Here is the thing most families do not know about Southern: if you live outside Louisiana, Southern will almost certainly let you pay Louisiana prices. Since Fall 2024 the university has granted a full out-of-state fee waiver to every qualified incoming freshman and transfer student, from any state. No essay, no committee, no separate scholarship application. That single policy is worth about $7,350 a year and it is the biggest money story on this page.
The second thing to know is that almost everything else at Southern runs through one application with one date on it. The Southern University System Foundation opens a single scholarship application that closes January 5, and that one application feeds the named university awards, the endowed donor funds, and most of the corporate scholarships. Miss it and you are waiting a year.
Joseph S. Clark (full ride) & Jesse N. Stone (full tuition)
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Residency & Waivers
Special Waivers Available
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Southern University (Read This First)
The out-of-state waiver is “or,” not “and.” A student qualifies with a 2.75 high school GPA or an ACT of 24 or an SAT of 1160. Any one of the three does it. Plenty of families read the list as a stack of requirements and talk themselves out of applying.
The application is easy. The scholarship application is not. Southern accepts the Common App, and it requires no personal essay and no recommendation letters. The January 5 Foundation scholarship application requires a résumé, up to three letters, and a 500-word essay. Do not let the easy first step fool you into treating the second one as an afterthought.
The waiver requires a FAFSA. This is unusual. It is not a need-based award, but Southern will not grant it unless the FAFSA is on file. Skip the FAFSA and you pay the non-resident fee.
Renewal is judged every single semester, and it is institutional GPA. Not cumulative, not a running average. One rough fall and the waiver is gone the following term. Budget for that possibility.
In-state families get nothing automatic. Southern has no automatic merit grid for Louisiana residents. If your student is in-state, the January 5 Foundation application and TOPS are the whole game.
The biggest awards replace the waiver, they do not add to it. If your student wins the Clark or the Stone scholarship, that package takes the place of the out-of-state waiver rather than sitting on top of it.
Honors money is a published grid, not a mystery. Southern posts exactly what each ACT and GPA combination pays. A single ACT point can be worth $3,000 a year. It is worth one more test sitting.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes — Southern University is test-optional.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 18; SAT: 910.
Average net price? About $20,077/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
Yes — institutional waivers available.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Southern University 2026-2027
📅 2027–2028 Planning Note: The costs below reflect the most recently published figures (2026–2027). Universities typically finalize the next year’s rates in the spring, and we’ll update this page once official 2027–2028 numbers are released.
Planning tip: At large public universities, tuition, fees, and housing usually increase modestly each year (often in the 2–5% range). For early budgeting, families may want to plan for roughly $1,000–$1,500 more in-state or $2,000–$3,000 more out-of-state in total direct costs once new rates are published.
Category (2026–2027)
In-State
Out-of-State
Tuition & Mandatory Fees (2 semesters)
$9,958
$17,308
Housing & Meals (typical)
$8,406
$8,406
Total (Direct Costs)
$18,364
$25,714
Average Federal Net Price: $20,077 — this is what families actually paid after grants and scholarships (no loans), based on the most recent federal data. Your specific cost could be significantly lower or higher depending on your financial aid eligibility and merit scholarships. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
Southern grants a full Jaguar Out-of-State Fee Waiver to every qualified non-resident freshman and transfer student, effective Fall 2024. Freshmen qualify with a 2.75 high school GPA or an ACT of 24 or an SAT of 1160. Transfer students qualify with a 2.75 transfer GPA. There is no separate scholarship application, but the student must file the FAFSA and enroll in at least 12 credit hours.
The waiver removes the entire $7,350 per year non-resident fee, which means an out-of-state family pays the same $9,958 in tuition and fees a Louisiana family pays. It renews for up to eight fall and spring semesters as long as the student keeps a 2.75 GPA every semester (institutional, not cumulative). It does not cover summer terms.
Louisiana also participates in the SREB Academic Common Market, which can lower non-resident costs for approved majors a student cannot get in their home state. For most families the Jaguar waiver is simpler and worth more.
What the out-of-state column really means at Southern
The $17,308 out-of-state figure is the sticker price. For most non-resident families it is not the real price. The Jaguar Out-of-State Fee Waiver removes the entire $7,350 non-resident fee for any incoming freshman with a 2.75 GPA, an ACT of 24, or an SAT of 1160, and for any transfer student with a 2.75 transfer GPA. A qualifying family from Texas or Mississippi budgets against the in-state column, not the out-of-state one.
Housing is where your number will actually move
The housing and meals figure above is a mid-range estimate. Southern’s published Fall 2026 rates run from roughly $6,785 a year in Bethune, Reed, and White Halls up to about $12,071 a year for a one-bedroom University Apartment. A traditional double in Shade, Totty, or U.S. Jones lands near $8,406. If you are trying to shave $2,000 off the bill, the housing choice is the lever, not tuition.
FAQ, Cost of Attendance at Southern University
Do out-of-state students really pay in-state prices at Southern?
Close to it. The Jaguar Out-of-State Fee Waiver cancels 100 percent of the non-resident fee, which is about $7,350 a year. A qualifying out-of-state student pays the same $9,958 in tuition and fees a Louisiana student pays. You do have to file the FAFSA and enroll full time.
