South Alabama is the only four-year state university in Alabama sitting right on the Gulf Coast, and it runs one of the most generous out-of-state deals in the Southeast. Any out-of-state freshman who earns even the smallest automatic merit award is billed the in-state tuition rate for as long as that award renews. Out-of-state tuition here is exactly double in-state, so that rate change alone is worth about $11,580 a year before a single scholarship dollar is counted. Add a merit grid that reaches full tuition at a 32 ACT, and South ends up cheaper than a lot of families’ home-state flagships.
Automatic: ACT 32+ and 3.5 GPA, or ACT 30-31 and 4.0 GPA
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Residency & Waivers
Special Waivers Available
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at South Alabama (Read This First)
Three different scholarship dates live on South’s own website. February 15 is the published priority date, but South’s Scholarship Basics page only guarantees an award to freshmen admitted by December 1. Treat December 1 as your real deadline.
Out-of-state families: the in-state rate does not come back. Miss the 3.0 GPA or 30 earned hours in a year, and the Earn Back program can restore the scholarship dollars, but South says the in-state tuition rate is gone for good.
A 21 or 22 ACT earns nothing extra. The tested rows start at 23. A student with a 21 or 22 lands on the same “GPA only” row as a test-optional applicant.
“Full tuition” means the Arts and Sciences rate. Nursing, engineering, business, computing, and allied health charge more per credit hour, and no award covers the $50 per credit hour technology fee (up to $600 a semester).
Mitchell Scholars is either/or. Win it and the automatic award, and South makes you pick one.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. University of South Alabama is test-optional for admission, but scholarships can work differently (see the next question).
Do you need test scores for scholarships at University of South Alabama? South's merit grid has a GPA-only row for test-optional students, but tested rows start at ACT 23, so only submit a score of 23 or higher; Mitchell Scholars needs a 29.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 20-26; SAT: 1010-1200.
Average net price? About $17,648/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
Yes. Institutional waivers are available.
💰 Cost of Attendance at University of South Alabama: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest University of South Alabama has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly
$500 to $1,200 more than the in-state total below.$700 to $1,700 more than the out-of-state total below.
In-State: billed cost per year
$24,394
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$12,038
Housing & meals (typical)
$12,356
Total billed cost
$24,394
Out-of-State: billed cost per year
$34,386
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$22,030
Housing & meals (typical)
$12,356
Total billed cost
$34,386
That is $9,992 more per year than Alabama residents pay, before any waivers or scholarships.
Average federal net price: $17,648 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students only, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
Out-of-state families: this average does not include you. Run the college's own net price calculator for a number based on your situation.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
South's biggest out-of-state tool is built into its merit grid: any out-of-state freshman who earns a Freshman Admission Scholarship (a 3.0 GPA is enough, even on the test-optional path) is billed at the in-state tuition rate for as long as the scholarship renews. Out-of-state tuition is exactly double in-state, so that is worth about $11,580 a year in Arts and Sciences. Lose renewal and the in-state rate is gone for good. South also takes part in the SREB Academic Common Market for some programs, but most families will never need it.
Your Major Changes the Bill
South charges tuition by the credit hour, and the rate depends on which college your student’s classes are in. For 2026-27 that runs from $386 an hour in-state (Arts and Sciences, Education) up to $435 (Nursing), with Allied Health and Computing at $401, Business at $411, and Engineering at $416. Out-of-state rates are exactly double. On top of tuition, every undergrad pays a $50 per credit hour technology fee capped at $600 a semester. The figures in the table above are South’s official cost of attendance averages, so a nursing or engineering student should budget a bit higher.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at the University of South Alabama
Can out-of-state students pay in-state tuition at South Alabama?
Yes, and it’s easier here than almost anywhere. Any out-of-state freshman who earns a Freshman Admission Scholarship, which only takes a 3.0 GPA, even on the test-optional path, is billed at the in-state rate for as long as that scholarship renews. That keeps a full-time Arts and Sciences student at $11,580 in tuition a year instead of $23,160.
What happens to the in-state rate if my student loses their scholarship?
It’s gone for good. Renewal takes a 3.0 cumulative GPA and 30 earned hours at South every year. If your student misses that, South’s Earn Back program can restore the scholarship money after a probation year, but the in-state rate switches to out-of-state and South says it cannot be reinstated. For an out-of-state family, protecting that GPA is worth over $11,000 a year.
Does South Alabama take part in the Academic Common Market?
Yes, for some programs, through the SREB. But because almost every admitted out-of-state student with a 3.0 already gets the in-state rate through merit, most families never need it. It’s worth a look mainly for a student who doesn’t qualify for merit.
