Here is the thing most families miss about Samford. It looks like a regional Alabama school on paper, but its freshman class is not built that way. In the most recent reporting year, roughly three out of four incoming freshmen came from outside Alabama. That matters for your budget in a good way: Samford is private, so there is no in-state versus out-of-state price gap to fight. Everybody pays the same sticker, and everybody negotiates the same discount, which is merit aid.
And Samford discounts heavily. The university says more than 90% of its students receive scholarship or grant money. The published price is around $59,000 a year, but the average family actually pays closer to $30,800 after aid. Your job as a parent is to figure out which side of that average your student lands on, and almost all of that gets decided by one December deadline.
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Samford (Read This First)
Crosland and Marion do not stack. Ever. These are Samford’s two big automatic awards, and your student gets one or the other, never both. Crosland averages $20,000 a year and Marion averages $17,500. Reading Samford’s page quickly, it is very easy to add them together in your head. Do not.
No test score is required to win merit. Samford’s own FAQ answers this with a flat “No.” If your student does not submit scores, Samford recalculates a weighted GPA on a 4.0 scale and still considers them for Crosland. That is unusually generous, and it means a strong-GPA, weak-test kid is not shut out.
There are two scholarship deadlines, and only one really matters. December 1 and February 15. December 1 is the first scholarship deadline, it is the Davis Scholarship deadline, and it is the deadline for both honors programs. Treat December 1 as the real one and February 15 as the safety net.
The published housing number is the cheapest dorm. Samford’s cost table is based on Vail or Smith Hall. Gaston and Mann add $3,210 and Pittman adds $640. Freshmen are required to live on campus with the 19-meal plan, so budget above the headline figure.
The honors programs may or may not come with money. Samford’s central scholarship page says its scholars programs “do not provide additional scholarship opportunities.” The University Fellows page advertises a four-year scholarship. Both are official Samford pages. Ask your admission counselor to put the answer in writing.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes — Samford University is test-optional.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 22-28; SAT: 1080-1240.
Average net price? About $30,795/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No — private school; same rate for all.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Samford 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)
$43,790
$43,790
Housing & Meals (typical)
$15,380
$15,380
Total (Direct Costs)
$59,170
$59,170
Average Federal Net Price: $30,795 — 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.
💡 The Housing Line Is Lower Than What You Will Actually Pay
Samford’s published cost table assumes a double room in Vail or Smith Hall. Freshmen are required to live on campus and hold a 19-meals-per-week plan. If your student is placed in Gaston or Mann Hall, add $3,210. Pittman Hall adds $640. Single rooms and apartment-style options cost more still. Plan for the higher number and be pleasantly surprised, not the other way around.
FAQ — Cost of Attendance at Samford University
How much does Samford University cost for 2026-2027?
Samford’s anticipated direct costs are $42,590 in tuition, $1,200 in fees, $8,130 for a room in Vail or Smith Hall, and $7,250 for board, which comes to $59,170 before any aid. That figure does not include books, travel, or personal spending.
Why are the in-state and out-of-state numbers the same?
Samford is a private university, so there is no state subsidy and no residency discount. A family from Texas and a family from Homewood see the identical sticker price. The only thing that moves your number is scholarships and need-based aid, which is why merit strategy matters more here than residency ever will.
Is the average net price really around $30,800?
Yes. That is the federal average of what families actually paid after grants and scholarships, and it is roughly half the sticker price. Samford says more than 90% of its students receive scholarship or grant money. Families with strong academics or real financial need pay well under that average. Families who submit no FAFSA and win no merit pay close to full freight.
Do freshmen have to live on campus?
Yes. Freshmen are required to live on campus and hold the 19-meals-per-week plan no matter how many credit hours they bring in. Students who have earned at least 32 credit hours or are in their second year of residency can drop to a 12-meals plan, and after 64 credit hours or a third year of residency they can pick any plan.
When does Samford announce next year’s tuition?
Samford says it typically announces anticipated direct costs for the next cycle by January of the current cycle. That is earlier than most schools, which is genuinely helpful if you are comparing offers in the spring.
What is Samford’s federal school code for the FAFSA? 001036. The FAFSA priority date is February 15, and Samford awards need-based aid on an as-available basis after that date, so filing late genuinely costs you money here.
Are payment plans available?
Yes, Samford offers interest-free payment plans. Payments are generally due on the fifth of each month, and at the start of each term the first payment is due on the first business day after the drop/add period ends. Also worth knowing: the $250 housing deposit due May 1 is not refundable if your student does not enroll.
Does the price go up each year?
Assume yes. Samford’s scholarship amounts, though, are locked for eight semesters as long as your student stays enrolled full time and in good standing. That means the gap between price and aid widens slightly every year, and it is worth building a cushion for junior and senior year rather than budgeting off freshman-year math.
