Scholarship Opportunities for First-Time Incoming Transfer Students

Transfer Promise Scholarship - $3,000 per year for two years (maximum of 4 semesters).

To be considered for a MTSU Transfer Promise Scholarship, students must be a first-time incoming transfer who plans to enroll at MTSU in the Summer or Fall semester. Students with a previous bachelor's degree are not eligible. Students must have ALL of the following on file with the Admissions Office  by February 15th to be considered for a scholarship:

• Application for admissions as a new Incoming Transfer
• Admissions Application fee paid
• Official college transcript(s) through the Fall semester
• Official high school transcript if applicable 
• Must be US Citizen or permanent resident.  Recipients must also be EVEA verified (or lawfully present in the United States). For more information regarding EVEA, please visit https://www.mtsu.edu/how-to-apply/evea/

Requirements:

• 3.0 cumulative college GPA
• 60 earned credit hours prior to starting enrollment at MTSU
• Application for admission MUST be completed by the Feb. 15^th deadline

No separate scholarship application is required for the Transfer Promise scholarship. Student will receive notification of the scholarship offer once they have met all of the requirements, including GPA & earned hours, IF they submitted all of the necessary paperwork by the February 15^th deadline. Students can start in the Summer term and receive the award, but the award does not start until the Fall term. To take advantage of the scholarship offer, students must accept the scholarship by June 1 or by the deadline stated in the scholarship award notice! Instructions of how to accept the scholarship will be included in the scholarship award notice.

Continuing eligibility criteria

Students can receive this scholarship for up to two years (or 4 semesters) as long as the scholarship renewal eligibility requirements are met after each semester. Continuing Scholarship eligibility is checked after every Fall and Spring semester. In order to have the scholarship renewed,

• Students must earn a 3.0 cumulative MTSU GPA, 
• Students must enroll at least full-time every fall and spring semester in coursework applicable towards their program of study (CPoS). 
• Students must maintain full-time enrollment throughout the semester in coursework applicable towards their program of study (CPoS).

This information is conveyed to students when they officially accept the scholarship offer via their Pipeline account.

The fine print 

• Deadline for priority consideration is February 15^th.
• The awarding of scholarships is based on the availability of funds and the criteria set forth by the appropriate governing bodies, and is subject to change.
• In the event that MTSU offers multiple scholarships to a student (including scholarships awarded through other departments but funded by the Financial Aid & Scholarship Office, including the Transfer Promise Scholarship, the Honors Transfer Fellowship and the Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship), only one scholarship can be accepted. Students who are offered two scholarships will be awarded the higher of the two. A student may receive a university scholarship in addition to a Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship.

• A student’s total financial aid, including scholarships and grants, may be reduced based on specific financial aid sources that are restricted to Cost of Attendance (COA) limitations. In most cases, if a student is receiving federal and/or state aid, their total financial aid can NOT exceed COA. For more information, please contact the MT One Stop.

The highest award given to a transfer student, fellowships are awarded by the University Honors College. Honors Transfer Fellows will receive $7,000 per year for 2 years; a limited number of recipients incurring out-of-state tuition costs may receive $14,000 per year. Recipients may additionally receive consideration for study-abroad scholarships. For more information and an application, please visit the Honors website. 

Requirements:

• a minimum of 60 earned hours with
• at least a 3.5 college GPA.

The Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Scholarship is available to transfer students who are members of PTK and who will be enrolling at MTSU for the first time in the summer or fall semester. Priority is given to transfer students who have been selected as members of the All-Tennessee Academic Team. Recipients will be awarded $4000 per year, and the scholarship is renewable for a second year.

Students must apply for this scholarship by submitting the online Scholarship Application by February 15^th to be considered for an award for the following academic year. The Scholarship Application opens up every year on October 1^st. To complete the scholarship application, go to www.mtsu.edu/scholarships/opportunities and login using your PipelineMT username and password. Once logged in, complete the General Scholarship Application and the Supplemental Question Scholarship Application to be considered for this particular scholarship.

Please contact the Admissions Office at (615) 898-2111 for additional information.

Initial Eligibility Requirements

• Must complete Scholarship application by February 15^th deadline
• Must be admitted to MTSU as New Incoming Transfer for either Summer or Fall
• Must be a current member of Phi Theta Kappa organization
• Must have at least 30 earned hours with a 3.00 GPA
• Must be US Citizen or Permanent Resident. Recipients must also be EVEA verified (or lawfully present in the United States). For more information regarding EVEA, please visit https://www.mtsu.edu/how-to-apply/evea/
• Preference given to students who were selected as a member of the All-Tennessee Academic Team
• On Scholarship application, must list leadership positions that the student held as a member of Phi Theta Kappa
• On Scholarship application, must list Phi Theta Kappa related activities that student was involved in, and describe their role in the activity
• Must request that their PTK advisor submit a letter of recommendation regarding the student’s involvement in PTK. Instructions on how to submit the letter of recommendation are listed on the scholarship application. Failure of your PTK advisor to provide a letter of recommendation will result in student not being considered for scholarship.

