Scholarships

The Honors College is also home to the Buchanan Fellowship program, named in honor of MTSU’s Nobel Prize-winning alumnus, Dr. James M. Buchanan. The Buchanan Fellowship, limited to 20 students per year, is the highest award given to an entering freshman at Middle Tennessee State University.

Buchanan Fellows, who must complete a separate application process limited to first-time freshmen, receive a host of unique benefits, including a full tuition waiver (up to 16 hours) guaranteed for four years (excluding summers), special seminars, priority registration, a book allowance, priority consideration for study abroad, and much more.

The Buchanan Transfer Fellowship, limited to 30 students per year, is the highest academic award given to transfer students at Middle Tennessee State University.

Buchanan Transfer Fellows, who must complete a separate application process, receive a host of unique benefits, including $3,500 per semester (for students classified as in-state for tuition purposes; $7,000 per semester for out-of-state students) for up to four semesters (fall and spring only), priority consideration for study abroad scholarships, and much more.

This application is used for the Honors Freshman Scholarship, the Creighton & Elizabeth Hay Rhea Centennial Scholarship, and the Ralph & Elizabeth Gwaltney Centennial Scholarship. Information for each scholarship is listed below. The Honors Centennial Scholarships are not available every year. Please read below to check if a Centennial Scholarship is available for the upcoming academic year. These scholarships can be stacked with other MTSU-guaranteed scholarships, as applicable.

THESE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE COMPETITIVE: These are very competitive scholarships. Submission of this application does not guarantee acceptance, as funds are limited.

You must be admitted to MTSU before you can complete this scholarship application. Please note that this application requires a teacher or guidance counselor recommendation letter, unofficial copies of your high school and college transcripts (college transcripts are required for students with dual enrollment credit), and a screenshot of your ACT/SAT scores. Additionally, the essay prompt in this application is similar to the MTSU Freshman Buchanan application. You are welcome to utilize the same essay in more than one application as applicable. If you need additional information on how MTSU awards credit for AP, IB, and other credit by examination, please visit https://www.mtsu.edu/how-to-apply/credit-by-examination/.

The 2025 application will open on December 2, 2024

Log in with your Pipeline username and password
(Selections are not made until after May 1, 2025.)

If you have questions regarding these opportunities, please email: uhc@mtsu.edu. 

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The Honors Freshman Scholarship

This is a four-year scholarship (eight semesters at $1,875 per semester, excluding summer) renewable each semester, provided the recipient is on track for Honors College graduation and has the requisite GPA (3.25 or higher).

CRITERIA:

• 27 ACT (1280-1300 SAT) and high school GPA of 3.3 or higher OR 
• 25 ACT (1200-1230 SAT) and high school GPA of 3.5 or higher OR 
• 24 ACT (1160-1190 SAT) and high school GPA of 3.7 or higher. 

RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS: Students must maintain a 3.25 college GPA and complete the Honors College program requirements as listed below.

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The Creighton & Elizabeth Hay Rhea Centennial Scholarship

Provides $4000 per year ($2000 each semester, excluding summer) and is renewable for five (5) years, provided the recipient is on track for Honors College graduation and has maintained the requisite MTSU GPA of 3.5 or higher.  Additional funds may be available for study-abroad opportunities.

CRITERIA:

• Incoming freshmen need a minimum 3.5 high school GPA and 29 ACT
• Preference is given to Rutherford County residents and those students pursuing a major related to preprofessional studies related to health care or STEM. 

RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS: Students must maintain a 3.5 college GPA, continue progress toward a major related to preprofessional health studies/STEM, and complete the Honors College program requirements as listed below.

**Not Available for Consideration for the 2025 Academic Year

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The Ralph & Elizabeth Gwaltney Centennial Scholarship

It provides $5500 per year ($2750 each semester, excluding summer) and is renewable for five (5) years provided the recipient is on track for Honors College graduation and has the requisite MTSU GPA of 3.5 or higher. 

 CRITERIA:

• Incoming freshmen need a minimum 3.5 high school GPA and 29 ACT

RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS: Students must maintain a 3.5 college GPA and complete the Honors College program requirements as listed below.

**Available for Consideration for the 2025 Academic Year

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If students are offered one of these scholarships they must maintain the following items for continued renewal of the scholarship.

MTSU HONORS COLLEGE REQUIREMENTS:

• Students must maintain a 3.25 college GPA for the freshman scholarship. The Rhea Centennial and Gwaltney Centenennial Scholarships require a 3.5 GPA.
• Complete the Honors College program requirements, including
  • 15 hours of any level Honors classes plus
  • UH 3000 Honors Lecture Series, UH 3200 Visiting Artist Seminar, or ENGL 3635 Creative Writing Event Series; 
  • Honors interdisciplinary seminar; 
  • UH 4900 Thesis Tutorial; and
  • UH 4950 Thesis
• Students must stay on track for honors requirements each semester and complete the Thesis.

Martin Scholarships are awarded competitively to students enrolled in the Honors College and provide a $2,000 stipend to each recipient. Four to six scholarships per year are generally awarded.

To qualify, students must be enrolled full-time, be on track for Honors course requirements, and be in good academic standing with the Honors College. Sons or daughters of a TVA employee, military veterans, or married students are given priority in the scholarship competition. Involvement and leadership in Honors College organizations are also significant. 

To qualify, students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or greater, have junior or senior standing, currently be enrolled as a full-time student, be on track for Honors course requirements, and be in good academic standing with the Honors College.

