Apply for SMSU Scholarships
2027–2028 Academic Year
The SMSU Foundation awards donor-funded scholarships to SMSU students each year. The SMSU Foundation Scholarship Application in AwardSpring includes a single General Application that matches you with the awards you qualify for.
Scholarship Application
The SMSU Foundation Scholarship Application in AwardSpring opens October 1, 2026, and covers both the fall and spring semesters of the next academic year. Fill it out once, and you are considered for the awards you qualify for.
Apply in Four Steps
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Sign In With Your StarID
AwardSpring uses the same StarID and password you use for eServices and D2L.
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Complete the General Application
AwardSpring combines information from your student record with your answers to find scholarships you may qualify for. The matching happens automatically, so you do not have to research every donor-funded award one at a time.
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Complete Any Extra Questions
AwardSpring may recommend extra questions or separate applications for certain scholarships. A few awards also ask for materials such as an audition or a portfolio. Complete each one that applies to you to stay in consideration for those awards.
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Check Your SMSU Email
SMSU sends scholarship notices to your SMSU email. You can also check My Applications in AwardSpring to see your current status at any time. If you receive a donor-funded award, you may be asked to write a thank-you note to the donor.
Before You Start
Gathering a few things ahead of time makes the general application go quickly. It helps to have résumé details, activities, accomplishments, and an intended graduation term on hand. Most of the General Application asks about your experiences and goals rather than requiring separate paperwork.
Current Student Scholarships at SMSU
Review each scholarship below to see whether you qualify and what you need to do. Most current-student scholarships require the general application in AwardSpring. Some ask for extra questions or materials, and a few come through outside organizations that run their own selection process.
Donor-Funded SMSU Foundation Awards
Scholarship Details
Award Amount
Award amounts vary from one scholarship to the next, since each donor sets what their fund pays. The amount a student receives depends on which scholarships they match.
How Awards Work
Donors create these scholarships and set the criteria for each, which may include a student's major, GPA, class year, financial need, hometown, or activities. The SMSU Foundation matches applicants to the awards for which they meet the criteria. Criteria differ from fund to fund, so two different students can match with different scholarships.
Application
One general application in AwardSpring covers donor-funded scholarships, so you apply once instead of filling out a separate form for each fund. Sign in with the same StarID and password you use for eServices and D2L. A few scholarships include additional questions within the same application.
Application Cycle
The general application opens October 1, 2026, for scholarships awarded during the next academic year. File it once, and you are considered for the awards you qualify for.
Eligibility Requirements
To be considered for donor-funded SMSU Foundation scholarships, you must:
- Be currently enrolled at SMSU.
- Be working toward your first bachelor’s degree.
- Complete the general scholarship application in AwardSpring.
- Meet the requirements of each scholarship for which you are considered.
Each scholarship has its own requirements. Completing the general application does not guarantee an award, but it allows AwardSpring to identify scholarships that may match your qualifications.
Application and Matching Process
- Complete the general scholarship application in AwardSpring.
- AwardSpring uses your student record and application answers to match you with scholarships for which you may qualify.
- Complete any additional questions or supplemental applications recommended to you.
- The SMSU Foundation and the scholarship committees select recipients based on each award's own requirements.
- Check your SMSU email and the My Applications area in AwardSpring for updates.
Have a question about a scholarship that is not tied to your major? Email Scholarships@SMSU.edu or call (507) 537-6281.
Scholarships for Your Major
Scholarship Details
Award Amount
Award amounts vary by department and scholarship.
How Awards Work
Academic departments offer scholarships to students in their own programs and set the criteria for each one. Requirements can include a student's major, academic progress, class year, activities, or financial need. Because each department sets its own criteria, the awards in one program look different from those in another.
Application
The application process varies by department. Some departmental scholarships are administered through AwardSpring alongside the general application, while others require a separate form or additional materials.
Scholarship Contact
Your department's office staff can tell you which scholarships the department offers and what each application needs. Ask early, so you have time to gather anything a scholarship requires.
Eligibility Requirements
Department scholarships are generally intended for students enrolled in a specific major or academic program. Each scholarship has its own requirements.
Depending on the scholarship, you may need to:
- Be admitted to or enrolled in an eligible major or program.
- Meet academic, class-year, financial-need, activity, or other scholarship requirements.
- Complete the general AwardSpring application, a department application, or both.
- Submit any additional information requested by the department.
Not every department scholarship appears in the general AwardSpring application. Contact your department so you do not miss an opportunity.
Department Application and Award Process
- Complete the general application in AwardSpring, a department application, or both.
- Ask your department which scholarships are available for your major.
- Confirm whether each scholarship uses AwardSpring or a separate department process.
- Submit any required application, questions, documents, auditions, or other materials by the department’s deadline.
- Watch your SMSU email for application updates and award notices.
Reporting Outside Scholarships
Scholarship Details
What to Report
Students report every scholarship they receive from an organization outside SMSU, regardless of the amount.
Common Sources
Outside scholarships come from high schools, employers, community organizations, foundations, churches, and other private sources.
Who to Notify
The SMSU Student Financial Aid and Scholarships Office collects these reports and records the award on a student's file.
Why It Matters
Federal rules count outside scholarships as part of your total financial aid, so Financial Aid and Scholarships reviews your whole package whenever a new award arrives. That review sometimes changes the loans or need-based aid you were offered. Reporting an award early lets the office make those changes before your bill comes due.
Why You Need to Report an Award
Report your award even if the check is made payable to you rather than to SMSU. It still counts toward your financial aid, and SMSU still needs to know about it.
Reporting Process
- Gather the scholarship name, sponsoring organization, and award amount.
- Report your outside scholarships to Financial Aid and Scholarships. Email FinancialAid@SMSU.edu or call (507) 537-6281.
- Provide any additional information requested so the award can be added to your financial aid record.
- Review your financial aid information after the outside scholarship has been processed.
Get Scholarship Help
Financial Aid and Scholarships answers general scholarship questions at Scholarships@SMSU.edu or (507) 537-6281. For scholarships tied to your major, begin with your department office manager.
Complete the FAFSA Each Year
FAFSA information, submitted annually, determines federal and state financial aid and may also be considered for some scholarships.
Last Modified: 8/18/26 1:30 PM | Website Feedback