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.
India’s first education financing marketplace, GyanDhan aims to equalize and expand access to education. Providing end-to-end education loan assistance, GyanDhan is a digital-first company that seeks to revolutionize education financing in India.
Started with an aim to make abroad higher education more accessible to students, GyanDhan has helped tens of thousands of students in selecting the right financing option. In continuation of our efforts towards our aim, we are launching the GyanDhan Scholarship. This scholarship of INR 1 Lakh will be awarded to 1 student.
Judge Mary Fitzgerald Aspell was the second woman to appointed a Superior Court Judge in the State of Connecticut, and the mother of Attorney James F. Aspell. Judge Aspell was a trailblazer for women in the legal profession and a strong believer in the role that attorneys play in helping the less fortunate in society. . As a leading workers compensation law firm in Connecticut , James F. Aspell, P.C. is committed to making social justice a cornerstone of our practice’s values. Our goal to ensure that all people have access to the same opportunities for education, self-improvement, and civic involvement, regardless of their socioeconomic circumstances.
Our nation has a long-standing legacy of social justice—from the fight for women’s suffrage, to the civil rights movement, to contemporary efforts to embrace all varieties of race, creed, and sexuality—but there is still much work to be done. Until everyone can benefit from the same rights, opportunities, and basic services, there will always be the need for ambitious and talented people to make progress on behalf of others who are less fortunate.
To further this vision of making the world a better and more equitable place, our firm offers a scholarship to individuals who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to community outreach. We recognize that education is an important foundation upon which positive, sustainable change can be built, and we are happy to help fund the educational endeavors of outstanding individuals.
This year, our $1,000 scholarship is helping to raise awareness about the challenges individuals with disabilities have to meet and overcome each day.
We want applicants to consider and respond to the following questions: What are some significant challenges people with disabilities encounter on a regular basis? What are some practical public policies that could address these challenges? Feel free to speak about the challenges you have experienced or witnessed in a loved one’s life.
By supporting the cause of social justice today, we are investing in a brighter future for everyone.
The Greg Bied Scholarship, available through this platform, is another initiative by Greg to support the education and career aspirations of students across the United States. This scholarship is designed to provide financial assistance to students who are enrolled in an accredited college or university in the United States, and who demonstrate a strong commitment to their education and career goals.
The scholarship is open to students in good academic standing, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The application process is designed to give students the opportunity to showcase their academic achievements, career aspirations, and personal values. Applicants are required to complete an online application form, submit a current academic transcript, and write an essay on a provided topic related to their educational and career goals.
The Greg Bied Scholarship is more than just a financial aid program. It’s a commitment to the future of our students, our community, and our country. By providing this scholarship, Greg Bied is investing in the potential of our students and helping to shape the future leaders of our society.
Does your dream of college include the opportunity to travel abroad, conduct research, and pursue creative expression? The flexibility to explore different fields and majors? The support to pursue internships and volunteer experiences? A talented, welcoming, and driven community of friends to share the journey? Becoming a Flinn Scholar means having all this—and the ability to graduate debt-free from one of Arizona’s public universities.
In scope and value, the Flinn Scholarship is unlike almost any other undergraduate merit-based scholarship in the United States. The scholarship—valued at more than $130,000—covers tuition, fees, housing, and meals at one of Arizona’s three public universities, plus study abroad.
The Keep Your Chin Up Scholarship Fund is a non-traditional scholarship for Arizona residents age 25 and older. Applicants must have a high school diploma or GED but not prior Bachelor’s Degree, be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, demonstrate financial need and prove school enrollment. Awards will range between $500 to $5,000 and award recipients will be chosen based on need, merit and answers to essay questions. Scholarship cycles occur in February and September of each year.
Created in honor of George Keown (GK), GK Legacy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization helping Arizona residents, age 25 and older, better their lives through education. George was the epitome of perseverance and determination, and it is our mission to honor him in a way that represents those attributes. “Keep your chin up, kid” was his favorite thing to say whenever we faced adversity (he said it so often we teased him for it as we grew older). Now, those words are sacred to us, and we are using them to inspire others. Throughout their generosity, the GK Legacy Foundation is offering a scholarship.
Steel Root Inc, a leading cybersecurity company that provides security and compliance services for the U.S. Defense Industrial Base, announces the formation of a college scholarship that will award a selected high school junior applicant with $10,000 toward an education in the field of cybersecurity. The Steel Root Scholarship is intended to encourage skilled young applicants to enter the field of cybersecurity – a field where the demand for talent far exceeds the supply. This is open to all Massachusetts students in their junior year of high school, the scholarship has an application deadline of October 31st.
The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans (JCCIA) is proud to offer – from the Frank J. Vigilante Scholarship Fund – scholarships that are awarded to students of Italian extraction demonstrating financial need and high
academic achievement. Competitive students must be of Italian extraction, demonstrate financial need, and must have high academic achievement. The award amount is for a one-time annual scholarship. Students may reapply annually for consideration in the annual selection process.
ITS Midwest is pleased to award this $1,500 scholarship to the applicant who most embodies excitement for the use of Intelligent Transportation Systems to improve safety and efficiency. The scholarship criteria looks for excellence in the classroom, passion for innovation, and enthusiasm for the transportation industry.
The scholarship is open to collegiate sophomores, juniors, and seniors planning to enter the transportation field with a primary focus of interest in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Applicants shall be presently attending colleges and universities in the four-state coverage area of ITS Midwest (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio).
NALP’s Foundation grants scholarships to students enrolled in landscape contracting or horticultural programs at two- and four-year colleges and universities. Scholarships are funded by “Ambassadors” who are passionate about supporting the next generation of landscape professionals. Scholarships are presented annually at the National Collegiate Landscape Competition.
Orangesoft offers a scholarship dedicated to female college or university students pursuing STEM, or other technology-related studies and careers. As an Orangesoft Scholar, you will receive new financial opportunities and a chance to participate in the IT industry development.
