Merit scholarships, which are awarded for academic achievement or other outstanding accomplishments, can significantly reduce college costs. While many external scholarships require essays or supporting materials, some university scholarships are awarded automatically or considered through the admission application.

Here is a list of colleges offering automatic or admission-based merit scholarships tied to GPA, standardized test scores, or other academic credentials. Most do not require a separate scholarship application. Competitive awards and other exceptions are identified in the table. Scholarship amounts, criteria, and deadlines can change by entry term, so applicants should confirm the details on the linked official pages before applying.

Automatic Scholarships for Undergraduate Students 

SCHOLARSHIPINSTITUTIONFINANCIAL PACKAGEMINIMUM ACADEMIC CRITERIA
Academic ScholarshipsRollins CollegeBetween $15,000 and $33,000 per year for automatic academic awards; the competitive Alfond Scholars Program provides a full scholarshipCriteria vary by award. The lowest listed test-score tier considers applicants with a GPA above 2.8 and either an SAT score above 1150 or an ACT score above 23
Freshman Automatic ScholarshipsMaryville UniversityBetween $9,000 and $14,000 per year, depending on GPA or SAT/ACT scoreGPA: 2.5 or higher
OR ACT: 22 or higher
OR SAT: 1110 or higher
Incoming Freshman Academic ScholarshipsLamar UniversityBetween $8,000 and $40,000 total over four years, depending on GPA, class rank, or SAT/ACT scoreLowest tier: GPA of 3.50–3.64 and top 50% class rank
OR SAT: 1010–1070
OR ACT: 19–21
Founders Scholarship (Competitive)Waynesburg UniversityFull tuition and fees for residential studentsGPA: 3.5 or higher
AND SAT: 1200 or higher
OR ACT: 26 or higher
Test-optional Fall 2026 applicants: GPA of 3.75 or higher
Freshman ScholarshipsWebster UniversityBetween $12,000 and $20,000 per yearGPA: 2.5 or higher. Webster is test-optional, although qualifying test scores may increase scholarship eligibility
International Student ScholarshipsGrand Canyon UniversityBetween $2,000 and $6,000 per year under the currently published 2025–26 scholarship schedule; applicants should verify current-cycle amounts with GCUGPA: 3.0 or higher
OR ACT: 19 or higher
OR SAT: 1000 or higher
A minimum 2.5 unweighted GPA is required when qualifying through a test score
Academic AwardsHope CollegeBetween $8,000 and $22,000 per yearLowest tier with test scores: GPA of 3.2 or higher and ACT of 22, SAT of 1100, or CLT of 72
Test-optional minimum for the Anchor Award: GPA of 3.4
International ScholarshipsUniversity of South FloridaApproximately $20,000–$44,000 total over four years through out-of-state tuition waiversNo fixed GPA or test-score minimum is published. Awards are limited and competitive and are based on the academic records used for admission
Academic ScholarshipsTexas Christian UniversityBetween $12,000 and $32,000 per year for automatic academic awards; the competitive Chancellor’s Scholarship covers full tuitionNo guaranteed minimum is published. The middle 50% of 2026 scholarship recipients had GPAs of 3.8–3.98; score submitters had ACT scores of 30–33 or SAT scores of 1400–1480
Academic ScholarshipsCalvin UniversityBetween $10,000 and $22,000 per yearPublished reference profile for the lowest tier: weighted GPA of 3.1, SAT of 1000, ACT of 20, or CLT of 65. Test-optional applicants are evaluated using GPA
Freshman Assured ScholarshipsTexas State UniversityBetween $16,000 and $48,000 total over four years for assured scholarshipsCriteria vary by tier. The lowest score-based assured tier requires an SAT score of 1060–1150 or an ACT score of 21–23 and a top-25% class rank. Test-optional applicants in the top 35% may be reviewed for a separate merit scholarship
International Freshman Automatic Merit ScholarshipsUniversity of AlabamaBetween $6,000 and $28,000 per year; students with a 4.0 GPA and a 36 ACT or 1600 SAT may receive the Presidential Elite package, including tuition and additional benefitsGPA: 3.5 or higher
AND ACT: 25 or higher
OR SAT: 1200 or higher
Northwest Academic Merit ScholarshipsNorthwest Missouri State UniversityBetween $1,000 and $6,000 per year, based on the combination of GPA and SAT/ACT scoreLowest published tier: GPA of 2.75–2.99 with an SAT score below 980 or no SAT score, or an ACT score below 19 or no ACT score
Freshman Academic Excellence ScholarshipUniversity of Southern MississippiBetween $1,500 per year and full tuition, depending on GPA and SAT/ACT scoreGPA of 3.0–3.24 and ACT of 23 or SAT of 1130
OR GPA of 3.25 or higher and ACT of 20 or SAT of 1030
Merit ScholarshipsUniversity of Mary WashingtonBetween $1,000 and $9,000 per year, plus a $4,000 Global Scholar Award for students enrolled with F-1 visa statusLowest test-based tier: GPA below 3.0 and SAT below 1000 or ACT below 20. Test-optional awards are based on GPA and curriculum strength

FAQs: Automatic Merit Scholarships

What Are Automatic Merit Scholarships?

Automatic merit scholarships are awards based on a student’s academic achievement or other accomplishments that generally do not require a separate scholarship application. When a student applies for admission, the institution may evaluate criteria such as GPA, curriculum rigor, class rank, and, when submitted, SAT, ACT, or CLT scores. Eligible students are usually notified in or shortly after their admission offer.

How Are Merit Scholarships Different From Need-Based Scholarships?

Merit scholarships are awarded based on accomplishments such as academic performance, athletic talent, artistic ability, or leadership, regardless of demonstrated financial need. In contrast, need-based aid considers a student’s or family’s financial circumstances and is intended to help cover costs that they may otherwise be unable to afford.

Do I Need to Apply Separately for These Merit Scholarships?

Most automatic merit scholarships do not require a separate scholarship application because the college evaluates students through their admission applications. However, competitive scholarships may require an additional application, an Honors College application, an interview, a portfolio, or other supporting materials. Applicants should review each university’s current scholarship instructions carefully.

I hope that this article on the automatic scholarships for undergraduate students was helpful! If you are interested, check out the available programs for international students!

Automatic scholarships (US) USA

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hi! I am Hyun, and I am the founder at Global Scholarships. I've received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College and a $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for my undergraduate degree and was offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. You can read more about my scholarship journey here. If you are interested, you can follow me on Linkedin where I regularly write about scholarships.

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