National Merit Scholarship Winners 2024
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) is currently announcing National Merit Scholarship winners for the 2024 program.
This prestigious scholarship program recognizes and rewards exceptional academic promise, and winning a National Merit Scholarship is a major and highly respected achievement.
Who are the National Merit Scholarship Winners?
The NMSC does not release a single, complete list of all winners. Instead, announcements are made in stages throughout the spring and summer.
This is an outline of the announcement schedule:
- March 2024: Confidential notification to scholarship winners and their high schools.
- Mid-May 2024: Notification to finalists who did not win a National Merit Scholarship.
- Additional announcements throughout summer: A small number of additional scholarships may become available.
How to Find Out if You Won
Finalists who move on to become National Merit Scholars will be notified directly by the NMSC.
This notification will typically arrive through their high school counselor’s office.
Students can also check their online scholarship application status (OSA) dashboard for updates.
The OSA dashboard is accessible through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation’s website.
Types of National Merit Scholarships
There are three main categories of National Merit Scholarships:
- National Merit $2500 Scholarships: These scholarships are awarded directly by the NMSC, funded by NMSC itself and corporate sponsors.
- College-Sponsored Merit Scholarship Awards: Many colleges and universities partner with the NMSC to offer their own merit scholarships through the National Merit program. These scholarships are awarded based on a combination of NMSC test scores, high school records, and the student’s college application materials.
- Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarship Awards: Corporations can also sponsor scholarships through the National Merit program. These scholarships may have specific criteria or eligibility requirements set by the sponsoring corporation.
How to become a National Merit Scholar
About 16,000 high-performing students become Semifinalists each year.
To advance to Finalist standing, semifinalists must submit a detailed application that includes their academic record, a self-descriptive essay, and letters of recommendation from teachers and principals.
The NMSC thoroughly evaluates all Finalist applications and considers not only academic strength but also a student’s leadership potential, involvement in school and community activities, and demonstrated commitment to their chosen field of study.
Who Awards National Merit Scholarships?
National Merit Scholarships come from three sources:
- National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC): These scholarships are financed by NMSC itself and underwritten by corporate and foundation sponsors.
- Colleges and Universities: Many colleges and universities sponsor Merit Scholarship awards specifically for National Merit Finalists who choose to attend their institutions.
- Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarship® Programs: Corporations offer scholarships to Finalists who meet specific criteria, such as pursuing a particular field of study or demonstrating financial need.