Skip to main content

Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships

Financial Aid

Scholarship Opportunities for Currently Enrolled Students

Scholarship opportunities don’t stop after your initial enrollment at MTSU! As a continuing student, you may become eligible for additional scholarships. This includes Diversity Scholarships that recognize the contributions that students from underrepresented backgrounds make to our campus, and Foundation Scholarships that are funded by outside benefactors. Some academic departments and other programs also have awards for continuing students that recognize their academic achievement or special distinction. 

The Fall 2024 – Spring 2025 Scholarship Guide provides an outline of all scholarships, and is suitable for printing for your review or to share with family members. For Spanish version, please click here. 

Diversity Scholarships

MTSU has a rich blend of students from a variety of racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds that bring with them a diverse array of life experiences. MTSU values the richness of learning opportunities brought to our campus through diversity in our student body and faculty. To demonstrate that commitment and to encourage the enrollment of students from populations underrepresented at MTSU, scholarships are offered to students who contribute to the creation and education of a diverse student body. 

The MT Diversity Scholarship is awarded based on academic achievement, diversity and financial need.

Students must apply for this scholarship by submitting the online Scholarship Application by February 15th to be considered for an award for the following academic year. The Scholarship Application opens up every year on October 1st. 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 to be considered for this particular scholarship.

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered:

  • GPA: You must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 after the fall semester. 
  • Diversity: For the purpose of this scholarship, diversity is considered to include (but is not limited to):
    • Disability status
    • First-generation college students
    • gender identity/expression
    • Non-traditional students
    • Personal hardships
    • Sexual orientation
    • Special gifts or talents
    • Veteran status
  • Financial Need: You must file a FAFSA by February 15 and must have an SAI of 9,000 or less according to your FAFSA results. 
  • Enrollment: You must be enrolled in at least 6 hours to receive prorated award amount.
  • You must be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements
  • You must be pursuing your first undergraduate degree; if you are working on a graduate degree or a second undergraduate degree, you will not be considered.
  • You must be a US citizen or permanent resident. 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/
  • You cannot be a recipient of other scholarships awarded and/or funded by the Financial Aid & Scholarship Office.

To be eligible for the MTSU Diversity Mentor Scholarship awarded by the Office of Student Success, you must be a currently enrolled student from a diverse background and be in good academic standing with a minimum 2.50 overall cumulative GPA at the time of completing the application. Students must be classified as degree seeking and enrolled in at least 6 credit hours in Fall/Spring (3 credit hours in Summer). In addition, students must have completed a peer mentor orientation.

Students must also demonstrate satisfactory academic progress as determined by the Financial Aid Office. Students currently on financial aid warning, probation, or suspension are not eligible. Students receiving other forms of financial aid may not receive the Diversity Mentor Scholarship if it will cause them to exceed their allowable Total Cost of Attendance calculation.

The amount of the scholarship will vary, with a $1,000 maximum award, depending on need and the availability of funding. Only 1 Diversity Mentor Scholarship can be received each semester. (NOTE: If you have an outstanding balance with the University, funds will first be applied to paying down your balance. Any remaining balance will then be distributed to you.)

No longer accepting applications for the Fall 2024 semester

There will be a separate application for Spring 2025 awards that will be posted around the start of the Spring 2025 semester.

MTSU Foundation and departmental scholarships 

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, while others are awarded based on academic achievement or other factors and do not require an application.

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 1st and closes February 15th. 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.

A Foundation Scholarship is an endowed award, with funding that initially came to MTSU from an outside benefactor. The scholarship donor, often an MTSU alumnus or a local charitable organization, gives funds to MTSU and designates that the funds be used to offer scholarships to students meeting certain criteria. MTSU uses the available funds to award scholarships to students who match each donor’s preferences and requirements. For example, a donor might ask that a scholarship be given to students in a particular major, or to students who have financial need. Additional Foundation Scholarships are assigned to the departments which are best able to identify eligible students; for instance, a scholarship for chemistry majors will be awarded by the chemistry department, while a scholarship for art students is assigned to the art department. 

A departmental scholarship has funding that comes from within the budget of a specific academic or other department, and that department selects the recipients. These scholarships are often performance-based, with specific performance requirements, which must be completed for the student to continue to receive the scholarship. For example, a music departmental scholarship may require a student to register for certain classes and to participate in specific music ensembles; an athletic scholarship may require the recipient to play on a certain athletic team. 

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 additionally contact departments of interest to ask about scholarship opportunities and follow the instructions above to 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.
  • 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:

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 Ms. Stanley at 615-898-5015 or email [email protected].

RESOURCES