University of Southern Mississippi Scholarships and Merit Aid
Hattiesburg, Mississippi
15 scholarships University of Southern Mississippi publishes, each with the amount, what the school says it takes, and the sentence we read it in. This is what the school states, not a list of every award it offers.
9,899Undergraduates
99%Admit rate
Merit awarded on published numbers (14)
These are the awards the school ties to stated GPA and test bars. No separate application is listed for them.
Academic Excellence Scholarship
$1,500
Published requirement
3.0 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 23 ACT, or 3.0 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1130 SAT
Renewable
Yes, per the school
3.0-3.24 GPA: ACT Test Score 23-25, SAT Test Score 1130-1220, Annual Scholarship Amount $1,500usm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Academic Excellence Scholarship
$2,500
Published requirement
3.0 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 26 ACT, or 3.0 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1230 SAT
Renewable
Yes, per the school
3.0-3.24 GPA: ACT Test Score 26-29, SAT Test Score 1230-1350, Annual Scholarship Amount $2,500usm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Academic Excellence Scholarship
$3,000
Published requirement
3.0 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 30 ACT, or 3.0 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1360 SAT
Renewable
Yes, per the school
3.0-3.24 GPA: ACT Test Score 30-31, SAT Test Score 1360-1410, Annual Scholarship Amount $3,000usm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Academic Excellence Scholarship
$4,500
Published requirement
3.0 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 32 ACT, or 3.0 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1420 SAT
Renewable
Yes, per the school
3.0-3.24 GPA: ACT Test Score 32-36, SAT Test Score 1420-1600, Annual Scholarship Amount $4,500usm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Academic Excellence Scholarship
$1,500
Published requirement
3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 20 ACT, or 3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1030 SAT
Renewable
Yes, per the school
3.25-4.0+ GPA: ACT Test Score 20, SAT Test Score 1030-1050, Annual Scholarship Amount $1,500usm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Academic Excellence Scholarship
$2,500
Published requirement
3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 21 ACT, or 3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1060 SAT
Renewable
Yes, per the school
3.25-4.0+ GPA: ACT Test Score 21, SAT Test Score 1060-1090, Annual Scholarship Amount $2,500usm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Academic Excellence Scholarship
$3,000
Published requirement
3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 22 ACT, or 3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1100 SAT
Renewable
Yes, per the school
3.25-4.0+ GPA: ACT Test Score 22, SAT Test Score 1100-1120, Annual Scholarship Amount $3,000usm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Academic Excellence Scholarship
$4,500
Published requirement
3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 23 ACT, or 3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1130 SAT
Renewable
Yes, per the school
3.25-4.0+ GPA: ACT Test Score 23-24, SAT Test Score 1130-1190, Annual Scholarship Amount $4,500usm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Academic Excellence Scholarship
$5,250
Published requirement
3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 25 ACT, or 3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1200 SAT
Renewable
Yes, per the school
3.25-4.0+ GPA: ACT Test Score 25-26, SAT Test Score 1200-1250, Annual Scholarship Amount $5,250usm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Academic Excellence Scholarship
$6,000
Published requirement
3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 27 ACT, or 3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1260 SAT
Renewable
Yes, per the school
3.25-4.0+ GPA: ACT Test Score 27-29, SAT Test Score 1260-1350, Annual Scholarship Amount $6,000usm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Academic Excellence Scholarship
$9,000
Published requirement
3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 30 ACT, or 3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1360 SAT
Renewable
Yes, per the school
3.25-4.0+ GPA: ACT Test Score 30, SAT Test Score 1360-1380, Annual Scholarship Amount $9,000usm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Academic Excellence Scholarship
$10,000
Published requirement
3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 31 ACT, or 3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1390 SAT
Renewable
Yes, per the school
3.25-4.0+ GPA: ACT Test Score 31, SAT Test Score 1390-1410, Annual Scholarship Amount $10,000usm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Academic Excellence Scholarship (Full Tuition)
$0
Published requirement
3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 32 ACT, or 3.25 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1420 SAT
Renewable
Yes, per the school
3.25-4.0+ GPA: ACT Test Score 32-36, SAT Test Score 1420-1600, Annual Scholarship Amount Full Tuitionusm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Academic Excellence Housing Scholarship
$0
Published requirement
3.6 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 32 ACT, or 3.6 GPA (scale as the school published it) and 1420 SAT
Renewable
Not stated as renewable
Full value of the cost for a double occupancy room only | Must live on campus during your first yearusm.edu (read 2026-07-07)
Department awards open to incoming freshmen (1)
Run by a college or department, and published as open to students entering as freshmen.
Dance Incoming Student Scholarships
$400 to $500
Department
School of Performing and Visual Arts (Dance Program)
Awards are typically in the $400-$500 rangeusm.edu (read 2026-07-10)
Which of these a student actually clears depends on GPA, test score, home state, and major. A free Graidy account works that out award by award, and shows what is left to pay after it.
Cost of attendance as published: tuition, fees, housing, and food for one year. It is the sticker, before any of the awards above and before need-based aid.
USM Golden Opportunities (GO) System / AcademicWorks — the university-wide scholarship application hub through which most named departmental/donor endowments (College of Business and Economic Development, School of Criminal Justice, Dance, Theatre, School of Music) are administered and applied for; individual award dollar amounts are frequently gated behind SSO login rather than published on the public department page.
Every amount on this page was read off a University of Southern Mississippi page on the date shown. Schools change award tables, so check the school's page before you count on a number.