What exactly qualifies a student for the waiver?
Any one of these: a 2.75 cumulative high school GPA, an ACT composite of 24, or an SAT of 1160. Transfer students need a 2.75 cumulative transfer GPA. You do not need all three. You need one.
Can we lose the waiver?
Yes, and this is the part families miss. Southern checks a 2.75 institutional GPA at the end of every semester, along with 12 or more credit hours. It is not a cumulative average that a strong sophomore year can rescue. It also does not cover summer, and it caps at eight semesters.
Why aren’t books and transportation in the table above?
Because Southern does not bill you for them. The table shows direct costs, the things that appear on the bursar’s statement. Southern’s own cost-of-attendance worksheet adds roughly $1,300 for books, $3,424 for transportation, and $2,500 for personal expenses on top. Those are real dollars, they just are not billed by the university.
What is the average family actually paying?
About $20,077 a year after grants and scholarships, according to federal data. That figure covers everyone, including students who received no aid at all. Roughly two-thirds of Southern students receive Pell Grants, so a family with real financial need very often pays well under that number. Run the university’s own calculator before you assume anything.
When is the FAFSA actually due?
Southern lists a FAFSA completion priority of May 1, but the money deadline is earlier. Financial aid packages on a priority basis with a March 31 cutoff, and need-based funds are awarded until they run out. Treat March 31 as your deadline, not May 1.
Does Louisiana have a regional tuition discount we should look at?
Louisiana participates in the SREB Academic Common Market, which can cut non-resident costs for students pursuing an approved major their home state does not offer. It is worth knowing about, but for most families the Jaguar waiver is simpler and worth more money.
Will tuition go up each year?
Usually a little. Southern’s full-time undergraduate fee moved from $4,961 to $4,979 per semester between the last two published schedules, which is a modest increase by public university standards. Scholarship amounts generally stay fixed, so a rising bill quietly eats into a flat award over four years.
Fall of senior year: Apply for admission. The waiver is granted off the admission file, so this is step one for everything.
January 5: Southern University System Foundation scholarship application closes. This is the single most important date on the page.
March 1: College of Engineering scholarship applications due for the following fall.
March 31: Financial aid priority packaging deadline. FAFSA needs to be in.
Late February and November: College of Business scholarship windows for freshmen and continuing students.
Parent rule of thumb: at Southern, January 5 is the deadline that decides most of the money. Work backward from it.
Automatic Merit at Southern University
Let’s be straight about this section. Southern does not publish an automatic merit grid the way some public universities do. There is exactly one award here that comes with no application and no competition, and it is a fee waiver rather than a scholarship. For out-of-state families it is worth more than most schools’ automatic merit. For Louisiana families, it does not apply at all, and the real automatic money is TOPS, the state’s award for Louisiana residents.
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.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Jaguar Out-of-State Fee Waiver
📅 Deadline: Granted at admission; no separate scholarship application ✓ Renews (2.75 GPA, 4 yrs)
$7,350/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.8+ GPA✎ ~24 ACT✎ ~1160 SAT🎓 All UndergradQualify with ANY ONE of the following, not all three: a 2.75 cumulative high school GPA, an ACT composite of 24, or an SAT of 1160. Transfer students qualify with a 2.75 cumulative transfer GPA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Waives the non-resident fee only. Other institutional, state, and outside scholarships may stack on top up to cost of attendance. A major competitive award such as the Clark or Stone scholarship typically replaces the waiver rather than adding to it.
💡
Strategic Detail
Full 100 percent non-resident fee waiver for qualifying incoming freshmen and new transfer students from any state, effective Fall 2024. Worth about $7,350 per year. Retained for up to eight semesters, fall and spring only, with 12 or more credit hours and a 2.75 institutional GPA evaluated at the end of every semester. Does not cover summer session.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
New out-of-state freshmen who meet any one of the three thresholds, plus transfer students with a 2.75 transfer GPA, who enroll full time and file the FAFSA.
Data last verified May 26, 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 single most common mistake with this waiver
Families read “2.75 GPA or ACT 24 or SAT 1160” and mentally turn it into a checklist they have to complete. It is not. A student with a 3.4 GPA and no test score at all qualifies. A student with a 2.4 GPA and a 25 ACT qualifies. If your student clears any one of the three, submit the FAFSA and let Southern do the rest.
Automatic Merit, FAQs (Southern University)
Do we have to apply for the out-of-state waiver?
No. There is no scholarship application. Apply for admission, send transcripts and any test scores you are using to qualify, file the FAFSA, and enroll in at least 12 hours. Eligible non-residents are granted the waiver automatically.
Does Southern superscore the ACT or SAT?
Yes. Southern superscores both. That matters more here than it sounds, because a single point of ACT can move an Honors award by thousands of dollars a year.
Is the waiver guaranteed?
For students who meet the published criteria and complete the steps, yes. It is a policy, not a competition. Southern extended it to all qualified first-time freshmen and transfer students effective Fall 2024.
How long does it last?
Up to eight semesters, fall and spring only. Summer is not covered. The student has to keep 12 or more credit hours and a 2.75 institutional GPA, checked at the end of every semester.
Can it stack with other scholarships?