December 1: First scholarship deadline. This is the big one. It is also the Davis Scholarship deadline and the deadline for both honors programs.
Mid-December: First scholarship notifications go out.
February 15: Second scholarship deadline and the FAFSA priority date.
Early March: Final aid packets released.
May 1: Samford decision deadline and housing deposit due.
Parent rule of thumb: work backward from December 1, not February 15. Everything with a separate application closes on December 1, and the students who wait until February are competing for what is left.
Automatic Merit Scholarships — Samford University
These awards come automatically with admission. No separate scholarship application is required for any of them. Samford superscores both the ACT and the SAT, and it does not require a test score at all to award merit. Students who apply without scores are evaluated on a recalculated weighted GPA on a 4.0 scale and remain eligible for the top award.
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
Crosland Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 1 · 📢 Results: First notifications begin mid-December ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$20,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~26 ACT✎ ~1240 SAT🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Crosland and Marion are mutually exclusive. A student receives one or the other, never both. Crosland can be combined with the Davis Scholarship and the Marvin Mann Legacy Scholarship, subject to Samford's institutional aid limits and the final award letter.
💡
Strategic Detail
Samford's top automatic academic merit award, named for the university's first Rhodes Scholar in 1910. Samford reports an average Crosland award of $20,000 per year, guaranteed for eight semesters or until graduation, whichever comes first. Recipients must stay enrolled full time at 12 or more credit hours, remain in good academic standing, and uphold Samford's code of values.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted freshmen with a 3.5 or higher high school GPA and an ACT of 26 or higher or an SAT of 1240 or higher. Transfer applicants need a 3.5 college GPA and at least 24 completed credit hours. Students who submit no test scores are still considered, using a recalculated weighted GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Marion Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 1 · 📢 Results: First notifications begin mid-December ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$17,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Marion and Crosland are mutually exclusive. A student receives one or the other, never both. Marion can be combined with the Davis Scholarship and the Marvin Mann Legacy Scholarship, subject to Samford's institutional aid limits and the final award letter.
💡
Strategic Detail
Samford's broader automatic academic merit award, named for Marion, Alabama, where Howard College was founded in 1841. Samford reports an average Marion award of $17,500 per year, guaranteed for eight semesters with full-time enrollment and continued good academic standing.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted freshmen with at least a 3.0 high school GPA who are fully admitted to Samford. Transfer applicants have an average college GPA around 3.0 with at least 24 completed credit hours. This is the lane for solid students who do not reach the Crosland benchmarks.
Automaticnational merit
Marvin Mann Academic Excellence Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 1 · 📢 Results: Early spring, when final aid packets are released ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Samford confirms this award can be combined with the National Merit Semifinalist Scholarship and with other eligible institutional merit awards, subject to total aid limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
Part of the Marvin Mann Scholarships, funded by a $100 million gift from Marvin Mann, class of 1954, the largest single donation to any higher education institution in Alabama. Awarded to National Merit Finalists and valued at up to $10,000 per year, renewable for a maximum of eight semesters. Samford states the scholarship committee may raise the annual value or extend the award to others who exemplify academic excellence.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
National Merit Finalists who name Samford as their first choice with NMSC. Valuable money, but only for students who have already reached Finalist status.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Marvin Mann Legacy Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Samford explicitly lists the Marvin Mann Legacy Scholarship as combinable with both Crosland and Marion, and with the Davis Scholarship, subject to institutional aid limits and the final award letter.
💡
Strategic Detail
Part of the Marvin Mann Scholarships. A flat $1,000 per year for students who have a family member who graduated from, or is currently enrolled at, Samford University or Howard College. Renewable for up to eight semesters with good academic standing. Traditional transfer applicants can also compete for it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any admitted student with a documented Samford or Howard College family connection. There is no academic competition here, and it is easy to miss because the only trigger is a checkbox on the admission application.
Automatic
Marvin Mann Ministry Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$3,500/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
This award sits inside the Marvin Mann portfolio and can layer on top of a primary academic award such as Crosland or Marion, within Samford's institutional aid limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
Valued at $3,500 per year for incoming freshmen whose parent has been ordained by, and serves full time in a paid position with, a church, parachurch, or missions organization that teaches the gospel of Jesus Christ and affirms Samford's core values. The church or agency must provide the principal part of the parent's income. Renewable for up to eight semesters.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Incoming freshmen who can document that a parent is ordained and employed full time in paid ministry. It is not an academic competition, and because it stacks with the main merit award, it is one of the better returns on paperwork at Samford.
