Southern Methodist University • Enrollment Services • Financial Aid • Scholarships




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SMU has one of the most substantial commitments in American higher education to providing merit and leadership scholarships for talented students. These scholarships are awarded without regard to financial need (except where need is listed as a minimum requirement for a respective scholarship) and are gifts that do not have to be repaid. All students who apply for admission by the January 15, priority deadline date are reviewed automatically for scholarship eligibility. Except where noted, no separate application is required.  Below is a list and description of scholarships available to SMU students.

Merit Based Scholarships
 
SMU Founders' Scholars
 
SMU Provost Scholars
 
SMU Distinguished Scholars
 
International Baccalaureate (IB) Scholars
 
Departmental Scholarships
 
 
 
 
United Methodist Church Scholarships
 
 
Other Scholarships
 
 
Online Outside Scholarship Search Sites
Available for customized scholarship searches and information.

 

President's Scholar Award
Competitive merit-based award to approximately 30 entering first-year students

Awards

  • Full tuition and general student fees, renewable through
    four years
  • President's Scholars also eligible for the Campus Community Award, which pays on-campus residence hall and meal plan charges
  • Tuition and transportation for a summer, term, or full year abroad to one of SMU’s
    Study Abroad international programs, or tuition for one June session at SMU-in-Taos
  • Opportunities to meet distinguished scholars, dignitaries, and artists, and attend major
    cultural events and lectures

Minimum Requirements

  • At least 17 academic high school units
  • SAT of 1350 (minimum 700 verbal, 650 math) or comparable ACT composite
  • Top 10 percent of graduating class (when applicable)
  • Demonstrated involvement, leadership
  • Renewable if full-time enrollment, conduct demonstrating that the student shares the
  • University’s values and goals, and a 3.300 cumulative SMU GPA are maintained

Application

  • Submit SMU admission application by January 15
  • On-campus interview of finalists by faculty committee in March, accommodations
    and meals paid
  • Notification of recipients in late March

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The Nancy Ann and Ray L. Hunt Leadership Scholars Program

For up to 25 entering first-year students who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership in their high schools, as well as academic achievement

Awards

  • Full tuition and fees, less the amount of resident tuition and fees at the leading public university in the student’s state of residency; renewable through four years.
  • Transportation costs also provided to one of SMU’s Study Abroad international programs.
  • Opportunities to meet with distinguished leaders in many fields. Recent examples include Colin Powell, Margaret Thatcher, Jimmy Carter, George Bush, and Gregory Peck.

Minimum Requirements

  1. DEMONSTRATED EXTRAORDINARY LEADERSHIP -- This is normally reflected through serving in top leadership positions of high school organizations. This requirement may also be reflected through significant leadership accomplishments in areas outside the high school setting. Examples of such leadership may include: Senior or Junior class president or Student Council president, Editor-in-Chief of school newspaper, founders of organizations, senior leadership in scouting or service organizations, Boys State or Girls State representative.
  2. Submission of the Hunt Essay (see below), and a completed first-year application for admission to SMU.
  3. Rank in top 25% of graduating class.*
  4. Composite SAT 1230 on Math and Critical Reading or ACT 28.
  5. Completion of a strong college preparatory curriculum, typically including AP courses, IB courses, and honors classes.
Students who lack one of the criteria 3, 4, or 5 may be considered if outstanding abilities in other areas are identified in addition to demonstrated extraordinary leadership.
* If the school does not rank students, then the expectation is a strong academic record.

Application

In addition to your application to SMU, please submit two additional items:

  1. One recommendation from a teacher or counselor that directly and clearly addresses your proven leadership record and potential. Your counselor recommendation letter can serve if it clearly addresses leadership, with specific examples.
  2. The Hunt Essay.
    Please respond to the following question, in a maximum of 2-3 pages.

    “Based on your understanding of leadership, how would you use your leadership abilities as a member of a college community?”

    Please submit your Hunt Essay to the Office of Undergraduate Admission. (The Essay can be submitted either along with your application, or separately.) On each page of the Hunt Essay, be sure to include your name, social security number, and the words “Hunt Essay.” You may submit this essay to the SMU Admissions Office in one of three ways:
    • Mail to:
              SMU Division of Enrollment Services
              Office of Undergraduate Admissions
              P.O. Box 750181
              Dallas, Texas 75275-0181
    • Email as an attachment to: ugadmission@smu.edu
    • Fax to 214.768.0103

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SMU Founders’ Scholars

The SMU Founders’ scholarship honors the visionary men and women who founded SMU 100 years ago, and recognizes students who are poised to contribute to SMU’s next century of academic excellence.