Yes. Foundation donor awards, Honors College funding, departmental scholarships, and outside scholarships all stack on top, up to cost of attendance. The exception is the big competitive packages. A Clark or Stone award replaces the waiver rather than adding to it, because those already cover tuition.
What if my student is in-state?
Then this section does not apply, and your student’s automatic money is TOPS through the state of Louisiana. Southern’s institutional money for residents comes through the Foundation application, the Honors College, and departmental awards. All of those require an application.
Southern’s top-end awards are named for the people who built the place: Joseph S. Clark, its first president in Baton Rouge, and Jesse N. Stone, who led the Southern University System. These are the awards that cover tuition, and in one case housing and meals too. They are genuinely competitive and there are only a handful each year.
All of these run through one application. Southern does not have a separate portal for each named scholarship. The Southern University System Foundation opens one application, it closes January 5, and it feeds the Clark award, the Stone award, the Legacy award, and the entire donor scholarship pool underneath them. Your student fills out one thing.
📋 What the January 5 Application Actually Asks For
This is the part worth starting in November, not December 28. The Foundation requires:
A current résumé covering academics, leadership, activities, and work
Up to three letters of recommendation from teachers, mentors, or employers
Academic records: a high school transcript plus ACT or SAT scores for incoming freshmen, most recent grades for current students, prior-institution transcripts for transfers
A personal statement of 500 words or less on one fixed prompt: how an HBCU such as Southern has made a difference in your personal or family story, and what that means to you
Parent translation on that essay prompt. This is not a generic “why college” essay, and a recycled Common App personal statement will read like one. Southern is asking a specific question about family history and what an HBCU means to your student. If nobody in your family attended an HBCU, that is not a disqualifier. The honest version of “here is what I learned about this place and why I want to be part of it” beats a polished essay written for somewhere else. Give it real drafting time.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Southern?
Aid Type
Stacks with the Waiver?
Southern Parent Translation
Clark Presidential (full ride)
Replaces
It already covers tuition, fees, housing, and meals. There is nothing left for the waiver to cover.
Jesse N. Stone (full tuition)
Replaces
Covers all tuition and fees, so it supersedes the waiver. Housing and meals are still on you.
President’s Legacy
Does the same job
This is also an out-of-state fee waiver. You do not get the fee cancelled twice.
Honors College funding
Yes
Honors money sits on top of the waiver. This is the most common winning combination at Southern.
Foundation donor awards
Yes
These are the gap fillers. Same January 5 application, and they add up.
Departmental and band awards
Usually
Engineering, business, computer science, and the Human Jukebox all run their own money on their own calendars.
Pell, TOPS, Go Grant
Yes
Southern packages Pell first, then other grants and scholarships, up to cost of attendance.
Full RideApp Required
Joseph S. Clark Presidential Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 5 ✓ Renews (3.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Ride
tuition_fees_room_board
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Full-ride package covering tuition, fees, housing, and meals. Awarded to a small number of students each year.
🏫 3.8+ GPA✎ ~30 ACT✎ ~1400 SAT👥 ~Limited number of awards each year winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Covers tuition, fees, room, and board for up to eight semesters; may replace other institutional awards including the Jaguar Out-of-State Fee Waiver.
📄
How to Apply
Submit Southern admission application, then complete the separate competitive scholarship application through the Southern University System Foundation/True Blue portal by the priority deadline.
Selection criteria: Holistic review emphasizing academic excellence, test scores, leadership, and service.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Southern''s top competitive award. Covers tuition, fees, room, and board for up to eight semesters. Renewal requires a 3.5 Southern GPA and a 15-credit load. Applied for through the Southern University System Foundation, not through admissions. Because it is a full package, it generally replaces the Jaguar Out-of-State Fee Waiver rather than adding to it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Top academic freshmen with around a 3.8+ GPA and ACT of 30 or higher (or SAT about 1400+), plus strong leadership and service records.
Full TuitionApp Required
Jesse N. Stone Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 5 ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
Full Tuition
tuition_and_fees
✘ Not stackable
⚠ High-merit award covering 100% of tuition and mandatory fees. Does not cover housing or meals.
🏫 3.6+ GPA✎ ~28 ACT✎ ~1320 SAT👥 ~Limited number of awards annually winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Covers tuition and fees for up to eight semesters; may supersede other institutional tuition awards such as the out-of-state fee waiver.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission and then submit the Jesse N. Stone/competitive scholarship application through the Southern University System Foundation portal by the January 5 priority deadline.
Selection criteria: Evaluated on academic profile, standardized test scores, leadership, and service.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Full tuition and mandatory fees for up to eight semesters. Renewal requires a 3.3 Southern GPA and a 15-credit load. Open to all incoming freshmen who meet the academic thresholds. Applied for through the Southern University System Foundation on the same January 5 application as the Clark award. Because it covers all tuition, it generally supersedes the Jaguar Out-of-State Fee Waiver rather than stacking with it. Housing and meals are not covered.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: High-achieving freshmen with at least a 3.6 GPA and ACT of 28 or higher (or SAT around 1320+) and documented leadership or service.
App Requiredlegacy
President's Legacy Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 5 ✓ Renews (2.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$7,350/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Legacy award for children of Southern graduates. Cancels all out-of-state fees for up to four years. Families still pay in-state tuition, housing, and meals.