Automaticnational merit
National Merit Semifinalist Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 1 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
Samford states this can be combined with the Marvin Mann Academic Excellence Scholarship and other eligible institutional merit awards, subject to total aid limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
Samford sponsors every entering freshman National Merit Semifinalist who tells the National Merit Scholarship Corporation that Samford is their first-choice institution. Worth $1,000 per year, renewable for up to eight semesters with a cumulative 3.0 Samford GPA, full-time enrollment of at least 12 hours, and normal progress toward the degree.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is a small but useful stackable award for National Merit Semifinalists who choose Samford. It is not broadly available, but for the students who qualify, it can add another predictable layer to the Samford aid package.
Data last verified Sep 8, 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 One Rule That Trips Everyone Up
Crosland and Marion are mutually exclusive. Your student receives one or the other, never both. Samford says so plainly on its scholarship page, but it is buried inside two separate award descriptions, so families read them at different times and mentally add them together.
The good news is that the smaller Marvin Mann awards do stack on top. A student who earns Crosland, has a Samford parent, and has an ordained parent in full-time ministry can layer $20,000 plus $1,000 plus $3,500. That is where the real money is at Samford, and none of it requires an extra application.
Automatic Merit — FAQs (Samford University)
What is the difference between the Crosland and Marion Scholarships?
Crosland is the higher award, averaging $20,000 per year, and it targets students with a 3.5 or higher GPA and an ACT of 26 or SAT of 1240. Marion averages $17,500 per year and needs a 3.0 minimum GPA with no test benchmark. Both are automatic, both are guaranteed for eight semesters, and you can only have one.
Does Samford require test scores for scholarships?
No. Samford answers this directly on its own scholarship page. Students who apply without scores are considered for Crosland using a recalculated, weighted GPA on a 4.0 scale. If your student tests poorly but has a strong transcript, Samford is one of the more forgiving places on this list.
Does Samford superscore?
Yes, both ACT and SAT. If your student sat for the test more than once, send everything.
Can transfer students get these?
Yes. Traditional transfer applicants, typically age 21 or under, compete for Crosland, Marion, and the Marvin Mann Legacy Scholarship. Crosland asks for a 3.5 college GPA and Marion around a 3.0, both with at least 24 completed credit hours. Transfer awards are granted per semester for the expected number of semesters remaining.
What are the Marvin Mann Scholarships?
A family of awards funded by a $100 million gift from Marvin Mann, class of 1954, the largest single donation to any higher education institution in Alabama. The portfolio includes the Academic Excellence award for National Merit Finalists (up to $10,000), the Legacy award for Samford or Howard College family connections ($1,000), the Ministry award for children of ordained full-time ministers ($3,500), and a need-based Mann Grant.
What does Samford give National Merit students?
Semifinalists who name Samford as first choice with NMSC receive $1,000 per year, renewable for eight semesters with a cumulative 3.0 Samford GPA. Finalists are eligible for the Marvin Mann Academic Excellence Scholarship of up to $10,000. Samford confirms those two can be combined.
Are automatic awards renewable?
Yes. All freshman merit awards are guaranteed for eight semesters, or until graduation if that comes first. Students must stay enrolled full time, defined as at least 12 credit hours per semester, remain in good academic standing, and uphold Samford’s code of values. Samford is explicit that a code of values breach can cause any scholarship to be revoked.
Let us be straight with you: Samford does not run a big-ticket competitive scholarship competition. There is no full-ride finalist weekend, no $40,000 named award you fly in to interview for. If your student is building a list around headline competitive scholarships, Samford will not be the one that gets them.
What Samford does instead is set its automatic awards high and then let smaller awards layer on top. The two competitive awards below are modest, but both are winnable and both stack.
✅ How Stacking Actually Works at Samford
Aid Type
Stacks?
Parent Translation
Crosland + Marion
Never
Mutually exclusive. One or the other. This is the single most important line in this table.
Davis + Crosland or Marion
Yes
Samford names Davis specifically as combinable with both. An extra $2,000 a year for one application.
Marvin Mann Legacy or Ministry
Yes
Both layer on top of your primary academic award. No essay, just documentation.
National Merit Semifinalist + Mann Academic Excellence
Yes
Samford confirms these two combine.
Arts and band awards
Yes
Samford states arts scholarships come in addition to Office of Admission merit. The $4,000 athletic band award stacks on top of anything.
University Grant (need-based)
Careful
Samford says this grant may be reduced or cancelled if you are awarded additional Samford funds. New scholarship money can shrink it instead of adding to it. Read every revised award letter.
So the real strategy at Samford is not chasing one giant award. It is qualifying for the highest automatic tier you can, then bolting on every small stackable award your student is eligible for. Three or four of those together often beat what a “flagship” scholarship would have paid.
App Required
Davis Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Samford lists Davis as combinable with both Crosland and Marion and with the Marvin Mann Legacy Scholarship. Confirm the final combination in your official Samford award letter.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to Samford through the Samford application or the Common Application, then log into your Application Status Page and complete the separate Davis Scholarship application. Applicants must be competitive by December 1 of senior year.
