Affording Graduate School

There are several scholarships available for graduate students through the College of Graduate Studies. Below you will find information and guidelines for each scholarship.

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CGS First-Time Graduate Student Scholarship

Application Opens: July 15th

Application Deadline: August 1st

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The College of Graduate Studies First-Time Graduate Student Scholarship was created to assist first-time graduate students with tuition costs in their first semester. Recipients are awarded the scholarship dollars for the upcoming fall semester. The maximum award amount will be equal to six hours of graduate in-state tuition for the fall semester only. The actual award amount will vary based upon enrollment.

To be eligible, the student must:

• Be fully admitted as a first-time graduate degree-seeking student at MTSU at the time of the application
• Submit a statement of financial need
• Not be receiving a graduate assistantship or other grant aid

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Foundation Graduate Student Scholarship

Application Opens: February 1st

Application Deadline: April 1st

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The MTSU Foundation Graduate Scholarship is established through the Senior Gift Program by graduating seniors of MTSU and for the purpose of providing scholarship support to graduate students at Middle Tennessee State University.  

Recipients are awarded the scholarship dollars for the upcoming fall semester.  In order to receive the scholarship dollars for the following spring semester, the recipient is expected to achieve a minimum of a 3.0 GPA in the previous fall semester.  Each scholarship is for up to one academic year (fall and spring semesters) and may not be renewed beyond the one year. 

Preference shall be given to students who participated in the Senior Gift Program before obtaining their undergraduate degree from MTSU.

To be eligible, the student must:

• Be fully admitted as a graduate degree-seeking student at MTSU at the time of this application
• Be enrolled in at least six credit hours for the semester the scholarship is awarded
• Have an undergraduate degree from MTSU
• Be a resident of Tennessee or Kentucky
• Have an overall undergraduate gpa of 3.5 or greater
• Be fully admitted as a graduate degree-seeking student
• Submit a letter stating career intent
• Submit a statement of financial need

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Samuel H. Howard MBA Scholarship

Application Opens: February 1st

Application Deadline: April 1st

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• Be a fully admitted African American MBA degree-seeking student at MTSU at the time of this application
• Be enrolled in graduate courses the semester the scholarship is awarded
• Submit three letters of recommendation, attached as *.pdf files
• Provide a statement of financial need
• Provide a brief personal narrative supporting the application

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Tammy Jones Memorial Scholarship

Application Opens: February 1st

Application Deadline: April 1st

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The Tammy Jones Memorial Scholarship is awarded annually to an incoming or current graduate student majoring in mathematics or vocal music at Middle Tennessee State University. This scholarship may be renewed for a maximum of one year.  Prior recipients must re-apply for consideration.

To be considered, a student must:

• Be fully admitted as a mathematics or vocal music graduate degree-seeking student at MTSU  at the time of this application
• Be enrolled in graduate courses the semester the scholarship is awarded
• Provide a brief narrative supporting the application

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Mary W. and Chester R. Martin Graduate Academic Scholarship

Application Opens: February 1st

Application Deadline: April 1st

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The Mary W. and Chester R. Martin Graduate Academic Scholarship fosters academic scholarship and leadership.  This scholarship is awarded fall and spring semesters as a tuition grant.  This award is made for one semester only and is non-renewable.

• Be a first semester graduate student
• Be fully admitted as a graduate degree-seeking student at MTSU at the time of this application
• Be enrolled in at least nine credit hours for the semester the scholarship is awarded
• Be a Tennessee or Kentucky resident
• Have graduated from an accredited, undergraduate institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or greater
• Attach three letters of reference. These letters should contain evidence that the applicant shows exceptional promise for academic excellence and leadership.  

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Albert L. and Ethel Carver Smith Scholarship for Graduate Students

Application Opens: February 1st

Application Deadline: April 1st

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The Albert L. and Ethel Carver Smith Memorial Scholarship is awarded the student's first semester and is renewable for one additional semester, contingent upon satisfactory academic progress.

• Be fully admitted as a graduate degree-seeking student at MTSU at the time of this application
• Be enrolled in at least nine credit hours for the semester the scholarship is awarded
• Maintain a 2.5 GPA
• Provide a statement of financial need
• Provide a brief personal narrative supporting the application

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Walton O. Warren Graduate Scholarship

Application Opens: February 1st

Application Deadline: April 1st

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The Walton O. Warren Graduate Scholarship is awarded annually in an amount determined by the College of Graduate Studies Scholarship Committee and limited to the funds available in the spendable account.   