How much is housing and food at South?
South’s 2026-27 budget uses $12,356 for housing and meals on campus. A standard double room runs $2,440 to $3,250 a semester depending on the hall, and freshmen must buy one of the unlimited Jag Pass meal plans, which run $2,225 to $2,700 a semester. Every student also gets an automatic $175 JagEats dining fee each semester.
Is the average net price really about $17,600?
That’s the federal average for students living on campus who got grant or scholarship aid, and it’s a few years old. Families with lower incomes typically pay far less. A higher-income family with a strong student can also come in well under it, because South’s full-tuition merit cuts the biggest line on the bill.
Can scholarships be used for summer classes?
No. South’s institutional scholarships only pay fall and spring. If your student needs summer classes to catch up on hours or GPA for renewal, that’s out of pocket, and the classes have to be taken at South to count.
📅 South Alabama Scholarship Timeline (Simple Version)
September 1: JagSPOT, South’s scholarship portal, opens for the new cycle.
December 1: Admitted by this date = guaranteed automatic award. Also the Mitchell Scholars cutoff.
December 15: Honors College priority deadline (and the College of Medicine early acceptance deadline).
February 1: FAFSA in for the need-based Jaguar Dream scholarships.
February 15: Published priority date for automatic awards, plus the deadline for the extra JagSPOT applications (Endowed, National Merit, Summit, Flagship Leaders, Boys/Girls State).
Parent rule of thumb: South’s own pages list December 1, February 1, and February 15 for the same award. Go with the earliest one and you can’t lose.
Automatic Merit Scholarships: University of South Alabama
South reviews every admitted freshman automatically. There’s no separate scholarship application, and the offer arrives by JagMail. The grid runs from $2,500 a year with just a 3.0 GPA up to full tuition. Out-of-state students get the exact same dollar amounts plus the in-state tuition rate. South uses your student’s ACT superscore.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Full TuitionAutomatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship, Talent and Ability: Full Tuition (ACT 32+, 3.5+ GPA) (Out-of-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~32 ACT✎ ~1420 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
ACT 32+ (SAT 1420+) with a 3.5 or higher GPA earns full tuition. Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer. Full tuition is paid at the College of Arts and Sciences rate ($386 per credit hour in 2026-27) for up to 30 hours a year. Nursing, engineering, business, computing and allied health students pay the per-hour difference for their college, and no award covers the $50 per credit hour Academic Infrastructure and Technology fee (up to $600 a semester). Out-of-state winners are billed at the in-state tuition rate for as long as the scholarship renews, worth about $11,580 a year in Arts and Sciences on top of the award itself. If renewal is lost, the Earn Back program can restore the scholarship dollars but never the in-state rate.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Strong test takers. Only about 11% of South's ACT submitters score 30 or higher, so the full-tuition tiers go to a small slice of the class, but a 32 with a 3.5 is a clear, published line rather than a competition. Out-of-state winners also get the in-state tuition rate, which is usually worth more than the scholarship itself.
Full TuitionAutomatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship: Full Tuition (ACT 32+, 3.5+ GPA) (In-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~32 ACT✎ ~1420 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
ACT 32+ (SAT 1420+) with a 3.5 or higher GPA earns full tuition. Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer. Full tuition is paid at the College of Arts and Sciences rate ($386 per credit hour in 2026-27) for up to 30 hours a year. Nursing, engineering, business, computing and allied health students pay the per-hour difference for their college, and no award covers the $50 per credit hour Academic Infrastructure and Technology fee (up to $600 a semester).
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Strong test takers. Only about 11% of South's ACT submitters score 30 or higher, so the full-tuition tiers go to a small slice of the class, but a 32 with a 3.5 is a clear, published line rather than a competition.
Full TuitionAutomatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship: Full Tuition (ACT 30-31, 4.0+ GPA) (In-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
✔ Stackable
🏫 4.0+ GPA✎ ~30 ACT✎ ~1360 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
ACT 30-31 (SAT 1360-1410) with a 4.0 or higher GPA earns full tuition. Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer. Full tuition is paid at the College of Arts and Sciences rate ($386 per credit hour in 2026-27) for up to 30 hours a year. Nursing, engineering, business, computing and allied health students pay the per-hour difference for their college, and no award covers the $50 per credit hour Academic Infrastructure and Technology fee (up to $600 a semester).
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with near-perfect grades and a 30 or 31. South's average admitted GPA is 3.75, so a 4.0 GPA as South calculates it is the harder half of this tier.
