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Admissions

Scholarship Opportunities

Academic scholarships at ETBU for the 2024-2025 application cycle are awarded based upon a student’s recalculated GPA, standardized test score, or standardized test superscore. Students will be awarded based upon meeting one of the criteria provided below. The amounts listed are for new students beginning in Fall 2024.

Freshman Academic Scholarships

National Merit Semi-Finalist
Full Tuition (not including fees, books, room, and board) provided to any student selected as a National Merit Semi-Finalist who notifies Admissions about the selection after the date of acceptance

Presidential Platinum Scholarship $18,000/year
Must meet one of the following criteria: 
• ACT 35-36
• SAT 1530-1600
• CLT 111-120
*Must maintain a 3.2 GPA at ETBU for renewal

Presidential Gold Scholarship $15,000/year
Must meet one of the following criteria:
• ACT 32-34
• SAT 1420-1520
• CLT 102-110
*Must maintain a 3.2 GPA at ETBU for renewal

Presidential Scholarship $12,000/year
Must meet one of the following criteria:
• ACT 28-31
• SAT 1300-1410
• CLT 92-101
*Must maintain a 3.2 GPA at ETBU for renewal

Vice President Scholarship $10,000/year
Must meet one of the following criteria:
• 3.85-4.0 Recalculated GPA
• ACT 25-27
• SAT 1200-1290
• CLT 83-91
*Must maintain a 3.1 GPA at ETBU for renewal

Honor Scholarship $8,000/year
Must meet one of the following criteria:
• 3.5-3.84 Recalculated GPA
• ACT 23-24
• SAT 1130-1190
• CLT 75-82
*Must maintain a 3.0 GPA at ETBU for renewal

Dean Scholarship $6,000/year
Must meet one of the following criteria:
• 3.25-3.49 Recalculated GPA
• ACT 21-22
• SAT 1060-1120
• CLT 67-74
*Must maintain a 2.75 GPA at ETBU for renewal

Achievement Grant $4,000/year
Must meet one of the following criteria:
• 2.75-3.24 Recalculated GPA
• ACT 18-20
• SAT 970-1050
• CLT 56-66
*Must maintain a 2.5 GPA at ETBU for renewal

Freshman Academic Scholarships are awarded to freshmen students. Transfer students with less than 24 credit hours at the time of acceptance will be awarded the Freshman Academic Scholarship based upon a recalculated high school GPA.

Transfer Academic Scholarships

President Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship
$12,000 per academic year
Awarded to current PTK members
*Must maintain a cumulative 3.5 GPA for renewal

Transfer Vice President Scholarship 
$10,000 per academic year
Students must have a transfer GPA of 3.5 or higher
*Must maintain a cumulative 3.25 GPA for renewal

Transfer Honor Scholarship 
$8,000 per academic year
Students must have a transfer GPA of 3.25 - 3.49
*Must maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA for renewal

Transfer Dean Scholarship
$6,000 per academic year
Student must have a transfer GPA of 2.75 - 3.24
*Must maintain a 2.75 GPA at ETBU for renewal

Transfer Achievement Grant
$4,000 per academic year
Students must have a transfer GPA of 2.5 - 2.74
*Must maintain a cumulative 2.5 GPA for renewal

Transfer Academic Scholarships are only awarded to transfer students who have earned 24 credit hours or more before attending ETBU.

Christian Leadership Scholarship

Christian Leadership Scholarship
$1,500 - $4,500 
Students may have this scholarship renewed each year for up to 4 years by maintaining a cumulative 2.0 GPA and participating in at least one hour each week of service with a community service partner.

Harrison County Promise Scholarship

Specifically designed for students in Harrison County, this scholarship serves as a gateway for local students to pursue higher education in close proximity to their homes. Through this scholarship, ETBU seeks to foster a sense of community that empowers the next generation of college graduates to serve the cities and communities of Harrison County for years to come. 

The ETBU Harrison County Promise Scholarship is a tuition-only scholarship to East Texas Baptist University valued at $20,000/year ($10,000/semester for fall and spring semesters only), equivalent to a total of $80,000 up to four consecutive years of enrollment at ETBU. 

See full details and requirements at www.ETBU.edu/promise.

Additional ETBU Scholarships

BGCT Ministry Scholarship
Initial applicants must be a member in good standing of a Baptist Church. Scholarship must be renewed annually. 

Camp Matching Scholarship 
ETBU will match a Christian camp contribution up to $1,000 per academic year. See application for specific details.