Selection criteria: Holistic review emphasizing community engagement, leadership, academic strength, service record, and alignment with Samford's mission and values.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Named for Major Harwell G. Davis, Samford's fifteenth president, who guided the move of Howard College to its current Homewood campus in 1957. A $2,000 annual award for entering freshmen with a real record of community engagement and service, renewable for up to eight semesters with good academic standing.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
This is not a GPA award, and Samford publishes no academic floor for it. The students who win are entering freshmen with a documented record of service, leadership, and community involvement who actually complete the separate application rather than assuming admission is enough.
App Required
Harry B. Brock Jr. Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
Departmental business money is separate from your Office of Admission merit award and is intended to sit alongside it, subject to Samford's institutional aid limits.
📄
How to Apply
List prebusiness as your major on the Samford admission application, then apply for the Harry B. Brock Jr. Scholarship through the Samford admissions portal using your existing Samford or Common App login. Submit a letter of recommendation with the application.
Selection criteria: Review based on academic record, the recommendation letter, and promise as a future business student.
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
The Brock School of Business award for incoming freshmen who list prebusiness as their major. Requires a letter of recommendation and a minimum 3.0 high school GPA. Students who receive a Brock School scholarship keep it for up to four years provided they remain a business major in good academic standing. Samford reports the Brock School awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships last year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Incoming freshmen who declare prebusiness on the admission application, clear the 3.0 GPA floor, and line up a recommender early. Because the pool is limited to declared prebusiness students, the competition is far smaller than for university-wide awards.
Data last verified Sep 8, 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
When is the deadline for competitive scholarships? December 1. Both the Davis Scholarship and the Harry B. Brock Jr. Scholarship close then, and December 1 is also Samford’s first scholarship deadline overall. There is no second chance for these in February.
What GPA does the Davis Scholarship require?
Samford does not publish an academic floor for Davis. It is a service and leadership award, and the description focuses on “outstanding community engagement and service to others throughout their high school years.” If your student has volunteer hours, a church leadership role, or a sustained service commitment, this is worth the application even if grades are middling.
How does my student actually apply?
After submitting the Samford or Common Application, log into the Application Status Page. Every scholarship your student is eligible to apply for appears there. This is the step families skip, because admission feels like the finish line and the portal feels like a formality.
Is there anything for future business majors?
Yes, and it is easy to miss. The Brock School of Business awards the Harry B. Brock Jr. Scholarship to incoming freshmen who list prebusiness as their major, with a 3.0 GPA minimum and a letter of recommendation. Because the pool is limited to declared prebusiness students, the competition is much smaller than for a university-wide award. Samford reports the Brock School awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships last year.
Does Samford have a Stamps or QuestBridge partnership?
No to both. Samford is not currently a Stamps partner and is not a QuestBridge college.
What about the “Presidential Scholarship” I found online?
Older third-party pages still list a Presidential Scholarship and various dollar figures that no longer match Samford’s site. Samford restructured its merit awards around Crosland and Marion. If a page cites a Crosland award of $15,000 or a Marion award of $11,000, it is out of date.
🧠 Parent Strategy: The Legacy League Has No Application Form
This is the most valuable thing on this page, so read it twice. Samford’s Legacy League is a century-old volunteer organization sitting on more than 50 named endowed scholarship funds for students with significant financial need and hard life circumstances. It has changed the lives of more than 200 recipients.
There is no public online application. You cannot find it in the portal. Samford’s only published instruction is: “talk with your designated Samford Admission Counselor about eligibility.”
Find out your assigned admission counselor’s name early, before you apply.
Email them and ask about Legacy League eligibility by name. Do not wait for them to raise it.
Be specific about the circumstance. There are individual funds earmarked for students who were adopted or in foster care, children of missionaries, Big Oak Ranch graduates, Air Force ROTC students and children of active military, and students in nursing, education, and the arts.
Ask while your student is still an incoming student. Awards go to entering students and renew for three more years.
Parent translation: this is real, renewable money that you will never stumble across by browsing the website. The only way in is to ask a human being.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These are the awards that do not show up in the admission brochure. Some are need-based, some are audition-based, and two are aimed squarely at transfer students. Most of them stack on top of your student’s main merit award.
App Required
Legacy League Scholarships
📅 Deadline: No public deadline published; ask your Samford admission counselor ✓ Renews (3 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Drawn from more than 50 named endowed funds; cohort size varies each year. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Designed to complement other Samford aid, including merit scholarships, federal and state aid, and outside awards, subject to institutional aid limits and the final financial aid package.
📄
How to Apply
There is no public online application. Samford directs families to talk with their assigned admission counselor about Legacy League eligibility. Ask by name, and ask early, because awards go to incoming students.