🏫 2.7+ GPA✎ ~20 ACT✎ ~1020 SAT👥 ~Limited number of slots each year winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Removes the non-resident fee, worth about $7,350 per year. Other scholarships and grants stack on top up to cost of attendance. Since Fall 2024 the Jaguar Out-of-State Fee Waiver does the same thing with no application, so this award now matters most for alumni children who fall below the 2.75 GPA and ACT 24 thresholds.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the competitive scholarship application through the Southern University System Foundation/True Blue portal after applying for admission; meet GPA and ACT/SAT cutoffs and priority deadline.
Selection criteria: Selection emphasizes meeting minimum GPA and test criteria plus evidence of potential and fit with Southern's mission.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
This award cancels the out-of-state fee for students with at least one parent who earned a degree from Southern University Baton Rouge. It was expanded from a 50 percent to a 100 percent non-resident fee waiver. It does not cover tuition, housing, or meals. Families still pay the in-state rate on those. Renewal requires at least 12 non-developmental credits per term and a 2.5 cumulative GPA, for up to eight semesters.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Out-of-state students with at least one Southern Baton Rouge graduate parent who meet the minimum 2.7 GPA and ACT 20 thresholds.
Data last verified May 26, 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.
A note on the Legacy award that most sites get wrong
The President’s Legacy Scholarship is not a tuition scholarship. It cancels the out-of-state fee for students with at least one parent who graduated from Southern Baton Rouge. Southern expanded it from a 50 percent to a 100 percent waiver, which was a genuinely big deal at the time. Here is what changed: since Fall 2024, the Jaguar waiver does the same thing for everyone with no application at all. So the Legacy award now matters most for alumni children who fall below the 2.75 GPA and ACT 24 bar. If your student clears that bar, the Jaguar waiver already has you covered and the Legacy application is not the thing to spend energy on.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
When is the deadline for the big Southern scholarships? January 5. One application through the Southern University System Foundation covers the Clark, Stone, and Legacy awards along with the donor pool. There is no separate late window.
What does it take to be competitive for the Clark award?
Roughly a 3.8 GPA with an ACT of 30 or an SAT near 1400, plus a real leadership and service record. It covers tuition, fees, room, and board for up to eight semesters, and renewal requires a 3.5 Southern GPA with a 15-credit load. That 15-credit renewal condition is stricter than the 12 hours most students take, so plan the schedule around it.
What about the Stone Scholarship?
The bar is around a 3.6 GPA with an ACT of 28 or an SAT near 1320. It covers tuition and mandatory fees for up to eight semesters, and renewal needs a 3.3 Southern GPA with a 15-credit load. Housing and meals are not included, so budget roughly $8,400 a year on top.
Can a student win both an automatic waiver and a competitive award?
Not really, and that is fine. The competitive packages are worth more. If your student wins the Clark or the Stone, Southern awards the larger package instead of layering the waiver underneath it.
Does Southern participate in National Merit or QuestBridge?
No to both. Southern is not a National Merit sponsor and is not a QuestBridge partner, and it is not a Stamps Scholarship school. If those programs are central to your student’s strategy, that is worth knowing early.
How do we make the application stronger?
Start the résumé and the recommendation requests in the fall, not over winter break. Our Brag Sheet Builder helps organize activities into something a recommender can actually use, and the Essay Toolkit is useful for the 500-word personal statement.
Money at Southern comes through two separate doors, and families who only use one leave real dollars behind.
The Foundation door. One application at foundation.sus.edu, closing January 5. This covers the named university awards and dozens of endowed donor funds. Your student is matched against funds based on major, GPA, need, and class year.
The department door. Every college at Southern runs its own scholarship money on its own calendar, and none of it is visible from the Foundation portal. Engineering closes March 1. Business runs February for freshmen and November for continuing students. Computer science and the marching band have their own processes entirely.
Parent translation: after your student picks a major, email that department’s scholarship contact directly and ask what they award and when it closes. Ten minutes of email has been worth thousands of dollars to families at this school.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These are not automatic and most require a separate application, but they stack on top of the out-of-state waiver and Honors funding. Several are worth more than families expect, and the corporate-funded ones in particular go underapplied.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Southern University System Foundation Donor Scholarships
📅 Deadline: January 5 ✓ Renews
$1,000–$8,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Varies by individual endowed or annual fund winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Donor scholarships are layered on top of institutional aid and outside awards up to cost-of-attendance limits; some named funds may have their own stacking or renewal conditions.
📄
How to Apply
Create an account in the Southern University System Foundation True Blue portal, complete the general application, and apply or be auto-matched to individual donor funds that fit your major, GPA, need, and class year.
Selection criteria: Selections consider alignment with donor-stated criteria, academic performance, financial need where applicable, and quality of application responses.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table summarizes typical annual awards in the $1,000–$8,000 range, with eligibility varying by named fund and including both residents and nonresidents.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who closely match donor criteria such as major, GPA, leadership, or need, and who submit strong applications through the True Blue system.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
CF Industries Foundation Scholars
📅 Deadline: January 5 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA👥 ~Limited awards annually winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Up to $10,000 per year renewable for 4 years; stacks with other institutional aid.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Southern University System Foundation scholarship portal during the application window; may have specific Louisiana parish residency requirements.