Awards

  • Maximum of $60,000, payable up to $15,000 per year through four years
  • Awarded to incoming first-year students based on a holistic review of the SMU Application

Minimum Requirements

  • Exceptionally strong academic background
  • Well-rounded extracurricular profile
  • Renewable if full-time enrollment and a 3.000 GPA are maintained

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SMU Provost’s Scholars

The Provost’s Scholar provides merit based scholarships to students whose academic and leadership experience demonstrate their ability to contribute to the SMU community.

Awards

  • Maximum of $48,000, payable up to $12,000 per year through four years
  • Awarded to incoming first-year students based on a holistic review of the SMU Application

Minimum Requirements

  • Very strong academic background
  • Well-rounded extracurricular profile
  • Renewable if full-time enrollment and a 3.000 GPA are maintained

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SMU Distinguished Scholars

The SMU Distinguished Scholar provides merit based scholarships to applicants with strong academic and extracurricular profiles.

Awards

  • Maximum of $30,000, payable up to $7,500 per year through four years
  • Awarded to incoming first-year students based on a holistic review of the SMU Application

Minimum Requirements

  • Strong academic background
  • Well-rounded extracurricular profile
  • Renewable if full-time enrollment and a 3.000 GPA are maintained

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National Merit and National Achievement Scholarships

SMU provides a scholarship of up to $5,000 annually for students who have been named National Merit or Achievement Finalists. To qualify, students must designate SMU as their first choice school with the National Merit Corporation by the final deadline set by National Merit. In addition, the student must provide their award letter from National Merit to the SMU Financial Aid Office.

  • The scholarship will be awarded for 8 standard terms or until graduation, whichever comes first, as long as the student maintains full-time enrollment status each semester and a 3.000 SMU cumulative GPA. For any recipient whose SMU cumulative GPA falls below 3.000, the SMU Financial Aid Office will review the student’s eligibility for continuation of the award.
     
  • If the student receives a corporate or one-time National Merit Corporation award, SMU will supplement any smaller corporate or one-time National Merit Corporation award up to a total of $5000 annually.
     
  • This scholarship may be combined with other scholarship or grant aid from SMU but in no case can the combination of institutional aid exceed Tuition and Fees for that academic year. Pres, Hunt, Staff Benefit recipient or other combination where tuition and fees have been meet by SMU aid, the amount of the National Merit award will be limited to $2000.
     
  • Those finalists who do not receive other academic scholarships from SMU will receive a total of $5,000 annually in National Merit or Achievement scholarship from all sources.
     

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SMU Staff Association Awards

Endowed scholarship funds established through the generosity of members of the SMU faculty and staff and their spouses.

Awards

  • Vary in number and amounts
  • Application provided by SMU Staff Association

Minimum Requirements

  • For continuing students who have filed financial aid applications and who have demonstrated need and high academic achievement

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International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Scholars

Awards

  • Varying from $4,000 to $12,000 per academic year according to the IB score received (score 30–34 $4,000; score 35–39 $8,000; score 40 and above $12,000)
  • Awarded after July each year when exam results for the diplomas are received

Minimum Requirements

  • Must have completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program
  • Renewable for 8 terms or until graduation, whichever comes first, if full-time enrollment
    and a 3.000 cumulative GPA are maintained

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Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences - Undergraduate

Various endowed merit-scholarship funds have been established by the Dedman College friends and alumni especially for students majoring in the humanities, natural sciences, or social sciences.

  • A number of Dedman College scholarships are available to students in any major within Dedman College, not restricted to particular disciplines. Majors which these scholarships might support: English, Biological Sciences, English - Creative Writing, Biochemistry, Foreign Languages, Chemistry, History Geological Sciences, International Studies, Geophysics, Latin American Studies, Environmental Geology, Anthropology, Mathematics, Psychology, Physics, Sociology, Statistical Sciences, Philosophy, Economics, Religious Studies, Economics with Finance Applications, Ethnic Studies, Economics & System Analysis, African/African-American Studies, Political Science, Mexican-American Studies.
  • Numerous scholarships are specifically for incoming first-year students who are sure of their intended major, and are renewable; others are designated for upper-class students who have achieved outstanding academic performance.
  • Some scholarships are not tied to need consideration but are merit only. Some are based on need and merit.
  • Most of the scholarships are renewable based on full-time enrollment on a Dedman College major and 3.000 GPA.
  • If you study abroad on one of SMU's International Programs, your scholarship funds and financial aid may still apply.
  • Students, exhibiting outstanding academic merit, transferring to SMU from 2-year or 4-year schools to pursue degrees in Dedman College may also be considered for scholarships.
  • As long as your SMU admission application is complete by January 15 (postmark), we will automatically consider you for merit scholarships within Dedman College for which you might be eligible. Completing your application earlier is helpful, both for you and for us. You do not need to contact us about specific departmental scholarships in Dedman College, and there is no separate application for individual Dedman College scholarships unless you are notified. The matching process begins in January and continues through spring. We work closely with the Enrollment Services offices, so having your financial aid information complete early will also speed up the process.

