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Jacksonville State scholarships and merit aid

Two prices: the posted one, and yours.

Posted price$27,978per year · 2025-2026 · cost of attendance
Yours?depends on the rules below

The short answer

Jacksonville State is worth checking if your student has strong grades or scores. We found 17 published awards, and 13 are based on those numbers.

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
7 school sources to explore

Published rules, with the school sources close at hand. Confirm the details before you count on an award.

The award collection

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.

Where does your student land?

  1. Gamecock Achievement (GPA-based)$6,000–$8,000/yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Gamecock Achievement (GPA-based)

    $6,000–$8,000/year

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.75–4.0+
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Gamecock Achievement (GPA-based)

    Who qualifies

    First-time freshman; cumulative high school GPA

    How to keep it

    Renewable for 8 semesters (4 years); must earn 24 institutional credit hours per academic year and maintain the institutional GPA listed in the scholarship contract; must be enrolled full-time (12+ hours) each semester; no summer terms.

    Worth knowing

    GPA 3.75–3.99 = $6,000/yr ($24,000 over 4 years); GPA 4.0+ = $8,000/yr ($32,000 over 4 years). Out-of-state students receiving this award pay remaining tuition at in-state rate.

  2. Gamecock Success (GPA-based)$4,000–$5,000/yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Gamecock Success (GPA-based)

    $4,000–$5,000/year

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.00–3.74
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Gamecock Success (GPA-based)

    Who qualifies

    First-time freshman; cumulative high school GPA

    How to keep it

    Renewable for 8 semesters (4 years); must earn 24 institutional credit hours per academic year and maintain the institutional GPA listed in the scholarship contract; must be enrolled full-time (12+ hours) each semester; no summer terms.

    Worth knowing

    GPA 3.00–3.49 = $4,000/yr ($16,000 over 4 years); GPA 3.50–3.74 = $5,000/yr ($20,000 over 4 years). Out-of-state students receiving this award pay remaining tuition at in-state rate.

  3. Gamecock Opportunity (GPA-based)$1,000–$3,000/yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Gamecock Opportunity (GPA-based)

    $1,000–$3,000/year

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.00–2.99
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Gamecock Opportunity (GPA-based)

    Who qualifies

    First-time freshman; cumulative high school GPA

    How to keep it

    Renewable for 8 semesters (4 years); must earn 24 institutional credit hours per academic year and maintain the institutional GPA listed in the scholarship contract; must be enrolled full-time (12+ hours) each semester; no summer terms.

    Worth knowing

    GPA 2.00–2.49 = $1,000/yr ($4,000/4yr); GPA 2.50–2.74 = $2,000/yr ($8,000/4yr); GPA 2.75–2.99 = $3,000/yr ($12,000/4yr). Out-of-state students receiving this award pay remaining tuition at in-state rate.

  4. Gamecock Prestige (Test Score + GPA)$5,000–$10,500/yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Gamecock Prestige (Test Score + GPA)

    $5,000–$10,500/year

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.00+
    SAT
    1390+
    ACT
    31+
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Gamecock Prestige (Test Score + GPA)

    Who qualifies

    First-time freshman; highest cumulative high school GPA; test scores received by May 1 (Fall admits) or Dec 1 (Spring admits)

    How to keep it

    Renewable for 8 semesters (4 years); must earn 24 institutional credit hours per academic year and maintain the institutional GPA listed in the scholarship contract; must be enrolled full-time (12+ hours) each semester; no summer terms.

    Worth knowing

    GPA 2.00–2.99 = $5,000/yr ($20,000/4yr); GPA 3.00–4.00+ = $10,500/yr ($42,000/4yr). Test scores cannot lower scholarship, only improve it. Out-of-state students receiving this award pay remaining tuition at in-state rate.

  5. Gamecock Excellence (Test Score + GPA)$4,000–$10,500/yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Gamecock Excellence (Test Score + GPA)

    $4,000–$10,500/year

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.00+
    SAT
    1330–1380
    ACT
    29–30
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Gamecock Excellence (Test Score + GPA)

    Who qualifies

    First-time freshman; highest cumulative high school GPA

    How to keep it

    Renewable for 8 semesters (4 years); must earn 24 institutional credit hours per academic year and maintain the institutional GPA listed in the scholarship contract; must be enrolled full-time (12+ hours) each semester; no summer terms.