Full TuitionAutomatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship, Talent and Ability: Full Tuition (ACT 30-31, 4.0+ GPA) (Out-of-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
✔ Stackable
🏫 4.0+ GPA✎ ~30 ACT✎ ~1360 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
ACT 30-31 (SAT 1360-1410) with a 4.0 or higher GPA earns full tuition. Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer. Full tuition is paid at the College of Arts and Sciences rate ($386 per credit hour in 2026-27) for up to 30 hours a year. Nursing, engineering, business, computing and allied health students pay the per-hour difference for their college, and no award covers the $50 per credit hour Academic Infrastructure and Technology fee (up to $600 a semester). Out-of-state winners are billed at the in-state tuition rate for as long as the scholarship renews, worth about $11,580 a year in Arts and Sciences on top of the award itself. If renewal is lost, the Earn Back program can restore the scholarship dollars but never the in-state rate.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with near-perfect grades and a 30 or 31. South's average admitted GPA is 3.75, so a 4.0 GPA as South calculates it is the harder half of this tier. Out-of-state winners also get the in-state tuition rate, which is usually worth more than the scholarship itself.
Automatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship, Talent and Ability: ACT 30-31 / SAT 1360-1410 (Out-of-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$4,500–$8,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~30 ACT✎ ~1360 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
3.0-3.49 GPA: $4,500; 3.5-3.74: $7,000; 3.75-3.99: $8,000 (4.0+ moves to full tuition). Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer. Out-of-state winners are billed at the in-state tuition rate for as long as the scholarship renews, worth about $11,580 a year in Arts and Sciences on top of the award itself. If renewal is lost, the Earn Back program can restore the scholarship dollars but never the in-state rate.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
High scorers whose GPA sits below 4.0. Most families in this band land at $7,000 or $8,000, since a 30+ usually comes with a 3.5+ GPA. Out-of-state winners also get the in-state tuition rate, which is usually worth more than the scholarship itself.
Automatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship: ACT 30-31 / SAT 1360-1410 (In-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$4,500–$8,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~30 ACT✎ ~1360 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
3.0-3.49 GPA: $4,500; 3.5-3.74: $7,000; 3.75-3.99: $8,000 (4.0+ moves to full tuition). Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
High scorers whose GPA sits below 4.0. Most families in this band land at $7,000 or $8,000, since a 30+ usually comes with a 3.5+ GPA.
Automatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship: ACT 27-29 / SAT 1260-1350 (In-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$4,000–$7,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~27 ACT✎ ~1260 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
3.0-3.49 GPA: $4,000; 3.5-3.74: $5,500; 3.75-3.99: $6,000; 4.0+: $7,000. Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Solid above-average students. South's middle 50% ACT is 20 to 26, so a 27+ already puts a student in the top quarter of the class.
Automatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship, Talent and Ability: ACT 27-29 / SAT 1260-1350 (Out-of-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$4,000–$7,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~27 ACT✎ ~1260 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
3.0-3.49 GPA: $4,000; 3.5-3.74: $5,500; 3.75-3.99: $6,000; 4.0+: $7,000. Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer. Out-of-state winners are billed at the in-state tuition rate for as long as the scholarship renews, worth about $11,580 a year in Arts and Sciences on top of the award itself. If renewal is lost, the Earn Back program can restore the scholarship dollars but never the in-state rate.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Solid above-average students. South's middle 50% ACT is 20 to 26, so a 27+ already puts a student in the top quarter of the class. Out-of-state winners also get the in-state tuition rate, which is usually worth more than the scholarship itself.
Automatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship: ACT 25-26 / SAT 1200-1250 (In-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$3,500–$6,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~25 ACT✎ ~1200 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
3.0-3.49 GPA: $3,500; 3.5-3.74: $4,000; 3.75-3.99: $5,000; 4.0+: $6,000. Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Typical upper-half South admits. A 25 or 26 sits right at the top of South's middle 50% range.
Automatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship, Talent and Ability: ACT 25-26 / SAT 1200-1250 (Out-of-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$3,500–$6,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~25 ACT✎ ~1200 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
3.0-3.49 GPA: $3,500; 3.5-3.74: $4,000; 3.75-3.99: $5,000; 4.0+: $6,000. Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer. Out-of-state winners are billed at the in-state tuition rate for as long as the scholarship renews, worth about $11,580 a year in Arts and Sciences on top of the award itself. If renewal is lost, the Earn Back program can restore the scholarship dollars but never the in-state rate.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Typical upper-half South admits. A 25 or 26 sits right at the top of South's middle 50% range. Out-of-state winners also get the in-state tuition rate, which is usually worth more than the scholarship itself.
Automatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship, Talent and Ability: ACT 32+ with 3.0-3.49 GPA (Out-of-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~32 ACT✎ ~1420 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
ACT 32+ with a 3.0-3.49 GPA earns $5,000 (a 3.5+ GPA moves to full tuition). Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer. Out-of-state winners are billed at the in-state tuition rate for as long as the scholarship renews, worth about $11,580 a year in Arts and Sciences on top of the award itself. If renewal is lost, the Earn Back program can restore the scholarship dollars but never the in-state rate.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Rare: very high scorers with a GPA under 3.5. Worth knowing because raising the GPA past 3.5 before the final transcript jumps this to full tuition. Out-of-state winners also get the in-state tuition rate, which is usually worth more than the scholarship itself.
Automatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship: ACT 32+ with 3.0-3.49 GPA (In-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~32 ACT✎ ~1420 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
ACT 32+ with a 3.0-3.49 GPA earns $5,000 (a 3.5+ GPA moves to full tuition). Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Rare: very high scorers with a GPA under 3.5. Worth knowing because raising the GPA past 3.5 before the final transcript jumps this to full tuition.
Automatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship: ACT 23-24 / SAT 1130-1190 (In-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$3,000–$4,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~23 ACT✎ ~1130 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
3.0-3.49 GPA: $3,000; 3.5-3.74: $3,500; 3.75-3.99: $4,000; 4.0+: $4,500. Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: The middle of South's class. South's median ACT is 23, so this is where the typical test-submitting admit with a B+ average lands.
Automatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship, Talent and Ability: ACT 23-24 / SAT 1130-1190 (Out-of-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$3,000–$4,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~23 ACT✎ ~1130 SATFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
3.0-3.49 GPA: $3,000; 3.5-3.74: $3,500; 3.75-3.99: $4,000; 4.0+: $4,500. Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer. Out-of-state winners are billed at the in-state tuition rate for as long as the scholarship renews, worth about $11,580 a year in Arts and Sciences on top of the award itself. If renewal is lost, the Earn Back program can restore the scholarship dollars but never the in-state rate.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: The middle of South's class. South's median ACT is 23, so this is where the typical test-submitting admit with a B+ average lands. Out-of-state winners also get the in-state tuition rate, which is usually worth more than the scholarship itself.
🏫 3.0+ GPAFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
3.0-3.49 GPA: $2,500; 3.5-3.74: $3,000; 3.75-3.99: $3,500; 4.0+: $4,000. The grid has no row for an ACT of 21 or 22, so those scores earn nothing beyond this row. Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who apply test-optional with a 3.0+ GPA. Because the grid starts at ACT 23, a student with a 21 or 22 does no better by submitting it, so this row quietly covers a big share of South's admits.
Automatic
Freshman Admission Scholarship, Talent and Ability: Test-Optional (GPA Only) (Out-of-State)
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,500–$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPAFirst-time freshman, graduated high school within four years, U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or qualifying visa holder at a U.S. high school. GPA as computed by USA Admissions. Head-count sport athletes on full athletic aid are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with one Academic Recognition award (National Merit, Summit, or Board of Trustees), band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South's institutional cap (listed as $17,650 on South's site for 2024-25). Does not stack with Mitchell Scholars: students offered both must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
3.0-3.49 GPA: $2,500; 3.5-3.74: $3,000; 3.75-3.99: $3,500; 4.0+: $4,000. The grid has no row for an ACT of 21 or 22, so those scores earn nothing beyond this row. Renews for up to four years with a 3.0 cumulative USA GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, counted after spring. Only courses taken at South count, and institutional aid cannot be used in summer. Out-of-state winners are billed at the in-state tuition rate for as long as the scholarship renews, worth about $11,580 a year in Arts and Sciences on top of the award itself. If renewal is lost, the Earn Back program can restore the scholarship dollars but never the in-state rate.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who apply test-optional with a 3.0+ GPA. Because the grid starts at ACT 23, a student with a 21 or 22 does no better by submitting it, so this row quietly covers a big share of South's admits. Out-of-state winners also get the in-state tuition rate, which is usually worth more than the scholarship itself.
Data last verified Oct 29, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
The 21-22 ACT trap: South’s tested rows start at 23. A student with a 21 or 22 earns the same award as a test-optional applicant. If your student is sitting at 21 or 22, one more test date aimed at a 23 is worth an extra $500 a year at most GPA levels. A jump from 29 to 30 or from 31 to 32 can be worth thousands.
Note: Full tuition is paid at the College of Arts and Sciences rate, up to 30 hours a year. Students receive one Freshman Admission award, but it can be combined with one Academic Recognition award, band, departmental, and outside scholarships, up to South’s institutional cap.
