Scholarships for Graduate Students

Supporting your graduate education

Missouri State offers a number of University funded and donor-funded scholarships tailored for students pursuing a graduate education.

Missouri State offers two types of scholarships

Your scholarship application must be received by the deadline specified for each scholarship description for consideration. In general, the application deadline for fall applicants is March 1, and the deadline for spring applicants is October 1. Unless otherwise noted, scholarships cannot be combined.

MSU institutionally funded scholarships

These scholarships are funded by MSU. See below for scholarship criteria, application information and deadlines.

MSU donor funded scholarships

These scholarships are gifts to the University made by individuals, groups or organizations and awarded to Missouri State students each year.


Available University funded scholarships for graduate students

Continue the Tradition Program

Value

A full waiver of out-of-state tuition (current value is approximately $5,760 per year for a student taking 18 credit hours).

Application

Apply for admission and submit the Continue the Tradition Application. While there is no application deadline, students are encouraged to apply early to be considered for scholarships which do have deadlines.

Number Available

Varies

Selection criteria

Student must be the child or grandchild of a Missouri State graduate.

Renewal criteria

This scholarship is renewed automatically.

The Continue the Tradition Program is renewable for one additional year. To renew, a recipient must complete 18 Missouri State graduate credit hours per year and maintain a cumulative Missouri State grade point average of 2.00 or higher.

Additional information

This waiver can be combined with any of the scholarships shown here that do not already provide a waiver of out-of-state tuition. 

Graduate Assistantship

Value

A minimum stipend of $9,200 ($4,600 per semester) for the 2021-2022 academic year (nine months) and, in a few situations, a stipend $11,200 ($5,600 per semester) may be awarded. A stipend of either $2,300 or $2,800 will be awarded to a graduate assistant for a summer appointment.

Application

To apply for a graduate assistantship, you must submit an application directly to the department in which the assistantship is sought. It is wise to check with the department before applying to determine if any additional information is requested. Applications are available online or at the Graduate College. Information requested from an applicant includes employment, academic history and the listing  of references.

Number Available

Varies by department

Selection criteria

To be considered for a graduate assistantship, you must:

  • Be admitted to a graduate program at Missouri State
  • Hold a minimum GPA of 3.00 for your last 60 hours of undergraduate cumulative course work for first-time graduate students or for your graduate cumulative course work (minimum nine hours)
  • Complete the department or unit’s application process

Renewal criteria

This scholarship is renewed automatically.

Additional information

Students who receive graduate assistantships are also eligible to receive fee-waiver scholarships if their appointment PAFs are received in the Graduate College by September 15 for the fall semester and February 15 for the spring semester.

Other Renewal Criteria

You must maintain a 3.00 GPA to continue eligibility. Additionally, you must complete a minimum of six hours of graduate course work at the 600-level or above during each semester of appointment to maintain your eligibility. If you are a summer graduate assistant, you must complete a minimum of three hours of graduate course work during the summer session or be properly enrolled in the subsequent fall semester. However, full-time student status requires a minimum enrollment of nine hours during each fall and spring semester. Some departments or units may require you to take more than six hours of course work.

Length of Appointment

A student in a master’s degree program may hold an assistantship for a maximum of two years (including fall, spring, and summer), and a student admitted to a certificate program may hold an assistantship for two semesters. A student is eligible for a third year of assistantship support if he or she has completed all requirements for a master’s degree (has graduated) and has been admitted to a second master’s degree or a graduate certificate program. Also, a student in a doctoral program is eligible for a third year of assistantship support. Graduate assistants are not eligible to work at any other paid position at Missouri State University during the time of their assistantship.

Midwest Student Exchange Program

Value

The value is a full waiver of out-of-state tuition for the academic year (fall and spring). Current value is approximately $5,274 per year for a student taking 18 credit hours.

Application

No application is required. Eligible students will be identified based on their admission application credentials. While there is no application deadline, students are encouraged to apply early to be considered for scholarships which do have deadlines.

