🗓️ How Admissions and Money Line Up at Florida Southern
Applying is free. Use the FSC Preferred Application or the Common App. FSC says it does not favor one over the other.
November 1 is the early deadline. Early Action (non-binding) and Early Decision (binding) both close Nov 1, and decisions come by Dec 15. Early Decision deposits are due Jan 15; Early Action families have until May 1.
Later rounds: Priority Decision 1 (Dec 1) and Priority Decision 2 (Mar 1). Your merit award comes with your admission decision either way.
Same price for every state. FSC charges one tuition rate to all full-time undergraduates. About 4 in 10 first-year students come from outside Florida.
🏆 Full ride (Hollingsworth) and full tuition (McClurg) on one Prestige application
Average Net Price
$29,384/year
Average paid.
Automatic Merit
$10,000 to $26,500/yr
No separate application.
Scholarships Tracked
42 opportunities
14 automatic · 5 competitive · 23 hidden gem
Typical Qualifiers
Based on GPA and coursework (no published cutoffs)
Entry-level benchmarks for automatic merit.
Testing Policy
Test-optional (Prestige awards need scores)
Superscores ACT/SAT.
Key Deadlines
Priority: Nov 1 • FAFSA: TBD
Full-Tuition / Full-Ride
Hollingsworth full ride, McClurg full tuition, Jenkins full cost for high-need students
Honors College
Honors Program Available
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA Only
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Florida Southern (Read This First)
Test-optional for admission is not test-optional for the big money. Hollingsworth, McClurg, and Christoverson all require a 29 ACT or 1330 SAT. FSC’s own pages disagree on whether Jenkins applicants need scores, so send them if you have them.
November 1 is the date that does the most work. It is the Early Action and Early Decision deadline, the Prestige scholarship priority deadline, the first Honors College deadline, and the application cutoff for the Southern Experience Scholarship.
Visiting campus is worth $4,000 to $8,000. The Southern Experience Scholarship requires an official visit by February 20. Skip the visit and that money is gone.
FSC expects students to live on campus. Commuter status is mostly for students living with a parent within 30 miles. For transfers, the full transfer merit amount only applies to students living on campus.
The ACT superscore leaves out Science. FSC superscores English, Math, and Reading only. Florida students should still take Science if they want Bright Futures.
There is no published FAFSA priority date. FSC says some aid is first-come, first-served, so file in October when the FAFSA opens.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Florida Southern College is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 24-30; SAT: 1170-1320.
Average net price? About $29,384/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No. It is a private school, so everyone pays the same rate.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Florida Southern College: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Florida Southern College has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly $1,300 to $3,100 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$62,800
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$47,670
Housing & meals (typical)
$15,130
Total billed cost
$62,800
Average federal net price: $29,384 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
Florida Southern College is a private United Methodist-affiliated institution and charges the same published tuition and fees for all undergraduates regardless of residency.
Florida Families: Your State Aid Comes With You
A lot of Florida families assume Bright Futures only works at public universities. It doesn’t. At FSC, state aid stacks on top of the college’s own scholarships:
Bright Futures: up to $7,632 per year
EASE Grant: $3,500 per year for Florida residents at private colleges (renews with a 2.0 GPA and 24 credits a year)
FSAG: need-based Florida grant, limited funds, so file the FAFSA early
Florida Prepaid: FSC bills the plan directly each semester once you authorize FSC in the Prepaid portal
What Families Actually Paid, by Income (2023-24)
Federal data for first-year students who received grant or scholarship aid. This is after grants, before loans.
Family Income
Average Net Price
$0 to $30,000
$23,624
$30,001 to $48,000
$21,385
$48,001 to $75,000
$25,830
$75,001 to $110,000
$29,044
$110,001 and up
$33,706
Notice how flat that line is. The lowest-income families still paid over $21,000. FSC is merit-heavy, so a strong GPA moves your price more than your income does.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Florida Southern College
Why are the in-state and out-of-state prices the same?
FSC is a private college, so there is no state subsidy and no residency premium. Every full-time undergraduate (12 to 18 credits) pays the same tuition. The only difference for Florida families is that they can add Florida state aid on top.
What does a full year at FSC really cost before aid?
FSC’s 2026-27 budget is $67,900. That is $47,670 in tuition and fees, $15,130 for food and housing, and $5,100 for personal expenses like books, transportation, and loan fees. The part FSC actually bills you is the first two, about $62,800.
Is the average net price really around $29,000?
Yes. The most recent federal figure is $29,384 a year after grants and scholarships. Almost every first-year student gets FSC aid, but even after that, most families are still paying in the $21,000 to $34,000 range depending on income.
Can my student live at home to save on housing?
Only in certain cases. FSC is a residential college and most students live on campus all four years. You can request commuter status if your student will live with a parent or guardian within 30 miles of campus, or if they are 24 or older, married, or have children.
Does Bright Futures work at Florida Southern?
Yes, along with EASE, FSAG, and Florida Prepaid. FSC says these stack on top of its own scholarships. Your student needs to be a Florida resident enrolled full time, and you will need to confirm residency with the Financial Aid Office.
Will FSC put work-study into our aid package?
No. FSC deliberately leaves estimated work-study out of award letters, because students only earn that money after landing a campus job. That means the gap on your letter is the real gap, which is honestly helpful when you are comparing schools.
How much will costs go up each year?
Recent federal data shows FSC tuition rising about 4% a year. Merit scholarships are fixed dollar amounts, so the gap you pay out of pocket usually grows a little each year. Build that into your four-year plan.
October 1: FAFSA opens. File early, since some aid is first-come, first-served.
November 1: Early Action / Early Decision, Prestige priority deadline, first Honors College deadline, and the Southern Experience application cutoff.
December 15: Early decisions arrive with the merit award.
January 3: Final Prestige deadline (Hollingsworth, McClurg, Christoverson) and second Honors deadline.
January 31: Jenkins Scholarship due; Hollis Fellows priority deadline.
February 20: Last day for the campus visit that unlocks the Southern Experience Scholarship.
April 1: Advancing the Flame church match application due. May 1: Enrollment deposit (Early Action and regular).
Parent rule of thumb: get the application in by November 1 and schedule the campus visit at the same time. That one move covers most of the money on this page.
Automatic Merit Scholarships: Florida Southern College
FSC says nearly every first-year student gets a merit scholarship, and there is no essay and no separate form. When your student applies, FSC places them on one of seven named awards, from $10,000 to $26,500 a year, based on GPA and coursework. FSC does not publish GPA cutoffs, and test scores are optional for merit.
