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 for U.S. graduate students who attend or plan to attend the University of Notre Dame Law School, the University of Kansas Law School, or Washburn Law School. Students must be residents of Kansas and be in the top 10 percent of his/her class.
This award is available for U.S. high school seniors who are residents of the Upper Midwest area, including Minnesota, North or South Dakota, western Wisconsin and northern Iowa. Students must pursue a career in broadcasting, television or electronic media and have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
This award is available for U.S. and international undergraduate or graduate students who are pursuing a degree in geophysics or a related field directed toward a career in exploration geophysics. Students must also have grades that are above average.
This award is available for Rhode Island undergraduate and graduate students who are legislative pages in Rhode Island. Awards are based on financial need, academic achievement, and good citizenship.
This award is available for U.S. undergraduate students who are attending or plan to attend Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska. Students must live within Lancaster County, Nebraska and be enrolled or plan to enroll as a full-time student.
College juniors or older students who are studying a subject related to plant science and have a grade point average of 3.25 or higher may apply for this award. College sophomores may apply for their junior year. Students must be currently enrolled full time in a postsecondary institution.
This scholarship is available for U.S. high school seniors who are enrolled in high school in Texas and plan to attend a Texas college. Students must have an SAT score of 950 or higher or an ACT score of 19 or higher, and must rank in the upper quarter of their graduating class.
Current college juniors or seniors with 60 or more credits and a 3.5 grade point average who attend Edward Waters College, Jacksonville University, Flagler College, or the University of North Florida are eligible to apply for this award. Students must major in the humanities, social/behavioral sciences, or natural sciences.
High school seniors with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher who were diagnosed with childhood cancer are eligible for this award. Students must be residents of Colorado or Montana OR have resided in one of these states during cancer treatment.
