Stephen F. Austin State University: merit scholarships by GPA and class rank
Stephen F. Austin State University awards automatic merit aid from a published grid crossing GPA with class rank. Awards start at a 3.0 GPA and reach $6,000 a year. Because the bands are steps rather than a slope, a hundredth of a GPA point is worth nothing inside a band and the whole step at the edge of one.
Enter a GPA below to see which band it actually lands in, what that band pays, and what the next band needs.
Read this first
The words ACT and SAT appear nowhere on SFA's award chart — its automatic money is GPA crossed with CLASS RANK, so the ACT buys nothing here. Rank dominates: a 3.00 in the top 10% pays more than a 4.0 in the top 25%, and below the top 25% nothing is published at all. Two more things: SFA calls the chart 'an estimated amount' and says awards depend on 'the availability of funds', and the renewal rule freezes your award at your entry GPA forever while one bad spring ends it with no probation. A student with no class rank and no homeschool status cannot use this chart at all.
Unweighted, as the school asks for it.
← Drag either slider to your own numbers
Example — a 3.60 GPA
Academic Excellence Scholarship
$5,000 per year / year
About $20,000 over four years, if it renews.
SFA awards this on GPA alone, so an ACT score does not change it. A higher score can still matter for admission, for honours programmes, and at other schools on the list — but not for this award.
The ACT doesn't move the money here — but it still decides admission, honours eligibility, and what they is worth at the other schools on the list, where most awards are score-keyed.
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The published SFA merit aid grid
Reproduced in full from Stephen F. Austin State University’s own pages for the current cycle. Nothing here is estimated: where the school states a benefit rather than a figure, that is what the table says.
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No separate application — SFA evaluates every admitted first-year student. The GPA is cumulative and UNWEIGHTED on a 4.0 scale. Homeschooled applicants without a rank have one assigned under Texas Senate Bill 1543, based on the average rank of applicants with equivalent ACT or SAT scores, which is the only route by which a score reaches this grid.
$6,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 4.00
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 4.00
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 4.00
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 4.00
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 4.00
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 4.00
$6,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.95
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.95
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.95
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.95
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.95
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.95
Show the other 92 published rows
$6,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.90
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.90
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.90
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.90
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.90
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.90
$6,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.85
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.85
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.85
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.85
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.85
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.85
$6,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.80
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.80
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.80
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.80
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.80
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.80
$6,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.75
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.75
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.75
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.75
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.75
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.70
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.70
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.70
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.70
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.70
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.65
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.65
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.65
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.65
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.65
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.60
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.60
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.60
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.60
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.60
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.55
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.55
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.55
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.55
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.55
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.50
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.50
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.50
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.50
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.50
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.45
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.45
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.45
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.45
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.45
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.40
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.40
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.40
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.40
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.40
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.35
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.35
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.35
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.35
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.35
$5,000 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.30
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.30
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.30
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.30
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.30
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.25
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.25
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.25
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.25
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.20
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.20
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.20
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.20
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.15
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.15
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.15
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.15
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.10
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.10
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.10
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.10
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.05
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.05
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.05
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.05
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.00
$3,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.00
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.00
$2,500 per year
Academic Excellence Scholarship
No score needed · GPA 3.00
| Award | With a score | No score | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 4.00 | $6,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 4.00 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 4.00 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 4.00 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 4.00 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 4.00 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.95 | $6,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.95 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.95 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.95 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.95 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.95 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.90 | $6,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.90 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.90 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.90 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.90 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.90 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.85 | $6,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.85 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.85 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.85 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.85 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.85 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.80 | $6,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.80 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.80 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.80 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.80 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.80 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.75 | $6,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.75 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.75 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.75 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.75 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.70 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.70 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.70 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.70 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.70 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.65 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.65 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.65 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.65 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.65 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.60 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.60 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.60 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.60 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.60 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.55 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.55 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.55 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.55 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.55 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.50 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.50 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.50 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.50 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.50 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.45 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.45 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.45 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.45 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.45 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.40 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.40 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.40 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.40 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.40 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.35 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.35 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.35 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.35 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.35 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.30 | $5,000 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.30 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.30 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.30 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.30 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.25 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.25 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.25 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.25 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.20 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.20 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.20 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.20 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.15 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.15 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.15 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.15 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.10 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.10 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.10 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.10 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.05 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.05 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.05 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.05 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.00 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.00 | $3,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.00 | $2,500 per year |
| Academic Excellence Scholarship | — | GPA 3.00 | $2,500 per year |
Source: Academic Excellence Scholarship · verified 2026-10-21
Does SFA superscore for scholarships?
