Scholarships for Entering Freshmen

General scholarship policies

The university offers institutionally funded scholarships designed to recognize and reward entering first-time students for their academic performance and leadership abilities. To qualify for these scholarships, you must meet the specific scholarship criteria and also:

Graduate from a high school accredited by a state education agency or a regional accrediting association recognized by the United States Department of Education. Homeschooled students should refer to Information for Homeschooled Students.
Be admitted no later than March 1and enroll full-time at the West Plains campus the year you graduate from high school.
Be lawfully present in the United States.

Grade point average (GPA) requirements are based on a 4.00 scale rounded to the nearest 0.01. If your school does not use a 4.00 scale, your GPA will be converted (see details). If your school provides a weighted GPA, it will be used to determine scholarship eligibility. A student’s GPA after the sixth or seventh semester can be used to determine scholarship eligibility.

ACT or SAT scores must be taken by the test dates indicated. Your highest composite or superscore will be used. SAT scores are based on the sum of the Evidence-Based Reading/Writing and Math portions.

For additional information regarding scholarships, including enrollment standards and renewal guidelines, see Scholarship Enrollment and Renewal Standards.

The university reserves the right to limit scholarship offers based on availability of funds.

Scholarships are limited in number and are issued on a competitive basis according to the criteria indicated. Students who complete the Missouri State University-West Plains Scholarship application and included all required letters of reference and/or essays by March 1 will be reviewed by the Scholarship Committee for selection. Decisions of the Scholarship Committee are final.

Institutionally Funded Scholarships

Entering Freshmen who have applied by March 1 will be reviewed using the following selection criteria to determine their eligibility for these scholarships. Students who meet the criteria for the High School Equivalency/GED scholarships must also submit the scholarship application to be considered. These scholarships cannot be combined but can be renewed for a second year and transfer to Springfield if continuing to meet renewal criteria.

Name	Value Per Year	Selection Criteria
Board of Governors Scholarship	$2000	Rank in top 10% of HS class or 3.90 GPA combined with a minimum ACT Composite score of 28
High School Equivalency /GED Board of Governors Scholarship	$2000	GED score of 2860 or HiSET score of 72*
Chancellor’s Scholarship	$1500	Rank in top 20% of HS class or 3.70 GPA combined with a minimum ACT Composite score of 26
Dean’s Scholarship	$1000	Rank in top 20% of HS Class or 3.70 GPA combined with a minimum ACT Composite score of 24
High School Equivalency/GED Dean’s Scholarship	$1000	GED score of 2860 or HiSET score of 72*

*Candidates ranked according to highest score for selection.

Criteria and values for competitive Scholarships

Name	Value per year	Selection Criteria	Deadline and application	Combine with limitations
Arkansas Tuition Scholarship	Equivalent to out of state tuition up to 16 credit hours in fall/spring and 9 credit hours in summer.	Legal resident of the state of Arkansas and admitted as degree-seeking student	No deadline; Submit request to Office of Financial Aid
MSU-WP Promise Scholarship	Year 1 - $500 Year 2 - $750	Combination of financial need and academic potential as demonstrated by combination of class rank, GPA and ACT/SAT scores. HS graduate of a seven-county service area.	March 1
MSU-WP Promise Out of Area Scholarship	Year 1 - $500 Year 2 - $750	Combination of financial need and academic potential as demonstrated by combination of class rank, GPA and ACT/SAT scores. HS graduate not from seven-county service area.	March 1
Multicultural Leadership Scholarship	$2000	Rank in upper 50% of class or 3.0 GPA and demonstrated leadership in multicultural school, community activities, or organization.	March 1	This scholarship cannot combine with Board of Governor’s Scholarship
Residents Assistant Scholarship	Equivalent to Room and Board	Must be hired through a competitive selection process	Spring semester selection for following year
Student Ambassador Book Scholarship	Covers cost of course required books/materials	Complete Scholarship Application and selected following selection process	March 1
Student Government Association Executive Officer Scholarship Mountain Grove	$400	Must be elected by student body, meet the officer requirements of SGA constitution, and enrolled in at least 6 or more credit hours	Spring semester election for following year
Student Government Association Executive Officer Scholarship West Plains	President - $2750 Vice President - $2300 Publicist - $600 Cabinet - $400	President and Vice President must be elected by student body. All officers must meet officer requirements of SGA Constitution and enrolled in 12 or more credit hours.	Spring semester election for following year

Donor-Funded Scholarships

Through the generosity of Missouri State University-West Plains alumni and friends, many scholarships have been established to assist deserving students. These scholarships carry the names of individuals who have been honored or memorialized by private donations made through the Missouri State University Foundation. By completing the Missouri State – West Plains Scholarship application, your application will be matched with the selection criteria for endowed, privately funded and some institutional scholarships. Some scholarships require letters of reference and/or essays that must be submitted to be eligible for consideration. These must be submitted with the scholarship application by the March 1 deadline. Scholarships with criteria that includes a financial need component requires the applicant to also file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1.