Axe ’Em, Jacks!
What is a scholarship?
Like grants, scholarships are financial awards that don’t have to be repaid. Some are based on financial need, but scholarships also can be based on accomplishments, such as academic merit, athletic ability, leadership, extracurricular activities, service or even winning an essay contest. SFA scholarships are limited by available funding. Scholarship selection committees will review candidates and choose a limited number of recipients, as funding allows.
Scholarship providers run the gamut, from SFA to businesses, foundations, religious organizations, nonprofits and community groups. That means there are hundreds of opportunities available for you to get scholarship funding to help you with your SFA expenses.
Do I need to complete the FAFSA?
You don’t have to complete the FAFSA to apply for scholarships, although we suggest you do — some scholarships require a FAFSA, and you could be eligible for other types of aid. Learn more about the FAFSA application requirements, process and deadlines on the Applying for Aid page.
How to apply for a scholarship
SFA has hundreds of scholarships available to new and returning students. The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships offers sfasu.academicworks.com, a scholarship portal that allows you to search and apply for SFA scholarships using a single application!
- Visit sfasu.academicworks.com
- Click the Sign In button and use your mySFA credentials.
Within the application, you can request references by submitting names and email addresses, and complete essays when required. You also can access this portal through mySFA by selecting the Apply for Scholarship Opportunities link on the Financial Aid tab.
You may also be eligible for outside scholarships (details below).
Scholarships provided by SFA
University Regents Scholarship
This award opportunity is for first-time incoming students at the freshman, sophomore or junior level. Each academic department selects two academically gifted undergraduates to receive $3,000 for the academic year, broken down into two $1,500 allocations, to help cover the cost of a room in an SFA residence hall. Commuter students can apply the money toward tuition and fees. You must be admitted to SFA to qualify.
Requirements and renewals
Requirements
Entering freshmen must meet any one of the following requirements for the Regents Scholarship:
- Be in the top 15 percent of their high school graduating class (verified by transcript or letter from the appropriate high school official)
- Have an SAT combined verbal and quantitative score of at least 1220
- Have an ACT composite score of at least 27
- Students must submit writing scores on the SAT reasoning test or writing scores on the ACT
Transfer students must meet the same requirements as entering freshmen and must have maintained a 3.25 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) in all college work.
Renewals
The Regents Scholarship is renewable for continuous fall and spring terms — up to eight terms for freshmen, six terms for sophomores and four terms for juniors — as long as students meet all three of the conditions below.
- Complete at least 24 semester credit hours each academic year with an earned GPA of at least 3.25
- Make appropriate progress each term on the degree requirements in the major from the awarding department
- Receive continuing approval from the department chair and/or faculty of the
Academic Excellence Scholarship Program
The Academic Excellence Scholarship awards $1,500 to $6,000 in scholarships per year to first-year students based on a holistic review of academic credentials. Beginning fall 2023, any student earning the designation of valedictorian from their high school automatically receives the $6,000 award amount of the Academic Excellence Scholarship. If specific criteria are met, the scholarship may be renewed for three additional years after the initial award while pursuing the first baccalaureate degree.
Applying for the Academic Excellence Scholarship Program
Students are automatically considered and evaluated for the scholarship when officially admitted to the university, so a formal application for the Academic Excellence Scholarship is not required. Scholarships will be awarded to eligible students who are admitted to the university by June 30 for the upcoming fall term and meet all scholarship requirements by that date.
Any student who qualifies based on a review of academic credentials and is admitted to the university by June 30 for the upcoming fall term will receive an Academic Excellence Scholarship. The scholarship awarded is divided evenly between the fall and spring terms.
Renewal information
If you received your first award received fall 2021 or earlier
Eligibility for renewal each year is dependent on meeting all the program requirements listed below when grades are finalized at the end of each spring term, including:
- continuous full-time enrollment in SFA for fall and spring semesters
- completion of 24 cumulative course hours during the fall and spring terms
- and the maintaining of, at minimum, the same GPA on file at the time of your first award year.
Required minimum GPA for scholarship renewal
First award received fall 2021 or earlier
If you received your first award fall 2021 or earlier, you must maintain a 3.25 GPA or higher for a scholarship renewal of $3,000.
If your GPA decreases when grades are posted at the end of the spring term, you are not eligible for renewal.
| First Award Amount | Renewal GPA | Renewal Award Amount |
|---|---|---|
| $3,000 | 3.25+ | $3,000 |
GPAs and respective award amounts are not transferable, so the student must maintain the GPA for the initial award amount. A drop in GPA or hours will result in the scholarship not being renewed.