Selection criteria: Academic merit, major declaration, and meeting any geographic residency requirements.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Foundation scholarship for Engineering and Agriculture students with possible Louisiana parish residency requirements. Renewable for up to 4 years with 3.0 GPA maintenance.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Engineering and Agriculture majors who meet geographic restrictions and demonstrate strong academic performance.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
ACS-HACH Land Grant Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 5 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA👥 ~Limited awards annually winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Up to $10,000 per year award that stacks with other institutional scholarships.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Southern University System Foundation scholarship portal during the application window (typically opens November 1).
Selection criteria: Academic performance, major commitment, and alignment with chemistry/education career goals.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Foundation-supported scholarship for students majoring in Chemistry or Education with minimum 3.0 GPA requirement.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Chemistry or Education majors with strong academic records (3.0+ GPA) and career interest in chemistry or chemistry education.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
College of Sciences and Engineering Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$500–$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~21 ACT✎ ~1060 SAT👥 ~Multiple awards available annually winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Awards range from $500-$5,000 per year and can stack with other institutional scholarships; renewal depends on donor specifications and maintaining 3.0 GPA.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission to Southern with a declared CSE major, then complete the separate CSE scholarship application through the college's Google form portal.
Selection criteria: Based on academic performance, major declaration, test scores, and meeting donor-specific eligibility requirements.
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Departmental scholarships funded by foundations, industries, corporations, and governmental agencies. Recipients receive awards for up to 4 years (8 semesters) based on donor-specified majors and eligibility. Freshmen need 3.0 HS GPA and ACT 21+; transfers and upperclassmen need 3.0 college GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming freshmen, transfer students, and upperclassmen enrolled full-time in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, Civil/Environmental/Computer/Electrical/Mechanical Engineering, or Construction Management with 3.0+ GPA and ACT 21+.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Marching Band (Human Jukebox) Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 31 ✓ Renews
$2,000–$6,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited by band budget and ensemble needs winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Band scholarships may be combined with academic and Foundation awards, subject to university stacking and cost-of-attendance limits; higher awards may reduce certain other institutional funds.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to Southern, register for a Human Jukebox audition, and complete the band’s scholarship and participation forms; awards are determined after audition and section placement.
Selection criteria: Awards are based on audition performance, musicianship, and contribution to ensemble balance and leadership.
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table notes scholarships ranging from roughly $2,000 up to packages that can cover tuition, fees, housing, and meals based on audition score and role; exact dollar amounts vary by year and funding.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Highly talented musicians who earn spots in the Human Jukebox marching band and receive top audition scores or hold key roles within the ensemble.
Intended to help first-generation students close remaining gaps after standard aid; can stack with other awards up to cost-of-attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the Foundation application indicating first-generation status and providing GPA, ACT, and financial-need information; Financial Aid must verify significant need.
Selection criteria: Prioritizes first-generation status, academic performance, and level of unmet financial need.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table describes this as a $1,500–$3,000 per year endowed scholarship for first-generation students with solid academics and high financial need.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming first-generation students with at least a 3.0 GPA and ACT of 21 or higher plus documented significant financial need.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
A&A Wallace Endowed Benefactor Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 5 ✓ Renews (3 GPA)
$1,500–$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA👥 ~Controlled by A&A Wallace endowment returns winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
May be combined with institutional scholarships and grants, subject to cost-of-attendance limits; renewal depends on GPA and continued eligibility.
📄
How to Apply
Submit a Foundation application through the True Blue portal identifying an eligible STEM major and providing evidence of leadership and financial need.
Selection criteria: Weighted toward academic performance in STEM, leadership, and level of demonstrated need.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table lists typical awards around $1,500–$3,000 per year for STEM majors meeting GPA, leadership, and need criteria.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Chemistry, Mathematics, or Computer Science majors with at least a 3.0 GPA, leadership records, and demonstrated financial need.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
College of Business Scholarships
📅 Deadline: February 28 ✓ Renews (3 GPA)
$1,000–$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~18 ACT👥 ~Limited by College of Business scholarship budget each year winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Departmental awards generally supplement institutional and Foundation scholarships, up to cost-of-attendance limits.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the College of Business scholarship or departmental application by the posted deadline, including transcripts and documentation of leadership or service if requested.
Selection criteria: Evaluated on academic performance, leadership and service, and alignment with business program goals.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
The College of Business runs its own scholarship page separate from the Foundation portal. Named awards include Gala on the Bluff (3.0 GPA for incoming freshmen, 2.7 for continuing and transfer students), the Jindia Foundation Scholarship for accounting and finance majors, the Devin Addison Scholarship, Boeing Scholars, and a Risk Management and Insurance award. Typical awards run $1,000 to $3,000 per year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Business majors with GPAs at or above 3.0 and ACT scores often between 18 and the low 20s, who are active in student organizations or community service and submit competitive departmental applications.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Computer Science Department Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 5 ✓ Renews (3 GPA)
$1,000–$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA👥 ~Varies by departmental funding and number of active projects winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Intended to supplement other institutional and external aid; awards are often tied to sustained engagement in research or technical projects.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Computer Science Department for project- or research-based scholarships, outlining your planned faculty-mentored research or technical project and providing transcripts.
