed and other scholarships to approximately 2000 students each year through special programs sponsored by various academic and administrative departments. Application processes vary from department to department. Many of these Foundation and departmental scholarships require online applications or paper applications.

Foundation and departmental scholarship deadlines

Most scholarships have an application deadline of February 15. After a scholarship deadline has passed, the application for that scholarship will no longer be accepted.

The Scholarship Application opens up every year on October 1^st and closes February 15^th. To complete the scholarship application, go to www.mtsu.edu/scholarships/opportunities and login using your PipelineMT username and password. Once logged in, complete the General Scholarship Application, along with any other applicable scholarship applications to be considered for all scholarships.

Departmental scholarships of special interest 

Information regarding four of our most popular areas of interest are noted below. Please be aware that this is not a comprehensive list, so you should contact departments of interest to ask about scholarship opportunities and search the website for other opportunities.

• Army ROTC Scholarships – Awarded to ROTC program participants by the Military Science department. For more information, visit the above website or call 615-898-2470.
• Meharry Medical School Early Acceptance Program (MSEAP) 
  
  MSEAP is a seven-year early medical acceptance program restricted to incoming freshmen that begins with acceptance into the program as an undergraduate at MTSU and concludes with graduation from Meharry Medical College.  The program consists of three years of study in a prescribed undergraduate premedical school curriculum and four years of medical school study. Upon matriculation into the program, students receive conditional acceptance to MMCSOM.
  
• Music Scholarships – Competitive music scholarships are awarded to both music and non-music majors for instrumental or vocal performance. Band scholarships are also available. For audition dates and requirements, please visit the above web site or call (615) 898-2469.
• Scholarships through the June Anderson Center Scholarship for Women and Non-traditional Students
• Student-Athlete scholarships at MTSU are awarded by the coaches of that particular sport. For more information, please contact the appropriate coaching staff.

Scholarship Thank You Letters

If you are awarded a Foundation and/or Departmental Scholarship, you are expected to write a Thank You letter to the scholarship donor, showing your appreciation for the scholarship.  Your Scholarship offer notification letter should include information regarding a Thank You letter.

Scholarships are made possible through the generous donations of corporations, professional associations, college alumni, and individual philanthropists. Those who provided your scholarship very much appreciate knowing about you and that the scholarship you are receiving made a difference. Your thank you letter acknowledges the importance of generous support for students like you. 

Tips for writing a well-written Scholarship Thank You Letter:

• Mention the scholarship program by name
• Identify your college or university
• Mention your educational background and any obstacles you’ve overcome to make it to college
• Mention any extracurricular activities you are involved in, particularly community service projects
• Discuss both your educational and career goals
• Express your enthusiasm & appreciation for the scholarship, and the impact it has had on you and your family
• Make sure the letter is free of both grammatical and spelling errors. 
• Write clearly and concisely.
• Be sincere.

 For examples, please visit:

•  http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/thank-you-samples.htm
•  https://www.template.net/business/letters/sample-scholarship-thank-you-letter/
•  https://morethankyounotes.com/scholarship-thank-you-notes/

Please send your Scholarship Thank You Letters via postal mail to

Scholarship Program Name – Put the name of your Scholarship received here
c/o Stewardship Coordinator 
MTSU Development Office Box 109
1301 East Main Street 
Murfreesboro, TN  37132

If you have questions about the thank you letter, call the MTSU Development Office at 615-898-2502 or email [email protected].

In addition to the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship program (TELS), 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. These programs are administered through the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation.