Freshman Academic Scholarships
These awards are available to new freshmen enrolling at SBU's Bolivar campus in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026. Each award is renewable for up to eight semesters for students who maintain a 2.0 GPA. The residency grant is available for students who live on campus. Students are required to live on campus unless they live with their parents/guardians within a 30-mile radius of the Bolivar campus, or until they turn 21. Award levels are based on weighted high school GPA.
| Award | Amount | Residency Grant | Annual Total | Four-Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential Distinguished Scholar (4.0 GPA or above) |
$13,000 |
$3,500 |
$16,500 |
$66,000 |
|
Provost's Scholar Award |
$12,000 |
$3,500 |
$15,500 |
$62,000 |
| Dean's Scholar Award (3.30-3.79 GPA) |
$11,000 |
$3,500 |
$14,500 |
$58,000 |
|
Bearcat Scholar Award I |
$9,000 |
$3,500 |
$12,500 |
$50,000 |
| Bearcat Scholar Award II (2.79 GPA or below) |
$8,000 |
$3,500 |
$11,500 |
$46,000 |
Scholars Day Awards
High school seniors who have a 3.5 GPA or above or a qualifying test score, will be invited to participate in Scholars Day to earn one of the academic-competitive scholarships. Incoming transfer students with a 3.75 college GPA or above will also be invited.
Scholars Day participants may choose to come compete on either Saturday, January 25 or Saturday, March 1. If you have questions about Scholars Day or want to know if you qualify, please contact your admissions counselor at (417) 328-1810.
- J. R. Maupin Founders Award - Full-tuition (1-3 awards offered annually)
- Dutile Scholars Award - $500-$2,500 (awarded to each Scholars Day participant not selected for the J.R. Maupin Founders Award)
Transfer Academic Scholarships
These awards are available to new transfers enrolling at SBU's Bolivar campus in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026. Each award is renewable for up to eight semesters for students who maintain a 2.0 GPA. The residency grant is available for students who live on campus. Students are required to live on campus unless they live with their parents/guardians within a 30-mile radius of the Bolivar campus, or until they turn 21. Award levels are based on cumulative college GPA. Students who have completed at least 12 credit hours of college coursework after graduating from high school are considered transfers.
| Award | Amount | Residency Grant | Annual Total | Two-Year Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential Transfer Award (3.75 GPA or above) |
$9,000 |
$3,500 |
$12,500 |
$25,000 |
|
Provost's Transfer Award |
$8,000 |
$3,500 |
$11,500 |
$23,000 |
| Dean's Transfer Award (2.50-2.99 GPA) |
$7,000 |
$3,500 |
$10,500 |
$21,000 |
|
Bearcat Transfer Award |
$5,000 |
$3,500 |
$8,500 |
$17,000 |
Performance Scholarships
SBU offers a number of scholarships designed to both reward and develop your unique talents, whether you are an athlete, have gifts in the performing arts, or can win an argument on our speech and debate team.
| Award | Amount | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Athletic Scholarships | Varies |
SBU's 21 NCAA Division II sports offer scholarships for athletes who are recruited by coaches. Contact your admissions counselor for details. These awards can stack on top of your academic awards but not other SBU scholarships/grants. SBU Athletics Directory |
|
Music Scholarships |
Varies |
Scholarships are available to all students regardless of major, based on auditions or tryouts. Contact your admissions counselor for details. These awards can stack on top of your academic award but not other SBU scholarships/grants. |
|
Visual Arts Scholarships |
Varies |
Scholarships are available to arts majors. Contact your admissions counselor for details. These awards can stack on top of your academic award but not other SBU scholarships/grants. |
| Speech and Debate Scholarships | Varies |
Scholarships are available to all students regardless of major, based on auditions or tryouts. Contact your admissions counselor for details. These awards can stack on top of your academic awards but not other SBU scholarships/grants. |
Ministry-Related Scholarships
As a Christian university, it is SBU's privilege to award scholarships to students entering the ministry and to partner with churches who want to assist their students in pursuing Christian higher education.
