The starting point
Public SEC land-grant with a GPA-based non-resident scholarship that pays $12,000–$22,000/year depending on GPA band and test score, plus a resident ACT-by-GPA grid topping out at $10,500/year for 33+ ACT students with a 3.6+ GPA. The non-resident scholarship now covers roughly 80% of non-resident tuition and fees at the top cell.
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 4 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.
Freshman Academic Excellence Scholarship (Mississippi residents)
$1,000–$10,500/year based on HS GPA × ACT grid (see notes for full chart) · Published range
Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.
GPA: 3.0+ · ACT: 21+
Eligibility: Mississippi resident. Scores from the February test date of senior year are the last accepted. Superscores within the same test type (ACT or SAT) are accepted; ACT and SAT subscores cannot be mixed.
Renewal: Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a 3.0 cumulative college GPA and continuous full-time enrollment (12 credit hours per semester at MSU)
Other terms: Full 2025-2026 resident chart by HS GPA × ACT band. 3.0–3.29 GPA: 21–24 ACT = $1,000/yr; 25–29 ACT = $2,000; 30–32 ACT = $3,000; 33–36 ACT = $4,000. 3.30–3.59 GPA: 21–24 ACT = $1,500; 25–29 ACT = $2,500; 30–32 ACT = $5,000; 33–36 ACT = $6,000. 3.6+ GPA: 21–24 ACT = $3,500; 25–29 ACT = $5,000; 30–32 ACT = $8,000; 33–36 ACT = $10,500. Students scoring 34+ ACT (or SAT equivalent) additionally receive a one-year scholarship valued at the cost of their portion of a double-occupancy residence hall room on top of the FAES amount.
https://www.admissions.msstate.edu/scholarships/details/freshman-mississippi-resident-academic-scholarship-package
Freshman Non-Resident Academic Scholarship
$12,000/year at 3.30–3.59 GPA; $16,000/year at 3.60–4.09 GPA (rises to $20,000/year at 31+ ACT / 1390+ SAT); $18,000/year at 4.10+ GPA (rises to $22,000/year at 31+ ACT / 1390+ SAT) · Published award terms
Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.
GPA: 3.30+
Eligibility: Non-resident. The 3.60–4.09 GPA and 4.10+ GPA bands receive a $4,000/year test-score bonus at a 31+ ACT or 1390+ SAT superscore. No separate ACT/SAT threshold is published for the base $12,000 tier. Students scoring 34+ ACT (or SAT equivalent) additionally receive a one-year scholarship valued at the cost of their portion of a double-occupancy residence hall room. Superscores within the same test type are accepted.
Renewal: Renewable for up to 8 semesters with a 3.0 cumulative college GPA and continuous full-time enrollment (12 credit hours per semester at MSU)
Other terms: Full 2025-2026 non-resident chart by HS GPA × test-score band. 3.30–3.59 GPA: $12,000/yr (no test-score bonus tier). 3.60–4.09 GPA: $16,000/yr base; $20,000/yr at 31+ ACT or 1390+ SAT. 4.10+ GPA: $18,000/yr base; $22,000/yr at 31+ ACT or 1390+ SAT. At the top cell the $22,000/yr award covers roughly 80% of the $27,637 non-resident tuition and fees line for 2025-2026. Mississippi State's Non-Resident Military Tuition Waiver (NRMTW, valued at $17,435/year) is awarded in place of the Non-Resident Academic Scholarship when the NRMTW value exceeds the scholarship amount.
https://www.admissions.msstate.edu/scholarships/details/freshman-non-resident-academic-scholarship-package
Presidential Endowed Scholarship Package
Tuition + meal plan + on-campus housing for 4 years + $12,000 one-time enrichment allowance (approximately $107,000 total package value) · Variable or qualified amount
Not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules.
GPA: 3.75+ · SAT: 1360+ · ACT: 30+
Eligibility: Competitive review, not automatic. ACT or SAT scores must be submitted to Mississippi State by December 1 for Presidential Endowed consideration. The 3.75+ GPA floor applies to the core or overall high school GPA. NOTE: SAT threshold corrected from prior 1330+ to verbatim 1360+ per MSU's Presidential Endowed page (2026-05-03 audit).
Renewal: Renewable for up to 8 semesters subject to continuous full-time enrollment and the published GPA terms
Other terms: Mississippi State's top merit package. The $12,000 enrichment allowance is designated for study abroad, undergraduate research, or other professional development. The 2025 entering class received 19 Presidential Endowed awards. Non-residents who earn the Presidential Endowed package also receive the Non-Resident Tuition Scholarship covering 100% of the non-resident portion of tuition, so out-of-state recipients effectively pay the resident rate before Presidential tuition coverage applies.
https://www.admissions.msstate.edu/scholarships/details/presidential-endowed-scholarship-package