Automatic Merit FAQs (University of South Alabama)
What ACT score gets full tuition at South Alabama?
A 32 or higher with at least a 3.5 GPA, or a 30 or 31 with a 4.0 or higher. Both are automatic, with no essay or interview. SAT equivalents are 1420+ and 1360-1410.
Is South Alabama test-optional for scholarships?
Yes. Test-optional students with a 3.0 GPA earn $2,500 to $4,000 a year depending on GPA. Since tested awards start at a 23 ACT, a lower score doesn’t help, so South’s advice to submit a 21+ mainly matters for other programs.
Does South superscore the ACT?
Yes. South uses your student’s ACT superscore for admission and merit.
Can my student’s scholarship go up after it’s awarded?
Yes. South re-evaluates updated transcripts and higher test scores in early December, early February, and early April, as long as funds remain. A senior-year retest can still pay off.
Do out-of-state students get less merit money?
No. The out-of-state grid (called Talent and Ability) uses the same dollar amounts, and winners are also billed the in-state tuition rate while the award renews.
How do I keep the scholarship?
A 3.0 cumulative South GPA and 30 earned hours each academic year, checked after spring. Only South courses count. Summer classes at South can catch you up, but your student pays for them.
Can student athletes get these awards?
Not if they’re in a head-count sport on full athletic aid. Those students already have tuition, fees, housing, and books covered.
South puts most of its money into the automatic grid, so the competitive list is short. The one big prize is the Mitchell Scholars Program, worth $50,000 to $70,000 over four years for business majors. The rest are “recognition” awards that sit on top of your automatic scholarship. Your student can hold one of National Merit, Valedictorian (Summit), or Board of Trustees, not all three.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at South Alabama?
Aid Type
Stacks with Automatic Merit?
Parent Translation
Mitchell Scholars
No
You choose one. Compare the four-year Mitchell total against four years of your automatic award, plus the in-state rate if you’re out of state.
National Merit, Summit, Board of Trustees
Yes (one of the three)
These add on top of the automatic award, even full tuition. Your student just can’t collect more than one.
Flagship Leaders
Yes
$1,000 to $2,000 a year on top, but your student must show up to Flagship Leaders Day in the spring.
Band, Endowed, Departmental
Usually
These are the gap fillers. Band scholarships are explicitly stackable.
All South money combined
Capped
South caps total institutional aid. Its site lists $17,650 (labeled 2024-25), so a heavily stacked student may see something trimmed.
If your student is a business major with a 29+ ACT and a 3.5 GPA, Mitchell is the one to chase. It’s considered automatically for business majors admitted by December 1, with finalists interviewed. For everyone else, the competitive list is about adding a few thousand dollars on top of a strong automatic award, not replacing it.
Automatic
Abraham Mitchell Scholars Program in Business
📅 Deadline: Dec 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$50,000–$70,000
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Business majors only; Mobile, Baldwin and Alabama residents preferred
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~29 ACT✎ ~1330 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students offered both a Mitchell Scholarship and a Freshman Admission Scholarship must choose one.
💡
Strategic Detail
Four-year award of $50,000 to $70,000 depending on ACT score, plus a laptop and a one-time $2,000 study abroad award. Renewal GPA steps up: 3.0 after freshman year, 3.25 after sophomore year, 3.5 after junior year, with 30 hours a year and continued business major. Scholars complete an honors research thesis and must apply for national awards such as Fulbright or Rhodes. South's scholarship office calls the 29 an ACT superscore; the Mitchell page says composite.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Business majors with a 29+ ACT and 3.5+ GPA who apply early. Preference goes to Mobile and Baldwin County students, then Alabama residents, so out-of-state applicants are competing uphill.
Automatic
USA Board of Trustees Endowed Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ One award per year to the top-ranked freshman
👥 ~1 winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Designed to supplement other scholarships. Counts as the student's one Academic Recognition award.
💡
Strategic Detail
Funds annual tuition and renews for the first four years of undergraduate study.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Exactly one student a year: the top combined score and GPA in the entering class. Families should not plan around it, but the top scorer in South's pool will see it.
App Required
South Alabama Merit Scholarship (National Merit Finalists)
📅 Deadline: Feb 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ National Merit Finalists only
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with a Freshman Admission Scholarship (including full tuition) but cannot exceed the federal cost of attendance. Counts as the student's one Academic Recognition award.
📄
How to Apply
Be admitted by the priority date, tell NMSC that South is your first choice, and complete the application in JagSPOT before the freshman scholarship deadline.
💡
Strategic Detail
$2,000 per year for up to four years.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: National Merit Finalists who name South as their first choice. It is modest next to the full-ride Finalist packages at some SEC schools, so it mainly matters to Finalists who already want South.