Continuing Eligibility Requirements

 

Students can receive this scholarship for up to two years (or 4 semesters) as long as the scholarship renewal eligibility requirements are met after each semester. Continuing Scholarship eligibility is checked after every Fall and Spring semester. In order to have the scholarship renewed,

• Students must have at least a 3.00 cumulative MTSU GPA after every fall & spring semester
• Students must enroll at least full-time every fall and spring semester in coursework applicable towards their program of study (CPoS). 
• Students must maintain full-time enrollment throughout the semester n coursework applicable towards their program of study (CPoS). 

This information is conveyed to students when they officially accept the scholarship offer.

The fine print

• Recipients must meet GPA and  enrollment requirements to maintain continuing eligibility.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
• Unless otherwise noted, scholarships are granted for a maximum of 4 semesters. Scholarships are not available during the summer term.
• If selected, applicants will be notified via email in late April with further instruction regarding how to accept the scholarship offer. Applicants who were not selected as recipients will be notified via email in late April.
• The awarding of scholarships is based on the availability of funds and the criteria set forth by the appropriate governing bodies, and is subject to change.
• In the event that MTSU offers multiple scholarships to a student (including scholarships awarded through other departments but funded by the Financial Aid & Scholarship Office, including the Transfer Promise Scholarship, the Honors Transfer Fellowship, and the Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship), only one scholarship can be accepted. Students who are offered two scholarships will be awarded the higher of the two. A student may receive a university scholarship in addition to a Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship.
• A student’s total financial aid, including scholarships and grants, may be reduced based on specific financial aid sources that are restricted to Cost of Attendance (COA) limitations. In most cases, if a student is receiving federal and/or state aid, their total financial aid can NOT exceed COA. For more information, please contact the MT One Stop.

MTSU offers approximately 700 endowed and other scholarships to approximately 2000 students each year through special programs sponsored by various academic and administrative departments. Application processes vary from department to department. Many of these Foundation and departmental scholarships require online applications or paper applications.

Foundation and departmental scholarship deadlines

Most scholarships have an application deadline of February 15. After a scholarship deadline has passed, the application for that scholarship will no longer be accepted. 

The Scholarship Application opens up every year on October 1^st and closes February 15^th. To complete the scholarship application, go to www.mtsu.edu/scholarships/opportunities and login using your PipelineMT username and password. Once logged in, complete the General Scholarship Application, along with any other applicable scholarship applications to be considered for all scholarships.

Departmental scholarships of special interest

Information regarding four of our most popular areas of interest are noted below. Please be aware that this is not a comprehensive list, so you should additionally contact departments of interest to ask about scholarship opportunities and follow the instructions above to search the website for other opportunities.

• Army ROTC Scholarships - Awarded to ROTC program participants by the Military Science department. For more information, visit the above website or call 615-898-2470.
• Music Scholarships - Competitive music scholarships are awarded to both music and non-music majors for instrumental or vocal performance. Band scholarships are also available. For audition dates and requirements, please visit the above web site or call (615) 898-2469.
• Scholarships through the June Anderson Center Scholarship for Women and Non-traditional Students
• Student-Athlete scholarships at MTSU are awarded by the coaches of that particular sport. For more information, please contact the appropriate coaching staff.

Scholarship Thank You Letters

If you are awarded a Foundation and/or Departmental Scholarship, you are expected to write a Thank You letter to the scholarship donor, showing your appreciation for the scholarship.  Your Scholarship offer notification letter should include information regarding a Thank You letter.

Scholarships are made possible through the generous donations of corporations, professional associations, college alumni, and individual philanthropists. Those who provided your scholarship very much appreciate knowing about you and that the scholarship you are receiving made a difference. Your thank you letter acknowledges the importance of generous support for students like you.

Tips for writing a well-written Scholarship Thank You Letter:

• Mention the scholarship program by name
• Identify your college or university
• Mention your educational background and any obstacles you’ve overcome to make it to college
• Mention any extracurricular activities you are involved in, particularly community service projects
• Discuss both your educational and career goals
• Express your enthusiasm & appreciation for the scholarship, and the impact it has had on you and your family
• Make sure the letter is free of both grammatical and spelling errors. 
• Write clearly and concisely.
• Be sincere.

 For examples, please visit:

• http://www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/thank-you-samples.htm
• https://www.template.net/business/letters/sample-scholarship-thank-you-letter/
• https://morethankyounotes.com/scholarship-thank-you-notes/

Please send your Scholarship Thank You Letters via postal mail to
                Scholarship Program Name – Put the name of your Scholarship received here
                c/o Gina Stanley
                MTSU Development Office Box 109
                1301 East Main Street
                Murfreesboro, TN  37132

 If you have questions about the thank you letter, call Ms. Stanley at 615-898-5015 or email MTScholarships@mtsu.edu.

