Navigating the Maze: Understanding Black & Gold Scholarship Requirements

Securing financial aid is a crucial step for many students pursuing higher education. Among the various scholarship opportunities available, the "Black & Gold" scholarship stands out as a potentially valuable resource. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the Black & Gold scholarship, dissecting its requirements, eligibility criteria, and renewal conditions, drawing upon specific examples from different institutions.

General Eligibility and GPA Requirements

A common thread among Black & Gold scholarships is the emphasis on academic merit, often reflected in GPA requirements. For instance, the Black & Gold Global Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship that renews each year and awards are decided on the basis of GPA. At the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), the Black and Gold Scholarship requires a minimum 2.75 GPA and an 18 ACT or 960 SAT score. Similarly, Missouri Western scholarships do not carry cash value.

However, GPA is not the only factor. Some scholarships, like the one at Wisconsin, are awarded to Wisconsin residents with a high school GPA above 2.0 and out-of-state domestic residents with a high school GPA above 3.0. This highlights the importance of reviewing the specific requirements of each scholarship program.

Residency and Enrollment Status

Many Black & Gold scholarships prioritize students based on their residency and enrollment status. The scholarship at Wisconsin requires students to be enrolled full-time and pursuing a first-time bachelor’s degree. Missouri Western State University offers the Griffon Rate Waiver, which allows eligible undergraduate students who are US citizens from Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming to pay the equivalent of in-state tuition. Entering first-year students, as classified by the Office of Admissions, must reside in university-operated residence halls for their first two semesters to receive the Griffon Rate Waiver beginning fall of 2024.

Missouri Western State University Scholarships

Missouri Western State University offers several scholarships with specific requirements and benefits:

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A+ Scholarship: Missouri high school students with an A+ stamped transcript will receive a scholarship of $750 per academic year.
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship: A $500 scholarship is awarded to full-time students who are transferring to Missouri Western from a two-year college and are members of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Eligible students must have earned no more than 90 credit hours and have a cumulative GPA of 3.5.
Black & Gold Scholarship: If you do not enroll at Missouri Western on a full-time basis (at least 12 hours) during the fall or spring semester, then you will forfeit your Black & Gold Scholarship. However, it is important to note that you may (i) apply and receive approval for a temporary leave of absence, or (ii) participate in a university approved externship, internship, or student teaching program and may defer your Black & Gold Scholarship for up to two semesters. In either case, you need to submit the Missouri Western Scholarship Appeal form to the Executive Scholarship Committee if a documentable extenuating circumstance resulted in the loss of the Black & Gold Scholarship(s).

Renewal Conditions and Maintaining Eligibility

Black & Gold scholarships are often renewable, but maintaining eligibility requires meeting specific criteria. The Wisconsin scholarship is renewable for up to four years if the student remains enrolled full-time at the undergraduate level for consecutive, standard (fall/spring) terms. At Mizzou, students are eligible for automatic and competitive scholarships for a maximum of 8 continuous fall or spring semesters (automatic and competitive scholarships do not apply to summer terms) if they meet the following requirements: maintain full-time enrollment (12 or more credit hours per semester); remain continuously enrolled each academic year in the fall and spring terms (award does not apply to summer terms); meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP); maintain the minimum cumulative GPA required for the scholarship.

West Liberty University requires scholarship recipients to earn 30 undergraduate hours in the academic year each year, earn a 3.25 cumulative GPA, meet all SAP requirements and have a valid FAFSA on file.

Additional Scholarship Opportunities

Beyond the Black & Gold scholarship, students should explore other financial aid options. Access Missouri is a need-based program designed to provide students with a simplified financial aid process, provide predictable, portable awards and increase access to a student’s school of choice. Eligibility is determined by the student’s expected family contribution (EFC) as calculated through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To be eligible, students must complete the FAFSA by February 1 each year, be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident and also a Missouri resident, have an EFC (Expected Family Contribution) less than $12,000, be enrolled full-time (12 hours) as an undergraduate student, maintain a 2.50 GPA, maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress and not have exceeded 150 attempted credit hours.

The Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant is a financial aid program to provide adults with the education and skills needs to enter high-demand fields. The grant is designed to ensure, when combined with other governmental financial aid, that your tuition and fees are fully covered. The Missouri National Guard Educational Assistance Program is a state-sponsored program. The program will pay 50 to 100% of the tuition costs per semester. This covers up to 30 hours per academic year.

