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Columbus State University · Georgia

Columbus State scholarships and merit aid

Georgia residents with strong academics can access state scholarship programs alongside campus honors and research awards.

Verified Jun 20263 months ago

The short answer

Is Columbus State worth a closer look?

Columbus State may be worth checking, but its awards do not follow a simple grades-and-scores chart. Start with the published scholarships below.

Merit tiers3See who qualifies
Research checkedJun 2026By our research team

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Published scholarships

These amounts and requirements come from the school’s own published pages. Open an award to see who qualifies and how to keep it.

Up to $300

Student Research And Creative Endeavors Srace Grants

Apply separately

Source

Amount not published

Hope Scholarship

Apply separately

Source

Amount not published

Zell Miller Scholarship

Apply separately

Source

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

This page is for Georgia residents who may qualify for HOPE or Zell Miller scholarships, as well as students seeking an honors college experience with funding for undergraduate research and creative projects.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $27,478 for 2026-2027. Source

Cost and graduation facts

Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at Columbus State, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.

Average annual net price by family income at Columbus State, academic year 2021-22 — in-state, Title-IV aid recipients only
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$11,271
$30,001–$48,000$11,873
$48,001–$75,000$13,786
$75,001–$110,000$16,542
$110,001+$18,329
All income levels (average)$13,115

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
$5,898
Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
$17,610
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$13,115

That works out to roughly a 39% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $21,676 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

Columbus State is a public school; Scorecard's net price figure covers in-state, Title-IV-aid-recipient payers only — there is no comparable federal figure for out-of-state students.

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
42%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
70%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$26,000 (~$276/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$44,544
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
57%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
43%
See other scholarships and cost examples

Other Columbus State scholarships worth checking

These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.

AmountUp to $300EligibilityStudent Research And Creative Endeavors Grants provide up to $300 for materials, supplies, or travel costs to disseminate research findings or creative projects.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityHonors Educational Activity Grants support Honors students' co-curricular activities such as research, conference travel, and study abroad programs.

Source

Amount$1,000EligibilityThe University Scholarship is a one-time scholarship valued at $1,000 for entering freshmen admitted to the CSU Honors College.

Source

AmountUp to $2,500EligibilityThe Tower Scholarship is an annual, renewable scholarship of up to $2,500 for entering freshmen admitted to the CSU Honors College.

Source

AmountUp to $5,000EligibilityThe Presidential Scholarship is an annual, renewable scholarship of up to $5,000 for entering freshmen admitted to the CSU Honors College.

Source

Columbus State merit aid FAQ

  • What is the deadline for College Scholarships For Undergraduates?

    The deadline for Honors College Scholarships for Undergraduates is April 15 each year.

  • What is the deadline for Educational Activity Grant?

    Applications for the Honors Educational Activity Grant are due September 15, December 15, and April 15 of each year.

See sources and other schools

Sources used on this page

Every claim is checked against Columbus State’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.

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