App Required
USA Summit Scholarship (Valedictorian)
📅 Deadline: Feb 15 Non-Renewable
$2,000
✔ Stackable
⚠ Ranked first in class or valedictorian
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with a Freshman Admission Scholarship. Counts as the student's one Academic Recognition award.
📄
How to Apply
Apply in JagSPOT before the freshman scholarship deadline. The award is based on the high school transcript, and final rank certification must reach Scholarship Services by June 1 of senior year.
💡
Strategic Detail
One-time $2,000 award for the freshman year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students ranked first in their class or named valedictorian, including at small schools. Those admitted by the priority date get first consideration.
App Required
USA Flagship Leaders Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000–$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
South does not say this replaces any other award. All USA aid counts toward the institutional cap.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through JagSPOT after admission with evidence of leadership and involvement. Selected students must attend Flagship Leaders Day on campus in the spring, which also sets the award amount.
🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
$1,000 to $2,000 per year ($4,000 to $8,000 over four years), plus mentoring from student leaders and campus administrators.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Student government officers, club presidents, team captains and heavy community service students with a 3.0+ GPA. Breadth and depth of leadership matters more than test scores here.
Data last verified Oct 29, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Competitive Scholarship FAQs
How much is the Mitchell Scholarship at South Alabama?
$50,000 to $70,000 over four years depending on ACT score, plus a laptop and a one-time $2,000 study abroad award. Renewal gets tougher each year: a 3.0 GPA after freshman year, 3.25 after sophomore year, and 3.5 after junior year.
Do out-of-state students have a real shot at Mitchell?
It’s open to them, but South gives preference to Mobile and Baldwin County students first, then other Alabama residents. An out-of-state business major with high stats is often better off counting on the automatic grid and the in-state rate.
Does South Alabama have a National Merit scholarship?
Yes, but it’s modest: $2,000 a year for up to four years, on top of the automatic award. Finalists must tell NMSC that South is their first choice and apply in JagSPOT.
Is there a scholarship for valedictorians?
Yes. The Summit Scholarship is a one-time $2,000 for students ranked first or named valedictorian. Apply in JagSPOT, and get final rank certification to South by June 1.
What is the Board of Trustees Scholarship?
One award a year to the single incoming freshman with the best combined test score and GPA. It funds annual tuition on top of other awards. Nobody should plan around it, but the top scorer will hear about it.
What does Flagship Leaders look for?
A real track record of leadership: student government, club officer roles, captaincies, and community service, with at least a 3.0 GPA. It pays $1,000 to $2,000 a year and requires attending Flagship Leaders Day on campus.
Your student’s automatic award shows up on its own. Almost everything else at South lives inside JagSPOT, and it only works if your student logs in and does the extra work.
File the FAFSA by February 1. That’s the cutoff for both Jaguar Dream awards.
Log into JagSPOT and accept the automatic award.
Fill out the Freshman Endowed Scholarship Application by February 15. One application covers every donor scholarship in the admissions pool.
Answer the matching questions so departmental awards for your student’s major can find them.
Parent translation: skipping JagSPOT doesn’t cost you the big award, but it can quietly cost you the small ones that cover housing and books.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These aren’t on the automatic grid, and most families never hear about them. Several are need-based, one comes with an audition, and one goes straight to the housing bill.
Automatic
Jaguar Dream Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Mobile or Baldwin County, Alabama residents with financial need
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Need-based award meant to fill unmet need after other aid; institutional cap applies.
💡
Strategic Detail
Created in 2020 as part of South's Freshman Promise programs. Amount is set by unmet need and is not published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Mobile and Baldwin County students with real unmet need on the FAFSA who file by February 1. Late FAFSA filers are the ones who miss it.
Automatic
Jaguar Dream Residential Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Credited to USA Housing charges each fall and spring; institutional cap applies.
💡
Strategic Detail
Need-based award applied to campus housing. Amount is set by unmet need and is not published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students from anywhere with unmet need who plan to live on campus and get the FAFSA in by February 1. It is one of the few South awards aimed at the housing bill.
App Required
USA Freshman Endowed Scholarship Application
📅 Deadline: Feb 15 Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Donor awards generally stack, but all USA aid counts toward the institutional cap.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the single Freshman Endowed Scholarship Application in JagSPOT after admission. One application considers the student for every donor-funded endowment managed by Enrollment Services and Admissions.
💡
Strategic Detail
Amounts vary by endowment. The full list sits in South's Departmental Scholarship Directory.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Admitted freshmen who actually log into JagSPOT and fill out the extra application. Many families assume admission covers everything and never submit it.
