See what Southern University (Baton Rouge)'s published rules mean for your student's numbers. Takes 30 seconds.
The merit-aid verdict at Southern University (Baton Rouge)
DRAFT: Southern's two flagship competitive merit awards — Joseph S. Clark Presidential (tuition, fees, room & board at 3.8/30 ACT/1400 SAT) and Jesse N. Stone (tuition & fees at 3.6/28/1320) — are limited-quantity, carry steep 15-credit/semester renewal loads, and pair with a generous automatic out-of-state fee waiver at just 2.75 GPA or 24 ACT.
Rules that bite at Southern University (Baton Rouge)
The trip wires we'd flag in a custom playbook. Each is derived from Southern University (Baton Rouge)'s own published policy, not generic advice.
renewalJoseph S. Clark Presidential Scholarship: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out
Renewed annually for four years of undergraduate study (eight semesters, excluding summer semesters). To be eligible for renewal, recipients must be enrolled in and complete a minimum of 15 Southern University credits per semester and maintain a 3.5 Southern University cumulative GPA. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.
Common merit-aid mistakes at Southern University (Baton Rouge)
The flyer calls both 'competitive scholarships (limited quantity)' — meeting 3.8/30/1400 or 3.6/28/1320 does not guarantee an award, and the application runs through the Southern University System Foundation.
Clark Presidential and Stone renewal both require ENROLLING IN AND COMPLETING at least 15 Southern University credits per semester (plus 3.5 / 3.3 cumulative GPAs respectively) — heavier than the 12-hour full-time minimum.
The Jaguar Out-of-State Fee Waiver explicitly requires completing and submitting a FAFSA, in addition to the 2.75 GPA / 24 ACT / 1160-1190 SAT eligibility.
Waiver retention is evaluated EVERY semester on the SEMESTER (institutional) GPA — 'Maintain a 2.75 each semester (Institutional not Cumulative)' — not on the cumulative average.
'Fee waiver does not cover Summer session and can be retained for up to eight (8) semesters total.'
The flyer states 'Scores have to be met on the same test' — superscoring across administrations does not qualify.
The flyer says renewal needs 12 hours and a 2.5 cumulative GPA; the admissions waiver page says 15 hours and 2.75 semester+cumulative GPAs. Get the current terms in writing.
Who this school is for
DRAFT: Top students (3.8/30+) chasing the limited Clark Presidential full package; out-of-state students benefit most — a 2.75 GPA OR 24 ACT triggers a full out-of-state fee waiver, and children of SUBR graduates can get out-of-state fees cut 100% via the Legacy Award even below those stats.
Federal cost and outcome data
Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at Southern University (Baton Rouge), what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.
Average annual net price by family income at Southern University (Baton Rouge), academic year 2021-22 — in-state, Title-IV aid recipients only
Family income
Average net price paid
$0–$30,000
$19,047
$30,001–$48,000
$19,395
$48,001–$75,000
$22,288
$75,001–$110,000
$25,292
$110,001+
$26,069
All income levels (average)
$20,077
Sticker price vs. what students actually pay
Total cost of attendance (sticker), AY 2021-22
$26,341
Published tuition & fees (in-state), AY 2022-23
$9,922
Published tuition & fees (out-of-state), AY 2022-23
$17,272
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$20,077
That works out to an average 24% discount off the sticker price above — both figures come from the same federal AY 2021-22 Scorecard report, not a number the school itself published.
Southern University (Baton Rouge) is a public school; Scorecard's net price and cost of attendance figures cover 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
27%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
60%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$29,251 (~$310/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$43,371
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
83%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
86%
Institutional merit aid tiers
Every tier below is sourced to the school’s own published financial aid pages. Renewal terms apply only if the student maintains the stated GPA.
Tuition, Fees, Room & Board
Joseph S. Clark Presidential Scholarship
ApplicationRenewable
GPA
3.8
SAT
1400
ACT
30
Requirements & details+
Eligibility
Competitive scholarships (limited quantity); apply via the Southern University System Foundation (foundation.sus.edu/true-blue/)
Renewal terms
Renewed annually for four years of undergraduate study (eight semesters, excluding summer semesters). To be eligible for renewal, recipients must be enrolled in and complete a minimum of 15 Southern University credits per semester and maintain a 3.5 Southern University cumulative GPA.
Notes
Flyer hosted on the Undergraduate Admissions site; no aid-year label on the flyer.