| Award | Amount | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Church Matching | Up to $500 |
SBU will match a scholarship from your church up to $500, renewable up to four years. (Example: Your church gives you a $1,000 scholarship, and SBU will give you a $500 Church Matching Scholarship). Your church does not have to be a Southern Baptist Church. |
|
Church-Related Vocation |
$2,000 |
Available to students pursuing a degree in Biblical Studies, Church Ministry, Church Music, or Missions |
| Church Minister Dependent | $1,000 |
Available to students whoare a dependent of a full-time church-related vocational professional |
| Missionary Dependent | $1,000 |
Available to students who are a dependent of someone currently serving full-time on the mission field for the International Mission Board (IMB), North American Mission Board (NAMB) or another approved missions organization |
Other Institutional Scholarships
| Award | Amount | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| SBU Grant | Varies |
These awards are based on need using information from the FAFSA. |
|
A+ Scholarship |
$1,000 |
Available to incoming freshmen students who have met A+ requirements in the State of Missouri. Your status must be confirmed by your school. |
| Dual Credit Scholarship | $500 |
Available to students who have complete at least 6 hours of dual credit or dual enrollment through SBU, earning a minimum 3.0 GPA |
| Sibling Scholarship | $500 |
For students who have a brother or sister attending SBU at the same time (siblings who are currently attending will also receive) |
State/Federal Financial Aid
| Award | Amount | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Pell Grant | Up to $7,395 |
Must submit the FAFSA. Available to students with financial need based on FAFSA results. Full requirements and program details available at http://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell. |
|
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant |
$200-$1,000 |
Must submit the FAFSA. Available to students with financial need based on FAFSA results. SBU receives a limited amount of funds to disburse to students who qualify. Full requirements and program details available at http://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/fseog |
| Federal Work Study | Up to $1,950 |
Must submit the FAFSA. Eligible students work part-time or full-time jobs on campus until the maximum earnings are reached. Positions are reserved for students with financial needs and published each semester. Eligibility will be communicated in official award packages in the spring when FAFSA results are provided to the university. |
| Access Missouri Award (Missouri residents) |
Up to $2,850 |
Must submit the FAFSA. Must be enrolled as a full-time student at a participating Missouri institution and meet SAI thresholds. Full requirements and application deadlines are available at http://dhewd.mo.gov/ppc/grants-scholarships/access-mo |
| Bright Flight Scholarship (Missouri residents) |
Up to $3,000 |
Based on test score results. Must be enrolled as a full-time student at a participating Missouri institution and typically score at least a 31 on the ACT. Full requirements and application deadlines are available at http://dhewd.mo.gov/ppc/grants-scholarships/bright-flight |
| Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans |
Year 1 - Up to $5,500 * Amounts can vary based on dependent status of students and parent eligibility for PLUS loans |
Must submit the FAFSA. There are annual limits on the amount that can be subsidized (interest paid by government while in school) vs. unsubsidized (interest accrues and must be paid while in school). For more details on the difference, read the FAQs on the bottom of this page or visit http://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized |
| Federal Parent PLUS Loan | Up to the cost of attendance |
Must submit the FAFSA. Available to parents of undergraduate students. Separate application is required. More details are available at http://studentaid.gov/plus-app/parent/landing |
Other Loan Options
Families can explore private loans from other lenders besides the federal government. Conditions and requirements for private loans can vary. More details are available in the FAQs below. For a list of selected other providers, click here.
Financial Aid FAQs
Below are answers to common questions related to financial aid. If you have other questions that are not answered here, please contact your admissions counselor.
Award packages are mailed after the university receives FAFSA data from the federal government. This typically happens in late winter or early spring, depending on the FAFSA processing timeline for the Department of Education. For the Fall 2025 incoming class, we don't expect FAFSA data from the government to arrive before February 2025.
Once FAFSA data is received, we will send you a letter with a detailed breakdown of all the aid for which you are eligble, including scholarships, grants, loans, work study, etc. We will also include any private scholarships that you have received and notified us about. The award letter will also show you the total remaining balance for your first year.
All students must accept their eligible financial aid through SBU's Self-Service portal before it is officially applied to your account. You will receive an email to your SBU email account with instructions on how to log in to the Self-Service portal.
Your admissions counselor will also reach out to schedule a financial aid phone call to go over your award in detail and answer any questions. We strongly recommend you take advantage of this and schedule a time for this call.
Direct loans offer two options - subsidzed and unsubsidized. Interest on subsidized loans is paid by the government while a student is in school, but there are lower limits on the amount that can be borrowed. Interest on unsubsidized loans must be paid by the borrower while the student is in school, and there are larger limits on the amount that can be borrowed.
The aggregate borrowing limit for an undergraduate student on subsidized loans is $23,000, and for unsubsidized loans it is $57,500. Once those limits have been reached, students are no longer eligible for Direct loans. For more details, visit http://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized.
You may seek out supplemental loan(s) from alternative sources up to the cost of attendance minus financial aid.
Important information about private loans:
- These are non-federal loans and do not have the same terms and conditions as federal loans.
- Private loans cannot be combined (consolidated) with federal loans when you enter repayment.
- A private loan may not offer flexible repayment plans and may have a higher interest rate than federal loans.
- Public service loan forgiveness is not available for private loans.
- Private loans may require a co-signer.
Considerations when choosing a lender:
- Compare interest rates.
- Consider whether accruing interest is added to the principal amount while enrolled in school.
- Check to see if the loan requires any upfront or back-end fees.
- Find out if the loan requires payments to be made while enrolled in school.
- Consider co-signer requirements and conditions of the loan.
- Local banks and credit unions may offer competitive interest rates on private loans.
List of alternative loan lenders
You are free to choose any lender and loan product you feel best suits your needs. You are not required to select a lender from our list; however, we have provided a list of lenders for comparison.
Yes! You can set up a payment plan online by logging into your Student Account Center and completing the following steps:
- Click on "Self-Service" and select "Student Finance."
- Click "Make a Payment."
- Choose the "Payment Plans" option in the page menu or click on the "Enroll in Payment Plan" box located under your account balance.
- Select the term for which you wish to set up a payment plan and select the payment plan option that works best for you.
- Follow the prompts to schedule your payments using either your bank account information or a debit/credit card (additional processing fee). Your payments will automatically be paid on the due date using the payment method entered.
Questions regarding the SBU Payment Plan should be directed to the Cashier's Office.
Note: All charges for tuition, room and board, and fees are due in full at the beginning of the semester unless covered by an SBU Payment Plan.
Bills are mailed in July before the fall semester for students who have been enrolled in classes. Bills are also made available on the Self-Service portal at that time.