Scholarships at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB)

UAPB offers a range of scholarships with varying criteria, including:

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Chancellor’s Scholarship: Requires a minimum 3.75 GPA and a minimum 28 ACT or 1300 SAT score. The scholarship provides $66,000 for four years ($8,250 per semester).
University Scholarship: Requires a minimum 3.5 GPA and a 23-27 ACT or 1130-1260 SAT score. The scholarship provides $48,000 for four years ($6,000 per semester).
Dean’s Scholarship: Requires a minimum 3.5 GPA and a 21-22 ACT or 1060 - 1100 SAT score. The scholarship provides $20,000 for four years ($2,500 per semester).
Leadership Scholarship: Requires a minimum 3.0 GPA and a 19-20 ACT or 980 - 1030 SAT score. The scholarship provides $8,000 for four years ($1,000 per semester).
Black and Gold Scholarship: Requires a minimum 2.75 GPA and an 18 ACT or 960 SAT score. The scholarship provides $6,000 for four years ($750 per semester).
Golden Lion Scholarship: Requires a minimum 2.75 GPA and a 17 ACT of 920 SAT score. The scholarship provides $4,000 for four years ($500 per semester).

UAPB also offers opportunities for students residing in Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, or Texas, providing discounts on out-of-state tuition rates based on GPA and ACT/SAT scores.

West Liberty University Scholarships

West Liberty University offers a comprehensive Scholars Program with three designations: Elbin Scholars, Presidential Scholars, and Foundation Scholars. These designations are based on high school GPA and ACT/SAT scores.

Elbin Scholars: Require at least a 3.75 high school GPA and at least an ACT composite score of 27 (1290 SAT combined ERW/Math). In-state students receive an annual scholarship of $4,000, while out-of-state students receive $12,000.
Presidential Scholars: Require at least a 3.75 high school GPA and an ACT composite score between 24-26 (1160-1280 SAT combined ERW/Math). In-state students receive an annual scholarship of $3,000, while out-of-state students receive $7,500.
Foundation Scholars: Require at least a 3.75 high school GPA and an ACT composite of 22-23 (1100-1150 SAT combined ERW/Math). All students receive an annual scholarship of $2,000.
Black & Gold Scholarship: Requires a minimum 3.50 GPA and an ACT Score of 22+ or SAT Score of 1100+. The annual scholarship amount is $1,000.
Hilltopper Access Scholarship: Requires a minimum 3.25 GPA with no ACT/SAT Test Score Requirement. The annual scholarship amount is $500.

WLU also offers aviation scholarships, including the Joan Stifel Corson Aviation Scholarship for female students enrolled in the WLU Aviation Program who are residents of WV, with preference for students from the Northern Panhandle counties.

Mizzou (University of Missouri) Scholarships

Mizzou offers a variety of scholarships, including automatic awards for non-resident students:

Border State Award: Provides $3,000 per year to students residing in Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, or Tennessee.
Black & Gold Level 1: Provides $21,500 to students who have a biological, adoptive, or stepparent who graduated from the University of Missouri (Mizzou).
Black & Gold Level 2: Provides $11,000.

Mizzou also offers competitive awards such as the Stamps Scholars Award (full scholarship plus a one-time award of $16,000), the Mizzou Scholars Award (for Missouri residents, $11,000), and the Columns Award (for nonresidents, starting at $15,000).

Application Procedures and Deadlines

Application procedures and deadlines vary across institutions and scholarship programs. To be considered for 2026-27 Missouri Western Competitive Scholarships, ALL students should complete the General Scholarship Application requirements no later than April 1, 2026. For the Access Missouri program, students must complete the FAFSA by February 1 each year.

At UAPB, to be considered for a scholarship award, you must (1) apply for admissions, (2) submit your transcript(s) and test score(s), and (3) submit your shot records to the office of admissions. The Scholarship Deadline is March 1, 2025.

Important Considerations

Cost of Attendance: All scholarships, grants, and financial resources you receive are subject to being reduced if the combined total reaches your maximum Cost of Attendance.
Transferability: All Mizzou scholarships are not transferable among other campuses of the University of Missouri System unless specifically indicated.
Conduct: If you are dismissed from the University for any conduct reason you will lose your Mizzou scholarship.
Appeals: You are encouraged to submit a letter of appeal to the Executive Scholarship Committee if a documentable extenuating circumstance resulted in the loss of the Black & Gold Scholarship.
Availability of Funds: All scholarship awards are based on the availability of funds, and may be adjusted accordingly if funds are not available.
FAFSA: All West Liberty University academic scholarship recipients must have a valid FAFSA on file each academic year to be eligible.

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