    Worth knowing

    GPA 2.00–2.99 = $4,000/yr; GPA 3.00–3.24 = $9,000/yr; GPA 3.25–3.49 = $10,000/yr; GPA 3.50–4.00 = $10,500/yr. Test scores cannot lower scholarship, only improve it.

  6. Gamecock Tradition (Test Score + GPA)$3,000–$9,000/yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Gamecock Tradition (Test Score + GPA)

    $3,000–$9,000/year

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.00+
    SAT
    1230–1320
    ACT
    26–28
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Gamecock Tradition (Test Score + GPA)

    Who qualifies

    First-time freshman; highest cumulative high school GPA

    How to keep it

    Renewable for 8 semesters (4 years); must earn 24 institutional credit hours per academic year and maintain the institutional GPA listed in the scholarship contract; must be enrolled full-time (12+ hours) each semester; no summer terms.

    Worth knowing

    GPA 2.00–2.99 = $3,000/yr; GPA 3.00–3.24 = $5,000/yr; GPA 3.25–3.49 = $7,000/yr; GPA 3.50–3.74 = $8,000/yr; GPA 3.75–4.00 = $9,000/yr.

  7. Gamecock Advantage (Test Score + GPA)$2,000/yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Gamecock Advantage (Test Score + GPA)

    $2,000/year

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.00–2.49
    SAT
    830–1220
    ACT
    15–25
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Gamecock Advantage (Test Score + GPA)

    Who qualifies

    First-time freshman; highest cumulative high school GPA

    How to keep it

    Renewable for 8 semesters (4 years); must earn 24 institutional credit hours per academic year and maintain the institutional GPA listed in the scholarship contract; must be enrolled full-time (12+ hours) each semester; no summer terms.

    Worth knowing

    Only one GPA band published: GPA 2.00–2.49 = $2,000/yr ($8,000/4yr). Higher GPAs not listed in this test-score tier (would qualify for GPA-only tiers at higher amounts).

  8. International Merit Scholarship$5,000/yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    International Merit Scholarship

    $5,000/year

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Admitted as freshman (all admitted freshmen)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for International Merit Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    International first-time freshmen; GPA asterisk noted on page (exact threshold not stated)

    How to keep it

    Renewal terms not separately stated on the page beyond 4-year total being published; assumed to follow standard merit scholarship renewal requirements (24 credit hours/year, maintain institutional GPA in scholarship contract, full-time enrollment).

    Worth knowing

    Listed for 'All Admitted Freshmen' at $5,000/yr ($20,000/4yr). The asterisk (*) on the GPA column was noted on the page but no separate footnote text was published for it. Distinct from the Gamecock Grant — international students have their own tier.

  9. Gamecock Grant$1,000/yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Gamecock Grant

    $1,000/year

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Admitted but does not qualify for merit-based scholarships above
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Gamecock Grant

    Who qualifies

    Must be accepted to Jax State; does not qualify for any merit-based scholarships listed above

    How to keep it

    4-year total of $4,000 published, implying 4-year renewable. Some forms of institutional grants, including the Gamecock Grant, may not apply to students receiving athletic aid.

    Worth knowing

    Fallback grant for admitted students who do not qualify for any merit scholarship tier. '$1,000 annually, with a 4-year amount of $4,000.' Out-of-state students receiving this grant qualify to pay remaining tuition at in-state rate. May not apply to students receiving athletic aid.

  10. Jax State Honors ScholarshipTuition ($5,145/semester) + housing ($5,820/yr) + meal plan ($3,540/yr) + books ($1,800/yr) + fees ($1,270/yr)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Jax State Honors Scholarship

    Tuition ($5,145/semester) + housing ($5,820/yr) + meal plan ($3,540/yr) + books ($1,800/yr) + fees ($1,270/yr)

    Published coverage or packageNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.75+
    SAT
    1370+
    ACT
    30+
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Jax State Honors Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Requires additional application: completed application and essay, high school transcript through junior year, letter of recommendation from teacher or counselor, high school resumé. Deadline February 1, 2026. Finalists invited for interview. First-time freshmen only.