Church Matching Scholarship 
ETBU will match a church contribution up to $2,000 per academic year. See application for specific details.

Minister's Dependent Scholarship
ETBU awards dependents of full time Baptist ministerial staff or Baptist career missionaries $1,500 per year. See the application on the Financial Aid Forms Hub for specific details.

Honors Program

Louisiana Educational Advantage Program (LEAP) Scholarship
Traditional Undergraduate Louisiana Student Residents will receive a $1,000 scholarship per year for up to eight semesters.

Rufus-Spraberry Memorial Alumni Scholarship

Math, Biology, and Chemistry Scholarships
Math Scholarship information can be found here. Chemistry Scholarship information can be found here. Biology Scholarship information can be found here (Scholarships awarded in amounts of up to $4,000 per year).

Music and Theatre Scholarships 
Available by demonstrating an exceptional level of performance during an on-campus audition. Dates for auditions may be obtained through the Department of Music and Theatre Arts

Music: 903.923.2158  |  Theatre: 903.923.2292

Scholarship Notations
  • All ETBU awards are renewable for four years as long as minimum renewal requirements are met.
  • All scholarship funds are limited and based on a first-come/first-serve basis.
  • Students must be accepted to the University before ETBU scholarships can be awarded.
  • ETBU scholarships are limited to the cost of tuition only.
  • All ETBU scholarships require students to live in on-campus housing (unless permanent residence is within commuting distance) and maintain full-time status.
  • All financial aid awards are subject to readjustment after a SAR is received and student's financial need is determined.
  • Students from a non-accredited institution or home school or students who have completed their GED are required to submit a standardized test score
  • Students who have earned a bachelor's degree are not eligible for ETBU scholarships.
Outside Scholarships

Outside Scholarships
Many scholarships are awarded by private and public entities outside of and distinct from ETBU. Each of these outside scholarships has its own requirements, deadlines and application procedures. Students research these scholarships independently, but scholarship databases and websites are available below to help get you started.

Scholarship Scam Warnings
We alert of potential scholarship scams. Any scholarship asking for a deposit is not considered a true scholarship. Some private companies will request a deposit or fee, which in some cases can be a reduction in a housing payment, or a “searching” fee for scholarships that you can pursue on your own without paying a fee. You should not have to pay for scholarships.

Remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you think you are a victim of a scholarship scam or financial aid fraud, please report it immediately to the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Inspector General at 1-800-MIS-USED or email oig.hotline@ed.gov.

Outside Scholarships Databases
The following websites will help guide you in your search for scholarships. It is important that you fill out all of the information the databases require in order to match your qualifications with possible scholarships. We recommend that you create a separate email account specifically for outside scholarship databases and applications, as they will send you several potential scholarship options that you will want to research. ETBU does not endorse any of these websites, however, we have made them available as an added service for your scholarship search.

Adding Outside Scholarships to your Financial Aid Package

Please keep in mind that if you are receiving financial aid, federal and state regulations require all aid to fit within the student’s Cost of Attendance. If you are the recipient of any type of award to fund your education, from a source other than ETBU, you must report it to the Financial Aid office.

Mail, Email, Fax, or Drop off the Donor award letter and include scholarship name, amount of award, and contact information for donor and indicate which semester funds are to be applied to. If no indication then the award will be split between Fall/Spring.  Checks made to ETBU should be taken to the business office. Checks made out to student can be taken to the business office and signed over to ETBU to apply to your aid. If check made out to student is already deposited in a personal account then notify the financial aid office with the same donor information.

Note- in some instances other financial aid awards may be adjusted to account for outside scholarships and resources to ensure that all aid fits within the Cost of Attendance. Loans or non-need based funds would be the typical awards adjusted.  Visit Cost of Attendance for more information.

Tips for Winning a Scholarship
  • Be organized! Take note of the deadlines and add them to your calendar. Leave yourself enough time to complete the application and submit all required documents.
  • Ensure you qualify for the scholarship. If you don't meet the scholarship's criteria, don't apply for that particular award.
  • Identify what the scholarship is looking for in a recipient and mold your application to reflect how you represent this. Be personal and personable!
  • When creating a scholarship essay, write about specific examples of achievement(s) rather than generic aspirational statements and highlight data such as grade improvements over time. Also explain why attending college would help reach specific goals.
  • Apply for less competitive scholarships (e.g., local or community-based awards), which increase your odds of being selected.
  • For additional tips visit finaid.org/scholarships.