If you received your first award received fall 2022 or later
Eligibility for renewal each year is dependent on meeting all the program requirements listed below when grades are finalized at the end of each spring term, including:
- continuous full-time enrollment in SFA for fall and spring semesters
- completion of 24 cumulative course hours during the fall and spring terms
- and the maintaining of, at minimum, the same GPA on file at the time of your first award year.
Required minimum GPA for scholarship renewal
First award received fall 2022 or later
If you received your first award fall 2022 or later, you must maintain the GPA that correlates with your initial scholarship award amount.
If your GPA increases, you still only are eligible for the scholarship amount that correlates with the GPA on file at the time of your first award year.
| First Award Amount | Renewal GPA | Renewal Award Amount |
|---|---|---|
| $6,000 | 3.50+ | $6,000 |
| $5,000 | 3.25 | $5,000 |
| $3,000 | 3.25 | $3,000 |
| $2,500 | 3.00 | $2,500 |
| $1,500 | 2.75 | $1,500 |
If your GPA decreases when grades are posted at the end of the spring term, you are not eligible for renewal.
GPAs and respective award amounts are not transferable, so the student must maintain the GPA for the initial award amount. A drop in GPA or hours will result in the scholarship not being renewed.
Lumberjack Transfer Scholarship Program
This award opportunity is for students who transfer to SFA during the fall or the spring. The award is $1,000 for the year if the recipient’s transferable GPA is 3.0 to 3.49, and the award is $2,000 per year for students with a transferable GPA of 3.50 or higher. You do not have to apply for this scholarship. We consider all students for it when they’re admitted to SFA.
Requirements and renewals
Requirements
- Completed at least 15 transferable semester hours with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (as computed by SFA's Office of Admissions)
- Advanced placement or credit by exam credits are not included in the 30 transferable semester-hour requirement.
- Submit official college transcript to SFA's Office of Admissions.
- Be officially admitted to SFA.
Renewals
This scholarship is renewable for a second academic year.
- Earn 24 or more semester hours of credits during your first fall and spring terms at SFA.
- Maintain a GPA of at least 3.25 during the fall and spring terms.
School of Honors scholarships
The School of Honors offers four scholarship programs:
- Hoops for Scholars, up to $5,000 for academic year, $2,500 per fall and spring term
- University Scholars Award, up to $4,000 for academic year, $2,000 per fall and spring term
- Wisely Award, up to $1,000 for academic year (please see separate listing below)
Requirements and renewals
School of Honors scholarship requirements
- Be a high school senior with clear admission to SFA
- Have either a minimum SAT reasoning score of 1290 (not including writing) OR an ACT composite score of 27 (not including writing) as submitted to SFA Admissions
- Have completed the SFA Scholarship Application through mySFA
Additional requirement for Hoops for Scholars ONLY
- National Merit Scholar OR National Merit Finalist
We also will consider outside achievements including artistic efforts, professional or occupational activities, significant volunteer work or other worthy activities. On your online application, request up to 3 references from teachers or professors, and complete the 300- to 600-word essay, “Describe an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped shape it.” on page 7.
School of Honors scholarship renewals
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher
- Participate in the School of Honors and earn at least three hours of honors credit (one honors course) per term until at least 25 hours are completed. (This will entitle you to graduate with the University Scholar designation on your degree)
Wisely Award:
This School of Honors program for current SFA students provides recipients a one-time, $1,000 scholarship for the academic year. To be eligible, you must:
- Be a currently enrolled SFA student
- Be a full member of School of Honors in good standing
- Maintain a minimum 3.25 GPA
- Be returning to SFA the next academic year
- Complete the SFA scholarship application through mySFA
On your online application:
- Request up to three references from teachers or professors
- Under the question, “Do you participate in any of the following activities?” on page 6, check the box next to “Honors Program”
- Complete the 300- to 600-word essay, “What does success mean to you?” on page 7
If you’re awarded a Wisely Award scholarship for the following academic year, you’ll need to maintain School of Honors membership, which includes:
- Maintaining a minimum 3.25 minimum cumulative GPA
- Earning a minimum of six honors credits each academic year
- Enrolling in a minimum of 12 credit hours at SFA for the fall and spring terms
More SFA scholarship opportunities
You also may be eligible for scholarship opportunities offered by:
- The Alumni Association
- The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
- The Office of International Programs
- Reserve Officer Training Corps. (ROTC)
- SFA Athletics
Outside scholarship resources
It’s worth your time to look for scholarship opportunities from other sources, too. You can do an online search, “Scholarships for ___” and fill in the blank: leaders, volunteers, children of veterans — you name it. You also can try sites that list scholarship opportunities.