Merit scholarships, or merit aid, are funding for students that is not based on financial need. Merit aid is often given to students who excel in academics, extracurricular activities, athletics, the arts, or other areas of special interest.
JUMP TO MERIT SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Colleges and universities often provide merit aid, which 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-performing students to attend their university—boiled down, this is the merit scholarship meaning. Organizations like the National Merit Scholarship Corporation can also fund merit scholarships.
Award Amount: up to $100,000 Scholarship Details: 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: up to $5,000 Scholarship Details:The ABA Academic Merit Scholarship is available to undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing a major in a field relevant to the transportation, travel, or tourism industry. You must have a minimum 3.4 GPA to be eligible for this award.
Award Amount: Full-Tuition Scholarship Details: 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 Scholarship Details:The Cameron Impact Scholarship is available to high school juniors. You must have a minimum 3.7 GPA and be a U.S. citizen to be eligible for this award. You must also excel in a broad variety of extracurricular activities, demonstrate active participation in community service and in civic - minded arenas, and be a motivated leader with a strong work ethic and social acumen. Only the first 3,000 applications will be accepted.
Award Amount: Varies Scholarship Details:The National Honor Society Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who have been inducted into the National Honor Society. You must be nominated through your high school NHS chapter to be eligible for this award.
Award Amount: $2,500 Scholarship Details:The National Merit Scholarship Program is an annual academic competition among high school students for recognition and college scholarships. High school students enter the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the PSAT/NMSQT, which serves as an initial screen of over 1.3 million entrants each year, and by meeting published program entry and participation requirements.
Award Amount: Full-Tuition Scholarship Details: The Provost Scholarship is available to entering freshmen at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This scholarship is renewable for four years, if you maintain full – time enrollment and a 3.0 GPA
Award Amount: Full-Tuition Scholarship Details: 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 Scholarship Details: 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.
Award Amount: $35,000
Scholarship Details: The Siebel Scholars Program is open to the most talented students at the world's leading graduate schools of business, computer science, bioengineering, and energy
Types of Merit Scholarships
There are a variety of merit scholarship opportunities available. A student can be awarded multiple merit scholarships! You don't have to be a straight-A student or class valedictorian to earn a merit scholarship. Most merit scholarship recipients 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.Applying for Merit Scholarships
Students must highlight their talent 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 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.How to Apply
Research available scholarships Colleges and schools offer scholarships; private organizations, local clubs, large businesses, and well-known brand companies provide them. Even fast-food restaurants offer scholarships and retail stores offer tuition benefits to their employees. Talk to your family and friends to find out about any local scholarship opportunities. Additionally, connect with your high school counselor or academic advisor to inform them of your interest in scholarships, so they can keep an eye out for you. Consider using scholarship search tools like Fastweb to help you save time in your search! Check scholarship eligibility requirements Application and eligibility requirements for merit scholarships can vary based on the specific scholarship you are applying for. You may need to provide proof of your GPA, along with your ACT or SAT test scores. Additionally, you might be required to submit athletic statistics, as well as letters of recommendation from extracurricular coaches, mentors, or leaders. It’s important to review all eligibility requirements before you begin your scholarship application. Strengthen your academic and extracurricular profile Scholarship judges are not solely focused on good grades. While academic performance is important, they also value leadership, community service, and volunteer efforts, especially when combined with a high grade point average. It’s crucial to seek out creative opportunities for volunteering and leadership. Additionally, remember to document your efforts. A brag sheet is an excellent tool for keeping track of all your extracurricular activities. Prepare a Strong application The best scholarship applications are those that students start early. Rushing around to gather last minute times such as transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal statements, essays, art or music portfolios could lead to errors. Many students find it helpful to use a step-by-step scholarship application checklist as an extra reference tool. Submit your Applications Before submitting your merit scholarship application, double-check that you have followed all the details, deadlines, and instructions. Keep copies of all submitted materials for your records. It may also be helpful to organize these documents in a digital folder dedicated to your scholarship applications for easy access in the future. Accept Awards As merit scholarships are generally offered via a college or university, most students receive merit scholarship offers within their financial aid award package. Check with a financial aid or scholarship official at the college level to learn how your school will present merit scholarship awards. If the merit scholarship you applied for is offered by an organization, company, or club, read their scholarship application instructions for details on when winners will be notified.Merit Scholarships
Latin Grammy Gifted Tuition Scholarship
Deadline: 4/10/25Award Amount: up to $100,000 Scholarship Details: 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.
ABA Academic Merit Scholarship
Deadline: 4/30/25Award Amount: up to $5,000 Scholarship Details:The ABA Academic Merit Scholarship is available to undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing a major in a field relevant to the transportation, travel, or tourism industry. You must have a minimum 3.4 GPA to be eligible for this award.
President's Scholar Award
Deadline: 5/1/25Award Amount: Full-Tuition Scholarship Details: 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.
Cameron Impact Scholarship
Deadline: 9/3/25Award Amount: Full-Tuition Scholarship Details:The Cameron Impact Scholarship is available to high school juniors. You must have a minimum 3.7 GPA and be a U.S. citizen to be eligible for this award. You must also excel in a broad variety of extracurricular activities, demonstrate active participation in community service and in civic - minded arenas, and be a motivated leader with a strong work ethic and social acumen. Only the first 3,000 applications will be accepted.
National Honor Society Scholarship
Deadline: 11/24/25Award Amount: Varies Scholarship Details:The National Honor Society Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors who have been inducted into the National Honor Society. You must be nominated through your high school NHS chapter to be eligible for this award.
National Merit Scholarship Program
Deadline: VariesAward Amount: $2,500 Scholarship Details:The National Merit Scholarship Program is an annual academic competition among high school students for recognition and college scholarships. High school students enter the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the PSAT/NMSQT, which serves as an initial screen of over 1.3 million entrants each year, and by meeting published program entry and participation requirements.
Provost Scholarship
Deadline: RollingAward Amount: Full-Tuition Scholarship Details: The Provost Scholarship is available to entering freshmen at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This scholarship is renewable for four years, if you maintain full – time enrollment and a 3.0 GPA
Angier B. Duke Scholarship
Deadline: RollingAward Amount: Full-Tuition Scholarship Details: 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 Scholarship Details: 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.
Siebel Scholars Program
Deadline: RollingAward Amount: $35,000
Scholarship Details: The Siebel Scholars Program is open to the most talented students at the world's leading graduate schools of business, computer science, bioengineering, and energy
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Shawna Newman
Managing Editor, Contributing Writer
Shawna Newman is the Managing Editor and a writer at Fastweb. She has over 10 years of experience in higher education. Her direct work with college admissions teams, financial aid officers, college deans, ...
