StudyDesk Scholarships
About the scholarships
Florida State University (FSU) in Tallahassee, Florida, awards its first-year scholarships through the Office of Admissions, and the system is simpler than the aggregator pages make it look: all accepted first-year students are automatically considered for admissions merit scholarships, and admitted international freshmen are automatically considered for the out-of-state tuition waiver. There is no separate scholarship form and no extra essay for the main awards. The awards are competitive and based on academic merit — a rigorous curriculum and test scores — and students who receive them have typically earned no grades below B.
The awards themselves: the Out-of-State Tuition Waiver covers 100% of the out-of-state tuition portion — about $15,888 a year, about $63,555 over four years. The Presidential Scholars Program adds $42,000 on top of the waiver for Honors students, after a competitive interview. The Vires Scholarship pays $16,000 over eight semesters, and the IB Diploma Scholarship pays $8,000 over four years. New for fall 2027, an expanded partnership with the Stamps Scholars Program funds five first-year students a year with a full ride — the full cost of attendance including the out-of-state waiver, plus $20,000 in enrichment funding for internships, study abroad and research. National Merit Finalists who list FSU first-choice can receive the Out-of-State National Merit package of about $75,776 over four years (waiver + Vires + National Merit stipend).
Eligibility
- Be a new international first-year student admitted to FSU — you are automatically considered for the out-of-state tuition waiver.
- Show strong academics: a rigorous curriculum and test scores; recipients have typically earned no grades below B.
- Submit at least one set of ACT, CLT or SAT scores — required of all first-year applicants by the Florida Board of Governors.
- For Presidential Scholars / Stamps: apply to the University Honors Program and pass a competitive interview.
- For the IB Diploma Scholarship: hold a full IB Diploma and enrol at the Tallahassee campus.
- For National Merit awards: be a National Merit Finalist and list FSU as your first-choice institution by 1 May.
- Note: the Benacquisto Scholarship is for Florida-resident finalists only — it covers the full in-state cost of attendance ($16,000–$25,000 a year). Out-of-state finalists get the Out-of-State National Merit package instead.
Benefits
- Out-of-State Tuition Waiver: 100% of the out-of-state tuition portion — about $15,888 a year, about $63,555 over four years.
- Presidential Scholars Program: $42,000 plus the out-of-state tuition waiver.
- Vires Scholarship: $16,000 over eight semesters ($2,000 a semester).
- IB Diploma Scholarship: $8,000 over four years.
- Stamps Scholars: full cost of attendance for four years including the waiver, plus $20,000 enrichment funding — five awards a year.
- Out-of-State National Merit package: about $75,776 over four years.
- Graduate assistantships (separate): $26,000 a year (master’s) or $29,000 (PhD) plus tuition waiver and health insurance, awarded by departments.
Documents to prepare
- The admission application (Common Application or FSU application) — no separate scholarship form.
- Self-reported ACT, CLT or SAT scores (and official scores if required).
- Self-reported transcript and academic record (STARS).
- An essay and a resume / list of activities.
- For Honors awards: the Honors Application by 1 December 2026.
- English proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS) where required for international applicants.
- US citizens and permanent residents seeking need-based aid should also file the FAFSA by 1 December — international students cannot use FAFSA.
How to apply
- Apply for admission to Florida State University for Fall 2027 — Early Action, Regular Decision or Rolling Decision — through the Common Application or the FSU application.
- Submit your test scores, transcript (STARS), essay and resume by the materials deadline for your application plan.
- For Presidential Scholars / Stamps: submit the Honors Application by 1 December 2026 and attend the interview if invited.
- No separate scholarship application — you are automatically considered for the merit awards and the out-of-state waiver.
- Check the Admissions Portal: scholarship offers are notified with the admission decision. If no award appears there, FSU was not able to offer one.
FAQs
1 December 2026 for the Presidential Scholars / Honors application and the IB Diploma Scholarship — and the strongest shot at the limited merit funds. The international priority deadline for admission is 15 January 2027.
Yes — admitted international freshmen are automatically considered for the out-of-state tuition waiver (100% of the out-of-state tuition portion, about $15,888 a year). Most other named awards depend on residency or National Merit status.
No. All admitted first-year students are automatically considered for admissions merit scholarships. The only extra step is the Honors Application (by 1 December 2026) for Presidential Scholars and Stamps.
About $15,888 a year, or about $63,555 over four years. One source quotes $73,808 over four years, but the $15,888-a-year figure from two sources is the one used here.
It is for Florida-resident National Merit Finalists only: it covers the full in-state cost of attendance ($16,000–$25,000 a year). Out-of-state finalists instead receive the Out-of-State National Merit package of about $75,776 over four years.
Yes — the Stamps Scholars Program funds five first-year students a year with the full cost of attendance including the out-of-state waiver, plus $20,000 in enrichment funding for internships, study abroad and research.
Verified 27 Oct 2026: admissions.fsu.edu/first-year/scholarships (official FSU Office of Admissions) — all accepted first-year students automatically considered for admissions merit scholarships; scholarships competitive, based on academic merit, typically no grades below B; funds limited, apply early; Benacquisto for Florida-resident National Merit Finalists, award equals the in-state cost of attendance minus Bright Futures and any National Merit award, disbursement $16,000–$25,000/year, list FSU first-choice by 1 May; admissions.fsu.edu/first-year/scholarships/faq (official) — admitted international freshmen automatically considered for the out-of-state tuition waiver; notification with the admission decision on the Admissions Portal; no notification if no award; FSU does not engage in scholarship matching; National Merit finalists eligible for Benacquisto or the Out-of-State National Merit Scholarship; admissions.fsu.edu/international/faq (official) — at least one set of ACT/CLT/SAT scores required for all first-year applicants; all admitted first-year applicants automatically considered for merit scholarships; fsunews.com, 1 Oct 2026 — Stamps partnership expanded: five full-ride scholarships a year, full cost of attendance including the out-of-state waiver plus $20,000 enrichment funding; Collegedunia FSU page and Scholarships.BookNagri — waiver about $15,888/year (about $63,555 over four years), Presidential $42,000 + waiver, Vires $16,000, IB Diploma $8,000, Out-of-State National Merit about $75,776, graduate assistantships $26,000/$29,000 + waiver + health insurance, international priority deadline 15 January 2027, documents deadline 7 December 2026; Bright Scholarship (queue URL) — corroboration. CONFLICTS: Collegedunia quotes the waiver at $73,808 over four years and the Benacquisto at "up to $91,808 over four years for out-of-state finalists" — both contradict the official FSU page (Benacquisto is Florida-resident only and equals the in-state cost of attendance) and the $15,888/year figure from two sources; the article uses $63,555 and the official Benacquisto terms. The 1 December 2026 Presidential/IB deadline is per Collegedunia/BookNagri; FSU's own page does not state the 2027 dates in the text retrieved.
