Top Merit-Based Scholarships in the US After High School (for US Students)

Every year, thousands of US high school seniors leave free money on the table.

Not because they’re unqualified, but because they either don’t know the scholarships exist or assume “those big awards are only for perfect-genius-robot students.”

Reality check: yes, top national merit scholarships are competitive, but they’re also very structured and predictable once you understand:

• Who they’re looking for (grades, leadership, service, financial need, etc.)

• When the applications open and close

• Where the official application lives

Below are some of the top merit based scholarships for US high school seniors.

1. National Merit Scholarship Program

If you’ve ever heard people talk about “National Merit” based on the PSAT, this is it.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is a competition that starts with the PSAT/NMSQT taken in 11th grade. About 1.3 million juniors enter each year; roughly 50,000 high scorers are recognized, around 16,000 become Semifinalists, and approximately 7,000 ultimately receive scholarships totaling about $26 million.

Key points:

• Who it’s for: US high school juniors (when they take the PSAT) who later become seniors; US citizens or certain lawful residents meeting NMSC criteria.

• Selection path:PSAT/NMSQT score → Commended / Semifinalist → Finalist → Scholarship winner.

• Awards:

  • National Merit $2,500 scholarships

  • Corporate-sponsored scholarships

  • College-sponsored scholarships (many colleges add generous institutional money for Finalists).

  
  

Reference URL (National Merit):https://www.nationalmerit.org/

2. Coca-Cola Scholars Program

The Coca-Cola Scholars Program is one of the most famous corporate merit scholarships in the US.

It awards 150 high school seniors each year with $20,000 scholarships based on leadership, service, and impact, not just GPA.

Key details:

• Who it’s for:

  • High school seniors in the US

  • Minimum 3.0 unweighted GPA

  • Planning to attend an accredited US postsecondary institution

• Timeline (recent cycles):

  • Application opens August 1

  • Closes September 30 (5 pm Eastern) for the class graduating the following spring

Reference URL (Coca-Cola Scholars - application page): https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/apply/

3. Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship Program

The Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship Program is a highly generous merit + need scholarship for US high school seniors aiming for top four-year colleges.

It can provide up to $55,000 per year, plus advising, cohort programming, and potential graduate support.

Key details:

• Who it’s for:

  • High-achieving high school seniors in the US

  • Strong academics (usually near the top of the class)

  • Significant financial need (family income thresholds are published each cycle)

• What it covers:

  • Up to $55,000 per year toward tuition, fees, living expenses

  • Intensive advising and enrichment opportunities

• Timeline (recent cycle):

  • Application window listed as August 20, 2025 - November 12, 2025 for the 2026 college entry cohort.

Reference URL (Cooke College Scholarship - program page): https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/college-scholarship-program/

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4. The Gates Scholarship (TGS)

The Gates Scholarship is a last-dollar, full funding style award for 300 outstanding low-income minority students in each class.

Key details:

• Who it’s for:

  • US high school seniors

  • Pell-eligible and from specific minority groups (African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian & Pacific Islander American, and/or Hispanic American)

  • US citizens, nationals, or permanent residents

  • Typically top 10% of their class with at least 3.3 GPA (as specified in current cycle documents).

• What it covers:

  • “Last-dollar” support: after other aid, TGS covers remaining tuition, fees, room, board, books, and other costs so students can graduate with little to no debt.

• Timeline (2025-26 cycle example):

  • Application available July 15, 2025

  • Deadline September 15, 2025

  • Semifinalist phase: December-January

  • Finalist interviews: March

  • Selection: April; awards paid out July-September 2026

Reference URL (The Gates Scholarship - scholarship page): https://www.thegatesscholarship.org/scholarship

5. Cameron Impact Scholarship

The Cameron Impact Scholarship (Bryan Cameron Education Foundation) is a four-year, full-tuition merit scholarship for students committed to making a real-world impact.