    How to keep it

    Renewal terms not explicitly listed on the competitive-foundation page; recipients are required to live in campus housing. Cannot stack with merit-based scholarships (merit cannot stack with Leadership or Honors Scholarship per the merit page).

    Worth knowing

    Comprehensive scholarship covering tuition, housing, meal plan, books, and fees. Recipients required to live in campus housing. Cannot be combined with merit-based scholarships. Values published: Tuition $5,145/semester, Housing $5,820/academic year, Meal Plan $3,540/academic year, Books $1,800/academic year, Fees $1,270/academic year. Approximate total value ~$23,120/yr.

  11. Jax State Leadership Scholarship$7,500/yearNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Jax State Leadership Scholarship

    $7,500/year

    Published amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.0+
    SAT
    1030–1320
    ACT
    20–28
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Jax State Leadership Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Requires additional application by February 1, 2026. Winners selected based on academics, community/school involvement and service, and an essay. First-time freshmen.

    How to keep it

    To maintain: must be involved in one or more organizations at Jax State, maintain a 2.0 overall institutional GPA, and successfully earn 24 institutional credit hours within an academic year. Cannot be combined with other merit-based scholarships.

    Worth knowing

    4-year value $30,000. Cannot be combined with other merit-based scholarships. The page still shows 'February 1, 2024' as the application deadline for one sentence — this appears to be a stale date on the page; the deadline line below it says 'February 1, 2026'. Flagged as conflict_found.

  12. Achievement Transfer Scholarship$6,000/yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Achievement Transfer Scholarship

    $6,000/year

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.5+ (transfer GPA calculated by Jax State)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Achievement Transfer Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    45+ transferable credit hours (or Associates Degree); first-time transfer student; any accredited community college or 4-year university

    How to keep it

    2-year total ($12,000) implies 2-year renewable. Must maintain 2.0 institutional GPA and earn 12 credit hours each semester at JSU. Transfer scholarships cannot stack on one another (excluding PTK Enhancement).

    Worth knowing

    Automatically awarded upon admission. Out-of-state transfer students receiving this scholarship qualify to pay remaining tuition at in-state rate.

  13. Academic Transfer Scholarship$3,000/yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Academic Transfer Scholarship

    $3,000/year

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.0–3.49 (transfer GPA calculated by Jax State)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Academic Transfer Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    45+ transferable credit hours (or Associates Degree); first-time transfer student

    How to keep it

    2-year total ($6,000) implies 2-year renewable. Must maintain 2.0 institutional GPA and earn 12 credit hours each semester at JSU.

    Worth knowing

    Automatically awarded upon admission. Transfer scholarships cannot stack on one another (excluding PTK Enhancement).

  14. Opportunity Transfer Scholarship$2,000/yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Opportunity Transfer Scholarship

    $2,000/year

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.0+ (transfer GPA calculated by Jax State)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Opportunity Transfer Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    1+ transferable credit hours; first-time transfer student from any accredited institution

    How to keep it

    2-year total ($4,000) implies 2-year renewable. Must maintain 2.0 institutional GPA and earn 12 credit hours each semester at JSU.

    Worth knowing

    Lower hour threshold (1+) makes this accessible to students who have completed even a single college course. Transfer scholarships cannot stack on one another (excluding PTK Enhancement).

  15. Gamecock Transfer Scholarship$1,000/yearAutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Gamecock Transfer Scholarship

    $1,000/year

    Published amountAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    2.0–2.99 (transfer GPA calculated by Jax State)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Gamecock Transfer Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    1+ transferable credit hours; first-time transfer student from any accredited institution

    How to keep it

    2-year total ($2,000) implies 2-year renewable. Must maintain 2.0 institutional GPA and earn 12 credit hours each semester at JSU.

    Worth knowing

    Automatic lowest-tier transfer scholarship. Transfer scholarships cannot stack on one another (excluding PTK Enhancement).

  16. Presidential Transfer Leadership ScholarshipFull tuition (amount not published as a dollar figure)Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Presidential Transfer Leadership Scholarship

    Full tuition (amount not published as a dollar figure)

    Published coverage or packageNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.5+ (transfer GPA calculated by Jax State)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Presidential Transfer Leadership Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    45+ transferable hours earned at an ACCS institution; classified as first-time transfer at JSU; in good academic and disciplinary standing; demonstrated balance of academics and involvement; commitment to serve as Transfer Student Mentor; must be selected by faculty/staff at partner ACCS community college. Only 1 scholarship awarded per partner institution. Deadlines vary by institution (Feb 1 – Mar 1 depending on partner college).