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
Henry and Annie Merner Pfeiffer Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$20,000–$26,500/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one merit tier, so a higher tier replaces a lower one. The merit award stacks with Florida state aid (Bright Futures, EASE, FSAG), need-based grants, the Southern Experience Scholarship, and most special interest and departmental awards. If your student wins Hollingsworth or McClurg, that becomes the main tuition award. Christoverson is added on top of merit.
💡
Strategic Detail
Top of FSC's automatic merit ladder at $20,000 to $26,500 per year. Awarded at admission based on GPA and coursework. Renews each year with full-time enrollment and the required GPA. FSC does not publish renewal GPAs by tier, so confirm yours in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: The strongest academic records in FSC's first-year pool: top grades in the hardest courses the high school offers. FSC does not publish GPA cutoffs for any tier.
Automatic
William H. Danforth Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$18,000–$24,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one merit tier, so a higher tier replaces a lower one. The merit award stacks with Florida state aid (Bright Futures, EASE, FSAG), need-based grants, the Southern Experience Scholarship, and most special interest and departmental awards. If your student wins Hollingsworth or McClurg, that becomes the main tuition award. Christoverson is added on top of merit.
💡
Strategic Detail
Second-highest automatic tier at $18,000 to $24,000 per year. Awarded at admission based on GPA and coursework. Renews each year with full-time enrollment and the required GPA. Confirm the renewal GPA in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Very strong students with high GPAs and a demanding schedule (AP, IB, AICE or dual enrollment). FSC does not publish GPA cutoffs for any tier.
Automatic
Emile E. Watson Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$16,000–$22,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one merit tier, so a higher tier replaces a lower one. The merit award stacks with Florida state aid (Bright Futures, EASE, FSAG), need-based grants, the Southern Experience Scholarship, and most special interest and departmental awards. If your student wins Hollingsworth or McClurg, that becomes the main tuition award. Christoverson is added on top of merit.
💡
Strategic Detail
Upper-tier automatic award at $16,000 to $22,000 per year. Awarded at admission based on GPA and coursework. Renews each year with full-time enrollment and the required GPA. Confirm the renewal GPA in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Strong A-range students with solid course rigor. FSC does not publish GPA cutoffs for any tier.
Automatic
Lucius P. Ordway Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$15,500–$20,500/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one merit tier, so a higher tier replaces a lower one. The merit award stacks with Florida state aid (Bright Futures, EASE, FSAG), need-based grants, the Southern Experience Scholarship, and most special interest and departmental awards. If your student wins Hollingsworth or McClurg, that becomes the main tuition award. Christoverson is added on top of merit.
💡
Strategic Detail
Middle-upper automatic tier at $15,500 to $20,500 per year. Awarded at admission based on GPA and coursework. Renews each year with full-time enrollment and the required GPA. Confirm the renewal GPA in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Consistently strong students with good grades across all four years and some advanced coursework. FSC does not publish GPA cutoffs for any tier.
Automatic
Thad G. Buckner Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$14,000–$18,500/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one merit tier, so a higher tier replaces a lower one. The merit award stacks with Florida state aid (Bright Futures, EASE, FSAG), need-based grants, the Southern Experience Scholarship, and most special interest and departmental awards. If your student wins Hollingsworth or McClurg, that becomes the main tuition award. Christoverson is added on top of merit.
💡
Strategic Detail
Middle automatic tier at $14,000 to $18,500 per year. Awarded at admission based on GPA and coursework. Renews each year with full-time enrollment and the required GPA. Confirm the renewal GPA in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Solid B-plus to A-minus students with a college prep schedule. FSC does not publish GPA cutoffs for any tier.
Automatic
Edna Mae Pearce Lockett Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$12,500–$17,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one merit tier, so a higher tier replaces a lower one. The merit award stacks with Florida state aid (Bright Futures, EASE, FSAG), need-based grants, the Southern Experience Scholarship, and most special interest and departmental awards. If your student wins Hollingsworth or McClurg, that becomes the main tuition award. Christoverson is added on top of merit.
💡
Strategic Detail
Second rung of the automatic ladder at $12,500 to $17,000 per year. Awarded at admission based on GPA and coursework. Renews each year with full-time enrollment and the required GPA. Confirm the renewal GPA in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Good, steady students a notch above FSC's baseline. FSC does not publish GPA cutoffs for any tier.
Automatic
E.T. Roux Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$10,000–$14,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Students receive one merit tier, so a higher tier replaces a lower one. The merit award stacks with Florida state aid (Bright Futures, EASE, FSAG), need-based grants, the Southern Experience Scholarship, and most special interest and departmental awards. If your student wins Hollingsworth or McClurg, that becomes the main tuition award. Christoverson is added on top of merit.
💡
Strategic Detail
Entry tier of FSC's automatic merit ladder at $10,000 to $14,000 per year. Awarded at admission based on GPA and coursework. Renews each year with full-time enrollment and the required GPA. Confirm the renewal GPA in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted students who meet FSC's academic bar. FSC says nearly every first-year student receives a merit scholarship, so this is the floor most families can count on.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Transfer Academic Merit: Tier 1 (3.75+ GPA)
📅 Deadline: Rolling ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$21,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.8+ GPA🎓 TransferAt least 24 transferable college credits typically required to be considered a transfer applicant.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Transfer merit stacks with the PTK Award for qualifying Phi Theta Kappa members (an additional $2,000/year), but it does not stack with FSC athletic scholarships. On-campus residency is the lever that unlocks the full published amount, commuter students see a smaller version of the same tier.
💡
Strategic Detail
Transfer Academic Recognition Scholarship worth up to $21,000 per year for transfers with at least 24 transferable credits and a 3.75+ cumulative transfer GPA. The full amount requires living on campus; commuters receive a reduced amount. Renews with full-time enrollment and good academic standing. Confirm the renewal GPA in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Top-performing transfers with strong college GPAs (3.75 and up), students who genuinely built momentum at their first institution and are ready to level up at FSC.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Transfer Academic Merit: Tier 2 (3.50+ GPA)
📅 Deadline: Rolling ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$20,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA🎓 TransferAt least 24 transferable college credits typically required to be considered a transfer applicant.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Transfer merit stacks with the PTK Award for qualifying Phi Theta Kappa members (an additional $2,000/year), but it does not stack with FSC athletic scholarships. On-campus residency is the lever that unlocks the full published amount, commuter students see a smaller version of the same tier.