Selection criteria: Emphasizes academic record, quality of proposed research or project, and faculty support.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table summarizes these as CS department awards typically in the $1,000–$2,500 range linked to research or project participation; exact criteria and amounts depend on departmental funding.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Full-time Computer Science majors with at least a 3.0 GPA who propose or participate in faculty-mentored research or substantial technical projects.
App Required
Air Products Scholar
📅 Deadline: January 5 ✓ Renews (3.3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.3+ GPA👥 ~Limited awards annually winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
$2,000 annual award that stacks with Honors and other institutional scholarships.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Southern University System Foundation scholarship portal during the application window; must be Honors student and meet parish residency requirements.
Foundation scholarship for Engineering/Honors students with specific Louisiana parish residency requirements. Renewable with 3.3 GPA and Honors standing.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Engineering students admitted to the D.M.R. Spikes Honors College who reside in specific Louisiana parishes.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Presidential Fellows Program (Verizon)
📅 Deadline: March 1 ✓ Renews
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Cohort size limited by program funding each year winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stipend is paid in addition to other scholarships and grants; program participation expectations must be met for continued funding.
📄
How to Apply
Submit a Presidential Fellows Program application outlining leadership experience and goals; selected students join a leadership and mentoring cohort and receive the stipend.
Selection criteria: Selection based on demonstrated leadership, potential for impact, and quality of application materials.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table cites this as a Verizon-supported Presidential Fellows Program providing a $2,000 stipend, $1,000 per semester, for selected student leaders.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with clear leadership potential and strong applications who are selected for the Presidential Fellows leadership development cohort.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Diageo Endowed Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 5 ✓ Renews (2.75 GPA)
$1,000–$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.8+ GPA👥 ~Dependent on Diageo endowment earnings each year winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Award is designed to supplement other aid for eligible majors; total aid cannot exceed cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Southern University System Foundation True Blue portal, indicating major and responding to any scholarship-specific questions.
Selection criteria: Consideration of GPA, major, and alignment with donor’s field and achievement expectations.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table describes this endowed scholarship as offering roughly $1,000–$2,000 per year with preference for select majors and a 2.75 minimum GPA.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Full-time students with at least a 2.75 GPA, most often in Chemistry, Communications, Engineering, or Marketing, who meet donor preferences and submit strong Foundation applications.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Alpha Kappa Alpha Educational Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 5 ✓ Renews
$1,000–$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Varies with AKA fund contributions winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Acts as a supplemental award for students who still show financial need after other aid is applied.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Southern University System Foundation or sponsoring AKA chapter’s application, demonstrating financial need and good academic standing.
Selection criteria: Emphasizes financial need, academic standing, and alignment with AKA’s educational and service values.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table notes typical awards of about $1,000–$2,000 per year to help close remaining need for eligible students.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Full-time undergraduates who demonstrate financial need, maintain good standing, and are active in campus or community life, particularly those connected to AKA’s educational and service mission.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Terry Bacon Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Application link posted by the College of Business when the window opens Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.7+ GPA👥 ~Limited number of awards winners/yr🎓 UpperclassmenRequires a 2.7 GPA maintained across a full academic year, any business major, and full-time sophomore or junior standing.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Departmental scholarship for business majors that can stack with other institutional aid.
📄
How to Apply
Submit application through the College of Business including resume, personal essay, and letters of recommendation by the deadline.
Selection criteria: Evaluated on academic performance, essay quality, recommendations, and commitment to business field.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Scholarship announced for 2026-2027 academic year through College of Business. Requires resume, essay, and recommendation letters. Minimum 2.7 GPA required.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Sophomore and junior business majors with at least a 2.7 GPA who demonstrate strong academic performance and commitment to their field.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Brenda & Lennel Paul Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 5 ✓ Renews
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Determined by Brenda & Lennel Paul endowment funding winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Acts as a modest supplement to other aid for History majors with need.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Foundation True Blue portal and identify History as the major, including information on financial need.
Selection criteria: Focuses on financial need and commitment to the History major.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
CRP table identifies this as a roughly $1,000 per year award for History students with financial need.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: History majors who demonstrate verifiable financial need and meet departmental standards.
Data last verified May 26, 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 College of Business page is worth a bookmark
Southern’s College of Business posts its own awards in one place, and most of them never appear in the Foundation portal. Beyond the Terry Bacon Scholarship listed above, that page currently carries the Gala on the Bluff Scholarship (3.0 GPA for incoming freshmen, 2.7 for continuing and transfer students), the Jindia Foundation Scholarship for accounting and finance majors, the Devin Addison Scholarship, Boeing Scholars, and a Risk Management and Insurance award. Several require an essay and two letters, and the Boeing award expects the student to show up at Boeing’s recruiting events on campus. If your student is a business major, that page is the single highest-value bookmark on this list.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Do these stack with the out-of-state waiver?
Yes. The waiver only handles the non-resident fee, so departmental and donor awards go on top of it, up to cost of attendance. This is the combination most out-of-state families should be aiming for.
How does the Foundation portal actually work?
Your student creates an account, completes one general application, and gets matched against individual endowed and annual funds based on major, GPA, need, and class year. That is why a business major, an engineering major, and a history major all fill out the same form and see different results.