If you are currently receiving a Tennessee Educational Lottery Scholarship (TELS) scholarship at another college or university, you will need to be sure that you complete the following steps so that your scholarship will follow you when you transfer to MTSU.  

These steps are also applicable for students who are admitted into an Advanced degree program (i.e. Masters or Doctoral) at MTSU, who previously received TELS at a prior institution, who have remaining years of eligibility, and who graduated with their 1^st baccalaureate degree on-or-after July 1, 2023.

1. Submit your prior college transcripts to the MTSU Admissions Office
   If you are an Undergraduate student seeking your 1^st baccalaureate degree - Submit all of your prior college transcripts to MTSU's Undergraduate Admissions Office, and monitor your Pipeline account to insure that all transfer credits are showing on your MTSU transcript.                                                                                                                                             

If you are seeking an Advanced degree (i.e. Masters or Doctoral) - Submit all your prior high school, ACT/SAT, and college transcripts to the MTSU’s Graduate Admissions Office. The Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) requires that MTSU verify both your initial and continuing TELS eligibility before awarding any TELS funds to either an Undergraduate or Graduate student.

Here is how to check your MTSU transcript:

1. • Go to pipeline.mtsu.edu and log in
   • Click on Registration & Student Records on the left menu
   • Click on the Transcript icon
   • Enter the Transcript Level and Transcript Type and click Submit
   • Scroll down to the bottom to check for the most recent semester's grades
     
     
2. Notify the Financial Aid Office at your current school
   Inform your current school's Financial Aid Office that you are planning to transfer, so they can cancel your future aid (including the lottery scholarship and any other grants, loans, or scholarships you are receiving there). 
   
   
3. Add MTSU to Your FAFSA
   If you did not list MTSU on your FAFSA as one of the institutions to receive your information, you will need to add our school code. The Federal School Code for MTSU is 003510.
   
   
4. Notify TSAC that you are changing schools
   It is important that you inform the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) of which school you plan to attend. You may do so by visiting College Pays TN's Student Portal. It is recommended that you use the Student Portal, since it is processed by TSAC immediately. If you choose to send the paper form, please allow 2 weeks for processing. If you have any questions you can contact TSAC by calling them at (800) 342-1663 or (615) 741-1346.
   
   • Go to Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation website.
   • Log in to the TSAC Student Portal.
     • If you have not previously logged in to the system, you will be required to create an account at the link provided.
   • After signing in, locate the area displaying the current academic year.
   • Select link stating "Click here to process an institution transfer request for Academic Year 20__-20__".
   • Select drop down menu beside "Transfer to" and select institution you will be attending.
   • Select "Process Transfer Request".
5. Submit a TELS Transfer Notification Form to the MT One Stop
   If you are an Undergraduate student seeking your 1^st baccalaureate degree - When you see all your transfer credits on your MTSU transcript, and you have made MTSU your school of record with TSAC for the applicable award year, complete the online MTSU TELS Transfer Notification Form.

 If you are a Graduate student who has already received their baccalaureate degree on-or-after July 1, 2023 from an eligible Tennessee institution, and are now seeking an Advanced degree (i.e. Masters or Doctoral) at MTSU - When you have made MTSU your school of record with TSAC for the applicable award year, please complete the online TELS Graduate Transfer Notification form.

6. Are you transferring to MTSU mid-year?
If you are transferring to MTSU in the middle of the academic year (for example, if you transfer in the spring after attending another school in the fall), please be aware that you may not receive your lottery award prior to the fee payment deadline and the beginning of classes, depending on the timing of when you complete all steps for eligibility processing. MTSU is required by state policies to verify your initial and continuing eligibility, and this process cannot be completed until you have taken all steps noted above.

7. Are you transferring back to Tennessee after attending an out-of-state college or university?
If you were initially eligible for a TELS award upon completion of high school requirements, and were enrolled at a regionally accredited out-of-state post-secondary institution within 16 months after graduation, and are now transferring to an eligible Tennessee post-secondary institution, you may be eligible to receive the TELS award. If the above scenario applies to you, please contact the MT One Stop.

Please Note: If you received your baccalaureate degree from an out-of-state institution, and you are transferring to MTSU in pursuit of an Advanced degree (i.e. Masters or Doctoral), you are ineligible to receive TN Lottery Scholarships; regardless of your eligibility at the point of graduating from high school.

Tennessee residents may qualify for a variety of state-based aid programs, which include a need-based grant, several scholarships based on merit or other factors, and loan forgiveness programs for students in certain majors. These programs are administered through the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation. 

Questions?

Please contact the MT One Stop!