Selection criteria: Holistic review based on financial need, personal circumstances, academic promise, persistence, and fit with the mission of the individual named fund.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
A volunteer-run scholarship program, founded in 1925 as the Howard College Auxiliary, with more than 50 named endowed funds. Awarded to incoming new students with significant financial need and challenging life circumstances, and renewable for three additional years if academic standards are met. Samford does not publish award amounts, which vary by fund. Individual funds are earmarked for students who were adopted or in foster care, children of missionaries, Big Oak Ranch graduates, Air Force ROTC students and children of active military, and students in nursing, education, and the arts.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Undergraduates with significant financial need and genuinely difficult circumstances, including homelessness, foster care, the death or disability of a parent, or the financial sacrifices of full-time ministry. Recipients also receive ongoing support beyond the money: staff and volunteer mentoring, monthly dinners, campus resource connections, and food pantry access.
Automatic
Marvin Mann Grant
📅 Deadline: February 15 · 📢 Results: Early spring, when final aid packets are released ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Need-based Mann funding is layered onto your package alongside academic merit awards such as Crosland or Marion, subject to Samford's institutional aid limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
Part of the Marvin Mann Scholarships, funded by the $100 million Mann gift. Awarded to entering students who demonstrate significant financial need, selected through a holistic review of the FAFSA and supporting materials. Renewable for a maximum of eight semesters with good academic standing. Samford does not publish award amounts.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students with real demonstrated need who file the FAFSA by February 15. There is nothing to chase here beyond the FAFSA, which is exactly why families who skip the FAFSA because they assume they will not qualify end up leaving this on the table.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
University Grant Award
📅 Deadline: February 15 · 📢 Results: Early March, with the financial aid packet ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Important catch: Samford states the University Grant may be reduced or cancelled if your level of need changes or if you are awarded additional Samford funds. Winning a new institutional scholarship can shrink this grant rather than add to it, so read every revised award letter line by line.
💡
Strategic Detail
Samford's core need-based institutional grant, awarded on the results of the FAFSA and demonstrated financial need. Available for a maximum of four consecutive academic years or eight consecutive semesters.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Any admitted student with demonstrated need on the FAFSA. It is the quiet backbone of most Samford aid packages and the reason the February 15 FAFSA date matters more than families expect.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Music & Marching Band Scholarships
📅 Deadline: 2026-27 audition weekends: Nov. 20-21, 2026; Feb. 5-6, 2027; Feb. 19-20, 2027 · 📢 Results: Music decisions released early December, early March, then rolling ✓ Renews
$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Limited by ensemble needs, studio needs, and annual funding. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Samford states arts scholarships are awarded in addition to Office of Admission merit awards, and that the $4,000 Athletic Band Scholarship stacks on top of any other awards. Total institutional aid may still be capped by the final financial aid package.
📄
How to Apply
Apply and be academically admitted to Samford, then submit the music application through your Application Status Page and select an audition weekend or request an alternate date. Headshot, artistic resume, video, and PDF sheet music where applicable are due ten days before the audition. You may audition on both a primary and a secondary instrument for additional scholarship consideration.
Selection criteria: Selection is based on audition quality, musical ability, ensemble or studio needs, participation commitment, and available funding.
💡
Strategic Detail
School of the Arts and athletic band awards. The Athletic Band Scholarship is $4,000 and Samford states it stacks on top of any other award a student receives. An Honor Band Scholarship is also available and may be applied to the first year of study as a music major, with automatic consideration for students who audition for the Division of Music while attending Honor Band. Samford states arts scholarships appear in addition to merit scholarships from the Office of Admission.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who already play at a serious level and fill a program need: brass, winds, percussion, strings, voice, piano, organ, guitar, plus color guard and majorettes for the athletic band. Samford does not run a pre-screen cut, so every academically admitted applicant who requests an in-person audition is granted one.
App Required
Ministry Fellows Program
📅 Deadline: February 15 · 📢 Results: Fellows announced in March; confirmation due May 1 Non-Renewable
$3,000
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
The stipend is separate from tuition scholarships and does not replace Samford academic merit aid, though total institutional aid may still be limited by the final award package.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to Samford, then submit the Ministry Fellows application with a recommendation by February 15. Fellows are announced in March and must confirm by May 1. Decisions of the Biblical and Religious Studies Department are final.
Selection criteria: Competitive review based on sense of calling, academic preparation, leadership, church involvement, program fit, and moral and ethical standards.
💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Formerly the Preministerial Scholars Program. Sponsored by the Department of Biblical and Religious Studies for students preparing for full-time Christian ministry. The financial benefit is a $3,000 stipend, typically accessed in the junior or senior year and released after a meeting with the program coordinator. Stipend funds are normally used as supplemental income during a ministry internship, to fund a domestic or international mission trip, or to cover a ministry conference. Fellows also complete at least two semesters of ministry internships and at least two semesters of ministry cadres.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with a clear sense of calling to a church-related vocation who commit to a Biblical and Religious Studies, Christian Ministry, or Worship Leadership major before their first semester. Samford also weighs leadership capacity, energy, self-reliance in extracurricular activities, and moral standing. This is a narrow award, not a general scholarship.
