Merit scholarships are a type of gift aid that help pay for college by rewarding talent. Most merit based scholarships go to students who stand out with strong academics.
Recipients of a merit scholarship may be high academic achievers or have strong athletic, artistic or other skills and values. Eligible students must also show a desire to serve the community or leadership skills.
Some merit scholarships also may look at financial need. But most of the time accomplishments and academic excellence are the primary factors to win a merit scholarship.
How Do You Get a Merit Scholarship?
Merit awards are different from needs based scholarships. A need-based scholarship uses family income to make decisions. Instead, the merit scholarship sponsors usually start out with a goal or reason why they offer it. This might be to develop their industry with smart minds or invest in the future of their community and college.
There are various criteria to qualify for a merit scholarship. Sometimes you need to be a member of a specific association or enrolled in the university. Other scholarship providers may specifically offer it to minority students, female students or for certain majors like STEM.
Either way, you’ll need to see if you qualify. One example is the Women Techmakers Scholarship. It is an academic merit scholarship. In order to be eligible, eligible students must show strong academic performance, leadership, and impact on the community of women in tech. You may fit the bill as an upstanding male student, but this one is for girls.
What is Merit?
That stated, what ‘merit’ means generally depends on the organization granting the scholarship. Some merit scholarships look at academic performance, test scores, and your recommendations. Others may only look at your SAT/ACT test scores.
Still others focus on your dedication to and performance in a specific field of study. This can be anything from music to math and others.
Many private companies, groups and nonprofits fund merit scholarships. There are no federal funds for merit-based scholarships.
Some merit scholarship providers are from local communities such as churches and cultural groups. Companies such as Google, Gates Foundation or Coca Cola also offer merit scholarships.
Most colleges also award merit scholarships. Often alumni endow funds to use for these awards. Merit based awards may thus carry the name of a person so that their legacy continues. You’ll also find charitable foundations offering merit aid which sometimes look at financial need.
What GPA do You Need to Get a Merit Scholarship?
An academic merit scholarship often requires a strong GPA. But the actual grade point average you need to get a merit scholarship varies.
For instance, you need a cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale to qualify for the SHRM Foundation’s Graduate Scholarships. This awards $5,000 to a graduate student pursuing an HR degree related program.
The Voice of Democracy Scholarship awards $30,000 to one national first place winner. Most high school students as well as military students may apply.
How Much is a Merit Scholarship?
The U.S. Department of Education tracks the aid schools award to undergraduates. According to the NCES study, they looked at the amount of money high-merit students received. It found that those in selective schools got about 58% of their tuition. Those in less selective schools received about 46% of their tuition amounts.
What Qualifies You to be a National Merit Scholar?
National Merit Scholars have the highest PSAT/NMSQT® Selection Index scores. About 1.6 million enter to compete. But about 50,000 qualify for recognition in the National Merit® Scholarship Program.
Each September, the sponsor colleges notify the recipients. They let them know if they have qualified as either a Commended Student or Semifinalist. Then about 15,000 semifinalists move to finalist standing.
About 7,600 winners of Merit Scholarship® awards (Merit Scholar® designees) may be notified. Part of the decision making process looks at students’ abilities, skills, and accomplishments.
How Do You Get the Most Money for Merit Scholarships?
Many scholarship providers factor in both need and merit. There are at least six things that may help you get the most merit aid for college.
Don’t forget to fill out the FAFSA. Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for federal aid too. This might be useful if the amount of your merit scholarship is not enough to pay tuition, fees, housing etc.
Apply to schools where your grades put you ahead. Many college admissions look at the entire pool of applicants. You may be ahead of the student body in some colleges and not in others.
Check whether the merit scholarship is renewable. If so, abiding by the terms may help pay your entire four years at college.
Make sure you understand the net cost of attending each school you apply to. Then assess the amount of merit aid you can get and see what makes the most sense to you.
Figure out where your talents lie and use them when you search for scholarships. It doesn’t have to be high marks. The Doodle for Google Scholarship rewards creativity.
When applying to a college or university, look at their financial aid section and scan for merit scholarships to see if you qualify.
This scholarship is available for high school seniors in South Carolina who are graduating as class valedictorian. Applicants must attend Clemson University.
This scholarship is available for U.S. students who are currently graduating high school seniors in a Pinellas County high school. Applicants must reside in St. Petersburg Florida, and must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Preference will be given to students who live in a foster care home.
This scholarship is available for high school seniors in Pinellas County, Florida who plan to major in education, human relations, or counseling. Applicants must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
This scholarship is available for disabled high school seniors and current undergraduate students who have a grade point average of 2.8 or higher. Applicants must be accepted to an accredited college or university at the time of application.
A one-time award in the preferred amount of up to $1,500 for a student twenty-five (25) years of age or older. The award is given to a student studying to teach at the Elementary level. All applicants must have at least a 3.50 GPA, be at least a college sophomore, who is enrolled or is planning to attend an accredited college or university. The award is based on academic merit and is not automatically renewable; however, the recipient may reapply for consideration as long as they meet the eligibility requirements.
This award is for U.S. and international students who have completed at least one year of postsecondary education and have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Students must have a demonstrated interest in online marketing.
This scholarship is for U.S. undergraduate students who are in their final two years of landscape architecture studies at a LAAB-accredited institution. Students must have a “C” grade point average and demonstrate financial need.
This scholarship is open to Hispanic law students who are from the Tampa Bay (FL) area and are enrolled in an accredited Florida law school with a grade point average of 2.0 or higher. Students must have distinguished themselves academically or via service-oriented activities or plan to serve the Hispanic community in Tampa Bay during law school/after graduation.
This scholarship is open to U.S. and international undergraduate students and students pursuing an electronic technician certification program who are licensed radio amateurs. Students must be residents of Brevard County (FL) or Florida, and must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher.
This scholarship is open to international and U.S. students who are licensed radio amateurs (technician class or higher) and reside in Louisiana or attend college in Louisiana. Students must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