💡
Strategic Detail
Transfer Academic Recognition Scholarship worth up to $20,000 per year for transfers with at least 24 transferable credits and a 3.50+ cumulative transfer GPA. The full amount requires living on campus; commuters receive a reduced amount. Renews with full-time enrollment and good academic standing. Confirm the renewal GPA in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Strong academic transfers with 3.50+ cumulative college GPAs, a very common landing spot for students who took their first two years seriously.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Transfer Academic Merit: Tier 3 (3.25+ GPA)
📅 Deadline: Rolling ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$19,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.3+ GPA🎓 TransferAt least 24 transferable college credits typically required to be considered a transfer applicant.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Transfer merit stacks with the PTK Award for qualifying Phi Theta Kappa members (an additional $2,000/year), but it does not stack with FSC athletic scholarships. On-campus residency is the lever that unlocks the full published amount, commuter students see a smaller version of the same tier.
💡
Strategic Detail
Transfer Academic Recognition Scholarship worth up to $19,000 per year for transfers with at least 24 transferable credits and a 3.25+ cumulative transfer GPA. The full amount requires living on campus; commuters receive a reduced amount. Renews with full-time enrollment and good academic standing. Confirm the renewal GPA in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Solid academic transfers with 3.25-3.49 cumulative GPAs, B+ students who show consistent work at their previous college.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Transfer Academic Merit: Tier 4 (3.00+ GPA)
📅 Deadline: Rolling ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$17,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 TransferAt least 24 transferable college credits typically required to be considered a transfer applicant.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Transfer merit stacks with the PTK Award for qualifying Phi Theta Kappa members (an additional $2,000/year), but it does not stack with FSC athletic scholarships. On-campus residency is the lever that unlocks the full published amount, commuter students see a smaller version of the same tier.
💡
Strategic Detail
Transfer Academic Recognition Scholarship worth up to $17,000 per year for transfers with at least 24 transferable credits and a 3.00+ cumulative transfer GPA. The full amount requires living on campus; commuters receive a reduced amount. Renews with full-time enrollment and good academic standing. Confirm the renewal GPA in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Transfers with 3.00-3.24 cumulative college GPAs, students who are steady contributors and hitting the traditional B-average threshold.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Transfer Academic Merit: Tier 5 (2.75+ GPA)
📅 Deadline: Rolling ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$16,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.8+ GPA🎓 TransferAt least 24 transferable college credits typically required to be considered a transfer applicant.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Transfer merit stacks with the PTK Award for qualifying Phi Theta Kappa members (an additional $2,000/year), but it does not stack with FSC athletic scholarships. On-campus residency is the lever that unlocks the full published amount, commuter students see a smaller version of the same tier.
💡
Strategic Detail
Transfer Academic Recognition Scholarship worth up to $16,000 per year for transfers with at least 24 transferable credits and a 2.75+ cumulative transfer GPA. The full amount requires living on campus; commuters receive a reduced amount. Renews with full-time enrollment and good academic standing. Confirm the renewal GPA in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Transfers with 2.75-2.99 cumulative GPAs, students whose college record shows real potential even if it isn't perfect.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Transfer Academic Merit: Tier 6 (2.50+ GPA)
📅 Deadline: Rolling ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$13,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 2.5+ GPA🎓 TransferAt least 24 transferable college credits typically required to be considered a transfer applicant.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Transfer merit stacks with the PTK Award for qualifying Phi Theta Kappa members (an additional $2,000/year), but it does not stack with FSC athletic scholarships. On-campus residency is the lever that unlocks the full published amount, commuter students see a smaller version of the same tier.
💡
Strategic Detail
Transfer Academic Recognition Scholarship worth up to $13,500 per year for transfers with at least 24 transferable credits and a 2.50+ cumulative transfer GPA. The full amount requires living on campus; commuters receive a reduced amount. Renews with full-time enrollment and good academic standing. Confirm the renewal GPA in the award letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Transfers with 2.50-2.74 cumulative GPAs, students who may have had a rocky start but are ready to reset and grow at FSC.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Onlytransferpipeline
Phi Theta Kappa Award for Transfer Students
📅 Deadline: With admission ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Phi Theta Kappa members with an associate degree and 3.2+ GPA receive $2,000/year on top of transfer merit.
🏫 3.2+ GPA🎓 TransferStudents receiving first-year (freshman) FSC scholarships are not eligible for this transfer PTK award.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Here's the good news: this award stacks on top of FSC's transfer academic merit tiers, meaning a PTK member with a strong GPA can have both awards in the same aid letter. It does NOT stack with FSC athletic scholarships, and students who received first-year (freshman) scholarships at FSC are not eligible.
💡
Strategic Detail
Adds $2,000 per year for Phi Theta Kappa members who earned an associate degree with a 3.2+ cumulative GPA. Can be combined with transfer merit, but not with an athletic scholarship. Students who received FSC first-year scholarships are not eligible.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Community college transfers who joined Phi Theta Kappa, earned their associate degree, and maintained at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA. If your student did PTK at their community college, this is essentially free money layered on top of their standard transfer award.
Data last verified Oct 23, 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.
Note: Students receive one merit tier. The seven first-year awards (Roux up through Pfeiffer) are listed above along with FSC’s separate transfer grid. If your student is coming from a community college or another four-year school, the transfer tiers and the Phi Theta Kappa award are the ones that apply.
🔁 Transferring In? Here’s the Short Version
You need at least 24 transferable credits to be treated as a transfer.
Your cumulative college GPA sets the award: up to $21,000 a year at 3.75, sliding down to up to $13,500 at 2.50.
The full amount requires living on campus. Commuters get a smaller version.
Phi Theta Kappa members with an associate degree and a 3.2 GPA get another $2,000 a year, but only if you check the PTK box on the application. FSC will not add it after your aid is decided.
Automatic Merit: FAQs (Florida Southern College)
How does FSC decide which merit award my student gets?
FSC looks at your student’s GPA and coursework and places them on one of seven named tiers: Roux, Lockett, Buckner, Ordway, Watson, Danforth, or Pfeiffer. FSC does not publish the cutoffs, so the award letter is the first time you will see where your student landed.
Why are the awards listed as ranges instead of set amounts?
FSC publishes each tier as a range, like $20,000 to $26,500 for Pfeiffer, but does not explain publicly what moves a student to the top or bottom of it. If your letter comes in at the low end, it is fair to ask your admissions counselor why.
Does my student need test scores to get merit?
No. FSC says every applicant is considered for merit regardless of testing. Scores do matter for the Prestige awards in the next section, though.
Can my student get two merit awards?