App Required
Jaguar Marching Band Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Spring audition dates posted by the Jaguar Marching Band ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000–$7,500/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Audition required; open to all majors
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
South's band FAQ says every marching band scholarship stacks with other institutional awards.
📄
How to Apply
Be fully admitted to South, then sign up for an audition. Wind players audition with a faculty panel; drumline and color guard audition on campus in the spring. Music majors who pass the music audition skip the band audition.
💡
Strategic Detail
South's band pages give different starting figures ($1,600 for wind players on one page, $2,000 on the FAQ, about $2,300 for drumline), so treat about $2,000 as the floor. Drum majors and the feature twirler receive $7,500 a year. Renewal needs a 2.5 GPA and 30 earned hours a year, and band members may split hours unevenly between fall and spring.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Every member gets one, and over 80% of the band are not music majors. Drumline starts higher than winds and grows with each year of service.
App Required
USA Freshman Alabama Boys State / Girls State Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Feb 15 Non-Renewable
$1,000
✔ Stackable
⚠ Boys State or Girls State delegates only
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the Freshman Admission Scholarship; institutional cap applies.
📄
How to Apply
Apply in JagSPOT and upload proof of completing the Boys State or Girls State session.
💡
Strategic Detail
One-time $1,000 for the freshman year. South's page still describes the last cycle (2025 session, February 15, 2026 date), so confirm the current year's wording.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Delegates who finished their state's American Legion Boys State or Girls State session the summer before senior year and remember to claim it.
Data last verified Oct 29, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
What is the Jaguar Dream Scholarship?
A need-based award South started in 2020 for students from Mobile and Baldwin counties with unmet need on the FAFSA. There’s no separate application. Your student just needs to be admitted and have the FAFSA in by February 1. Awards go out between February and July.
Is there help with housing costs at South?
Yes. The Jaguar Dream Residential Scholarship is open to students from anywhere with unmet need, and it’s credited straight to campus housing charges. Same rule: FAFSA by February 1.
Do you have to be a music major for the marching band scholarship?
No. Over 80% of the Jaguar Marching Band are not music majors, and every member gets a scholarship. It starts around $2,000 a year depending on the audition, drumline grows with each year of service, and it stacks with other South awards.
What is the Freshman Endowed Scholarship Application?
A single JagSPOT application that puts your student in the running for every donor-funded scholarship managed by admissions. Amounts vary by donor. It’s due February 15, and it’s the one families most often forget.
Is there a scholarship for Boys State or Girls State?
Yes. Delegates who completed their state’s American Legion session get a one-time $1,000 for freshman year. Apply in JagSPOT and upload proof.
The USA Honors College is South’s small-college-inside-a-big-university option: smaller classes, travel, research, and a senior thesis. It’s a separate application after your student is admitted to South, and it’s not automatic. Most of the value is in experiences and research funding rather than big scholarship checks.
Typical Applicant: ACT 27+ and GPA 3.5+ (students below that can still apply and explain why)
Application Opens: August 10, 2026 for the 2027-28 class
Priority Deadline: December 15, 2026 (later applicants considered if spots remain)
What’s Asked: Resume, statement of interest, and a short essay on a one-word prompt, with possible February interviews
Honors College Scholarships
App Required
Honors College Book Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 15 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$400/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Honors College students only
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
South says this award can be stacked with any other scholarship.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to South, then submit the Honors College application (resume, statement of interest, and a short essay on a one-word prompt). Interviews may be held in February; decisions go out in March and April.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
$400 a year paid as a book voucher, $200 each in fall and spring, while staying in Honors with a 3.0.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Every first-year student admitted to the Honors College. Typical applicants have a 27+ ACT and 3.5+ GPA, but students below that can still apply and explain why.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
USA Honors College Whiddon Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Dec 15 Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Honors College students only
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
South does not publish stacking rules for Whiddon awards; institutional cap applies.
📄
How to Apply
Be admitted to the Honors College. A limited number of Whiddon Scholarships are awarded competitively once Honors admission is complete, with more possible as students progress.
💡
Strategic Detail
Amount is not published. Honors students can also seek the Spirit of Service Scholarship (Honors Ambassadors), the Dr. Michael Doran Award for thesis research, summer tuition support, and travel funding.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Honors students who get involved in research early. South describes Whiddon awards as going to students who excel in research activities.
Data last verified Oct 29, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Pre-Med Families, Read This: South’s College of Medicine Early Acceptance Program runs through the Honors College on one combined application, due December 15. Alabama residents need a single-sitting 27 ACT and 3.5 GPA. Out-of-state applicants need a 30 and preference goes to the Gulf Coast area. Selected students get a conditional seat in South’s medical school if they keep a 3.5 and score 504+ on the MCAT.