To be eligible, a student must:

• Be fully admitted as a graduate degree-seeking student at MTSU at the time of this application
• Be enrolled in graduate courses the semester the scholarship is awarded
• Be a Tennessee resident
• Have earned a Bachelor's degree
• Have a minimum of four years of experience in the Tennessee public school system
• Be planning a career in the public schools of Tennessee
• Submit a personal narrative supporting the application
• Include a letter of endorsement from a school principal, superintendent, or someone who is qualified in your district to verify employment. The endorsement should address:
  • Why you are deserving of the scholarship
  • How the award would contribute to your professional development
  • How your school will benefit if the award is granted

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College of Graduate Studies Access and Diversity Scholarship

Application Opens: March 21st

Application Deadline: April 15th

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MTSU values the richness of learning opportunities brought to our campus through diversity in our student body. 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.

CGS Access and Diversity Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, diversity, and financial need. These scholarships are awarded for one academic year only; students must reapply each year to be considered. 

Awards vary and are dependent on available funds. Prior applicants must reapply for consideration.

Applicants must meet the following criteria to be considered:

• Enrollment: The student must be fully admitted as an MTSU Graduate student and in either part-time or full-time hours. Both domestic and international students are permitted to apply.
• Diversity: MTSU campus is a rich blend of students from a variety of racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds that bring with them a diverse array of life experiences. For the purpose of these scholarships, diversity is considered to include, but is not limited to, any of the following:
  • Disability status
  • First-generation college students
  • Gender identity/expression
  • Non-traditional students
  • Personal hardships
  • Race or ethnicity
  • Sexual orientation
  • Special gifts or talents
  • Veteran status

Application Requirements:

• Complete Prompt Questions: All applicants must complete five short answer questions that describe the student’s career interests and why graduate school is important to their success (3-5 sentences each).
• Intended Course Load: Applicants must provide a statement of intent to enroll for the fall semester.

Academic Common Market Application

It Pays to Be Unique!

You may qualify for in-state tuition at MTSU if you are enrolled in an academic major not offered in your home state.

Overview and Eligibility

The Academic Common Market (ACM) is a tuition savings program which allows residents of participating states to qualify for in-state tuition for unique academic majors not offered in their home state. The ACM is coordinated by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB).

Who is eligible?

You must be a resident of a member state of the SREB to qualify for the ACM:

Alabama Arkansas Delaware Florida* Georgia

Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Mississippi Oklahoma

South Carolina Tennessee Texas* Virginia West Virginia

*Florida and Texas participate in the ACM at the graduate level only.
North Carolina does not currently participate in ACM at any level.

Which programs are approved for the ACM?

Many MTSU programs are already approved for ACM - you can find a list of programs by state here. Other programs may be eligible for approval if they are not currently offered in your home state.

In order to qualify the student must meet the following requirements:

• Have a documented permanent residence located in a county within a 250 mile radius of MTSU.
• Include new and returning students living anywhere within the eight states bordering Tennessee (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina and Virginia).

Students who qualify will receive:

• A reduced tuition rate equal to approximately 48% off the standard out of state rate.
• Certain students may be eligible for the Academic Common Market Program which offers instate rates.  Check out the dropdown box above for more details about the ACM.

Eligible States

 

Alabama	Missouri
Arkansas	Mississippi
Georgia	North Carolina
Illinois	Ohio
Indiana	South Carolina
Kentucky	Virginia

  

Contact the College of Graduate Studies at askgrad@mtsu.edu for more information.             

Departmental Funding

• Womack Educational Leadership Department
• Professional Counseling Program
  • Graduate Assistantship Opportunities here

Discounts

• Part-time/Full-time Application
  
  • The Part-time/Full-Time program allows students to receive an out-of-state fee waiver by working full-time (32 hours or more per week, off campus) and taking part-time classes (no more than 6 hours a semester) for at least two consecutive semesters. After completing two consecutive semesters of the Part-Time/Full-Time program, students are eligible for in-state classification. Please note that an approved in-state classification form and a valid Tennessee driver's license are required to receive full in-state status.