    How to keep it

    Renewable for 1 year (4 semesters total). Replaces any previously awarded academic merit scholarship offers. Recipients must start in a fall term. Offer must be formally accepted by May 1.

    Worth knowing

    Competitive, not automatic. Only available through specific ACCS community college partners (Jefferson State, Southern Union, Chattahoochee Valley, Gadsden State, Calhoun, Shelton State, Snead State, Northeast Alabama, Lurleen B. Wallace, Wallace State). 'Tuition only' — does not cover housing, meals, or other fees. This scholarship replaces (not stacks with) automatic transfer merit awards.

  17. Phi Theta Kappa Enhancement Scholarship$1,000/yearNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Phi Theta Kappa Enhancement Scholarship

    $1,000/year

    Published amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    3.5+ transfer GPA
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Phi Theta Kappa Enhancement Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    45+ transfer hours; proof of Phi Theta Kappa membership required; submit via Jax State Scholarship Manager by July 1; limited availability

    How to keep it

    2-year total ($2,000) implies 2-year renewable. Must be full-time, earn 3.0 institutional GPA, and earn 24 credit hours. Documentation (proof of PTK membership) required by July 1. Limited funds awarded by date of application.

    Worth knowing

    This scholarship CAN stack on top of another transfer merit scholarship (it is explicitly excluded from the 'no stacking' rule for transfer scholarships). Awarded based on availability of funds and date documentation is submitted.

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The fine print

Renewal ruleGamecock Achievement (GPA-based): renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

Renewable for 8 semesters (4 years); must earn 24 institutional credit hours per academic year and maintain the institutional GPA listed in the scholarship contract; must be enrolled full-time (12+ hours) each semester; no summer terms. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

Outside awardsNo published displacement order

Jacksonville State's policy doesn't specify whether outside scholarships hit loans, grants, or only the COA ceiling. Get a written aid-office answer before chasing private awards.

What makes Jacksonville State different

First-time freshmen at Jax State are automatically considered for merit awards of $1,000–$10,500/year based on high school GPA alone, upgradeable with ACT/SAT scores — no separate application required.

Merit tiers1713 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

More than one award path

Separate the two paths.

Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.

  1. Match the published criteria

    Use all requirements together, including residency and the entering class.

  2. Check the application dates

    Confirm the current admission and scholarship deadlines directly with the school.

  3. Know what happens next year

    Check renewal, credit requirements and how other aid affects the award.

The fine print / Three questions to carry forward

Before you count on it.

Does it apply to us? Confirm the entering year, residency and every eligibility condition.

Can we keep it? Check renewal GPA, credits and how long the award lasts.

Can we combine it? Ask how outside scholarships and other school awards change the offer.

Take Jacksonville State's decision sheet

A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.

See what could change an award

What families often miss

  1. JSU awards merit scholarships starting at a 2.00 high school GPA. Any admitted freshman with a 2.00+ GPA is automatically considered. Even students with no test score qualify for GPA-only tiers.

  2. Submitting test scores can only improve — never lower — your scholarship. A student with a 3.0 GPA and no test score receives $4,000/yr (Gamecock Success), but a 29 ACT bumps that to $9,000/yr (Gamecock Excellence). Scores must be on file by May 1 (Fall admits) or December 1 (Spring admits).

  3. The Honors Scholarship (tuition + housing + meals + books + fees) and the Leadership Scholarship explicitly cannot be combined with merit-based scholarships. You get the better package, not both.

  4. Any out-of-state student who receives a merit scholarship or the Gamecock Grant qualifies to pay their remaining tuition balance at the in-state rate. This is a major additional benefit not always advertised prominently.

  5. Merit scholarships are applied Fall and Spring semesters only — explicitly stated as 'cannot be applied to summer terms.'

  6. Renewal requires BOTH maintaining the institutional GPA in the scholarship contract AND successfully earning 24 institutional credit hours per academic year (approximately 12 per semester). Students who drop below full-time (12 hours) in any semester may lose disbursement for that semester.

