National Merit Scholarship Program

The National Merit Scholarship Program is a long-running national academic competition entered automatically by taking the PSAT/NMSQT in 11th grade; top scorers progress from Commended Student to Semifinalist to Finalist. About 50,000 of 1.2 million entrants are recognized annually: roughly 34,000 Commended Students, 16,000 Semifinalists, and 15,000 Finalists, from whom about 6,700 Merit Scholarship winners (split across National Merit $2,500 Scholarships, corporate-sponsored, and college-sponsored awards) are chosen, plus roughly 620 separate corporate-funded Special Scholarships for non-Finalist Commended Students. There is no essay component and the program is free to enter.

Eligibility

DemographicsMust take the PSAT/NMSQT at a participating U.S. high school in 11th grade and meet NMSC's citizenship/residency requirements. Homeschooled students may take the test but only at a traditional high school administering it.

Applying

$2,500 one-time award for National Merit Scholars specifically. NMSC's own published figures currently cite about 6,700 total Merit Scholarship winners per year across all three sponsor types (National Merit $2,500, corporate-sponsored, college-sponsored combined) plus roughly 620 separate corporate-funded Special Scholarships; sponsor-specific amounts for corporate- and college-sponsored awards are set individually and not published centrally.