Undergrad students receiving financial aid
Southern funds awarded annually to undergrads
Below average cost for private 4-year institutions
An education at Southern is more affordable than you might think.
Value is best defined by what something’s worth, not how much it costs. The same is true with your education. So along with spiritual considerations, we invite you to explore employability and other career success indicators before deciding where to spend your college fund.
At Southern, we welcome the scrutiny: our graduates rank highly both for starting salary after college and for return on investment (lifetime earnings versus cost of attending). Plus, alumni leave campus with less student loan debt, on average, than those from a majority of educational institutions across the nation.**
Don’t allow budgetary fears to keep you from pursuing the opportunity for a life-changing academic, social, and spiritual experience at Southern. 100% of our full-time undergraduate students receive financial aid. You’re not alone; 20,000+ graduates have gone before you, walking boldly into a future shaped by faith and finances, career and calling, passion and purpose. We believe you’re next in line.
** Statistic based on national average as reported by U.S. News & World Report
FINANCIAL AID FAQ
Where do I start?
I probably don't qualify for financial aid. Should I apply anyway?
I have applied for admission to Southern. Am I also applied for scholarships?
When you apply to Southern, no further steps are needed to apply for Southern scholarships. However, you will still need to complete the FAFSA at fafsa.gov, which is a separate process.
Do I need to be admitted before I can apply for financial aid?
How does Southern's tuition and fees compare to other schools?
- Tuition and fees at Southern cost 29% less than the national average for private four-year institutions.
- During 2022-23, Southern’s tuition and fees were $23,870, nearly $5,000 less compared to the average yearly tuition and fees of other Adventist colleges in the United States, which was $28,558.
- During 2022-23, Southern’s overall cost of attendance for on-campus residential students was $31,880 while the average yearly cost of attendance for Adventist colleges in the United States was $37,075.
What is the typical out-of-pocket cost?
How do I know what my cost will be?
How do I know what my cost will be?
To get a better idea of what your cost to attend Southern might be, check out our Net Price Calculator.
Get Help From Scholarships and Aid
Many opportunities are available to help finance your private, Christian education—including merit-based, need-based, and credit-based options.
Free Financial Aid: Merit-Based
Five scholarships offered through Southern are renewable at 100% for up to four years. Regardless of financial need, a student taking 12 or more credit hours receives these scholarships based on academic skills and merits. Be sure to maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA to be eligible for renewal.
- Church Leadership Scholarship
- High School Leadership Scholarship
- Lightbearer Scholarship
- Southern Union Scholarship
- Freshman Academic Scholarship
- Full-Tuition Scholarship
- Performance Scholarship
- Summer Camp Scholarship
- Three-Way Scholarship Match
- Literature Evangelism Scholarship
- Southern Scholars Scholarship
- Student Missionary/Task Force Scholarship
- Private Scholarships
Learn more about the many scholarships funded by companies, service groups, foundations,
organizations, and individuals at southern.edu/privatescholarships.
Free Financial Aid: Need-Based
These forms of aid are based on financial need that is determined by a federal formula. The process to apply is the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Go to fafsa.gov.
- Endowment Funds and Other Grants
- Grant-in-Aid Scholarships
- Tennessee Grants and Scholarships
- Federal Grants
Loans and Other Funding Sources
If you need additional financial assistance, the following loan programs are available. Student loans carry low interest rates and usually only need to be repaid after you leave school.
- Federal Direct Loans
- Private Educational Loans
- PLUS Loan
- Tax Credits
Access databases with more than 180,000 fellowships, private scholarships, grants,
and loans at finaid.org and fastweb.com.
Cover Costs by Working
J obs for students are available both on and off campus. Southern students contribute a yearly average of $2,500 toward their bill by working 12-16 hours a week. Our university has more than 1,250 on-campus student jobs, employing nearly half of the student body. There are also plenty of part-time employment opportunities in the local community. Learn more about on-campus student jobs at southern.edu/studentjobs.
Federal Work-Study: Your financial aid package could include Federal Work-Study. Federal Work-Study is an on-campus job that is funded by the federal government. This allows Southern to provide more on-campus jobs for students.
Summer Employment: Many students choose to work during the summer, whether in their hometowns or closer to campus. With a good summer job, you can easily earn an extra $2,500 during your time off.
What's Next?