No. It is one tier per student. But the merit award stacks with Florida state aid, need-based grants, the Southern Experience Scholarship, and most special interest awards, and the Christoverson Prestige award is added on top of it.
Do these renew all four years?
Yes, as long as your student stays full time and keeps the required GPA. FSC does not publish the renewal GPA for each tier, so find it in your award letter and make sure your student knows the number.
Does applying early really help with merit?
FSC says applying by November 1 gives priority scholarship consideration. The bigger reason is everything else tied to that date: Prestige, Honors, and the Southern Experience Scholarship.
Florida Southern’s big money runs through one application for three awards. The Prestige application puts your student in the running for Hollingsworth, McClurg, and Christoverson all at once. Two other awards, Jenkins and Hollis, have their own applications and very specific audiences.
Award
What It Covers
Who Can Apply
Deadline
Hollingsworth
Full ride, valued at $230,000+ over four years, plus mentorship with the president
Admitted first-time freshmen, 3.5 GPA, 29 ACT or 1330 SAT
Nov 1 priority, Jan 3 final
McClurg
Full tuition (not housing or meals)
Same as Hollingsworth
Same application
Christoverson
Varies; added on top of merit
Same as Hollingsworth
Same application
Jenkins
Tuition, fees, room, board, stipend, books
U.S. citizens from FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, AL, TN, VA with a 3.5 GPA and exceptional need
Jan 31
Hollis Fellows
$8,000 per year
Education majors, 3.0 GPA, 22 ACT or 1120 SAT, will teach 3 years in Florida
Jan 31 priority, Feb 28
How many full-tuition awards are there? FSC’s redesigned financial aid page says it has 4 full-tuition awards. Its older scholarships page, which is still online, says FSC gives up to 15 full-tuition awards a year. We can’t tell you which number is current. Either way, these are long shots, so treat the merit award as your real number and anything from Prestige as a bonus.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at FSC?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
FSC Parent Translation
Automatic Merit
N/A
One tier per student. This is your base number.
Hollingsworth / McClurg
Replaces
These become the main tuition award. With McClurg, you still owe housing and meals.
Christoverson
Yes
FSC says this one is added on top of merit.
Jenkins
Replaces
Covers the full cost, so it stands on its own.
Hollis Fellows
Ask
FSC doesn’t say. Confirm with your counselor before you count on both.
Florida State Aid
Yes
FSC says Bright Futures and EASE stack on top of its awards.
Southern Experience
Usually
Not available with a full-tuition award or an athletic scholarship.
Full RideApp Required
Hollingsworth Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
full cost of attendance including travel-study stipend
✘ Not stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~29 ACT✎ ~1330 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Hollingsworth covers the full cost of attendance, so it replaces the automatic merit tier and other FSC institutional awards rather than adding to them.
📄
How to Apply
Get admitted as a first-time freshman, then submit the Premier and Prestige Scholarship Application with one essay chosen from three prompts. Finalists are invited to a virtual faculty interview. Applying by November 1 puts your student in the first round of interviews and decisions.
Selection criteria: Faculty committee evaluates academic promise, leadership potential, character, future goals, and overall fit with Florida Southern.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Florida Southern's premier award: a full ride valued at more than $230,000 over four years, plus mentorship opportunities with the college president. One Prestige application covers Hollingsworth, McClurg, and Christoverson. Requires admission as a first-time freshman, a 3.5 high school GPA, and a 29 ACT or 1330 SAT, plus one essay of 300 to 500 words. Finalists interview virtually with a faculty committee.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: A very small group of first-year applicants with top-of-pool academics, a real leadership record, and a strong finalist interview.
Full TuitionApp Required
C.V. McClurg Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
full tuition and required fees
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Invitation-only Prestige scholarship for top first-year applicants; pays full tuition and fees for four years, room and board not covered.
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~29 ACT✎ ~1330 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
McClurg covers tuition, so it takes the place of the automatic merit tier. Florida state aid and need-based grants can still help with housing and meals. The Southern Experience Scholarship is not available to students with a full-tuition award.
📄
How to Apply
McClurg is part of FSC's Prestige triad, so one application does the work. Your student applies and gets admitted, then submits the single Premier and Prestige Scholarship Application (with essay), that puts them in the running for Hollingsworth, McClurg, and Christoverson all at once. Finalists interview virtually with faculty.
Selection criteria: Holistic review of academic excellence, leadership, character, and fit among Prestige finalists.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview🌟 Finalist Event
💡
Strategic Detail
Covers full tuition. It does not include housing and meals, so plan for about $15,130 a year in food and housing. Same Prestige application, eligibility (3.5 GPA, 29 ACT or 1330 SAT), essay, and finalist interview as Hollingsworth.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Top Prestige finalists with strong grades, test scores at or above 29 ACT or 1330 SAT, and a clear leadership story.
App Required
Marcene Christoverson Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 1 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~29 ACT✎ ~1330 SAT
✚
Stacking & Combining
Added on top of the automatic merit tier rather than replacing it, which makes it the most stack-friendly of the three Prestige awards. FSC does not publish an amount range.
📄
How to Apply
Christoverson is part of the Prestige triad, same single application as Hollingsworth and McClurg. Your student applies and gets admitted, then submits the Premier and Prestige Scholarship Application (with essay); Prestige finalists are considered for Christoverson based on their profile and financial circumstances.
Prestige award in varying amounts that FSC adds on top of the student's merit scholarship. Same Prestige application, eligibility (3.5 GPA, 29 ACT or 1330 SAT), essay, and finalist interview as Hollingsworth and McClurg.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Prestige finalists with strong academics and leadership. FSC does not explain how amounts are set, so ask your admissions counselor how the award was sized.
Full RideApp Requiredgeographicneed based
George W. Jenkins Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 31 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
Tuition, fees, room, board, a stipend, and books and supplies
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Restricted to U.S. citizens residing in FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, AL, TN, or VA with documented financial need and adversity story; five awards per year.
🏫 3.5+ GPA
✚
Stacking & Combining
Covers the full cost of attendance, so it stands alone as the student's main FSC award.
📄
How to Apply
Get admitted, file the FAFSA, then submit the Jenkins application by January 31 with two reference letters that speak to merit and adversity, plus an essay of 800 words or fewer. Spend most of the essay on the adversity your student faced and how they overcame it.