App Required⚠ Transfer Only
STEM Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Varies by annual cohort ✓ Renews
$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Small annual cohort funded by the NSF grant. winners/yr🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Samford states the STEM Scholars award can be combined with other merit awards and with need-based aid.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to Samford and select a STEM major. The STEM Scholars application then becomes available on your Samford Application Status Page. Samford also hosts a STEM Scholars Day for prospective applicants.
Selection criteria: Review based on academic ability in STEM, demonstrated unmet financial need, and fit with the NSF-funded program's goals.
💡
Strategic Detail
Supported by the National Science Foundation and built for academically gifted community college transfer students in science and math fields who need financial assistance to finish a bachelor's degree. Samford reports an average STEM Scholars award of $10,000 annually. Scholars also get a faculty mentor, research opportunities, and internship placement support.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Transfer students who have completed roughly two years of community college coursework in a science or math field and can document financial need. This is one of the most overlooked awards at Samford because it never appears in freshman recruiting material.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Phi Theta Kappa Transfer Scholarship
📅 Deadline: No formal transfer scholarship deadline ✓ Renews (3 GPA)
$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Transfer applicants can also compete for Crosland, Marion, and the Marvin Mann Legacy Scholarship, so this can sit alongside a primary academic award subject to Samford's aid limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
A $2,500 award for incoming community college students who are members of their institution's Phi Theta Kappa chapter. Recipients must maintain a cumulative 3.0 Samford GPA. Transfer scholarships are awarded per semester for the expected number of semesters remaining to finish the degree.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any admitted transfer student who is a PTK member and remembers to say so. The whole award hinges on noting membership on the application and producing an invitation letter or email as proof, which is exactly the step people forget.
Data last verified Sep 8, 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 Cleanest Stack at Samford
If your student plays an instrument at any serious level, look hard at the Athletic Band Scholarship. It is $4,000 and Samford states plainly that it “can stack on top of any other awards a student received.” Color guard, majorettes, and percussion count. Samford does not run a pre-screen cut, so every academically admitted student who requests an in-person audition gets one.
2026-27 audition weekends: November 20-21, 2026 · February 5-6, 2027 · February 19-20, 2027. Materials are due ten days before the audition date.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Do I really have to file the FAFSA if we will not qualify for federal aid?
Yes, and this is the most common expensive mistake at Samford. Two institutional grants, the Marvin Mann Grant and the University Grant, are awarded off FAFSA results and require no separate application. Skip the FAFSA and you are automatically out of both. The priority date is February 15, and Samford awards on an as-available basis after that.
Why would a grant get smaller if we win a scholarship?
Because Samford states the University Grant “may be reduced or cancelled” if your level of need changes or if you are awarded additional Samford funds. It is not unique to Samford, but it catches people. If a new departmental award shows up in March, compare the new award letter to the old one line by line rather than assuming the total went up.
Are there awards specifically for transfer students?
Two good ones. Phi Theta Kappa members get $2,500, but only if they note membership on the application and provide an invitation letter or email as proof. And the STEM Scholars Program, funded by the National Science Foundation, averages $10,000 a year for community college transfers in science and math who need financial help finishing a degree. Neither shows up in freshman recruiting material.
My student feels called to ministry. Is there money for that?
There are two different things and they are easy to confuse. The Marvin Mann Ministry Scholarship is $3,500 a year for students whose parent is ordained and serving full time in paid ministry. The Ministry Fellows Program is for the student pursuing ministry, and its benefit is a $3,000 stipend typically accessed junior or senior year, not annual tuition money. Fellows commit to a Biblical and Religious Studies, Christian Ministry, or Worship Leadership major and apply by February 15.
Are there departmental scholarships beyond freshman year?
Yes. Samford tells current students to speak with their academic dean’s office or program chair. In the Brock School of Business, for example, students become eligible for a long list of endowed awards after one full semester with a 3.0 GPA, and applications go out at the start of the spring term. Put a reminder on the calendar for January of freshman year.
What about art, theatre, and dance?
Samford’s School of the Arts awards scholarships in art and design, theatre and dance, and music, all evaluated at the same time as your admission and audition. Arts money is awarded in addition to Office of Admission merit, not instead of it.
Samford does not have a single honors college. It has two honors college experiences, and they are built for very different students. University Fellows is the academic one: a Great Books core curriculum taught Socratic style, with study in Italy. Micah Fellows is the service one: four years of Birmingham community work, a service trip abroad to Ireland, and a senior capstone.
Both require a separate application. Both close on December 1. Both invite finalists to interview by mid-January. Neither is automatic, no matter how strong your student’s admission file is.
