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 award is available to college students who are planning to attend Saint Mary’s College of California. Students must have a grade point average of 3.25 or higher and have 30 or more transferable academic semester units at the time of acceptance.
This award is for U.S. high school seniors who plan to attend Missouri State University. The student must have a grade point average of 3.9 or higher or graduate in the top 10 percent of his/her high school, AND must have an SAT score (reading/math) of 1390 or higher or have an ACT score of 31 or higher.
This award is available to U.S. undergraduate students who are planning to transfer to Ouachita Baptist University. Students must have a cumulative college grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
This award is for U.S. high school seniors who plan to attend Beloit College in Wisconsin full time. The student must demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and potential for continued success as a scholar and contributor to campus life.
This award is for incoming college freshmen who plan to attend Beloit College full time. The student must demonstrate outstanding academic success and significant leadership qualities.
This award is available to U.S. high school students who have been admitted to Florida Atlantic University. The student must be named a National Merit Scholar by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).
This award is available to U.S. high school seniors who are planning to attend Florida Atlantic University. The student must demonstrate outstanding academic achievement; awards are based on the competitive level of the applicant pool.
This award is available to U.S. students who will graduate from a Florida College System institution and plan to transfer to Florida Atlantic University. The student must be a graduate of an Honors Program or be a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher.
This award is available for U.S. students who are transferring from Florida College System institutions to Florida Atlantic University as juniors. The student must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and must demonstrate financial need.
This award is for U.S students who are planning to attend Barclay College. Students must enroll full time and meet the minimum admission standards of a grade point average of 2.3 or higher and an SAT score of 430 (writing) or higher or an ACT score of 18 or higher.