Competitive scholarships (limited quantity); apply via the Southern University System Foundation
Renewal terms
Renewed annually for four years (eight semesters, excluding summers). Renewal requires completing a minimum of 15 Southern University credits per semester and maintaining a 3.3 Southern University cumulative GPA.
Full out-of-state fee waiver…Full out-of-state fee waiver (dollar value not published)
Jaguar Out-of-State Fee Waiver
ApplicationRenewable
GPA
2.75 cumulative final high school GPA (OR test-score route)
SAT
1160-1190 (alternative to GPA)
ACT
24 (alternative to GPA)
Requirements & details+
Eligibility
Effective Fall 2024 criteria: satisfy admissions requirements; complete and submit a FAFSA; not have received the waiver more than 8 times. Transfers: 2.75 cumulative transfer GPA + FAFSA. Page states the waiver 'will be granted to all qualified incoming freshman... or new Transfer student' who meets criteria.
Renewal terms
First-time students must maintain a minimum of 12 full-time credit hours each semester and a 2.75 SEMESTER (institutional, not cumulative) GPA, evaluated at end of each semester; can be retained for up to eight (8) semesters total; does not cover Summer sessions.
Notes
Older criteria (2021-Spring 2024) required 15 hours/semester and a 2.50 cumulative GPA — superseded for Fall 2024+ entrants.
Out-of-state fees reduced by 100%…Out-of-state fees reduced by 100% (dollar value not published)
Presidents Legacy Award (Out-of-State Fee Waiver Supplement)
ApplicationRenewable
GPA
2.7 (flyer)
SAT
25 Writing & Language / 500 Math / 1020 Composite (flyer); scores must be met on the same test
ACT
18 English / 19 Math / 20 Composite (flyer)
Requirements & details+
Eligibility
Biological parent must be a graduate of Southern University and A&M College; for freshmen/transfers who do NOT meet the standard Out-of-State Fee Waiver requirements; submit documentation via bit.ly/subrlegacy
Renewal terms
Per the Out-of-State Fee Waiver page: renewed annually for four years (8 semesters, excluding summers); requires FAFSA (school code 002025), 15 completed credit hours per semester, 2.75 semester AND 2.75 cumulative GPA, and good academic/conduct standing. NOTE: the admissions flyer instead states renewal requires 12 hours full-time and a 2.5 cumulative GPA — the two sources disagree (see Section C).
Notes
Legacy-only pathway to in-state-equivalent pricing.
Lesser-known scholarships at Southern University (Baton Rouge)
Named awards that don’t always surface on the main financial aid page. Each one has its own eligibility rules.
AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityProspective scholars apply via a Google-form application with supporting documentation; submission procedures, requirements and deadlines set by the College
Departmental scholarships are applied for through the prospective college per the admissions flyer.
AmountAmount not published (varies)EligibilityVaries; the Office of Student Financial Aid serves as a clearinghouse for departmental and third-party outside scholarships
Students directed to subr.scholarshipuniverse.com, the Financial Aid 'Scholarship Bank' newsletter PDF, and a linktr.ee of opportunities.
No deadline is published on the pages opened. Clark Presidential and Jesse N. Stone applications run through the Southern University System Foundation (foundation.sus.edu/true-blue/); departmental scholarships have deadlines set by each college. Ask the Scholarship Coordinator (225-771-3000).
What do the top merit awards cover?
Joseph S. Clark Presidential covers tuition, fees, room & board (3.8 GPA/30 ACT/1400 SAT). Jesse N. Stone covers tuition & fees (3.6/28/1320). Both are competitive and limited in quantity, renewable four years at 15 credits/semester with 3.5 and 3.3 cumulative GPAs respectively.
How do out-of-state students cut costs?
The Jaguar Out-of-State Fee Waiver (effective Fall 2024) waives all out-of-state fees for admitted freshmen with a 2.75 final HS GPA OR 24 ACT OR 1160-1190 SAT who file a FAFSA — renewable up to 8 semesters at 12 credit hours and a 2.75 semester GPA. Children of SUBR graduates who miss those marks can apply for the Legacy Award for a 100% out-of-state fee reduction.
What does Southern cost?
The financial-aid COA page posts only a 2024-2025 Cost of Attendance document (as images/PDF); no 2026-27 COA was published at extraction time. Use the Net Price Calculator or contact Financial Aid (225-771-2790).
How Southern University (Baton Rouge) compares across our verified dataset
668 of 750 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.
Southern University (Baton Rouge) is one of them. The cohort minority (82 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 Southern University (Baton Rouge)’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.