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Edwin L. Cox School of Business - Undergraduate

Endowed scholarships made possible by the generosity of Cox School alumni and friends, awarded on the basis of merit to juniors and seniors majoring in business.

Awards

  • Vary in number and amount; some with very specific donor stipulations

Minimum Requirements

  • Academic excellence
  • Outstanding leadership and/or community service

Application

  • File the FAFSA in spring semester for most awards; some do not require application

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Meadows School of the Arts - Undergraduate

Meadows Merit Scholarships based upon an evaluation of students' artistic competence and potential, made possible by endowments from Meadows' patrons of the arts

Awards

  • Full- and partial-tuition scholarships varying in number and amount

Minimum Requirements

  • Audition for dance, music, and theater applicants
  • Portfolio review for visual or fine arts applicants
  • Academic record review for communications honors students
  • Renewable if high academic and artistic standards are maintained

Application

  • Complete admission application by January 15 and FAFSA by February 1
  • Deadlines for artistic merit scholarships vary by discipline

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School of Engineering - Undergraduate

Scholarships for students majoring in engineering and applied science, underwritten by University funds and the generosity of individual donors and companies in the Dallas high-tech community.

Lindsay Embrey Academic Excellence Scholarships

Awards

  • Vary in number and amount

Minimum Requirements

  • SAT score of 1350 or higher
  • Leadership
  • Range of personal accomplishments
  • Renewable if full-time enrollment and a 3.0 GPA are maintained

Minimum Requirements

  • SAT score of 1250-1340; otherwise same as Embrey Scholarship
  • Cooperative Education Program (CO-OP)
  • This work program is open to all SEAS undergraduates after successful completion of the first year of study. Students who participate fully in the five-year program can earn approximately $44,000 and gain up to 21 months of professional experience before graduation

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Financial Aid Programs for United Methodists

Applicants who are members of the United Methodist Church receive the same consideration as other students for all SMU financial aid programs. They also receive consideration for financial aid specifically dedicated by the United Methodist Church to its members.

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Minister's Family Tuition Awards

Awarded from SMU funds to dependent children or spouses of ordained ministers of the United Methodist Church who are engaged in active pastoral work and dependent children of retired or deceased United Methodist ministers.

Awards

  • $3500 per semester for eight semesters of full-time study

Minimum Requirements

  • Meet all standard admission requirements
  • Maintain a 2.000 overall GPA for renewal
  • Complete the above eight semesters within five calendar years

Application

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United Methodist Scholarships

Awards

  • Vary in amount and number

Minimum Requirements

  • Limited to undergraduates who have been active members of the United Methodist Church for at least one year, who have filed a financial aid application, and who have demonstrated financial need and high academic achievement

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Other SMU Scholarships

Athletic Scholarships

For outstanding athletes in football, men's and women's basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, women's volleyball, and track and field

Awards

  • Amount and number vary by sport

Minimum Requirements

  • Determined in accordance with NCAA and SMU guidelines

For more information, contact:

Office of Recruiting Coordination, Department of Athletics
Southern Methodist University
PO Box 750216
Dallas, TX 75275-0216
(214) 768-2864

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Mustang Band

Awards

  • Vary in amount and number

Minimum Requirements

  • Must meet SMU admission requirements
  • Criteria include playing ability, need, desire to participate, and instrument requisites

Application

  • Completed SMU Admission Application by January 15

For more information, contact:
Director, SMU Mustang Band
Southern Methodist University
PO Box 750493
Dallas, TX 75275-0493
(214) 768-2198

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Online Outside Scholarship Searches and Information Sites
There are a variety of customizable search engines designed to assist students in locating off-campus scholarship resources.  Click on any of the links below to begin searching the Internet for additional scholarship money. There are also various scholarship resources, including a local database and many scholarship reference books, available through the Central Library system at SMU.

            www.fastweb.com
            www.finaid.org
            www.smu.edu/nationalfellowships  

For more information, contact:

Southern Methodist University
Division of Enrollment Services
PO Box 750181
Dallas, TX 75275-0181
(214) 768-2058
Email the Scholarship Office