Number Available

Varies (see above)

Selection criteria

Graduate students whose legal residence is Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio or Wisconsin may qualify if they have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 3.25 and are formally admitted to a graduate degree program.

Renewal criteria

This scholarship is renewed automatically.

The Midwest Student Exchange Program is renewable for one additional year. To renew, a recipient must complete 18 Missouri State credit hours per year and maintain a cumulative Missouri State grade point average of 3.25 or higher.

Additional information

This award cannot be combined with other out-of-state waivers or graduate assistant stipends. This award is not available during the summer semester.

MOGO Scholarship

Value

The value of this scholarship is three-fourths of the non-resident differential (the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition) graduate student fees for nine credit hours (five credit hours in the summer). For the 2021-2022 academic year, the value is $2,160 for the fall semester, $2,160 for the spring semester and $1,200 in the summer. The scholarship amount will be adjusted annually when the Missouri State University Board of Governors approves changes to the student fee schedule.

Application

No application is required. Once a student meets the eligibility criteria, the scholarship will automatically be offered.

Number Available

Varies (see above)

Selection criteria

This scholarship is available to new graduate students admitted into an eligible graduate program. You must be considered a non-resident of Missouri for fee purposes, have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.25 and enroll as a full-time graduate student, taking at least nine graduate credit hours during the fall and during the spring semester, or five graduate credit hours during the summer. More information about the scholarship and eligible graduate programs is provided on the MOGO page.

Additional information

The MOGO Scholarship cannot be combined with other forms of University aid, including scholarships, graduate assistantships, or fee waivers.

Need-Based Scholarship for Graduate Students

Value

$1,000 per semester. Total potential value is $3,000.

Application

           Fall semester: June 1
           Spring semester: November 15
           Summer session: April 1
  • Must have a FAFSA on file for the current academic year at the time of application. Applicants who are currently attending another university as an undergraduate must provide a Student Aid Report for the current academic year at the time of application.
  • Summer and fall admits must also submit a FAFSA to MSU for the upcoming academic year.

Number Available

50 per year (spring, summer, and fall semesters combined)

Selection criteria

To qualify, students must:

  • Be admitted to and enrolled at least half-time (5 credit hours in fall or spring; 3 credit hours in summer) in a graduate program within one year of receiving a bachelor’s degree (e.g., students who graduate in May must enroll in a graduate program the following summer, fall, or spring semester);
  • Have qualified for a Pell Grant during their final year as an undergraduate;
  • Have a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the semester of their initial enrollment in a graduate program showing an EFC that would qualify for Pell if enrolled as an undergraduate; and,
  • Have an undergraduate grade point average (either overall or on the last 60 credit hours) of at least 3.25.

If the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number of scholarships available, preference will be given to MSU graduates. Further selections, if needed, will be made by a selection committee appointed by the Graduate College Office and based on a combination of grade point average, need, and other factors.

Renewal criteria

This scholarship can be renewed for the two semesters immediately following the initial semester of enrollment (three semesters total). Summer session is included; thus, students who start in the spring may receive it the following summer and fall and students who start in the fall may receive it the following spring and summer. Unused portions may not be carried forward to a future semester.

To renew, students must complete at least five credit hours each fall or spring semester that they receive the scholarship (three credit hours for summer) and maintain a cumulative graduate grade point average of 3.25 or higher.

Additional information

This scholarship cannot be combined with a graduate assistantship or other University scholarships, with the exception of the out-of-state tuition waivers.

MSU Foundation Scholarships

MSU Foundation Scholarships are made possible through private gifts to the University made by individuals, groups or companies. They are awarded to students each year based on a wide range of criteria: college, major/minor, high school attended, outstanding academic achievement, leadership, financial need, etc.

The Search Tool will allow you to view available scholarships. You may search using keywords or the category search filter option, however you cannot apply for scholarships using the Search Tool.

For more information, including how to apply for all Foundation Scholarship opportunities by the April 1 deadline, please visit the MSU Foundation Scholarships.