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.
U.S. graduating high school seniors who have been recognized as National Merit Semifinalists or are high school valedictorians will receive this award. Students must attend Aquinas College in Michigan.
The Generation Google Scholarship was established to help aspiring students pursuing computer science degrees excel in technology and become leaders in the field. Selected students will receive $10,000 USD (for those studying in the US) or $5,000 CAD (for those studying in Canada) for the 2021-2022 school year. The Generation Google Scholarship will be awarded based on the strength of each candidate’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, demonstrated leadership, and academic performance. The program is open to students who meet all the minimum qualifications and we strongly encourage students that identify with groups historically excluded from the technology industry, including Women, Black/African American, Hispanic/Latinx, American Indian, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, to apply. Applicants are not required to currently be enrolled in an Associates, Bachelors, Masters, or PhD program for the 2020-2021 academic year to apply
The Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence (LIFE) Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship program administered by the financial aid office at each eligible public and independent college and university in South Carolina. The LIFE Scholarship may be used towards the cost of attendance for up to eight terms based on the student’s initial college enrollment date. Students must be enrolled in their first one-year program, first associate’s degree, first two-year program leading to a baccalaureate degree, first baccalaureate degree, or first professional degree
Applying for a Stamps Scholarship is easy: just apply to one or more of our partner schools. If you qualify, you’ll automatically be considered for a Stamps award. The majority of our partner colleges and universities don’t require a separate application for the Stamps Scholarship, but the application deadline and award process varies from school to school along with the amount of the award. Expect an interview (or two or three) to be part of the process.
Those awarded this scholarship may be awarded $18,000 to full tuition. Separate application is required and includes an essay, resume, letter of recommendation from high school counselor, principal or teacher, and campus interview. Full-time enrollment, participation in campus activities, on-campus residency and satisfactory academic progress are required to maintain the award through graduation.
The Fulbright Scholar Program supports activities and projects that recognize and promote the critical relationship between educational exchange and international understanding, in addition to the intellectual merit of the proposals. Applications with broad multiplier effects are particularly welcome, as are projects that are conducive to candidates sharing their experiences and knowledge with colleagues, students and, ideally, with the general public in their host country and, upon return, in the United States. To learn more, view a short video about the Review and Selection Process.
Covers 100 percent of NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus tuition (fall and spring); does not cover fees or other expenses. Additional tuition costs greater than the amount originally awarded that result from excess hours are the student’s responsibility. For example: students who come to NAU with dual enrollment credits may reach the 145 credit limit sooner and must pay the difference in tuition costs.
The Dr. Suhyun An Scholarship was birthed from a desire to assist dedicated students who have shown a commitment to education in the pursuit of a medical degree. This renewable scholarship awards $2,000 to two students annually. Founded by Dr. Suhyun An, a renowned chiropractor with an immense passion for overall wellness and total health, the primary goal of the scholarship is to alleviate a portion of the financial burden that many students today face. This is especially true for students pursuing a degree in the medical field, who on average graduate with over $230,000 in student loan debt, as of a study conducted in 2021. The Dr. Suhyun An Scholarship is Dr. An’s way of investing in not only future generations of physicians, nurses, and others in medical careers, but the country as a whole. These young men and women are the ones who will be responsible for the next breakthroughs in medicine and healthcare.
This Scholarship is to honor the life of Coach Mike “Papa” Brown, and is open to all Albuquerque Public School student athletes within the Albuquerque Metro Area with a 3.5 GPA or higher. Students must plan to attend college or vocational/trade school starting no later than fall 2022
On June 30th, 2021, Coach Mike Papa Brown passed away peacefully at his daughter’s home after a long, tough battle with MSA. This incredible man’s love for his family was ever present in his continued efforts to fight every single day.
As an English teacher, Mr. Brown commanded his student’s attention with his various antics in the classroom. He was passionate about all kinds of literature, Greek Mythology and the history of New Mexico. He took many of his classes on a field trip he affectionately called the “Turquoise Trail”. He challenged his own kids at the dinner table throwing around unusual vocabulary words and he continuously entertained the family with his own poetry. Mr. Brown was an inspiration as a teacher and influenced countless others to follow his lead and become educators.
After 8 years as the assistant basketball coach at the Academy, Mike was offered the head coaching position where he proceeded to lead the Chargers to 6 straight State Championship games and 14 District Championships (1984-2010). Upon retirement, Coach Papa continued coaching as son Danny Brown’s assistant at Highland High School for 6 years (2011-2016) before winding up his coaching career at Volcano Vista with son Greg Brown from 2017 to 2021. Aside from leading the Chargers to an astounding 442 victories over a 26-year period, Coach Brown’s many other accomplishments include city, state and national recognition, as well as several coaching awards. In 2018, Mike was inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame. Coach Mike Brown is a basketball legend in the state of New Mexico. His dedication to family, friends, students, players and the entire basketball community is only to be rivaled by his loyalty, honesty and hard work ethic.
This program was designed to give high school seniors financial assistance specifically to advance their educations and realize their dreams. In the past, the Inspire Scholarship was only available to high school seniors that were invited to enter by a Garden of Dreams partner organization. For this year only, we are pleased to announce that for the 2022 program, current college freshmen who are invited to enter by a Garden of Dreams partner organization can also apply.