Other Honors Funding
Spirit of Service Scholarship: for Honors College Ambassadors.
Dr. Michael Doran Award: supports thesis research or experiences outside Alabama.
Summer tuition and travel support: study abroad and conference funding for Honors students.
Honors College FAQs (University of South Alabama)
Does the Honors College come with a scholarship?
Every new Honors student gets a $400 a year book scholarship ($200 each semester as a bookstore voucher). It stacks with everything and renews with a 3.0 GPA. Bigger Whiddon Scholarships are awarded competitively to Honors students who excel in research.
Can my student apply to Honors with less than a 27 ACT?
Yes. South says the 27 and 3.5 are typical, not minimums, and invites students below them to explain in the application why they’ll do honors-level work.
How do the Honors College and medical early acceptance work together?
They share one application. Students applying for the College of Medicine Early Acceptance Program shouldn’t submit a separate Honors application. Those not picked for medicine are still considered for Honors.
When does South decide on Honors admission?
Interviews may happen in February, and decisions go out in March and April. That’s after the automatic scholarship offer, so families usually know their merit money before they hear from Honors.
South Alabama is a health sciences school at heart. It runs its own hospital system and medical school, and health professions make up nearly 30% of the bachelor’s degrees it awards. It also has something no other Alabama state university has: a campus on the Gulf Coast, about 35 miles from one of the busiest marine research labs in the Southeast.
Nationally Known Strength: Health Professions and Early Acceptance: South offers high school seniors early acceptance into its own medical school, its nursing program, its Doctor of Physical Therapy program, and a psychology master’s. That means a guaranteed path instead of reapplying later, as long as the student keeps the grades. Through the Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health, it also has well-regarded physician assistant, occupational therapy, and physical therapy programs.
Nursing: South’s largest program by a wide margin, with an early acceptance route for students with a 22 ACT and 3.5 GPA.
Marine Sciences: The Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences includes a “Semester by the Sea” at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, where students live and take classes on the island.
Computing and Cybersecurity: South’s School of Computing holds federal Center of Academic Excellence designations from the NSA and Homeland Security in both cyber defense and cyber research.
Meteorology: A Gulf Coast hurricane classroom, through the Department of Earth Sciences.
Business and Engineering: The Mitchell College of Business is AACSB-accredited and home to the Mitchell Scholars, and the College of Engineering offers chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical tracks.
Pharmacy Note: South doesn’t have its own pharmacy school. The pharmacy early acceptance listed on South’s site is a partnership with Auburn’s Harrison College of Pharmacy.
🔗 Official University of South Alabama Links
Use South Alabama’s official resources below to double-check admissions details, scholarship rules, costs, and deadlines. South’s pages are the final word on dates and award terms.
Big picture? South Alabama is one of the best-kept money secrets on the Gulf Coast. A 3.0 student from out of state gets the in-state rate. A 32 ACT student gets full tuition without writing a single essay. And a pre-med or nursing student can lock in their next step before they even graduate high school.
The catches are about follow-through, not luck. Get admitted by December 1, log into JagSPOT and fill out the extra applications, get the FAFSA in by February 1, and once your student is there, protect that 3.0 like it’s worth $11,000 a year, because for out-of-state families it is. Do those four things and South can cost less than staying home.
Your kid did everything right. That does not mean the money follows.
Most families build a college list first and think about scholarships second, which is backwards. This free four-part series shows you where the money actually comes from, and how to build a list around it.
After the series, about once a month, sometimes twice during application season. No drip funnels, no affiliate pitches, and we never sell your information. Unsubscribe anytime.
Was this helpful? Share it with another parent who’s comparing college costs!
Written by Leo Dimilo
I started CollegeReadyParent while working through college costs for my own kid, and quickly figured out that the number a school advertises and the number a family actually pays are two very different things. Since then I’ve gone school by school pulling apart award letters, scholarship pages, and cost sheets to find what families are supposed to just know. This site is the version of that research I wish someone had handed me. More about Leo →
Cookie Consent
We use cookies to improve your experience on our site. By using our site, you consent to cookies.
Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together.
90 days
__utma
ID used to identify users and sessions
2 years after last activity
__utmt
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests
10 minutes
__utmb
Used to distinguish new sessions and visits. This cookie is set when the GA.js javascript library is loaded and there is no existing __utmb cookie. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
30 minutes after last activity
__utmc
Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session.
End of session (browser)
__utmz
Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server
6 months after last activity
__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_gat
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
