About merit aid

What is merit aid?

Merit aid is scholarship or grant funding awarded for achievement rather than demonstrated financial need. Academic merit scholarships may consider GPA, course rigor, and SAT or ACT scores. Other awards recognize leadership, service, artistic talent, or other accomplishments. Each scholarship has its own criteria.

Unlike a loan, a scholarship generally does not need to be repaid when its conditions are met. Colleges and outside organizations offer scholarships, but not every college offers institutional merit aid.

Merit aid vs. need-based financial aid

Merit aid

Awarded for the scholarship’s achievement or talent criteria. A purely merit-based award does not require demonstrated financial need.

Need-based aid

Based on financial circumstances and the college’s aid calculation. Income, assets, household circumstances, and attendance costs can affect eligibility.

Some scholarships combine merit and financial-need requirements. Read the actual award rules rather than assuming every scholarship is independent of income.

Can higher-income families receive merit scholarships?

Yes. Families whose income or assets limit need-based aid may still qualify for scholarships that do not require financial need. Merit aid can help bridge the gap between a college’s published price and what a family can comfortably pay.

There is no universal family-income cutoff for need-based aid across all colleges. An income-band average net price is not an eligibility rule or a personalized offer. Use each college’s official net price calculator to estimate costs for your circumstances, then confirm the award details with the financial aid office.

How to search for college merit aid

1. Start with your academic profile. Compare your grades and one test score—SAT or ACT—with college admissions data. A strong relative academic profile can help identify possibilities, but is not a scholarship guarantee.
2. Look for published scholarship grids. Some colleges publish GPA and test-score tiers with award amounts. Confirm the entry year, GPA scale, residency, and whether awards are automatic or competitive.
3. Check how to apply. Some awards use the admission application; others require a separate application, essays, or an earlier deadline. Check whether financial aid forms are also required.
4. Compare the remaining cost. Include tuition, fees, housing, food, books, transportation, and personal expenses—not just tuition.
5. Read renewal conditions. Check the required college GPA, enrollment status, award duration, and whether the amount stays fixed if costs rise.

Which colleges give the most merit aid?

The largest average scholarship isn’t always the most affordable option. A high-price college with a large award can still cost more than a lower-price college with a smaller award. MeritMore’s college directory lets you compare reported average merit aid alongside attendance costs; the search results can be sorted by average merit aid.

Our average merit-aid figure describes institutional non-need-based awards to first-year recipients—not an award to every applicant. “Not reported” means that specific figure is unavailable, not that the college offers no scholarships. Published scholarship grids, where available, give more specific eligibility information.

Compare merit scholarships by net cost, not award size

Subtract grants and scholarships from the full annual cost of attendance to compare the price remaining before borrowing. Loans finance that price; they do not reduce it. Work-study requires earnings from a job and should be considered separately.

For example, a hypothetical college costing $65,000 with a $25,000 scholarship leaves $40,000 before other aid. Another costing $40,000 with a $10,000 scholarship leaves $30,000. The smaller scholarship produces the lower remaining price in this example. Check all four years, not just the first year.

Common merit aid questions