The University of South Alabama started this award for autumn 2026 entry and it works as a tuition rate change. Win it and the university bills you at the Alabama in-state rate for the whole of your degree, which is the single biggest price difference an international student faces at a US public university.
The arithmetic comes straight from South Alabama's published 2026-2027 schedule. Out-of-state undergraduate tuition is exactly twice in-state tuition in every college. Arts and Sciences charges $386 a credit hour in-state and $772 out-of-state, so a normal 30 credit hour year drops from $23,160 to $11,580. That is about $11,580 off the bill each year, or roughly $46,000 across four years. Engineering, Business, Computing, Allied Health and Nursing all carry higher rates, so the saving there is larger, up to about $13,050 a year in Nursing.
The bar is low compared with most awards of this size. You need an F-1, H-4 or L-2 visa, degree-seeking status and a 3.0 high school GPA. Keep a 3.0 each year and the rate holds for up to four years. Slip below it and you go back to out-of-state tuition for the rest of your degree, so the renewal condition is the part to watch.
Two catches are worth knowing. The award covers tuition only, so fees, housing, food and health insurance remain yours to fund, and the Registrar still treats you as a non-resident for everything except the tuition rate. Government-sponsored students cannot hold it. Apply for admission early, clear the 15 January or 1 May priority date, then file the scholarship application in JagSPOT once you are admitted.