Selection criteria: Selection emphasizes academic strength, exceptional financial need, sustained work or service, and demonstrated history of overcoming significant adversity.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Covers full tuition and fees, room and board, a stipend, and money for books and supplies. Named for and funded by the founder of Publix. Requires admission as a first-time freshman, U.S. citizenship, legal residency in FL, GA, KY, NC, SC, AL, TN, or VA, a 3.5 GPA in college prep courses, and exceptional financial need on the FAFSA. The Jenkins page says test scores are not required; FSC's test-optional page encourages Jenkins applicants to submit them.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
High-achieving first-year students from eligible Southeastern states with exceptional financial need and a real story of facing and overcoming significant adversity. The essay carries the most weight.
App Requiredmajor
Hollis Fellows in Education Scholarship
📅 Deadline: January 31 ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$8,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Education majors only, with a post-graduation commitment to teach three years in Florida public schools.
🏫 3.0+ GPA✎ ~22 ACT✎ ~1120 SAT👥 ~Two first-year students per year. winners/yrMust major in Education and commit to teaching three years in the Florida public school system after graduation. Test minimums: 22 ACT (23 Reading) or 1120 SAT (560 Evidence-Based Reading and Writing). Minimum 3.0 cumulative high school GPA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
FSC does not say whether Hollis replaces or adds to the merit tier. Ask your admissions counselor before you count on both.
📄
How to Apply
Two paths must line up here: your student applies and gets admitted to FSC as an Education major, then submits the dedicated Hollis Fellows Scholarship Application. Finalists are invited to a virtual interview with education faculty and staff. This one is intentional, the Hollis family wants students who genuinely see themselves teaching in Florida.
Established by Mark and Lynn Hollis. $8,000 per year to two first-year Education majors, renewable with a 3.0 GPA while staying in the Education major. Finalists interview virtually in January, February, or March.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Two future teachers a year who meet the test and GPA minimums and can show the interview panel they really plan to teach in Florida.
Data last verified Oct 23, 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.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Does my student need an invitation to apply for Prestige?
FSC’s pages use invitation language, but the application link is public and the requirements are posted: admitted first-time freshman, 3.5 GPA, 29 ACT or 1330 SAT. If your student meets those, apply.
Do we need separate applications for Hollingsworth, McClurg, and Christoverson?
No. One Prestige application with one 300 to 500 word essay covers all three. Finalists do a virtual interview with a faculty committee.
What happens if my student isn’t picked?
Nothing bad. Every applicant still gets reviewed for the automatic merit awards, so the merit offer stays in place either way.
Is McClurg a full ride?
No. McClurg covers full tuition. Housing and meals run about $15,130 a year, so budget for that or look at Florida state aid and need-based grants to help.
Does the Jenkins Scholarship require test scores?
FSC’s pages disagree. The Jenkins page says scores are not required, but FSC’s test-optional page encourages Jenkins applicants to submit them. If your student has scores, send them. If not, they can still apply.
Why is the Jenkins Scholarship connected to Publix?
George W. Jenkins founded Publix, and the scholarship is named for him and funded by him. It is built for high-achieving students who have faced real adversity, and the essay is where that story lives.
What is the catch with Hollis Fellows?
Recipients commit to teaching three years in a Florida public school after graduation. If your student truly wants to teach, that’s not much of a catch. Only two students a year get it.
A lot of FSC’s smaller awards only show up if somebody mentions the right fact to the right office. Before your aid package is final, go down this list and tell your admissions counselor about anything that applies:
Valedictorian or salutatorian (graduating class over 50) → $1,000 a year
An older sibling already at FSC full time → $1,000 a year
A parent at Publix, or your student works there → Moe Lasky Scholarship
A Lakeland High or Harrison School for the Arts graduate → $3,000 a year
United Methodist ties → Minister’s Child ($2,000), Pre-Ministerial ($3,000 to $5,000), or the Advancing the Flame church match
Plays, sings, dances, acts, or makes art → audition or portfolio awards, even for non-majors in music
Parent translation: the merit award is automatic. These are not. File the FAFSA too, because several of them check for need.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These awards are where FSC gets more affordable for the families who know to ask. Most of them stack on top of merit. The biggest one for most families is the Southern Experience Scholarship, which just requires a campus visit.
Automatic
Southern Experience Scholarship (Out-of-State)
📅 Deadline: Apply by November 1; visit by February 20 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks on top of most FSC scholarships but can only be applied to tuition and is not available if the student receives full-tuition or athletic scholarships or if total institutional aid exceeds tuition.
💡
Strategic Detail
Provides an additional $1,000 per year for a total of $8,000 for out-of-state students, applied toward tuition only and contingent on full-time enrollment and good academic standing.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Out-of-state students who complete a qualifying campus visit and apply and enroll by the stated deadlines.
📅 Deadline: Apply by November 1; visit by February 20 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with most institutional awards but only toward tuition; not available if the student receives a full-tuition or athletic scholarship or if total institutional aid exceeds tuition.
💡
Strategic Detail
Provides an additional $1,000 per year for a total of $4,000 for in-state students, applied toward tuition only and contingent on full-time enrollment and good academic standing.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Florida residents who complete a qualifying campus visit and apply and enroll by the stated deadlines.
Automaticneed-based
FSC Need-Based Grant
📅 Deadline: File the FAFSA (opens October 1); some aid is first-come, first-served ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Requires demonstrated financial need on the FAFSA.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Awarded in addition to merit, federal, and state aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
Grant money directly from Florida Southern for students who show financial need on the FAFSA. Awarded in addition to federal and state aid. Amounts vary each year based on FAFSA results and family circumstances.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Families whose FAFSA shows real need. If you skip the FAFSA because you assume you earn too much, this is the money you never see.
Automaticemployerneed based
Moe Lasky Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Automatic at admission; file the FAFSA to document need ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ For Publix associates and their children. A parent must have two years of continuous full-time service, or the student must have one year of Publix work history within the past two years.
A parent must be a full-time Publix employee with at least two years of continuous service at the time the student enrolls at FSC. Or the student must have worked full time at Publix for at least one year, or part time for a total of one year within the past two years, before enrolling. Must be admitted as a first-year student, enroll full time, show strong academics and good character, and demonstrate financial need on the FAFSA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Sits on top of your FSC merit award rather than replacing it, subject to the College overall aid limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
Named for Moe L. Lasky, a longtime Publix associate in Leesburg who started with the company at 67 and worked until he was 93. Awarded in varying amounts to Publix employees and their children. Confirm renewal terms with Financial Aid.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students from Publix families in Florida who also show financial need. Publix is the largest private employer in the state, so this reaches far more families than most people realize.
