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.
Through the National FFA Foundation, businesses and individuals support scholarships that are awarded to students with a wide variety of higher education plans and career goals. FFA provides scholarships that support all areas of agriculture, either in trade schools, certifications, or college. Scholarships support FFA high school seniors and collegiate members. Just one application is required for multiple scholarship opportunities totaling close to $2 million.
Nearly $2 million in FFA scholarships are available, thanks in part to a recent gift from the Tractor Supply Foundation. Each year for the next five years, Tractor Supply will commit $1 million to the FFA Futures Leaders Scholarship Fund. Tractor Supply will also offer scholarship recipients the opportunity to interview for career opportunities at its stores or distribution centers while they are pursuing their education and will earmark internships at the company’s Store Support Center each year. To be eligible for the scholarships, FFA members must be studying agriculture or a skilled trade.
Applications are available online on the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library Foundation website.
To enter this contest, students must write an essay addressing the topic listed on the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library Foundation website. The essay should be original and creative, and demonstrate an understanding of political courage as described in John F. Kennedy’s ‘Profiles in Courage’ book. Applicants should use a variety of sources such as newspaper articles, books, and/or personal interviews.
The essay must be between 700 and 1,000 words in length (footnotes and the bibliography are not included in the word count), and must be typed and double-spaced on one side of each page. The essay must be the original work of the student. All applicants must attach a bibliography (using any one of the recognized formats) citing the sources used in writing the essay. It is recommended that students use five or more selected sources. Essays with five or less listed sources or essays which rely solely on Internet sources may be disqualified. Essays without a bibliography will be disqualified.
All students must also complete the online registration form, which is available on the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library Foundation website. Applicants must ask one of their teachers to nominate them for this award. All students must list the name of their nominating teacher on the registration form. The nominating teacher can be a former or current teacher, but must still be teaching at the same high school as the essay participant. The parent or legal guardian responsible for the instruction of a home schooled student can also serve as a nominating teacher.
Completed essays may be submitted online (preferred method) or through regular mail. Essays submitted via postal mail and online entries must be postmarked by the deadline.
The Smith Scholarship Foundation, established by Avondale Mills heiress Mignon Comer Smith, invests in the college education of economically disadvantaged students across the state of Alabama. Applicants must be Alabama residents who are graduating high school seniors, have a minimum 2.3 GPA, and have taken or plan to take the SAT or ACT. Applicants must submit an essay on their plans or goals of accomplishment themselves. (The applicant must write the essay. A teacher may review it, but the applicant must be the author.) For more information or to apply, please visit the scholarship provider’s website.
Niagara University provides students with a world-class, prestigious educational experience that delivers a very strong return on investment. Affordability is central to the institution’s mission, which is why NU regularly appears in U.S. News and World Report’s annual rankings of best regional universities and best value schools. 98% of Niagara’s students receive financial assistance, which includes federal, private and university awards. Niagara has scholarships, grants, student employment and other programs available in order to make a college education affordable for you.
The Wylie Scholarships in Mathematics are awarded to incoming freshmen that have demonstrated outstanding mathematical ability and an interest in pursuing the study of mathematics in college. These scholarships, which are worth up to $15,000 per year, are renewable based on completion of specific academic requirements and on participation in Furman’s mathematics program. To be eligible for a Wylie Scholarship, a student must have a combined SAT score of at least 1350 or an ACT score of at least 31.
The Board of Trustees is pleased to announce the annual National Washington Crossing Foundation Scholarship Awards for students completing twelfth grade (or final high school year) in 2023 who are planning careers in government service. Scholarship applicants must be citizens of the United States. The Trustees and Members of the Foundation, mindful of the significance of the important event in our nation’s history that occurred at Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, believe that if our country is to continue to progress, we must have thoroughly trained, dedicated young people to carry on our government’s work in future years.
The Independent Hardee’s Franchisee Association (IHFA) has established a scholarship program to assist employees who plan to continue their education in college or vocational school programs. Scholarships are offered each year for full-time study at an accredited institution of the student’s choice.
This scholarship program is administered by Scholarship America®, the nation’s largest designer and manager of scholarships and other education support programs for corporations, foundations, associations, and individuals. Eligibility for individual programs is determined at the sole discretion of the sponsor, and eligible applications are reviewed by Scholarship America’s evaluation team. Awards are granted without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender, disability, or national origin.
The Jonathan Baldwin Turner (JBT) scholarship program is a renewable, merit-based scholarship supporting College of ACES students who demonstrate leadership, community service, and a commitment to an ACES field of study, as well as the land-grant mission. Eligible first-year students with a minimum overall GPA of 3.4 or higher after the fall term will be invited through their Illinois email account to apply to become a JBT Scholar during the spring semester. Applicants will participate in interviews with College of ACES faculty, staff, alumni and other stakeholders.
Since 1998, Ford Trucks scholarships have connected local Ford Dealers to FFA members in their communities. Ford believes in offering extended education opportunities. More than $13 million in scholarships have been awarded by Ford Dealers across the nation and Ford Corporate. Ford will match a total of 414 scholarships from Ford Dealers and five nationwide that do not have a participating dealer.
In order to apply for this scholarship, students must meet the below criteria:
Must obtain a Ford Dealer electronic signature to qualify — opt-in for Ford.
Must be an FFA member.
Must be a high school senior or a collegiate student.
Must attend a vocational, two-year or four-year continuation of studies. Any major may apply.
Khyentse Foundation Buddhist Studies Scholarships support individuals who wish to study the dharma. KF accepts applications from students, practitioners, and scholars from all traditions, schools, and sects of Buddhism. These scholarships fund tuition or other expenses related to one’s studies. Applicants for this scholarship are usually working toward an BA, MA, or MPhil degree, or are in a certificate program.
