Merit Scholarships for SAT and ACT Scores

Working hard for the SAT and ACT can give you rewards beyond your imagination. From merit scholarships to guaranteed scholarships, if you score well, you can gain a lot of financial aid from it. To make the most out of your SAT and ACT scores, you should know about the guaranteed SAT scholarships or guaranteed ACT scholarships. Also, you should be aware of the merit scholarships for SAT and ACT scores.

In this post, we will inform you how you can earn scholarships based on your SAT scores and scholarships based on your ACT scores. Apart from this, we will also inform you about the scholarships which students can earn automatically while applying to universities based on their SAT and ACT scores or excellent GPA.

Certain schools offer SAT and ACT scholarships automatically. Some colleges offer automatic scholarships based on SAT/ACT Scores and other academic achievements like a good GPA and excellent academic record.

What are Merit Scholarships for ACT and SAT?

International students applying for admission abroad and having good or above-average SAT or ACT scores are eligible for merit-based scholarships. These scholarships are either offered by the government or are university or college-specific. Based on the score and competition, applicants are awarded merit-based scholarships. These scholarships can vary between 10% to 50% tuition fee waivers. Hence, applicants should check the availability of these scholarships while applying for admission to a certain university abroad. 

Usually, ACT and SAT merit-based scholarships are available in countries like the USA at large. There may be other countries like Canada and Italy or even UK which may offer these scholarships. Since USA is popular for its scholarships for these standardised tests, the article throws more light on the same. 

Check: SAT Scholarships for Indian Students

List of Colleges Offering Merit-Based SAT Scholarships

Universities that give scholarships based on SAT scores are available in abundance. Before taking the SAT, students take the PSAT exam in their high school or sophomore as a practice exam. The College Board organizes the PSAT exam. Many schools distribute the PSAT for their students, so you should check with your school if they are conducting the exam or not. Students with a good SAT score can get a $2500 scholarship. The universities that offer a scholarship based on SAT scores to international students are as follows:

• Baylor University
• Clemson University
• Colorado State University
• Florida A&M
• Florida Gulf Coast University
• Georgia State University
• Louisiana State University
• Texas Tech University
• University of Arizona
• University of Mississippi
• University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• University of Oregon
• University of Tennessee
• University of Texas, Arlington
• Utah State University

This list of universities that give scholarships based on SAT scores is not exhaustive. Hence, there are many other universities that give scholarships based on SAT scores

List of Universities Offering Merit Scholarships for Top ACT Scorers

Students who score an ACT score between 29-33 are awarded a merit scholarship in the following universities. Scholarships are based on the admission of the candidate and ACT scores. Following is a list of universities that give scholarships based on ACT scores:

• Clemson University
• Colorado State University
• Florida A&M
• Florida Gulf Coast University
• University of Arizona
• University of Nevada, LA
• University of Oregon
• University of Missouri

These universities that give scholarships based on ACT scores is again just for reference, there are many others which offer scholarships to international students based on ACT scores. 

Also read:

• SAT vs ACT: Which Test is Easier?
• Should I take the SAT or ACT or Both?

National Merit SAT & ACT Scholarships

Apart from the university-specific scholarships offered for high SAT and ACT scores, there are also National Merit Scholarships that are offered to students abroad. Few other merit-based scholarships for students based on SAT or ACT scores:

Apart from this, there are other scholarships as well for which candidates have to demonstrate academic excellence along with a great SAT or ACT score. 

• Elks National Foundation Scholarship Program: This scholarship awards up to $50,000 to 500 students every year.
• Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Scholarship: This scholarship grants $20,000 scholarships to 150 students every year.   

How to find SAT and ACT Scholarships?

There are various popular scholarship websites where you can find scholarships based on SAT or ACT scores. College Board's BigFuture Scholarship Search and scholarships.com are some of the popular sites where you can learn about the scholarships. However, always check the eligibility criteria for the scholarship you are applying.

How to apply for SAT and ACT Scholarships?

Apart from the above-mentioned platforms, you can also search on the internet simply for SAT or ACT scholarships. Once you find the scholarships check their eligibility requirements. After checking the eligibility requirements for the scholarships, you can apply for more than one scholarship.

What if you do not have a high enough SAT or ACT score to obtain a scholarship?

First of all, you should know what is a good SAT score or what is a good ACT score you are aiming to achieve. If you don’t have a good SAT or ACT scores then you always have the chance to improve your scores. The first step is to decide which exam you want to take and then start preparing for it. Candidates should know which exam to take SAT or ACT or both. Apart from this, they should be preparing for that exam. With the help of SAT Practice Tests: Tips and Resources they can prepare for the exam.

Thus, some universities automatically consider international students for SAT or ACT score-based scholarships, while other parameters like - GPA (use a GPA calculator to compute GPA), academic background, SOP, LOR and other essentially required application documents also help applicants in getting an SAT/ACT-based scholarship at different universities. 

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