University Fellows: minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA and ACT 28, SAT 1300, or CLT 92. Application form, resume, 500 to 700 word essay, teacher recommendation.
Micah Fellows: minimum 3.25 unweighted GPA and ACT 26 or SAT 1240. Application form, resume, 500-word essay, recommendation form.
Deadline for both: December 1. Interview invitations by mid-January.
Honors Programs & Fellowships
App Required
Micah Fellows Scholarship
📅 Deadline: December 1 · 📢 Results: Interview invitations by mid-January ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.3+ GPA✎ ~26 ACT✎ ~1240 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Micah Fellows funding supports program costs, service experiences, and travel rather than replacing your main scholarship package. Samford's central scholarship page states that its scholars programs do not provide additional scholarship opportunities, so confirm exactly what appears in your official award letter.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to Samford, then complete the Micah Fellows application through your Samford account. It requires an application form, a comprehensive resume, a 500-word essay, and a recommendation form. Minimum 3.25 unweighted GPA and ACT 26 or SAT 1240. The deadline is December 1 and applicants selected to interview hear by mid-January.
Selection criteria: Selective review based on academic strength, service record, essays, recommendations, leadership, interview performance, and fit with the Micah Fellows mission.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
A four-year, service-based honors program grounded in Micah 6:8. Samford describes University Fellows and Micah Fellows as its two honors college experiences. Fellows receive Birmingham service internship placements, an exclusive spring break service trip, a junior-year international service-learning experience in Ireland that the Micah Fellows office partly pays for, priority registration, small discussion cadres, and a senior capstone project.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Freshmen with a real service record, not just good grades. Samford looks for community engagement, leadership, and genuine interest in Christian service and long-term civic involvement. The academic floor is meaningfully lower than University Fellows, which makes this the accessible honors path for a service-minded student.
App Required
University Fellows Program
📅 Deadline: December 1 · 📢 Results: Interview invitations by mid-January ✓ Renews
University Fellows benefits are designed to layer on top of Samford merit awards such as Crosland, Marion, and National Merit. Be aware that Samford's central scholarship page states its scholars programs do not provide additional scholarship opportunities, while the University Fellows page advertises a four-year scholarship. Ask admission directly how it will appear in your package.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to Samford, then complete the University Fellows application. It requires an application form, a comprehensive resume, a 500 to 700 word essay, and an academic recommendation form from a teacher. Minimum 3.5 unweighted GPA and ACT 28, SAT 1300, or CLT 92. The deadline is December 1 and interview invitations go out by mid-January.
Selection criteria: Selective review based on academic strength, essays, recommendations, intellectual curiosity, leadership, interview performance, and fit with the University Fellows honors experience.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Samford's flagship honors college experience. An interdisciplinary Great Books core curriculum taught in Socratic style, international study in Italy, close faculty mentoring, and funding for academic enrichment. The program motto is Fides, Ratio, Virtus. Samford's University Fellows page describes the program as including a four-year scholarship. The CLT is accepted in place of the ACT or SAT with a minimum score of 92.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: High-achieving freshmen with a strong unweighted GPA, strong test scores, excellent writing, and real intellectual curiosity. The 500 to 700 word essay and the finalist interview carry heavy weight. Open to entering freshmen in any Samford undergraduate major.
Data last verified Sep 8, 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.
⚠️ Ask This Question in Writing
Samford’s own website says two different things about honors money, and we would rather show you the conflict than pick a side.
The central scholarship page lists University Fellows and Micah Fellows under “Competitive Scholars Programs” and states they “do not provide additional scholarship opportunities,” describing the benefit as stipends for study abroad, research, and service learning. The University Fellows page describes the program as offering “an interdisciplinary core curriculum, international study in Italy and a four-year scholarship.”
Both are official Samford pages. Before your student spends October writing a 700-word essay, email your admission counselor and ask them to state in writing exactly what dollar amount, if any, accompanies each program and how it appears on the award letter. This is a completely fair question and a good counselor will answer it in a sentence.
*Admit profiles reflect Samford’s currently published minimums. Actual cutoffs and cohort sizes vary by year based on applicant pool and funding.*
Honors Programs — FAQs (Samford University)
Is honors admission automatic?
No. Both programs require a separate application with an essay and a recommendation, and both cut to an interview round. Your student can be admitted to Samford with strong stats and hear nothing from either program.
Which one should my student apply to?
It comes down to temperament, not just stats. University Fellows suits a reader who wants to argue about Aristotle in a seminar. Micah Fellows suits a doer who wants to spend four years embedded with a Birmingham service organization. The Micah academic floor is lower, at 3.25 versus 3.5, so it is also the more accessible path for a service-minded student whose grades are good but not exceptional.
Can my student apply to both?