  7. Incomplete application files are not considered. The February 1 deadline is firm for both the Honors Scholarship and Leadership Scholarship. The JaxApp for competitive/foundation scholarships also closes February 1.

  8. The outside scholarships page states that 'receiving outside scholarships may affect the amount of federal financial aid you are eligible to receive.' JSU has not published an explicit displacement rule (loan-first, grant-first, etc.) on the official site, so the exact mechanism is unclear and students should contact the Financial Aid Office.

  9. Transfer merit scholarships are only renewable for 2 years (4 semesters), not 4 years like freshman merit scholarships. The Presidential Transfer Leadership Scholarship is only renewable for 1 year (4 semesters total).

  10. The Estimated Cost of Attendance ($27,978 on-campus for 2025-2026) is an estimate including indirect costs (transportation, personal expenses). It is not a bill. The direct institutional charges (tuition + fees) are approximately $13,224 for a full-time in-state student.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

High-achieving in-state and out-of-state first-time freshmen who want automatic merit aid without a scholarship application; out-of-state students with even minimal stats benefit from the in-state tuition rate perk. Transfer students with 45+ hours and a 3.5+ GPA can receive up to $6,000/year automatically.

Published yearly cost: Approximately $27,978 for 2025-2026. Source

Cost and graduation facts

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

Average annual net price by family income at Jacksonville State, academic year 2021-22 — in-state, Title-IV aid recipients only
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$12,472
$30,001–$48,000$12,622
$48,001–$75,000$15,343
$75,001–$110,000$17,480
$110,001+$18,183
All income levels (average)$14,279

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
$12,894
Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
$23,334
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$14,279

That works out to roughly a 41% discount below the federal AY 2021-22 average cost of attendance of $24,257 (College Scorecard — a separate, federally reported figure, not the published cost of attendance shown above).

Jacksonville 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
55%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
65%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$22,189 (~$235/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$45,235
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
56%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
56%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

Freshman merit scholarships (Gamecock tiers) cannot stack with the Leadership Scholarship or the Jax State Honors Scholarship, but CAN stack with competitive and talent-based scholarships. Transfer merit scholarships cannot stack on one another, with the sole exception of the Phi Theta Kappa Enhancement Scholarship. Outside scholarships: the page states receiving outside scholarships 'may affect the amount of federal financial aid you are eligible to receive' — no explicit displacement type specified beyond that general note. Military tuition rate cannot be used with any other institutional scholarships, aid, or discounted tuition.

For freshmen: 'Merit scholarships cannot stack with Leadership or Jax State Honors Scholarship, but can stack with competitive and talent based scholarships.' For transfers: 'Transfer scholarships cannot stack on one another, excluding the PTK Enhancement Scholarship.' The outside scholarship page only states that receiving outside scholarships 'may affect the amount of federal financial aid you are eligible to receive' — the precise displacement mechanism (loan-first vs. grant-first) is not published. COA cap is referenced indirectly in the FAQ: 'you cannot receive more financial aid funds (including loans) than your Cost of Attendance, regardless of the source of those funds.'

Source

Other Jacksonville State scholarships worth checking

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

AmountAmount not published (varies by individual scholarship)EligibilityAll enrolled Jax State students who complete the JaxApp by February 1 each year; single application covers 250+ scholarships including alumni, foundation, and departmental scholarships.

Recipients notified by end of April via MyJaxState email. JaxApp opens September 1 annually.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityStudents with a declared major in Theatre or Film. Awarded through audition and portfolio review.

Multiple scholarships awarded annually.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityTalent-based; different requirements and audition guidelines based on specialty through the David L. Walters Department of Music.

Can stack with merit-based scholarships per the freshman merit page stacking rule.

Source

AmountTuition, fees, and housing (amounts not published as dollar figures on the overview page)EligibilityInternational and American students accepted into the Jones International House Program (living-learning community). Separate application required. Priority deadline March 1; final deadline April 1.

Scholarship covers tuition and fees plus a housing scholarship for up to 2 years if program criteria are met. Competitive — requires application and acceptance into the IH Program.

Source

AmountAmount not published on JSU pageEligibilityFirst-time, full-time freshmen in the academic year directly following high school graduation from a Birmingham City School (George Washington Carver, Huffman, Jackson-Olin, A H Parker, Ramsey, Wenonah, Woodlawn). Graduating class 2020 or later.

