Merit scholarships, or merit aid, is funding for students that is not based on financial need. Merit aid is often given to students that excel in academics, extracurricular activities, athletics, arts or other areas of special interest.
JUMP TO MERIT SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Merit aid is often provided by colleges and universities and can be redeemed for multiple semesters or years. Merit scholarships at the college level are, in a way, a form of student recruitment; colleges want high-preforming students to attend their university—boiled down this is the merit scholarship meaning. Merit scholarships can also be funded by organizations like the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Award Amount: Full-Tuition The William and Mary Scholars Scholarship is available to incoming freshman at William and Mary. This award is for academically distinguished students who have overcome unusual adversity and/or are members of underrepresented groups who would contribute to campus diversity.
Award Amount: Full-Tuition The Regents Scholarship is available to incoming freshman students at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. You must be a resident of Hawaii and have a minimum GPA of 3.8 to be considered for this award.
Award Amount: $20,000 For the twelfth consecutive year, Foot Locker will be awarding incoming college freshmen with $20,000 in scholarship funding to pursue a 4-year college degree - not because they scored the most touchdowns or goals, but because sports have helped them grow into strong leaders at school and in their communities. As a bonus, one of our 20 winners will be selected for the Ken C. Hicks scholarship for demonstrating superior educational achievement, outstanding leadership, and a true love of the game. This winner will receive an additional $5000 award (for a total of $25,000).
Award Amount: Full-Tuition The Academic Excellence Scholarship is available to entering freshmen at the University of Southern Mississippi. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and a minimum 30 ACT / 1360 SAT score to be eligible for this award.
Award Amount: $25,000 The Gifted Tuition Scholarship is available to students pursuing a bachelor's degree in music. You must be between the ages of 17 and 25, demonstrate financial need, and be passionate about Latin music to be considered for this award.
Award Amount: Full-Tuition The President's Scholar Award is open to incoming freshmen at Temple University. You must demonstrate outstanding academic merit to be considered for this award.
Award Amount: Full-Tuition The Provost Scholarship is available to entering freshmen at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This scholarship is renewable for four years, provided that you maintain full – time enrollment and a 3.0 GPA
Award Amount: Full-Tuition The Alumni Distinguished Scholarship is available to entering freshmen at Michigan State University. You must participate in a scholarship competition to be considered for this award. In addition to full tuition, this award provides double occupancy in an MSU residence hall and a silver meal plan.
Award Amount: Full-Tuition The Angier B. Duke Scholarship is available to entering freshmen at Duke University. Recipients of this award will also spend a summer abroad at Oxford University and will receive additional funds for research or other educational enrichment programs.
Award Amount: Full-Tuition The Benacquisto National Merit Scholars Program is available to incoming freshman at the University of Central Florida who have received recognition as a National Merit Scholar. You must be a resident of Florida to be eligible for this award.
Types of Merit Scholarships
There are a variety of merit scholarship opportunities available. You don’t have to be a straight-A student, class valedictorian to earn a merit scholarship. Most merit scholarship recipients simply excel in a particular area of focus. Common merit scholarships include:Academic
Many colleges offer merit scholarships, sometimes called institutional aid, for students who have high GPAs, standardized testing scores, and/or a combination of both. A university may include merit scholarships as part of a financial aid award package to help offset the college sticker price. One perk to academic merit scholarships at the institutional level is that they’re often redeemable for multiple years if you uphold the scholarship qualifications each semester. For example, students may be required to take 12-credit hours each semester while maintaining a GPA of 3.5 or more.Athletics
Athletic merit aid is like academic-type merit scholarships in that most of these scholarships are funded by the college itself. Student-athletes are eligible for merit aid if they meet the qualifying criteria. For instance, a student-athlete may have to attend a certain number of practices and/or games while holding a specific GPA to receive merit money. Universities often recruit talented students with generous merit scholarships. For student-athletes, it is important to evaluate all your merit aid offers as some can be redeemed from semester to semester, while other offers may only be offered during their freshman year of college.Arts