The programs share a director and staff and use separate applications. Ask the University Fellows office directly before submitting two, since cohort placement decisions are made together.
Does my student need to wait for an admission decision first?
No, and they should not. Samford explicitly says you can begin either honors application before you receive your admission notification. Starting early matters, because the recommender does not get their link until the application is submitted or saved.
What is the study abroad component?
University Fellows study in Italy. Micah Fellows do a junior-year international service-learning experience in Ireland, which the Micah Fellows office partly pays for. Micah Fellows also take an alternative spring break service trip each year.
Does Samford accept the CLT?
For University Fellows, yes. A CLT score of 92 satisfies the test requirement in place of an ACT 28 or SAT 1300.
What else do honors students get besides classes?
Micah Fellows receive priority registration, service internship placements, small discussion cadres, and a senior capstone project. University Fellows get close faculty mentoring and funding for academic enrichment. Priority registration alone is worth more than families expect over four years.
Samford is a private Christian university in Homewood, just outside Birmingham, founded in 1841 as Howard College. It is small enough that your student will know their professors, and it punches above its size in a handful of specific fields. If you are trying to figure out whether Samford is worth $30,000 a year of your money, the honest answer depends almost entirely on which of these your student is headed toward.
Nationally Known Program: Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing — Founded in 1922 and designated a Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing three separate times. More than 7,000 nurses have come out of it. If your student is nursing-bound, this is the program that justifies Samford’s price tag, and it is the one most families outside Alabama have never heard of.
Brock School of Business: AACSB-accredited, with real strength in accounting, entrepreneurship, and an unusually deep risk management and insurance track fed by Birmingham’s insurance industry. Business students also get access to a separate pot of departmental scholarship money that most applicants never apply for.
Health professions and pharmacy: Samford runs full schools of health professions, pharmacy, and public health alongside nursing. For a pre-health student, that means clinical exposure and graduate pathways on the same campus rather than a transfer at year four.
Music and the arts: A century of Samford Arts, with a School of the Arts covering music, commercial music, worship leadership, theatre and dance, art and design, and architecture and interior design. Auditions are scholarship auditions, and arts money layers on top of academic merit.
Journalism and media: A long-standing journalism and mass communication major with tracks in print, broadcast, public relations, and advertising, plus internships at Birmingham TV and PR shops. A quick honest note: Samford’s film production offering is an interdisciplinary minor shared between journalism and theatre, not a film major. It pairs well with almost anything, but do not choose Samford expecting a film school.
Ministry and divinity: Beeson Divinity School is on campus, and the undergraduate ministry pipeline is real, with its own fellows program, internships, and stipends. This is a genuine differentiator for a family that wants faith woven into the academic program rather than bolted on.
Law: Cumberland School of Law is one of the oldest law schools in the country and sits on the same campus, which matters for a pre-law student thinking about a pipeline rather than just a major.
Air Force ROTC: Hosted on campus, and there is even a Legacy League endowed scholarship earmarked for ROTC students and children of active military.
Worth saying plainly: Samford is a faith-based institution and its scholarships are explicitly tied to a Code of Values that students are expected to uphold. Samford states that a breach can result in scholarship dollars being revoked. That is not a gotcha so much as a fit question, and it is better to have that conversation at your kitchen table in October than in a dean’s office sophomore year.
🔗 Official Samford University Links
Every link below was checked and working. Use Samford’s own pages for final deadlines, award terms, and dollar amounts, since third-party scholarship sites are running badly out-of-date figures for Crosland and Marion.
Samford is one of the more honest deals in Southern private education, but only if you play it correctly. The sticker is about $59,000 and the average family pays around $30,800, and where your student lands in that spread comes down to three things: how strong the transcript is, whether you filed the FAFSA, and whether you hit December 1.
The good news is that Samford’s money is unusually predictable. There is no full-ride lottery to win. Your student qualifies for Crosland or Marion based on published benchmarks, and no test score is required to get there. Then you layer on whatever else fits: the Davis award for a service kid, the Legacy award for a Samford family, the Ministry award for a pastor’s kid, $4,000 for a band kid, departmental money for a business major. Four small stackable awards on top of a $20,000 Crosland is a genuinely affordable private education.
The two things that cost families real money here are subtle. First, mentally adding Crosland and Marion together when you can only have one. Second, never asking a human being about the Legacy League, which is sitting on fifty-plus endowed funds with no public application form. Both of those are fixable in a single email to your admission counselor.
If your student is headed for nursing, business, health professions, ministry, or the arts, Samford earns its price. If they are chasing a headline competitive scholarship or a film major, look elsewhere. Either way, put December 1 on the refrigerator and work backward from it.
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Leo Dimilo
Leo writes CollegeReadyParent, a plain-English guide to college costs and scholarships for families who are tired of guessing. Every number on this page was checked against the university’s own published sources.
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