Partnership scholarship between Birmingham Promise and JSU. Students apply through Birmingham Promise program.

Source

Amount$250–$1,500 (one semester only)EligibilityTransfer students admitted for a Spring start. GPA 3.5+/45+ hours = $1,500; GPA 3.0–3.49/45+ hours = $750; GPA 2.0+/1+ hours = $250. Students awarded this are also eligible for subsequent fall transfer scholarships.

Non-renewable; one-time spring award only. Separate from and additive to the fall-onward transfer merit awards.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityStudents returning to college to complete a degree (stop-outs).

Listed on main scholarships index page; no detail fetched due to rate limits.

Source

Jacksonville State merit aid FAQ

  • Do I need to apply for freshman merit scholarships?

    No. First-time freshmen are considered automatically upon admission based on their highest cumulative high school GPA. No separate scholarship application is required for GPA-based or test score + GPA merit tiers.

  • When is the deadline to submit ACT/SAT scores for a scholarship upgrade?

    For Fall admits: scores must be received by May 1. For Spring admits: scores must be received by December 1. Submitting scores can only improve your award — they cannot lower it.

  • What is the renewal GPA requirement?

    The exact GPA is listed in each student's individual scholarship contract. The general requirement is to maintain the institutional GPA shown in your scholarship contract AND earn 24 institutional credit hours per academic year.

  • Can I use my merit scholarship for graduate school?

    Yes. Upon graduating from an undergraduate program, any remaining semesters of merit scholarship aid may be used for graduate tuition, as long as you enroll in a graduate program within one year of graduation and notify the Financial Aid Office of your intent.

  • What is the application deadline for the Jax State Honors Scholarship?

    February 1, 2026. Incomplete applications are not considered.

  • What is the application deadline for the Jax State Leadership Scholarship?

    February 1, 2026 (the page also contains a stale reference to 'February 1, 2024' in one sentence — the explicit 2026-2027 scholarship deadline shown on the same page is February 1, 2026).

  • What is the full estimated cost of attendance for on-campus undergraduates?

    $27,978 for 2025-2026 (on-campus). This includes tuition $10,590, fees $2,634, books/supplies $970, housing $5,730, food $4,202, transportation $1,630, and miscellaneous $2,222. Note: the COA table is labeled 2025-2026; a 2026-2027 COA figure had not yet been published as of 2026-06-04.

  • Do out-of-state students pay out-of-state tuition after receiving a merit scholarship?

    No. Any out-of-state student who receives a merit-based scholarship or the Gamecock Grant qualifies to pay their remaining tuition balance at the in-state rate.

  • Can transfer merit scholarships stack with each other?

    No, transfer merit scholarships cannot stack on one another — with one exception: the Phi Theta Kappa Enhancement Scholarship can be stacked on top of another transfer merit award.

  • How does outside/private scholarship money affect my JSU aid package?

    The JSU outside scholarships page states that receiving outside scholarships 'may affect the amount of federal financial aid you are eligible to receive.' The specific displacement mechanism is not published; contact the Financial Aid Office at 256-782-5006 or finaid@jsu.edu for your specific situation.

See sources and other schools

How Jacksonville State compares

  • 133 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use unclear or unpublished displacement.

    Jacksonville State is in a recognizable cluster (133 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

  • 133 of 749 verified schools publish no clear displacement order.

    Jacksonville State is one of them. The right move is the aid-office email script below, not a guess.

  • 665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

    Jacksonville State is one of them. The cohort minority (84 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.

Sources used on this page

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

Compare with similar schools

  • Troy merit aid. Alabama public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • UAB merit aid. Alabama public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • UAH merit aid. Alabama public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.
  • University of Montevallo merit aid. Alabama public university — compare automatic merit, amounts, and stacking.

Keep exploring Jacksonville State merit aid

The next chapter

Where does Jacksonville State fit in your plan?

You have the school’s rules. Now put them in the context of your student and the rest of your list.

  1. Revisit the school research
  2. Explore another school
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Inside the sample

Jordan’s playbook

Same student.
Four schools.
Four very different bills.

An illustrative student profile, with a school order, scholarship research and a to-do list. Open the sample to see how it works.

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