Key details:

• Who it’s for:

  • US citizens in their senior year of high school

  • Planning full-time undergraduate study at an accredited US four-year college

  • Minimum 3.7 unweighted GPA

  • Strong record of leadership, extracurriculars, and community service

• Awards:

  • 10-15 scholars per year

  • Full tuition and “qualified educational expenses” at any accredited US institution

Reference URL (Cameron Impact Scholarship - official scholarship page): https://www.bryancameroneducationfoundation.org/scholarship

6. Equitable Excellence Scholarship®

The Equitable Excellence Scholarship® is a large corporate scholarship focusing on students who are a “force for good” in their communities and who have financial need.

Key details:

• Who it’s for:

  • Current high school seniors in the 50 US states, DC, or Puerto Rico

  • Planning full-time study at a two- or four-year US college

  • Demonstrated financial need, resilience, and community impact

• Awards:

  • 100 scholarships of $5,000 per year, renewable for four years

  • Total up to $20,000 per recipient

  • Plus workshops and support around financial wellness, mental wellness, and professional skills

• Timeline example:

  • For high school seniors planning to enroll by Fall 2026, an application deadline of December 18, 2025 (3:00 pm CT) is listed in the current scholarship cycle details.

Reference URL (Equitable Excellence - official scholarship page): https://equitable.com/foundation/equitable-excellence-scholarship

7. Elks National Foundation - Most Valuable Student (MVS) Scholarship

The Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Student (MVS) Scholarship is a long-running national program. It’s technically merit + need, but with a very strong merit component (grades, leadership, service).

Key details:

• Who it’s for:

  • US citizens who are current high school seniors

  • Planning to pursue a four-year degree at a US college or university

  • Applicants do not need to be related to an Elk member

• Awards:

  • 500 four-year scholarships

  • Awards typically range from $1,000 to $7,500 per year (top national winners can receive larger totals)

• Timeline (2026 contest example):

  • Applications available August 1, 2025

  • Deadline November 12, 2025 at 11:59 pm Pacific

Reference URL (Elks MVS - official ENF page): https://www.elks.org/scholars/scholarships/mvs.cfm

8. BURGER KING℠ Scholars Program

The BURGER KING℠ Scholars Program is another big corporate scholarship with a broad applicant base and a mix of pure student awards and awards reserved for Burger King employees/their families.

Key details:

• Who it’s for:

  • Graduating high school seniors in the US, Puerto Rico, and Guam

  • Burger King employees and their spouses/partners/children

  • Minimum 2.0 GPA (for many tracks) and plans to enroll in college or vocational/technical school

• Awards:

  • Scholarships typically range from $1,000 up to $60,000 depending on the specific award tier

  • Since 2000, the program has awarded nearly $60 million to tens of thousands of students.

• Timeline (2026-27 cycle example):

  • Application period opens October 15, 2025

  • Closes either when 30,000 applications are received or on December 15, 2025, whichever comes first

Reference URL (BURGER KING℠ Scholars - Burger King Foundation page): https://www.burgerkingfoundation.org/programs/burger-king-sm-scholars

For the actual application portal, the Foundation directs students here: https://bk-scholars.com/

9. The Coolidge Scholarship (Full Ride, Any College)

Type: Full-ride, pure merit

Award: Tuition, room, board, and expenses at any accredited U.S. college

Who: U.S. high school juniors

The Coolidge Scholarship is one of the few truly full-ride, need-blind merit scholarships that you can use at any U.S. college or university. coolidgefoundation.org

Core facts:

• Covers tuition, room, board, and expenses for four years.

• Open to current high school juniors who will attend college full-time immediately after high school.

• You must be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident by the application deadline.

• Academic excellence is the primary criterion, with secondary emphasis on public policy interest, Coolidge’s values, humility, and service. 