Automaticmajorneed based
Nursing Scholarships
📅 Deadline: With admission to the BSN program; file the FAFSA ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Students admitted and enrolled in the undergraduate BSN program who show academic excellence and financial need.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks on top of the automatic merit tier, subject to overall aid limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
Awards vary in amount and are renewable each year of study. Students must be admitted and enrolled in the undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, achieve academic excellence, and demonstrate financial need. No separate application is required; eligible candidates are notified during the Admissions process.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted BSN students with strong academics and documented financial need.
Automaticmajorneed basedgeographic
Alderman Accounting Scholarship
📅 Deadline: With admission; file the FAFSA ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Accounting majors, with preference for Florida students who demonstrate financial need.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layered on top of the automatic merit award, subject to overall aid limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
Established by Gettys P. Alderman and his wife Alice to support promising Florida students pursuing accounting careers. Based on academic achievement and financial need. No separate application required. Renewable for four years provided eligibility is maintained.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Florida accounting majors with solid grades and documented financial need.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlyaudition
Music Scholarships (Majors)
📅 Deadline: Audition before enrollment; register through Admissions ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Audition required; for Music, Music Education, Music Business, and Music Performance majors.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layered on top of academic merit, but FSC sizes it with the whole aid package in mind.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to FSC, then register for a music audition (you can audition before your admission decision comes back). Every music major applicant is automatically considered for a talent scholarship at the audition. Academic and artistic decisions arrive separately.
🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
Talent-based awards for music majors, set by audition. FSC says amounts depend on talent, department need, and the student's total financial package. Renewable for four years when eligibility is maintained. Non-majors have a separate $500 ensemble award.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students heading into Music, Music Education, Music Business, or Music Performance who prepare the full audition list for their instrument.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlyaudition
Theatre Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Audition and interview; schedule through Admissions ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Audition and interview required.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layered on top of academic merit, subject to overall aid limits.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to FSC and schedule a theatre audition and interview. BFA auditions are automatically considered for scholarships.
🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
Talent awards in various amounts for students pursuing performance, design, or technical theatre, including Musical Theatre. Renewable for four years when eligibility is maintained.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Performers and tech or design students who audition for FSC's theatre programs, especially BFA candidates.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlyaudition
Dance Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Audition and interview; schedule through Admissions ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Audition and interview required.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layered on top of academic merit, subject to overall aid limits.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to FSC and register for a dance audition and interview with the dance faculty. BFA and BA auditionees are automatically considered.
🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
Competitive talent awards in various amounts for students in Dance Performance and Choreography (BFA) or Dance Studies (BA). Renewable for four years when eligibility is maintained.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Serious dancers who audition for the BFA or BA programs.
Layered on top of academic merit, subject to overall aid limits.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to FSC and submit a portfolio that shows originality and technical skill, following FSC's visual arts and design portfolio requirements.
💡
Strategic Detail
Talent awards in various amounts for students in studio art, graphic design, and related programs, based on a portfolio review. Renewable for four years when eligibility is maintained.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Art and design students with a strong, original portfolio.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlywritten portfolio
Art History and Museum Studies Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Written portfolio or reflection; ask Admissions for timing ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Written portfolio or reflection required.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layered on top of academic merit, subject to overall aid limits.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to FSC and submit a strong written portfolio or a personal reflection on the role of the arts or museums.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Various amounts for students pursuing art history and museum studies, based on a written portfolio or reflection rather than an audition. Renewable for four years when eligibility is maintained.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Strong writers who love art, history, or museums. A good fit for the student who is artsy but not a performer.
Automaticmajorneed based
Beulah Kahler Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Automatic at admission ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Liberal arts disciplines, with financial need considered.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Treated as an add-on to the automatic merit award, subject to overall aid limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
Supports financially deserving students of exceptional promise pursuing liberal arts disciplines. Awards are granted upon admission and recognize academic ability, creativity, and leadership. Eligible students are considered automatically during enrollment. Confirm renewal terms with Financial Aid.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Humanities and liberal arts majors with creative or leadership strength and demonstrated need. This one rewards the English, history, and philosophy kids that merit grids sometimes underserve.
Automaticgeographicmajorneed based
Hazel Haley Scholarship
📅 Deadline: With admission ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Graduates of Lakeland High School or the Harrison School for the Arts only, with financial need. Preference to English and Education majors.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layered on top of the automatic merit award, subject to overall aid limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
Worth $3,000 per year. Awarded to graduates of Lakeland High School and the Harrison School for the Arts who demonstrate financial need, with preference given to English or Education majors. Confirm renewal terms with Financial Aid.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Lakeland High and Harrison School for the Arts graduates with need, especially future English teachers.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlycareer intent
Christian Service Award
📅 Deadline: Contact the Chaplain office; timing tracks the admission cycle ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ For students preparing for careers in Christian education, ministry of music, or youth ministry.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks on top of merit aid, subject to overall aid limits.
📄
How to Apply
This one runs through FSC's faith-based scholarship office, not the regular admission review, which is why families miss it. Contact the Chaplain's Office or FSC Church Relations (863.680.4756) and ask how to be considered before you finalize your aid package.
💡
Strategic Detail
Worth $2,000 per year. Open to both first-year and transfer students preparing for careers in Christian education, ministry of music, or youth ministry. Florida Southern is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with a genuine church background who plan to work in ministry, church music, or youth work. Available to transfers as well as freshmen, which is unusual.
App Requiredfaith-basedUnited Methodist clergy family
Minister's Child Award
📅 Deadline: Submit verification letter during the admission process ✓ Renews
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Children of United Methodist ministers only.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks on top of merit aid, but not with Advancing the Flame.
📄
How to Apply
Send a letter on United Methodist Church letterhead that gives your student's name and the qualifying parent's name and title. FSC uses it to verify eligibility.
💡
Strategic Detail
$2,000 per year for children of United Methodist ministers. Recipients are not eligible for the Advancing the Flame match.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Children of United Methodist ministers who send the verification letter. Simple paperwork, real money.
App Requiredfaith-basedministerial candidate
Pre-Ministerial Award
📅 Deadline: Contact FSC Church Relations during the admission process ✓ Renews
$3,000–$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Students in a formal Methodist ministerial track.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks on top of merit aid, subject to overall aid limits.
📄
How to Apply
Contact FSC Church Relations (863.680.4756) to confirm your student's ministerial candidacy and how to be considered.
💡
Strategic Detail
Up to $5,000 per year for pre-ministerial candidates in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, and up to $3,000 per year for other Methodist candidates in a formal ministerial track.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students already in a formal ministerial candidacy process. Florida Conference candidates get the higher amount.
