Academic Scholarship Retention Information

To keep your APSU academic scholarship, you must meet minimum GPA and enrollment requirements. For freshman scholarships, your GPA is first checked at the end of your second semester, then at the end of every semester after that. Some scholarships also require completion of scholarship service hours. Review the tables below for the specific requirements tied to your award.

Freshman Scholarship Retention Requirements

Scholarship	Minimum GPA	Service Hours	Max Semesters	Enrollment
Presidential Scholarship	2.75	75 hrs/semester	8	Full-time
Dean's Scholarship	2.75	None	8	Full-time
Academic Achievement Scholarship	2.75	None	8	Full-time
Governor's Merit Scholarship	2.75	None	8	Full-time
Governor's Excellence Scholarship	2.75	None	8	Full-time
Howell C. Smith Scholarship	2.75	None	4	Full-time
Howell C. Smith Scholarship: these requirements apply to current recipients. Beginning with the 2026–2027 academic year, new awards are made at the discretion of the Provost based on greatest need.
Kimbrough Scholarship	3.0	None	8	Full-time
PELP Scholarship	3.5	Refer to PELP Guidelines	8	Full-time
Governor's Out-of-State Scholarship	2.75	None	8	Full-time

The minimum GPA must be met cumulatively by the end of your second semester, and every semester thereafter.

Transfer Scholarship Retention Requirements

Scholarship	Minimum GPA	Max Semesters	Enrollment
Austin Peay Promise (formerly President's Community College Graduate Scholarship), students starting before Fall 2027	2.75	4 semesters full-time / 8 semesters half-time	Minimum half-time (prorated)
Dean's Transfer Scholarship, students starting before Fall 2027	2.75	4 semesters full-time / 8 semesters half-time (effective Fall 2019)	Minimum half-time (effective Fall 2019, prorated)
Howell C. Smith Transfer Scholarship	2.75	4 semesters	Full-time
Howell C. Smith Scholarship: these requirements apply to current recipients. Beginning with the 2026–2027 academic year, new awards are made at the discretion of the Provost based on greatest need.

Scholarship Service Hours

The Presidential Scholarship requires 75 service hours per semester. Hours are completed through an assigned campus department. The Luther Tippit Scholarship also requires service hours: 6 hours per week.

An unsatisfactory performance evaluation from your supervisor results in scholarship cancellation

Mid-semester checkpoint: 37.5 hours must be completed by mid-semester
End-of-semester: All 75 hours must be completed by the end of the semester

Placement and Assignments

New scholarship recipients: You will receive placement information via your APSU email before the fall semester. Report to your assigned area on the first day of classes.

Continuing recipients: You remain in your original department each year. To move to a different department, submit the Scholarship Placement Transfer Request Form at the end of the semester. You'll find it on the Financial Aid Office's Scholarship Forms page.

Appeals

If your scholarship is canceled or you need to request an exemption from service hour requirements, the following forms are available:

Appeal Form: Submit a scholarship appeal through the Financial Aid appeal forms page
Service Hour Exemption: If you have a qualifying reason to request an exemption from service hour requirements, complete the Scholarship Service Hour Exemption Form through your AP OneStop portal.