Not stated. The word does not appear on any SFA page checked, which follows from the chart not using a score at all.
With nothing published, plan for the stricter reading: look up your best single sitting in the grid above, work out your superscore as well, and ask SFA’s financial aid office which one they read before you count on the higher band.
Comparing schools? See which colleges superscore for scholarships — 66 of 501 commit to it, 52 say they do not, and the rest never say.
SFA scholarship deadlines
| Entry term | Due |
|---|---|
| Admitted to SFA for the upcoming fall term — a hard gate on this award | June 30 |
Scores take roughly two to four weeks to arrive, and official reports sent to schools can take longer, so the last useful test date is several weeks before the printed deadline. Check which test dates still make it.
Where these numbers came from
Every figure on this page was read from Stephen F. Austin State University’s own published pages, linked below with the date we last confirmed them. We do not estimate a missing band or interpolate a value.
- Academic Excellence Scholarshipverified 2026-10-21
- First-year admission — test-optional policyverified 2026-10-21
- SFA says plainly that improving your college GPA cannot raise the award, and that a GPA decrease at the end of spring ends renewal outright.
- Admission after June 30 means no Academic Excellence award, with no exception published.
- The chart is introduced as 'an estimated amount that would be offered', and SFA adds that 'the number of scholarships presented is based on the availability of funds' — so 'will receive' is qualified.
- A student with no class rank who is not homeschooled has no published route into this chart.
- The University Regents Scholarship pays $3,000 for the academic year at a 27 ACT, but each academic department selects just two students, and it demands an ACT writing score.
- The School of Honors awards are all 'up to' figures and require an essay and up to three references.
- SFA's Purple Promise is income-gated rather than merit — its criteria turn on household income thresholds.
- Stephen F. Austin is silent on the Enhanced ACT.
Check before you rely on it. Grids change by entry year and schools update them without notice. This page is a reproduction with a date on it, not a guarantee, and it is not financial aid advice. ClutchACT is not affiliated with Stephen F. Austin State University.
Frequently asked questions
What ACT score do you need for a scholarship at SFA?
Stephen F. Austin State University publishes a merit aid grid keyed to ACT score and GPA. See the tables on this page for the current bands.
Is SFA test-optional?
Test-optional through the 2026-27 terms, with automatic admission for the top 25%. Outside the top quartile a score helps: SFA publishes a 20 ACT for the second quarter and a 24 for the third. For merit aid the answer is different: not used on the automatic chart at all. The ACT reaches SFA money only through two competitive awards at a 27 — the University Regents Scholarship and the School of Honors awards, both of which select recipients — and through the rank assigned to a homeschooled applicant. Being admitted without a score and qualifying for money without a score are two separate questions.
How much is a 30 on the ACT worth at SFA?
On SFA's published grid for the current cycle, an ACT of 30 with a 3.6 GPA qualifies for Academic Excellence Scholarship at $5,000 a year, about $20,000 over four years if it renews.
Does SFA superscore the ACT for scholarships?
Not stated. The word does not appear on any SFA page checked, which follows from the chart not using a score at all.
When are SFA scholarship deadlines?
Admitted to SFA for the upcoming fall term — a hard gate on this award: June 30. The application and the official score report are both due by that date, and ACT scores take roughly two to four weeks to arrive — so the last useful test date is several weeks earlier than the deadline suggests.
Is this SFA scholarship data current?
Every figure on this page was read from Stephen F. Austin State University's own published pages and last verified on 2026-10-21. The sources are linked at the bottom of the page with that date. Grids change by entry year, so check the source before relying on a figure for a decision.
Other schools to check
What to do next
SFA awards on GPA — but the ACT still decides what you're worth elsewhere.
Most schools in this comparison are score-keyed even though SFA is not, so the same test still moves the money everywhere else on the list.
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