Which ones are worth the most for the effort?
The two $10,000 awards, CF Industries Foundation Scholars and the ACS-HACH Land Grant Scholarship, are the largest here and both run through the Foundation application your student is already filling out. If your student is in engineering, agriculture, chemistry, or education, those are close to free money for effort already spent.
What about the Human Jukebox?
Band awards run through auditions, not through any scholarship portal. Amounts scale with audition score and section placement. Auditions and the specific calendar are published by the ensemble each year, so start with the band’s own site rather than financial aid.
Are these open to current Southern students, or just incoming freshmen?
Many are open to continuing students. The Foundation asks current students for most recent semester grades rather than a high school transcript. Several departmental awards, including the Terry Bacon and the College of Business continuing-student cycle, are specifically for sophomores and juniors. If your student is already enrolled and has never applied, this is worth a January.
What if the deadline is listed as varying or unpublished?
Contact the department directly. Southern’s departmental pages are not always updated the moment a window opens, and the awarding offices are small enough that a polite email gets a real answer.
The D.M.R. Spikes Honors College at Southern University
Southern’s honors program is the Dolores Margaret Richard Spikes Honors College, named for the first woman in the United States to lead a university system. Admission is voluntary and separate from general admission. Your student has to apply for it, and the application is more substantial than most: a transcript, a test score report, an original essay on a topic the student picks, and two letters of recommendation.
What makes Southern’s honors money unusual is that the university publishes exactly what each academic profile is worth. There is no guessing and no negotiating. Find your student’s row and you know the number.
Published Honors Funding Grid
ACT Composite
High School GPA
Per Semester
Per Year
23 to 23.9
3.3
$1,000
$2,000
24 and above
3.3
$2,500
$5,000
25 and above
3.0
$2,500
$5,000
27 and above
3.5
$3,000
$6,000
30 and above
3.5
$3,500
$7,000
20 to 22.9
Valedictorian or salutatorian
$1,000
$2,000
Look at the jump between rows one and two. One ACT point, from a 23 to a 24, is worth $3,000 a year and $12,000 across four years. Southern superscores, so another test sitting costs a Saturday morning and a registration fee. There are very few places where retesting has a clearer payoff than this.
App Required
Honors College Annual Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Submitted with the Honors College application; no fixed calendar date published ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000–$7,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~23 ACT👥 ~Limited by Honors College scholarship budget each year winners/yrAward size scales with ACT and GPA together. The general floor is an ACT of 23 with a 3.3 GPA, or an ACT of 25 with a 3.0 GPA. Class valedictorians and salutatorians have a lower entry point.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the Jaguar Out-of-State Fee Waiver and with Foundation donor scholarships, up to cost of attendance.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the separate Honors College application with a transcript, an ACT or SAT score report, an original essay on a topic you choose, and two letters of recommendation from high school teachers, principals, or counselors.
Selection criteria: Funding is set by a published GPA and test-score grid rather than committee discretion. Renewal requires a 3.0 GPA each semester, 12 credit hours including at least 4 Honors credits, and good standing.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
The Dolores Margaret Richard Spikes Honors College publishes a sliding funding scale tied to ACT score and high school GPA. Per semester: ACT 23 with a 3.3 GPA earns $1,000; ACT 24 with a 3.3 GPA earns $2,500; ACT 25 with a 3.0 GPA earns $2,500; ACT 27 with a 3.5 GPA earns $3,000; ACT 30 with a 3.5 GPA earns $3,500. That works out to roughly $2,000 to $7,000 per year. Valedictorians and salutatorians with an ACT of 20 to 22.9 can be admitted and funded at $1,000 per semester. Students who could not test may qualify through ACCUPLACER with a combined Writing and Math score of 550 or better.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming freshmen with an ACT in the mid 20s or better and a GPA in the mid 3s, plus class valedictorians and salutatorians who clear the 3.3 GPA bar.
Data last verified May 26, 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.
Two doors most families never notice
Valedictorians and salutatorians get a lower bar. A student who ranked first or second in their class can be admitted and funded with an ACT as low as 20, well under the normal 23 floor. Proof of rank is what unlocks it.
There is an ACCUPLACER path. Students who could not take the ACT or SAT can qualify through Southern’s ACCUPLACER Next Generation Writing and Math assessments. A combined score of 550 or better plus GPA sets the award: 3.3 to 3.5 GPA earns $1,000 per semester, 3.5 to 3.75 earns $2,000, and 3.75 to 4.0 earns $3,000. Schedule through success@subr.edu.
Be honest with your student about what Honors asks in return
This is not a badge on a transcript. To stay in and keep the money, students hold a 3.0 GPA every semester, carry 12 credit hours including at least 4 honors credits, and remain in good standing. To graduate with the Honors designation, they complete 32 honors credit hours, including 6 hours of honors colloquia and 2 hours of honors thesis, and they research, write, and defend that thesis. That is a real commitment and it is not right for every strong student. It is also exactly the credential that opens graduate school and research doors.
Honors College, FAQs (Southern University)
Is Honors admission automatic if my student has the scores?
No. Participation is voluntary and requires a separate application with an essay and two letters of recommendation. Meeting the grid gets you considered and sets the funding level. It does not admit you by itself.
