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💰 Saginaw Valley State University Merit Scholarships

Total Scholarships
14
Automatic
9
In-State Awards
$1,000-$6,500/yr
Out-of-State Awards
$1,000-$6,500/yr
Multi-Year Awards
$1,000-$5,500 total
Typical Requirements for Automatic Merit
3.0 GPA / 31 ACT

Saginaw Valley State University awards merit scholarships automatically on GPA and test scores, with no separate application. Awards run $1,000-$6,500/yr for out-of-state students. Eligibility starts at 3.0 GPA / 31 ACT. Against tuition of $30,450, students receiving the largest award pay about $23,950 a year before other aid.

What you'd actually pay at Saginaw Valley State University

Tuition & fees
$30,450
−
Largest annual award
$6,500
=
Students receiving it pay about
$23,950/yr

Tuition and fees only — housing (about $12,340), books and travel are extra. Awards must still be won and may carry renewal conditions. Need-based aid is separate and may reduce this further.

Official Scholarship Information
View complete details on Saginaw Valley State University's website
Visit School Website →

Automatic merit scholarships at Saginaw Valley State University — no separate application

9 awards granted on your admission application, based on GPA and test scores.

Academic Excellence Award
Award
$1,500 in-state
$1,500 out-of-state
In-State Requirements
ACT 31+ • SAT 1380+
$1,500
Eligibility: 1380+ SAT/ 31+ ACT required
Source ↗
Cardinal Scholarship
Award
$4,000/yr in-state
$4,000/yr out-of-state
In-State Requirements
GPA 3.4+
$4,000 per year for up to four years toward first degree.
Eligibility: 3.40 - 3.69 or higher cumulative high school GPA.
How to apply: ["complete FAFSA"]
Source ↗
Dean's Scholarship
Award
$5,000/yr in-state
$5,000/yr out-of-state
In-State Requirements
GPA 3.7+
$5,000 per year for up to four years toward first degree
Eligibility: 3.70 - 3.94 or higher cumulative high school GPA.
How to apply: ["complete FAFSA"]
Source ↗
Faculty Scholarship
Award
$1,000/yr in-state
$1,000/yr out-of-state
In-State Requirements
GPA 3.0+
$1,000 per year for up to four years toward first degree.
Eligibility: 3.0 or higher cumulative high school GPA.
How to apply: ["complete FAFSA"]
Source ↗
Founder's Scholarship
Award
$6,500/yr in-state
$6,500/yr out-of-state
In-State Requirements
GPA 4.0+
$6,500 per year for up to four years toward first degree.
Eligibility: 3.95 or higher cumulative high school GPA.
How to apply: ["complete FAFSA"]
Source ↗
President's Scholarship - full tuition
In-State Requirements
GPA 4.0+
The scholarship covers tuition up to 120 credit hours (2024-25 Academic Year covers 124 credit hours) toward your first degree.
Eligibility: Must have a minimum 3.95 GPA.
How to apply: ["apply to SVSU by December 1", "be admitted by December 15", "complete FAFSA"]
Source ↗
Red & White Award - reduced tuition for non-Michigan residents
REDUCED TUITION
Eligibility: Awarded to all admitted, non-Michigan residents
How to apply: ["admission to SVSU", "complete FAFSA"]
Source ↗
University Scholarship
Award
$3,000/yr in-state
$3,000/yr out-of-state
In-State Requirements
GPA 3.0+
$3,000 per year for up to four years toward first degree
Eligibility: 3.00 - 3.39 or higher cumulative high school GPA.
How to apply: ["complete FAFSA"]
Source ↗
Valley Housing Scholarship
Award
$1,500/yr in-state
$1,500/yr out-of-state
In-State Requirements
GPA 3.0+
$1,500 per year for up to four years toward first degree. Must live on-campus to receive the award.
Eligibility: 3.0 or higher cumulative high school GPA. Must live on-campus to receive the award.
How to apply: ["must live on-campus", "be recipient of an academic scholarship", "complete FAFSA"]
Source ↗

Other scholarships at Saginaw Valley State University (5)

These require a separate application, or the school does not publish their eligibility criteria.

Alumni Legacy Award
$1,000
$1,000
Eligibility: Available to new students who are children, step-children or grandchildren of SVSU graduates (including guardians).
How to apply: ["visit the Legacy Program page"]
Source ↗
Donor-Funded Scholarships (up to $5,000)
$5,000
UP TO $5,000
Eligibility: Scholarships that reward academic achievement, service, leadership, character and participation in extracurricular activities.
How to apply: ["complete online scholarship application on AcademicWorks (opens Nov. 1)", "may be contacted for additional questions for select programs"]
Source ↗
Rhea Miller Scholarship
$2,000-$4,000/yr
The scholarship ranges from $2,000 to $4,000 and is awarded for one academic year and may be renewed upon recommendation of the faculty for up to 4 years total for a BA in Music student or 5 years total for a BA in Music Education student.
Eligibility: The Rhea Miller Scholarships in Music are awarded based on an audition, interview, and musicianship tests.
How to apply: ["audition", "interview", "musicianship tests", "apply via General Application and AcademicWorks recommended opportunities"]
Source ↗
Robert & Ellen Thompson Working Families Scholarship
$5,500
$5,500
Eligibility: FAFSA required; High School GPA 3.4+
How to apply: ["FAFSA required", "see application details"]
Source ↗
Saginaw Award for Excellence
100% TUITION
Eligibility: High school seniors who attend Bridgeport, Carrollton, Saginaw Arts and Sciences Academy and Saginaw United are eligible to compete.
How to apply: ["FAFSA required", "application between Nov.1 and Jan.31"]
Source ↗

Common questions about Saginaw Valley State University scholarships

How much merit aid does Saginaw Valley State University give?

Published awards range $1,000-$6,500/yr. Saginaw Valley State University lists 14 merit scholarships in total.

What GPA or test scores do you need for a scholarship at Saginaw Valley State University?

The lowest published threshold across automatic awards is 3.0 GPA / 31 ACT. Individual scholarships set their own cutoffs.

Does Saginaw Valley State University give merit scholarships to out-of-state students?

Yes. Awards for out-of-state students run $1,000-$6,500/yr.

Is there a full-ride scholarship at Saginaw Valley State University?

Not a full ride. The largest published award covers about 21% of tuition.

Do you have to apply separately for merit scholarships at Saginaw Valley State University?

8 of the published awards are granted automatically on your admission application, with no separate scholarship application.

💡 Tip: Award amounts and cutoffs change year to year. Confirm current figures with Saginaw Valley State University's financial aid office before making decisions — or check their scholarship page.

More on Saginaw Valley State University

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