App Requiredfaith-basedUnited Methodist
Advancing the Flame Matching Scholarship
📅 Deadline: April 1 ✓ Renews
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ United Methodist students whose home church participates.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks on top of merit aid. Students receiving the Minister's Child Award are not eligible.
📄
How to Apply
Download FSC's Advancing the Flame application and submit it by April 1. Your home church sends its gift through the UMHEF Dollars for Scholars program and sends a letter about its participation to FSC's Church Relations Office.
💡
Strategic Detail
Church matching program for United Methodist students. If the home church sends $1,000 to the UMHEF and the student is selected in the UMHEF lottery, UMHEF matches it and sends $2,000 to FSC. FSC then matches $1,000 of that, for $3,000 total. FSC's own share is up to $1,000 per year. The money must come from the church, its scholarship committee, or members of the congregation, not from family.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: United Methodist families whose church is willing to put up the first $1,000. Talk to your pastor in the fall, not in March.
📅 Deadline: Automatic at admission; file the FAFSA ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Women of Christian faith with financial need who live in a Southeastern state.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks on top of merit aid, subject to overall aid limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
Scholarships in various amounts from the Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation for women students of Christian faith who demonstrate financial need and live in a Southeastern state.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Christian women from the Southeast with documented need. Families who skip the FAFSA will not be considered.
Automatic
Valedictorian / Salutatorian Scholarship
📅 Deadline: With admission; submit documentation of class rank status during the application process. ✓ Renews
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Recognition scholarship that is typically layered on top of other institutional awards, subject to overall tuition limits.
💡
Strategic Detail
Special Interest Scholarships page describes the Valedictorian/Salutatorian Scholarship as $1,000 per year for top graduates from high schools with more than 50 students; recipients are expected to notify Admissions of their status.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students recognized as valedictorian or salutatorian from high schools with more than 50 students in the graduating class.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Sibling Award
📅 Deadline: With enrollment; coordinate with Financial Aid when both siblings are registered. ✓ Renews
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Designed as a small stackable discount that can be combined with most institutional aid, subject to FSC’s overall aid capping rules.
💡
Strategic Detail
Special Interest Scholarships page lists the Sibling Award as a $1,000 per year renewable scholarship for students with an undergraduate sibling enrolled full-time at FSC.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Undergraduate students who have a sibling enrolled full-time at Florida Southern.
⚠ Ensemble awards are available only to non-music-majors. Audition required.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks on top of academic merit, subject to overall aid limits.
📄
How to Apply
Contact the Office of Admissions at 863.680.4131 to arrange an audition. This is aimed at the student who played in high school band or sang in choir and wants to keep doing it in college without majoring in music.
💡
Strategic Detail
Florida Southern awards $500 per year to members of an ensemble: band, chorale, or orchestra (strings). Ensemble scholarships are available only to non-majors, and an audition is required. Separate from the larger music scholarships awarded to majors on skill level and area of concentration.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Non-music-majors who keep playing or singing. Small dollars, but it is one of the few awards on this campus specifically built for a student whose talent is not their major.
App Requiredlegacy
Tuition Exchange Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies by Tuition Exchange and institutional timelines; families should check with their home institution and FSC Financial Aid. ✓ Renews
Varies
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Children of qualifying employees at Tuition Exchange member schools may receive a scholarship that covers full FSC tuition only (not fees, housing, or meals).
👥 ~Limited number of awards per year based on FSC’s Tuition Exchange allocation. winners/yr
📄
How to Apply
Have a parent employed at a participating Tuition Exchange institution and complete the Tuition Exchange certification process through the home institution and Florida Southern’s financial aid office.
💡
Strategic Detail
FSC participates in the Tuition Exchange program, so dependents of employees at participating colleges may receive a Tuition Exchange scholarship. FSC's page does not list an amount; the award is set by the program and FSC's annual allocation, and the number of awards is limited. Ask Financial Aid how it combines with merit before you assume both.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Dependents of faculty or staff at participating Tuition Exchange institutions who meet Florida Southern’s admission and Tuition Exchange selection criteria.
App Required
RaiseMe Micro-Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Log achievements on RaiseMe before applying ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Awarded instead of FSC merit, not in addition to it. Students receive whichever is higher.
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Does not stack with FSC merit. FSC applies whichever is larger, the RaiseMe total or the standard merit and grant package.
📄
How to Apply
Your student creates a RaiseMe profile, follows Florida Southern, and logs grades, activities, and service throughout high school. Best started freshman or sophomore year of high school. For a strong student who will land high on the FSC merit ladder anyway, this is usually redundant, so run the numbers before investing time.
💡
Strategic Detail
Rewards students who log high school achievements on the RaiseMe platform across academics, leadership, and service. Important: FSC states that students receive either their FSC merit scholarship and grants OR the RaiseMe award, whichever is higher. It is not additive.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Mostly useful for students whose activity and service record is stronger than their GPA, since RaiseMe credits things the merit grid does not.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad OnlyROTC
ROTC Room and Board Grant
📅 Deadline: Tied to an Army ROTC scholarship contract ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Army ROTC scholarship cadets living on campus.
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Added on top of the Army ROTC scholarship.
📄
How to Apply
Win an Army ROTC National High School Scholarship (applications open in June before senior year) or a Campus-Based Scholarship through the Moccasin Battalion, then live on campus at FSC.
💡
Strategic Detail
FSC adds room and board grants on top of the Army ROTC award for scholarship contract cadets who live on campus.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Contracted Army ROTC scholarship cadets in FSC's Moccasin Battalion who live on campus.
Data last verified Oct 23, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Do these stack with the merit award?
Most of them do, subject to FSC’s overall aid limits. The exceptions: RaiseMe pays either its amount or your FSC merit and grants, whichever is higher, not both. Southern Experience is off the table with a full-tuition or athletic award. Tuition Exchange works by its own rules.
How does the Advancing the Flame match work?
Your home church sends $1,000 to the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. If your student is picked in the UMHEF lottery, UMHEF doubles it and sends $2,000 to FSC, and FSC adds $1,000 of its own, for $3,000 total. The money has to come from the church or its members, not from family. Apply by April 1.
Does my student have to major in music to get music money?
No. Music majors are considered for talent scholarships at their audition. Non-majors who audition into band, chorale, or strings can get a $500-a-year ensemble award.
Does FSC have its own need-based money?
Yes. FSC awards need-based grants on top of federal and state aid, based on your FAFSA. That’s why skipping the FAFSA is a mistake even if you think you make too much.