When is the Honors application due?
Southern does not publish a fixed calendar deadline for the Honors College the way it does for the Foundation. Submit it alongside the admission application and contact the Honors College directly at (225) 771-4845 or honorscollege@subr.edu to confirm the current cycle. Do not wait on this one.
Does Honors money stack with the out-of-state waiver?
Yes, and this is the strongest common package at Southern. A qualifying out-of-state student with a 27 ACT and a 3.5 GPA gets the $7,350 non-resident fee cancelled and $6,000 a year in Honors funding on top, which covers most of the remaining tuition.
Can transfer students join?
Yes. Transfers need a 3.3 cumulative GPA or demonstrated research potential leading to a thesis, documented co-curricular involvement, and one letter of recommendation from a faculty member or advisor. The 32-credit honors requirement is prorated for students coming from two-year colleges.
Are Honors courses harder?
They are structured differently rather than simply harder. Southern uses honors colloquia plus an “H-option” contract system that lets a student turn a regular course in their major into honors credit by agreeing with the instructor on deeper work, primary-source research, or a teaching-quality presentation. It is flexible, but it does require initiative.
What happens if the GPA slips?
Honors standing requires a 3.0 each applicable semester. That is separate from the 2.75 institutional GPA the out-of-state waiver requires. A student can technically keep one and lose the other, so watch both numbers.
Southern University and A&M College opened in 1880 and became a land-grant institution in 1890, which makes it one of the historic 1890 land-grant schools. It anchors the Southern University System, the only historically Black university system in the country. Roughly 5,300 undergraduates sit on a 512-acre campus on the bluff above the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, and about seven in ten come from Louisiana.
Signature Program: The Human Jukebox is not a side activity at Southern, it is part of the institution’s identity. The marching band has performed at Super Bowls, presidential inaugurations, and international events, and its arrangements get studied by band programs around the country. Southern takes it seriously enough that every enrolled student pays a $55 per semester Human Jukebox fee on the official fee schedule. If your student is a serious musician, auditions are a genuine funding path here, and the ensemble’s own site is where that process starts.
Engineering: The College of Sciences and Engineering runs civil and environmental, electrical and computer, and mechanical engineering, along with computer science, biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics. It maintains its own scholarship program funded by industry and government partners, with a March 1 deadline and a 3.0 GPA requirement.
Nursing: The College of Nursing and Allied Health trains a large share of Louisiana’s Black nursing workforce. Woman’s Hospital committed $5 million over three years to expand the program, which is a real signal about where the hiring pipeline runs in Baton Rouge.
Business: The College of Business has the deepest self-run scholarship program of any college on campus, with at least six named awards and corporate partners including Boeing. Concentrations run through accounting, finance, management, marketing, supply chain, sport marketing, and risk management.
Agriculture: As Louisiana’s 1890 land-grant institution, Southern runs an Agricultural Research and Extension Center that reaches the entire state through research, 4-H, and community programming. This is where the land-grant mission actually shows up.
Government and Social Sciences: The Nelson Mandela College of Government and Social Sciences houses criminal justice, political science, and related fields, and feeds a steady pipeline into Louisiana public service and into the Southern University Law Center next door.
Mass Communications and Education: Both are long-standing programs with strong regional placement, and Southern’s education pathway connects to the state’s Geaux Teach program.
One practical note for families comparing schools. Southern’s federal graduation rate sits in the high 20s to high 30s depending on the cohort measured, which is lower than many public universities. That number reflects a student body where about two-thirds receive Pell Grants and many are working while enrolled. It is worth asking Southern directly about advising, tutoring, and the retention supports attached to your student’s specific college, because the campus-wide number tells you very little about what a well-supported student in engineering or nursing experiences.
🔗 Official Southern University Links
Use Southern’s own pages below to confirm costs, waiver eligibility, deadlines, and award terms. Departmental scholarship pages change on their own schedules, so check them directly rather than relying on any summary, including ours.
Southern is a different kind of affordability story than most public universities, and it rewards families who understand the mechanism. There is no automatic merit grid to chase. Instead there is one policy that quietly does more for out-of-state families than most merit tables do: a full waiver of the $7,350 non-resident fee for any student with a 2.75 GPA, a 24 ACT, or a 1160 SAT. File the FAFSA, enroll full time, and an out-of-state family pays what a Louisiana family pays.
Everything above that runs through one January 5 application to the Southern University System Foundation, and everything below it runs through individual departments on their own calendars. The families who do well here do three things: they clear the waiver bar, they take the Honors grid seriously enough to sit for one more ACT, and they email the department their student is majoring in. That last one takes ten minutes and is the most consistently underused move at this school.
The rest of what Southern offers does not show up in a cost table. It is a 146-year-old institution that has produced generations of Louisiana’s engineers, nurses, teachers, and public servants, with a band that plays at Super Bowls and an honors college named for the first woman to run a university system in this country. If that is the environment your student wants, the money is more workable here than the sticker price suggests.
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!
Leo built CollegeReadyParent after going through the college affordability process with his own daughter and finding that almost nothing written for parents was both honest and specific. Every figure on this page was checked against Southern’s own published documents. No paywall, no lead generation, no affiliate links. More about Leo →
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
