ASU Expands Distinguished Scholarships: More Students Eligible, $1M More in Annual Awards

SAN ANGELO, TX - Angelo State University has reconfigured certain eligibility criteria for its premier ASU Distinguished Scholarship Program that will increase the number of incoming new students who will be eligible and raise the annual total awarded through the program by about $1 million.

The changes go into effect immediately for both the Distinguished Scholarships for new incoming freshmen and the Distinguished Transfer Scholarships for new incoming transfer students for the fall 2026 semester.

The ASU Distinguished Scholarship Program is funded primarily through the Carr Foundation. The changes to the eligibility criteria for incoming freshmen are mainly to the ACT/SAT exam scores required to qualify for each scholarship level, as well as the grade point average (GPA) requirement for particular levels. The eligibility changes for incoming transfer students are to GPA requirements.

"We've reimagined our scholarship strategy to deliver higher levels of support to even more students," said Dr. Kerri Mikulik, assistant vice president for prospective student outreach and access. "This approach not only strengthens our recruitment efforts, but also ensures students have the financial resources they need to persist and graduate on time. At ASU, we are deeply committed to helping students earn their degrees in four years or less with minimal debt. Thanks to the Carr Foundation and our generous donors, we're able to provide an exceptional level of support - and we're excited to expand that impact even more."

New incoming freshmen and transfer students for the fall 2026 semester will be notified of their ASU Distinguished Scholarship awards in early February. Financial Aid Offer Letters will follow in mid-February that also detail additional grant and financial aid opportunities.

All incoming freshmen and transfer students are automatically considered for an ASU Distinguished Scholarship. About 57% of all ASU undergraduate students receive an ASU Distinguished Scholarship, and about $8 million was awarded to undergraduates through the program during the 2024-25 academic year.

Depending on the level of ASU Distinguished Scholarship they are awarded, students can earn up to $52,000 over four years. More details on the ASU Distinguished Scholarship Program and the new criteria tables are available at angelo.edu/distinguished.

The Carr Foundation was formed when Robert G. Carr and his wife, Nona K. Carr, bequeathed to ASU their interests in oil, gas and other minerals from producing properties in West Texas. Its endowment is now one of the largest at a U.S. regional university, and it has been awarding scholarships to ASU students since 1981.