Is RaiseMe worth the time?
For most strong students, probably not, since you only get the higher of RaiseMe or your FSC aid. It can help a student whose activities and service record is stronger than their grades.
Who do I call about the faith-based awards?
FSC Church Relations handles them (863.680.4756). Christian Service, Minister’s Child, and Pre-Ministerial awards all run through that office, not the regular admission review.
In August 2026, FSC turned its long-running Honors Program into a full Honors College. It is a four-year track built around research with a faculty mentor, honors seminars, and a first-year living community. Admission is not automatic. Your student applies separately, and FSC says only about 10% of first-year students join.
To apply: a 3.5 weighted GPA, the Honors application, and at least three “markers of excellence” (things like a 1330 SAT or 29 ACT superscore, 16+ AP/IB/dual enrollment credits, top 10% class rank, a leadership role, or a creative portfolio)
Deadlines: November 1, January 3, or March 1. Decisions come about six weeks later, and every round is judged equally.
Perks: up to 20 credits a semester at no extra cost, priority registration, an Honors lounge, and a two-year research capstone
Honors College Scholarships & Fellowships
This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.
Straight answer: FSC says there are no scholarships tied to the Honors College and no extra charges for being in it. The money for strong students lives in the merit tiers and the Prestige awards. A lot of Honors markers overlap with Prestige eligibility, so a student who qualifies for one should usually apply for both by November 1.
Why Honors Still Saves Money
Extra credits for free: taking up to 20 credits a semester at no added cost can help a student double major or finish on time.
Priority registration: getting the classes you need when you need them helps avoid a costly extra semester.
Fellowship track record: FSC Honors alumni have won NSF, Fulbright, Goldwater, and Truman Capote awards, which pay for graduate school and beyond.
Honors College: FAQs (Florida Southern College)
Is Honors admission automatic?
No. Your student needs a 3.5 weighted GPA, the Honors application, and three markers of excellence. Space is limited.
Does Honors come with a scholarship?
No. FSC is upfront that Honors has no scholarships of its own. Honors applicants can also apply for Prestige awards, though.
Does Honors add extra classes or cost more?
No extra cost, and FSC says it fits inside your student’s existing degree plan instead of adding credit hours.
What does it take to stay in?
A C or better in every Honors course, and a 3.5 cumulative GPA to graduate from the Honors College.
My student is bringing in a lot of college credit. Should they still do Honors?
The Honors curriculum takes six semesters. If your student could graduate in under three years, FSC suggests an honors option inside the major instead. Those exist in Accounting, Biology, Chemistry, English, History, Music, Philosophy, Psychology, and Religion.
Can current or transfer students join?
Current FSC students can apply by the end of their first semester with a 3.5 GPA and a faculty recommendation. Transfers are considered case by case.
Florida Southern is a small private college in Lakeland, about halfway between Tampa and Orlando, with around 2,700 undergrads. Classes run about 11 students for every faculty member. The first thing almost every family notices is the campus itself, and it is worth knowing why.
Nationally Known: The Frank Lloyd Wright Campus
FSC is the only college campus Frank Lloyd Wright ever designed. Thirteen Wright buildings, including his only planetarium, are linked by more than a mile of covered walkways. In 2012 the campus became a National Historic Landmark as the largest single-site collection of Wright architecture in the world. For a student interested in architecture, FSC’s School of Architecture gets to use that campus as a working classroom.
Business and Accounting: The Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise is one of FSC’s largest programs, with accounting, finance, marketing, and business analytics, plus 4+1 paths into a Master of Accountancy or MBA.
Nursing and Health Sciences: The BSN program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. Exercise Science is a natural first step into FSC’s on-campus Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Psychology: FSC’s most popular single major by number of graduates.
Computer Science: Taught in the Carole and Marcus Weinstein Computer Sciences Center, which has a cyber range, an AI and robotics lab, an esports room, and a makerspace.
Marine Biology and Biology: Strong science pipelines with undergraduate research, and Honors students have earned Goldwater and NSF fellowships.
Education: Students get into real classrooms starting first year, and the Hollis Fellows program supports future Florida teachers.
Performing Arts: Musical theatre, dance, and music are real draws here, with talent scholarships set by audition.
🔗 Official Florida Southern College Links
Use Florida Southern’s official pages below to check admissions details, scholarship rules, costs, and deadlines. FSC rebuilt its website in 2026, so if an old bookmark sends you somewhere outdated, start from these.
Here is the honest read on Florida Southern. The sticker price is $62,800, which will stop a lot of families cold. But 99% of first-year students get a merit award or grant, the College hands out more than $66 million of its own money every year, and the average family ends up paying around $30,462. That is not a small discount. That is a private college pricing itself to compete with the state schools an hour up the road.
What makes FSC different from most private colleges at this price point is how little you have to chase. The money is automatic. There is no application fee, no long essay, and no separate merit form. Your student applies, and a number between $10,000 and $26,000 a year comes back. The work on your end is narrower than you might expect: apply by November 1, visit campus so the Southern Experience Scholarship attaches, file the FAFSA by March 1, and tell them the handful of things about your family they cannot know on their own. Valedictorian. A sibling on campus. A parent at Publix. Phi Theta Kappa. Each of those is real money that only appears if somebody mentions it.
For a Florida family, the math gets better still, because Bright Futures and the EASE Grant both follow your student to a private college here. Layer state aid on top of a solid merit tier and Florida Southern can land close to, or under, what you would pay for a public university with housing.
The stretch play is the Premier and Prestige application. A 3.5 GPA and a 29 ACT or 1330 SAT gets your student into a pool competing for up to 15 full-tuition awards a year, and one short essay covers all three scholarships at once. If your student is anywhere near those numbers, that is one of the better returns on an afternoon of work in this entire process. And if they miss, the automatic ladder is still there. Nobody walks away with nothing.
What you are actually buying, past the scholarship math: a guaranteed internship, a guaranteed study abroad trip at reduced cost, a written promise to graduate in four years or cover the difference, and four years on a campus Frank Lloyd Wright designed. For the right student, especially one who would disappear in a lecture hall of four hundred, that adds up to something a spreadsheet does not fully capture.
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.
Leo Dimilo
I started CollegeReadyParent after going through the college money maze with my own kids and realizing how much of it is deliberately hard to read. I dig through the actual university pages, the fine print, and the federal data so you do not have to, and I write it the way I would explain it to a friend at my kitchen table.
More about Leo →
Was this helpful? Share it with another parent who’s comparing college costs!
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