Many liberal arts colleges offer merit scholarships specific to their programs. For instance, a talented vocal student may receive a merit scholarship opportunity if they enroll in a degree program offered by the Music Department. The same concept applies to all areas of art, like band, graphic design, acting, painting, and more.Special Interest
Talented students in areas that don’t fall into the above categories also have merit scholarship possibilities. For example, archery may not be a typical collegiate athletic opportunity, but there are organizations out there that recognize and support this type of niche talent. The meaning of merit awards is essentially this: Students who earn merit scholarships are outstanding at what they do—they demonstrate great potential and talent in a specific area or field. This type of funding is provided without considering the financial needs.How to Apply
Students must highlight their talent in order to earn a merit-based scholarship. Showcasing talent and aptitude is the key to earning a merit scholarship. Applying for merit scholarships varies by type. Merit scholarship applications may require essays, ACT/SAT scores, high school transcripts showing GPA, letters of recommendation, portfolios, and even tryouts. Some institutional merit scholarships only require one application or may be evaluated and distributed once a student has officially enrolled. In some cases, merit aid may be automatically applied to a student’s account each semester--should they meet the merit scholarship qualifications. It’s important to check with the financial aid office to understand the merit scholarship program and renewal process, if any.Merit Scholarships
William and Mary Scholars Scholarship
Deadline: 1/3/23Award Amount: Full-Tuition The William and Mary Scholars Scholarship is available to incoming freshman at William and Mary. This award is for academically distinguished students who have overcome unusual adversity and/or are members of underrepresented groups who would contribute to campus diversity.
Regents Scholarship
Deadline: 1/24/23Award Amount: Full-Tuition The Regents Scholarship is available to incoming freshman students at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. You must be a resident of Hawaii and have a minimum GPA of 3.8 to be considered for this award.
Foot Locker Scholar Athletes Program
Deadline: 1/30/23Award Amount: $20,000 For the twelfth consecutive year, Foot Locker will be awarding incoming college freshmen with $20,000 in scholarship funding to pursue a 4-year college degree - not because they scored the most touchdowns or goals, but because sports have helped them grow into strong leaders at school and in their communities. As a bonus, one of our 20 winners will be selected for the Ken C. Hicks scholarship for demonstrating superior educational achievement, outstanding leadership, and a true love of the game. This winner will receive an additional $5000 award (for a total of $25,000).
Academic Excellence Scholarship
Deadline: 3/1/23Award Amount: Full-Tuition The Academic Excellence Scholarship is available to entering freshmen at the University of Southern Mississippi. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and a minimum 30 ACT / 1360 SAT score to be eligible for this award.
Gifted Tuition Scholarship
Deadline: 4/10/23Award Amount: $25,000 The Gifted Tuition Scholarship is available to students pursuing a bachelor's degree in music. You must be between the ages of 17 and 25, demonstrate financial need, and be passionate about Latin music to be considered for this award.
President's Scholar Award
Deadline: 5/1/23Award Amount: Full-Tuition The President's Scholar Award is open to incoming freshmen at Temple University. You must demonstrate outstanding academic merit to be considered for this award.
Provost Scholarship
Deadline: RollingAward Amount: Full-Tuition The Provost Scholarship is available to entering freshmen at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This scholarship is renewable for four years, provided that you maintain full – time enrollment and a 3.0 GPA
Alumni Distinguished Scholarship
Deadline: RollingAward Amount: Full-Tuition The Alumni Distinguished Scholarship is available to entering freshmen at Michigan State University. You must participate in a scholarship competition to be considered for this award. In addition to full tuition, this award provides double occupancy in an MSU residence hall and a silver meal plan.
Angier B. Duke Scholarship
Deadline: RollingAward Amount: Full-Tuition The Angier B. Duke Scholarship is available to entering freshmen at Duke University. Recipients of this award will also spend a summer abroad at Oxford University and will receive additional funds for research or other educational enrichment programs.
Benacquisto National Merit Scholars Program
Deadline: RollingAward Amount: Full-Tuition The Benacquisto National Merit Scholars Program is available to incoming freshman at the University of Central Florida who have received recognition as a National Merit Scholar. You must be a resident of Florida to be eligible for this award.