How to Apply for the Online Student Scholarship

As an online student, your college experience is anything but typical. You might be surprised to learn that you have access to the same opportunities as on-campus students. Just as many Southern Miss programs are offered both in-person and online, our University is also committed to providing online students with a variety of scholarship opportunities. As an online student, you automatically qualify for a scholarship! So, let’s walk you through the steps to apply.

The first thing you’ll need to do is fill out a general application at the start of each academic year. When you’re ready, visit the Golden Opportunities scholarship page and click “Sign In” at the top right. Use your Campus ID and SOAR password to log in. If you need to complete the general application, a yellow dot will appear to indicate an incomplete status. The right side is the general application, itself. Be sure to finish this portion before applying for specific scholarships like the Online Student Scholarship.

Above the application, you’ll see a list of financial aid deadlines. Staying on top of these dates will help ensure your scholarship applications and financial aid paperwork are processed on time. Major University deadlines for the academic year are as follows:

• December 1 | Admissions deadline for incoming fall freshmen for academic and designation-based, competitive scholarships
• December 15 | FAFSA (Financial Aid Application) priority date for scholarship consideration for freshmen
• February 1 | Deadline for competitive programs (e.g., Luckyday Citizenship Program, Honors College Admission, Joe Paul Leadership Scholarship Program, and certain merit-based awards)
• March 1 | General Application priority deadline (single application used to award departments, the USM Foundation, and Alumni scholarships)
• March 15 | FAFSA (Financial Aid Application) priority date for scholarship consideration for continuing students
• July 1 | Majority of scholarship offers will be sent by this date
• August 1 | Deadline for freshman and transfer designation-based scholarships
• August 15 | Deadline for the Online Student Scholarship

After completing the General Application, you can easily search for additional opportunities without leaving the page. At the top of the page, you’ll find two tabs. Once logged in, you’ll be on the first tab labeled “My Applications.” To explore new scholarships, simply click the “Opportunities” tab.

In the Opportunities tab, you’ll first see a list of deadlines, followed by a step-by-step guide to finding new financial aid opportunities. To make it easier for you, here’s a breakdown of the process:

• Step 1: Scroll down to the middle of the page and find the search bar located under the list of additional resources.
  Note: If you’ve filled out the General Application, a list of automatically matched scholarships will appear below the search bar.
• Step 2: Search for “Online Student Scholarship.” You’ll see two versions of the application — one for undergraduates and one for graduates. Be sure to complete the correct version based on your enrollment status.
• Step 3: After completing the application, check your USM email for scholarship offers and instructions on how to accept them.
• Step 4: If you’re offered a scholarship, log back into the Golden Eagle Opportunities page to accept it. Be sure to complete any additional post-acceptance steps.

You can use this process to find and complete other scholarship applications for which you qualify. Be sure to check back regularly for new financial aid opportunities throughout your college journey. If you have additional questions or concerns with the application process, don’t hesitate to reach out. Simply provide your name and contact information at the bottom of this page, and we’ll connect with you!