Recipients of the Academic Achievement Scholarship receive $1,000 per academic year. To qualify for the scholarship, students must have a 3.25 or greater cumulative GPA, be enrolled full-time, be on track for Honors course requirements, and be in good academic standing with the Honors College. 

For consideration for this scholarship, a student must:

• be a junior or senior
• have an overall GPA of 3.25 grade point average on a 4.0 scale
• be majoring or minoring in Native American Studies; pursuing a thesis related to Native American Studies; OR working directly to serve the needs of Native American populations
• the application will require students to provide additional details regarding their eligibility based on this criteria

Scholarship recipients will be awarded $250 to $750, depending upon available funds. To qualify, students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or greater, have junior or senior standing, complete the application prompts, currently be enrolled as a full-time student, be on track for Honors course requirements, and be in good academic standing with the Honors College.

This scholarship awards $350 to a junior or senior with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or greater who is enrolled as a full-time student, is on track for Honors course requirements, and is in good academic standing with the Honors College. 

Scholarship recipients will be awarded $400 in recognition of Dr. Lawrence R. Good, funded by Dr. Elaine Good Royal and Matthew Royal. Preference is given to Psychology majors and minors in good standing with the Honors College.

To be eligible for consideration for this scholarship, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Must be a full-time undergraduate student in the Honors College.
• First preference will be a student who is working towards American citizenship or is of Hispanic descent.
• Applicant must be either a junior or senior standing when the scholarship is awarded.
• Financial need, as determined by the University, is required.

To qualify, students must be enrolled full-time, be on track for Honors course requirements, and be in good academic standing with the Honors College.

Preference is given to students who meet the following criteria:

• International students of Hispanic/Latino or Asian ethnicity
• Business majors
• Students with demonstrated financial need

To qualify, students must be enrolled full-time, be on track for Honors course requirements, and be in good academic standing with the Honors College. Students must also have financial need, as determined by the University.

Preference is given to students who meet the following criterion:

• School of Nursing majors or intending to pursue a career that focuses on older adult health

Junior or Senior classification status. To qualify, students must be enrolled full-time, be on track for Honors course requirements, and be in good academic standing with the Honors College. Students must also have financial need, as determined by the University.

Preference is given to students who meet the following criterion:

• Student working in the James E. Walker Library

This scholarship awards $1,000 per academic year. To qualify, students must be enrolled full-time, be on track for Honors course requirements, and be in good academic standing with the Honors College. Students must also have a declared major in history, economics, or finance. If a recipient fails to maintain the required level of academic performance or changes to a major/minor outside those specified, they shall forfeit any unpaid balance of their award.

To qualify, students must be enrolled full-time, be on track for Honors course requirements, and be in good academic standing with the Honors College. Students must also have a declared major or minor in Political Science, Pre-Law, or Education.

Preference is given to students who meet the following criterion:

• Individuals who are involved in MTSU Debate or Mock Trial

To qualify, students must be enrolled full-time, be on track for Honors course requirements, and be in good academic standing with the Honors College. This scholarship is to be used for the purchasing of textbooks for honors students in underrepresented populations.

The June Hall McCash and Hannah/Harris scholarship applications are available through the general Honors scholarship link.  Students will need to provide information regarding their study abroad plans with the following prompts: 

• Do you plan to go on a Study Abroad Experience?
• If YES, to what country?
• If YES, which semester and year?

June Hall McCash Founder’s Award. To be eligible for consideration for this scholarship, a student must be in good standing with the Honors College, be pursuing a major or minor in a foreign language, be in good standing with the University, have completed 15 credit hours or the equivalent in foreign language courses, maintain a grade point average of 3.25 or higher, and plan to study abroad in a country where the student will be able to deepen their knowledge of the chosen major or minor language.

Hannah/Harris Honors Study Abroad Endowed Scholarships: Approximately $400 (dependent upon availability of funds) will be awarded to study abroad. Students must be admitted to the Honors College full-time to qualify for participation i. Each scholarship is awarded for one semester or summer term. Prior recipients are not disqualified from consideration for this scholarship during subsequent years. Demonstrated economic need will be considered in the selection process. 

Other Honors Study Abroad Scholarships are available throughout the year. Click the link below to learn more.

*Not included through the online application process. Please contact your honors advisor for additional information on how to apply for these scholarships.

Ingram-Montgomery Honors College Thesis/Research Scholarship: Winners of the Ingram-Montgomery Scholarship receive $1,000 in two $500 increments. The first increment is placed in the recipient’s MTSU student account the semester after the thesis proposal is approved. The remaining $500 increment is awarded upon completion and approval of the recipient’s thesis. The Honors Dean and Associate Dean will review applications using the following criteria: quality and focus of request, soundness of methodology, pre-request research, working bibliography, potential for development as a thesis, and potential for producing an original contribution to the field of study. 

Marilyn M. and Philip M. Mathis Honors Research Award. Provides support for current students presenting research at academic conferences and conventions.

June McCash Honors Enrichment Scholarship. This scholarship provides additional support to students in the University Honors College who seek to give papers or presentations at scholarly conventions, study abroad, or secure funds for research. 

Awards will be made to students from any academic discipline who intend to study and intern at the Yunus Center in Bangladesh. In the event that safety or security concerns make it impossible to study at the Yunus Center, then awards may be made to students engaged in an international exchange or study abroad program focused on socioeconomic enterprise opportunities in third-world countries and who intend to travel to such a country for a duration of no less than four weeks to study and/or work on these issues. Preference will be given to students who are native-born U.S. citizens in order to broaden their experience and knowledge of the global economy.