Other Sources

• Minority Teaching Fellows Program
  •  The Minority Teaching Fellows Program is intended to encourage talented minority Tennesseans to enter the teaching field in Tennessee. The award is $5,000 per year for students who pursue a teacher certification at an eligible Tennessee college or university.
• Military Benefits 
  
  • The Daniels Center at MTSU helps military students and their families find potential financial aid resources and file the appropriate paperwork.
• Fee Waivers and Tuition Reimbursement
  
  • Many workplaces offer funding opportunities for their staff to pursue their educational goals either through tuition reimbursement, a waiver for fees, or through other means. Talk to your Human Resources department to discuss options to fund your education. Please submit your waiver to the MT One Stop.
  • MTSU Tuition Forms for Employees, their spouses, and dependents. 
• Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP)
  
  • The ORSP may be able to provide funding opportunities for those working to enhance their research opportunities. 
• STEM Graduate Opportunities
  • This website contains information on scholarships, competition awards, fellowships, internships, conference presentations, etc. from different agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF),  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Homeland Security, Smithsonian Institution, Department of Transportation (DoT), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
• American Indian Graduate Center
  
  • Offer scholarships and fellowships to fund graduate and professional degrees.
• Graduate Student Travel Funding
  
  • Students may receive funding for academic travel as funds allow. Students must have an approved travel application before traveling for funding to be applicable. 
• CGS Emergency Micro Grant
  • The College of Graduate Studies Emergency Micro Grant is designed to provide assistance to active students by covering a limited, time-sensitive, unexpected, emergency financial hardship associated with their education. This emergency micro grant is not intended to cover expected expenses routine to a student's everyday life or be a first line of defense. A student may be awarded up to $500 once during their tenure at MTSU. Students are encouraged to contact their academic college's dean's office regarding an emergency micro grant before completing the CGS Emergency Micro Grant Application. 

    To be eligible, a student must: 

    • Be currently enrolled as a student in the College of Graduate Studies at MTSU
    • Be in academic good standing
    • Have a minimum of a 3.0 overall cumulative GPA at the time of the request
    • Have demonstrated a good faith effort to explore other funding options
    • Establish an expressed need that is not a result of the student's own actions
    • Provide supporting documents of this need
    • Have a need based on an unexpected, limited, time-sensitive, emergency situation, not to exceed the limits of grant funding
    • Not currently be on financial aid warning, probation, or suspension

    Possible Student Emergency Expenses Covered:

    • Essential course books or materials
    • Replacement of essential personal belongings due to natural disaster, fire, theft, or other unforeseen circumstances
    • One-time/non-recurring medical expenses that would be fully expunged with microgrant funds
    • Emergency expenses related to dependents
    • Tuition and student fees

    Student Expenses NOT Covered:

    • Non-essential utilities
    • Continuous fixed expenses
    • Non-essential utilities
    • Household furniture unrelated to damage or theft
    • Study Abroad costs
    • Parking tickets
    • Entertainment, recreational, non-emergency travel costs
    • Other expenses that are not limited, time-sensitive, unexpected, emergency needs
    • Costs that exceed what the micro grant can rectify

     
     

Installment Plan Information

MTSU understands that funds arrive differently for each individual. In order to help students as much as possible, MTSU offers an installment plan for tuition, available during the Spring and Fall semesters. This may be helpful even if you are using financial aid for tuition and fees.  

Eligibility

• The total balance you owe must be at least $400 after all discounts, financial aid, and other credits have been applied to your account
• Pay 25% of the registration fees, dorm rent, and meal plan costs by the fee payment deadline
• Prior term charges and non-deferrable charges must be paid in addition to the 25% payment.

Terms

After making the initial 25% payment by the fee payment deadline, the remaining 75% will be payable in three monthly installments. For the fall term, installment payments are due on September 30, October 31 and November 30. Please note that the university is not obligated to send reminder notices before the payment is due.

Participants in this plan must apply all discounts, waivers, third party sponsor payments (such as employer and pre-paid tuition programs) and financial aid, including student loans, toward payment of registration fees before a payment plan will be considered. Financial Aid and other credits received after the initial payment will be applied to the remaining balance, and future amounts due will be recomputed. No refunds can be made until all fees are paid in full.

To learn all the terms and conditions for using the MTSU Installment Plan, click the "Installment Plan Information" button above. Contact the MT One Stop with questions.