National Programs
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National Merit Scholarship Program

National Merit Scholarship Corporation · 89 partner colleges

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WHAT YOU GET

Amount varies

$2,500 National Merit Scholarships, plus corporate-sponsored and college-sponsored awards; some sponsor colleges offer full tuition or full cost of attendance to Finalists.

Who it's for

Juniors taking the PSAT/NMSQT; seniors who are 2027 Semifinalists.

  • 11th grade, 12th grade
  • Qualify through the PSAT/NMSQT taken in junior year; seniors participate only if already named Semifinalists.

Partner schools

89 colleges. Tap one to see its awards.
Abilene Christian UniversityArizona State UniversityAsbury UniversityBrandeis UniversityBrigham Young UniversityBryan College-DaytonCalvin UniversityCapital UniversityClemson UniversityCoe CollegeDordt UniversityEmory UniversityFlorida Gulf Coast UniversityFurman UniversityGrinnell CollegeGrove City CollegeHarding UniversityIllinois Wesleyan UniversityIndiana University-BloomingtonIndiana Wesleyan University-MarionIowa State UniversityJohn Brown UniversityJuniata CollegeKalamazoo CollegeLawrence UniversityLehigh UniversityLiberty UniversityLindsey Wilson UniversityLinfield UniversityLouisiana Tech UniversityMacalester CollegeMarquette UniversityMichigan State UniversityMinnesota State University-MankatoMississippi State UniversityMissouri University of Science and TechnologyNew College of FloridaNew Jersey Institute of TechnologyNorth Dakota State University-Main CampusNortheastern University

Timeline and how to apply

  1. 1
    Date not postedFinal deadline2027 competition underway; Semifinalists announced September 2026.