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MeritPlaybook / Take-home research

Michigan State
Decision sheet

Michigan · Research checked 2026-07-14 · School research, not an aid offer

The starting point

Big Ten public with one of the cleanest published automatic out-of-state merit ladders in the country. Four-tier MSU Non-resident Scholarship — President's $15,000, Provost's $12,000, Dean's $10,000, and 1855 $7,000 — awards based on academic achievement, with Honors College and National Merit awards layered on top for the highest-stat applicants.

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

Awards to discuss

First 3 of 15 recorded awards, in chapter display order. This is a selection, not a ranking. Read the full chapter for all awards. Amounts retain the original units and conditions; confirm the entering year with the school.

MSU President's Scholarship

$15,000 per year · Published amount

Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.

GPA: Top tier of the OOS academic ladder

Eligibility: Domestic out-of-state freshman applicant. Awarded automatically off the application for admission; no separate scholarship application required. Awarded based on academic achievement and excellence beyond the classroom.

Renewal: Renewable for 8 consecutive semesters of fall/spring undergraduate enrollment. Must enroll for and complete a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester. Award contingent on maintained out-of-state residency status; any change in residency or receipt of an OOS tuition waiver disqualifies the award going forward.

Other terms: Top automatic tier in MSU's published nonresident ladder. MSU does not publish exact GPA/test score thresholds for President's Scholarship vs. Provost's vs. Dean's, but the four tiers are deterministically awarded based on the academic record. Treat as upside above the $7,000 1855 floor.

https://admissions.msu.edu/cost-aid/scholarships/freshman/out-of-state-resident

MSU Provost's Scholarship

$12,000 per year · Published amount

Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.

Eligibility: Domestic OOS freshman applicants. Awarded automatically.

Renewal: 8 consecutive semesters; minimum 12 credit hours/semester; contingent on maintained OOS residency status.

Other terms: Second tier of the MSU OOS ladder.

https://admissions.msu.edu/cost-aid/scholarships/freshman/out-of-state-resident

MSU Dean's Scholarship

$10,000 per year · Published amount

Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.

Eligibility: Domestic OOS freshman applicants. Awarded automatically.

Renewal: 8 consecutive semesters; minimum 12 credit hours/semester; contingent on maintained OOS residency status.

Other terms: Third tier of the MSU OOS ladder.

https://admissions.msu.edu/cost-aid/scholarships/freshman/out-of-state-resident

Ask before you decide

  1. Which entering-year policy and residency category apply to us? What are the admission and scholarship deadlines?
  2. What grades and credits are required to renew, and for how many terms?
  3. How would other school awards or outside scholarships change the offer?

Recorded stacking policy: MSU publishes clear rules for stacking its OWN awards (Honors College scholarships combine with the Non-resident Scholarship; the big competition awards replace rather than stack) and makes every OOS award residency-contingent — but it publishes NO policy on how outside scholarships are treated. Get that answer from the aid office in writing before counting outside dollars.

Our unanswered questions / Family notes

Keep the sources with the decision

Full research, award details and source context: https://meritplaybook.com/colleges/michigan-state/merit-aid

The research date is not a guarantee that a policy still applies. Confirm current amounts, deadlines and conditions with the school before making a financial decision.