Fall 2023 Automatic First-year Student Merit Awards
Start by applying for admission, and you will be considered for our special awards!
For qualified students, the Generations Award requires an application. Students who receive a full tuition scholarship are not eligible for these merit awards from the Office of Admissions.
We have an exceptional adventure in store for high-achieving and highly motivated students like you! Explore your scholarship opportunities now.
Select your state below to review all of the awards available to you through the Office of Admissions.
Iowa Resident National Merit Full Tuition Scholarship
Iowa residents who are named National Merit Scholars by the National Merit Scholarship
Corporation will qualify for a full tuition scholarship available for four years (eight semesters)
of undergraduate coursework at Iowa State University. To renew this award, the student must remain
continuously enrolled at Iowa State University on a full-time basis as an Iowa resident
in good academic standing and maintain a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade point average.
This award is available during fall and spring semesters only, not during the summer session.
Students who receive the full tuition scholarship are not eligible for other merit awards from the Office of
Admissions including the Loyal Scholar and Forever Scholar for Iowa students.
Requirements
- Complete the Preliminary SAT®/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
- Apply and be offered admission to Iowa State University as an incoming first-year student.
- Notify the National Merit Scholarship Corporation that Iowa State University is your "first choice college."
- Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- Be named a National Merit Finalist and Scholar.
Awards for Iowa Students
NOTE: The minimum cumulative GPA must be met to earn each award. Students will be
expected to meet the minimum GPA paired with the minimum core course count or ACT or SAT score for the
Loyal Scholar and the Forever Scholar.
CORE COURSE COUNT: Count of core courses is the sum of the number of courses completed
in high school that are in the core subject areas and are expressed in terms of years or fractions of
years of study. Core subject areas include English, math, science, social studies, world language, and
computer science.
View a list of the approved core courses
for your high school.
Important Scholarship Information
Iowa State offers recognition awards to Iowa students who fulfill specific academic
requirements. The awards are automatically awarded to Iowa students who have been offered
admission to Iowa State.
- Grade Point Average (GPA): Minimum cumulative high school GPA (4-point scale). We
accept weighted GPA, provided the school’s weighted grading system does not award more than one additional
quality point to the grade earned in weighted courses.
- Test score: Minimum ACT composite or minimum SAT Total (Reading and Writing+Math) is used.
We accept a student’s best score, including ACT provided superscore.
- Deadline: Students must be admitted by June 1, 2023, as a first-year student entering directly
from high school. Awards may be made after May 1 contingent upon the availability of funds. These awards
are specifically available to students enrolling for the Fall of 2023. Scholarships are reviewed annually
and are subject to change for future enrolling classes.
- Final Transcript and Test Score: Awards are offered based on preliminary or
self-reported academic information, but all awards are contingent upon receipt of the official, final
high school transcript and test score verifying the requirements have been met. The award will be withdrawn if all requirements have not been fulfilled. Students will not receive more than one award. Students will be offered the highest award value they qualify to receive and awards can be updated during the year if their GPA or test score improves.
- First-year Student Status: A student must enroll at Iowa State University for the fall semester
immediately following high school graduation to qualify for a first-year student award; a student who has attempted
college coursework following high school graduation (with the exception of the summer term) is not
eligible for first-year student awards. A student must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, refugee, or asylee to
qualify.
- Eligibility for other awards: These awards are not tuition specific. They can be used
toward a student’s total University bill and be combined with scholarships offered by an undergraduate
college, department, or the Office of Student Financial Aid. Students who receive a full tuition
scholarship like the National Merit Tuition Scholarship, George Washington Carver Tuition Scholarship,
Multicultural Vision Program Tuition Scholarship, or Science Bound Tuition Scholarship are not eligible
for other merit awards from the Office of Admissions including the Automatic First-year Student Merit Awards.
Renewal Requirements:
To renew these awards the student must remain continuously enrolled at Iowa State University on a
full-time basis in good academic standing with a minimum of 12 credits per semester, be assessed
resident
tuition and maintain a minimum 2.50 cumulative grade point average. These awards are available during fall
and spring semesters only, not during the summer term. The value of the award(s) is fixed and will not
change for the student in future terms.
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