The starting point
SHSU's biggest merit money runs through the Honors College — 23 Honors Scholarships at $40,000 and just 2 Bowers Scholarships at $80,000 per year-group, with heavy ongoing obligations — plus an unusually transparent displacement policy promising that outside scholarships reduce loans first and merit scholarships are never reduced.
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 7 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.
Bearkat Transfer Scholarship
$2,000 total ($1,000 Fall + $1,000 Spring, single year) · Published award terms
Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.
GPA: 2.75 cumulative
Eligibility: First-time SHSU student enrolling full-time in a Fall semester; transfer from an accredited community college or university; undergraduate seeking first bachelor's degree; minimum 30 but fewer than 90 transferable academic credit hours; first come, first served; must accept the award offer within 45 days; spring-start transfers are NOT eligible
Renewal: Single-year scholarship.
Other terms: 'Awarded automatically, so no application is required other than applying for admission to Sam Houston State University!'
https://www.shsu.edu/cost-aid/types-of-aid/scholarships
Honors Scholarship (Elliott T. Bowers Honors College)
$40,000 total ($5,000 per semester over four years) · Published award terms
Not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules.
SAT: 1320 · ACT: 29
Eligibility: 23 awarded to incoming freshmen each academic year; the Honors College application serves as the scholarship application (priority deadline March 1); all eligible applicants invited to a Zoom interview; evaluated on leadership, volunteerism, achievements, and plans to engage; disbursed over four years / max eight semesters
Renewal: Must remain in good standing with Honors: maintain Status 1 (satisfactory progress toward graduating with 'Honors' or 'Highest Honors'), follow a track of excellence (research, community engagement, leadership, or global scholarship), remain enrolled full-time (12 credit hours) each semester, maintain a 3.25 SHSU GPA, be advised by the Scholar Advisor each semester, attend 2 qualifying events per semester, live in Honors housing the first academic year, and enroll in the Honors Scholar section of HONR 1301.
https://www.shsu.edu/academics/honors-college/scholarships
Bowers Scholarship (Elliott T. Bowers Honors College)
$80,000 total ($10,000 per semester over four years) · Published award terms
Not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules.
SAT: 1350 · ACT: 30
Eligibility: Only 2 awarded to incoming freshmen each academic year; Honors application is the scholarship application (priority deadline March 1); Bowers-eligible students may be invited to a second round of interviews
Renewal: Same Honors good-standing requirements as the Honors Scholarship, PLUS: Bowers Scholars are required to follow the research track and complete a thesis, graduating with 'Highest Honors.'
https://www.shsu.edu/academics/honors-college/scholarships
