What is the National Merit Scholarship?

Each year, over 1.5 million high school students take the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, also known as the PSAT. Although it’s considered a “practice” test for the SAT, this test will determine your eligibility for a National Merit Scholarship.

The National Merit Scholarship 

The National Merit Scholarship is a prestigious academic award given to high-achieving high school students in the United States. Each year, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) recognizes approximately 50,000 high school students for their exceptional performance on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). 

Out of these, about 7,500 students are awarded scholarships based on further criteria, including academic records, extracurricular achievements, and recommendations.

Semifinalists

In early September, over 16,000 of the 50,000 high scorers will be notified that they have qualified as Semifinalists. Semifinalists are the highest-scoring entrants in each state. NMSC will notify these students through their schools and provide scholarship application materials explaining the requirements to advance in the competition for National Merit Scholarships. 

The score needed to qualify as a Semifinalist varies by state and is known as the “cutoff.” Every student scoring at or above the Semifinalist cutoff qualifies. The cutoff is not based on a student’s overall PSAT score but on the Selection Index. The Selection Index is listed on a student’s PSAT score report.

Finalists

After being chosen as a semi-finalist, there is a 96% chance of becoming a finalist. The only students who do not move up to finalist rank are those who do not submit any information about themselves and complete the application, do not have good grades, do not take the SAT, or fail to score well on the SAT.

How to get the National Merit Scholarship

To be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship, students must first take the PSAT/NMSQT in their junior year of high school. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to qualify: 

1. Take the PSAT/NMSQT: In your junior year, take the PSAT/NMSQT, as this is the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
2. Score in the Top Percentile: To advance in the program, your PSAT score needs to be among the highest in your state. The exact qualifying score varies by state and year, but typically falls within the top 1-3% of scores nationally.
3. Become a Semifinalist: Students with top scores are named Semifinalists, typically announced in the fall of their senior year. Approximately 16,000 students, or about 1% of high school juniors, are named Semifinalists each year.
4. Submit an Application: Semifinalists must complete and submit the National Merit Scholarship Application.
5. Become a Finalist: Semifinalists who meet all academic and application requirements are then named Finalists, usually announced in February of senior year.
6. Receive the Scholarship: Out of the 15,000 Finalists, around 7,500 students are awarded National Merit Scholarships, which can include the official National Merit Scholarship, corporate-sponsored scholarships, and college-sponsored scholarships. 

How much is the National Merit Scholarship?

There is a one-time award of $2,500 for students who receive the official National Merit Scholarship. NMSC’s own funds support the majority of these scholarships, but corporate sponsors help underwrite these awards with grants they provide to NMSC in lieu of paying administrative fees. Donations made to NMSC's President's Fund also provide funding for National Merit $2500 Scholarship awards.

Corporate-sponsored scholarships

Many corporate and college sponsors also provide additional awards for National Merit Finalists. Corporate-sponsored scholarships can vary from a few thousand dollars to full tuition support.

In 2024, about 130 corporations, company foundations, and businesses sponsored scholarships through the National Merit Program as part of their educational philanthropy. These sponsors committed nearly $13 million to support approximately 770 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards and 710 Special Scholarships for children of employees or for other accomplished students who meet the sponsor’s criteria. The number of National Merit Scholarships a company or business offers annually may range from one to more than 100. 

College-sponsored merit scholarships

Some universities also offer substantial financial aid packages to National Merit Finalists or Semifinalists, making this recognition valuable beyond the official National Merit Scholarship award. College-sponsored scholarships can range from $500 to full tuition, depending on the school sponsoring them.

In the 2026 competition, about 3,600 National Merit Scholarships are expected to be offered to Finalists who plan to attend a sponsored college or university. (See the list of about 150 colleges that currently are Merit Scholarship sponsors, here.) A college-sponsored scholarship is renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study at the sponsor institution. It cannot be transferred; therefore, it is canceled if a winner does not attend the college financing the award.

Officials of each sponsor institution choose award recipients from among Finalists who have been accepted for admission and have informed NMSC that the sponsor college or university is their first choice.

What is a National Merit Scholarship Commended Student?

A Commended Student is a student who scores high on the PSAT/NMSQT but does not reach the Semifinalist level in their state. Each year, around 34,000 students are recognized as Commended Students. Although Commended Students do not compete for the official National Merit Scholarship, this recognition is still a notable academic achievement.

Commended Students may also be eligible for other scholarships or honors and often include this designation in their college applications to demonstrate their academic success. 

Additional scholarships offered to National Merit finalists

The scholarships offered via the National Merit Program are not the only scholarships available to students. Many colleges offer larger scholarships to National Merit Finalists. Schools tend to compete to see how many of the National Merit Finalists they can attract, and some will even offer full-ride scholarships or guaranteed admission to National Merit students.

Here is a short list of schools offering full-ride scholarships to National Merit students:

• University of Texas at Dallas — in addition to free tuition, UT Dallas also gives National Merit students room and board, a $4,000 per semester stipend, and a one-time $6,000 stipend for international study
• Florida International University — their international business program is ranked #2 in the nation
• University of Alabama — full tuition for five years for undergraduate and graduate studies, four years of on-campus housing, a $3,500 annual stipend for four years, $2,000 for summer research or international study, and $2000 book scholarship
• University of Oklahoma — full tuition for five years (undergraduate and graduate), $5,500 freshman housing scholarship, $5,500 annually for fees, books, room and board, $5,000 cash stipend, $1,000 technology and textbook stipend, $1,000 research and study abroad stipend
• Fordham University
• University of Maine
• Oklahoma State University — free tuition for five years, a $5,500-per-year scholarship for room and board, and $19,000 in additional scholarships
• University of South Florida
• Washington State University
• University of New Mexico 

Next steps? Start studying for the PSAT

As you can see, with all this at stake, it makes sense for you to put a great amount of focus on studying and preparing for the PSAT. You don’t necessarily have to have a perfect score. You must score as well or better than the state index. By outscoring others in your state, you can become a semi-finalist. Your goal is to beat the state index, which isn’t as difficult as you might think since most students don’t study or prepare for the test.

As you prepare for the PSAT, finding colleges that align with your goals can boost your motivation. With a free Appily account, you'll access information about colleges and universities, including tuition costs, scholarship opportunities, application deadlines, and acceptance rates. 

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