Merit Scholarships
117 scholarships · Updated November 2026
Merit scholarships reward what you've achieved, such as grades, test scores, leadership, talent or a winning project, regardless of what your family earns. Every award on this page selects winners mainly on achievement, and many have no income limit at all.
The largest merit awards come from colleges themselves, and merit aid at private colleges can cut the sticker price sharply, so your admission application doubles as a scholarship application at many schools. Private merit awards like the ones listed here add to that. Some also weigh financial need, and the listing says when a sponsor considers both.
Jefferson Scholarship
Offered by Jefferson Scholars Foundation (University of Virginia)
Robertson Scholars Leadership Program Last Chance
Offered by Robertson Scholars Leadership Program (Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill)
Miguel A. Loya Scholarship (UTEP)
Offered by The University of Texas at El Paso, Miguel A. Loya College of Engineering
DOE Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (CSGF)
Offered by U.S. Department of Energy / Krell Institute
Marilynn Thoma Fellowship in the Art of the Spanish Americas
Offered by Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation
NESA Eagle Scout Scholarships Opening Soon
Offered by National Eagle Scout Association (Scouting America)
Saint Andrew's Society of the State of New York Scholarship for Graduate Study in Scotland
Offered by Saint Andrew's Society of the State of New York
Ron Brown Scholar Program
Offered by Ron Brown Scholar Fund / CAP Charitable Foundation
GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program
Offered by Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation
Distinguished Young Women Scholarship Program
Offered by Distinguished Young Women (America's Junior Miss)
Boren Awards (Scholarships & Fellowships)
Offered by National Security Education Program (NSEP), administered by IIE
Ernest F. Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship
Offered by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Barry Goldwater Scholarship
Offered by Barry Goldwater Scholarship & Excellence in Education Foundation
ASEV Traditional Scholarships and Presidents' Award
Offered by American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV)
FNSNA Undergraduate Scholarship Program
Offered by Foundation of the National Student Nurses' Association
PCCA Scholarship Program Opening Soon
Offered by PCCA Education & Research Foundation (Power & Communication Contractors Association)
ASHRAE Undergraduate Engineering Scholarships
Offered by ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers)
UNICO Foundation Undergraduate Awards (Gentile, Miele, Davini, Mazza) Opening Soon
Offered by UNICO Foundation (UNICO National)
Automotive Women's Alliance Foundation Scholarship
Offered by Automotive Women's Alliance Foundation
First Tech Federal Credit Union STEM Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by First Technology Federal Credit Union
WSIA Education Foundation Scholarship
Offered by Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association Education Foundation
TMS Acta Materialia Inc. Undergraduate Scholarship
Offered by TMS (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society) / TMS Foundation
CTCPA Accounting Scholarship Foundation Scholarships
Offered by Connecticut Society of CPAs Accounting Scholarship Foundation
Katharine M. Grosscup Scholarships in Horticulture
Offered by The Garden Club of America
NCRLA Foundation Hospitality Scholarships
Offered by North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association Foundation
Iowa United Methodist Foundation Westmar Scholarship Opening Soon
Offered by Iowa United Methodist Foundation
Alltricity Scholarship Foundation Scholarships
Offered by Alltricity Scholarship Foundation (Alltricity Network, formerly RMEL)
WICPA Educational Foundation Scholarships
Offered by Wisconsin Institute of CPAs Educational Foundation
Nebraska Bankers Association Foundation Scholarship
Offered by Nebraska Bankers Association Foundation
TMS Materials Processing & Manufacturing Division (MPMD) Scholarship
Offered by TMS (The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society) / TMS Foundation
NLBRA Wrangler Academic & Performance Scholarships
Offered by National Little Britches Rodeo Association
NCGA William C. Berg Academic Excellence in Agriculture Scholarship
Offered by National Corn Growers Association
Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association Scholarships
Offered by Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association / Midwest Broadcast Journalism Foundation
CAMWS Manson A. Stewart Undergraduate Award
Offered by Classical Association of the Middle West and South
ARFORA Dr. Eleanor Bujea Undergraduate Scholarship for Women
Offered by Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (A.R.F.O.R.A.)
Merit Scholarships By The Numbers
- Jefferson Scholarship
Based on the 117 listings above. Typical award is the median top amount each sponsor publishes.
What Is A Merit Scholarship?
A merit scholarship is money awarded for achievement, such as grades, test scores, leadership, talent or a standout project, rather than financial need. You don't repay it. Merit awards come from three places: colleges, which give the largest amounts, national competitions, and private sponsors like companies, foundations and professional groups.
Many public universities publish automatic merit charts that set an award by GPA and test score, with no separate application. Competitive programs, including most on this page, ask for an application and pick winners from the pool.
What GPA Do You Need For A Merit Scholarship?
Most merit scholarships ask for a B average or better. Of the merit awards in our directory that publish a minimum GPA, about two-thirds set it between 3.0 and 3.49, and about one in four require 3.5 or higher (as of November 2026). Leadership, service and a strong essay can carry an application that sits near the minimum.
Merit Scholarships Vs. The National Merit Scholarship
The National Merit Scholarship Program is one specific competition, not another name for merit aid. Students enter by taking the PSAT/NMSQT in the fall of junior year, and more than 1.3 million take it each year. More than 16,000 high scorers become Semifinalists, and the program awards about 6,700 National Merit Scholarships, including 2,500 one-time $2,500 awards.
When Are Merit Scholarship Deadlines?
About three in four merit deadlines in our directory fall between December and March. College merit awards often follow early admission deadlines in November, so the fall of senior year is the time to start. Switch the list above to soonest deadline to see what closes next.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Difference Between Merit And Need-Based Scholarships?
A merit scholarship is awarded for achievement, such as grades, leadership or talent. A need-based scholarship is awarded because your family can't cover the full cost of college. Some awards weigh both.
What GPA Do You Need For A Merit Scholarship?
It depends on the award. Many merit scholarships on this page set a minimum between 3.0 and 3.5, while the most competitive national programs pick students at the top of their class.
Are Merit Scholarships Taxable?
Merit scholarships follow the same IRS rules as other scholarships. Money spent on tuition, required fees and course materials is tax-free for degree students, while money used for housing or meals is taxable.
Do I Need The PSAT To Get A Merit Scholarship?
Only for the National Merit Scholarship Program. Most merit awards, including the ones on this page, use their own applications and look at your grades, activities and essays.
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Why Trust The College Investor
The College Investor has helped millions of readers navigate paying for college and student loans since 2009. Every scholarship in our database is individually reviewed by our team before it goes live, and re-checked regularly so deadlines and links stay current.
Our Scholarship Standards
A listing here means our team checked that the award is real, currently active, and actually pays out. We won't list a scholarship that:
- Charges any kind of fee to apply
- Makes you join a paid membership, or sign up for an app or service, just to be eligible
- Has a privacy policy that would let the sponsor sell or misuse your information
- Collects essays, ideas, or contact details mainly to feed the sponsor's marketing
- Can't show a winner from the past 12 months, or offers no way to reach the sponsor
One nuance: established companies and nonprofits that run applications through their own systems may still be listed, even though creating an account there is part of applying.
Spot a listing that doesn't meet this bar? Email [email protected] and we'll review it. You can also read our editorial guidelines.