Only a handful of students nationwide are selected each year, so it’s ultra-competitive. A larger group of top applicants become Coolidge Senators, who get an expenses-paid summit in D.C. and a smaller scholarship.

If you’re a high-achieving junior, this is one of the rare “swing for the fences” opportunities you should absolutely consider.

10. Stamps Scholars Program (Full Cost-of-Attendance via Partner Universities)

Type: Campus-based full-ride / full-COA merit

Award: Often full cost-of-attendance + enrichment funds

Who: Top applicants at specific partner universities

The Stamps Scholars Program is not one single national application. Instead, it’s a network of partner universities that offer extremely generous merit packages funded jointly with the Stamps family. Stamps Scholars

Across partner schools:

• Awards can cover full tuition or full cost-of-attendance, sometimes plus $10,000+ in enrichment funding for study abroad, research, leadership training, etc.

• Scholars are selected for leadership, service, innovation, and academic excellence. 

You don’t apply to “Stamps” centrally. Instead, you apply to a partner college (like Georgia Tech, University of Miami, Elizabethtown College, and many others), and their admissions/scholarship committee nominates and selects Stamps Scholars.

11. Don’t Forget State Merit Scholarships

Alongside these national programs, many US states run their own merit or merit-ish scholarships, often tied to your in-state public universities. Examples include:

• Georgia HOPE & Zell Miller Scholarships - based on HOPE GPA, rigor courses, and (for Zell) higher GPA + test scores.Reference: https://www.gafutures.org/hope-state-aid-programs/hope-zell-miller-scholarships/

• Florida Bright Futures (FAS & FMS) - GPA + coursework + service/work hours at Florida colleges.Reference: https://floridabrightfutures.gov/

• Tennessee HOPE Lottery Scholarship - GPA and/or ACT/SAT thresholds for Tennessee residents at in-state institutions.Reference: https://www.collegefortn.org/tennessee-hope-scholarship-3/

Each state sets its own GPAs, test score thresholds, and award amounts, so students should check their state higher education agency or official scholarship portal.

Read detailed information on the different State Merit scholarships here.

12. How to Build Your Game Plan for Top merit based scholarships

All this information is great, but what do you actually do with it?

Here’s a simple way to think about it:

Step 1: Lock in the “structured” merit opportunities

• Junior year:

  • Take the PSAT/NMSQT seriously (National Merit).

  • If you’re a high-achieving junior, consider Coolidge.

• Senior year:

  • Apply for big national merit awards like Coca-Cola, Cameron Impact, Elks MVS (and mission-based ones like Ron Brown, if you’re eligible).

Step 2: Max out your state-level merit

• Go to your state’s official higher-ed or financial aid website and search for “merit scholarship,” “state scholarship,” or “academic scholarship” (e.g., HOPE/Zell Miller in Georgia).

• Check GPA requirements, testing requirements (if any), and deadlines.

Step 3: Target university merit where you’re actually applying

For each college on your list:

1. Visit the scholarship/financial aid section and look specifically for:

   • “Automatic freshman merit scholarships”

   • “Presidential scholarship”

   • “Academic Excellence Scholarship”

2. Note:

   • GPA / test score cutoffs

   • Application deadlines (often earlier than regular admission)

   • Whether there is a separate scholarship application

Schools like Alabama, Kentucky, ASU, UT Dallas and many others publish concrete numbers for 2025-26 and 2026-27 that can help you set realistic targets.

Read detailed information on the different University merit scholarships available to high school students.

Step 4: Match your profile to realistic “stretch” and “likely” scholarships

• If you’re in the very top academic/leadership tier nationally, aim for:

  • Coolidge, Cameron Impact, Coca-Cola, some Stamps campuses

• If you’re strong but not quite “national superstar”:

  • Serious shot at National Merit, Elks MVS, state merit programs, and big university merit money

• If your GPA is solid but not sky-high:

  • Focus on automatic university merit, state programs, and local/regional scholarships where your numbers are very competitive.