Merit Scholarships for SAT and ACT Scores
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Merit Scholarships for SAT and ACT Scores

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Aishwarya
Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert
Updated on Dec 17, 2023 19:33 IST

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.

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.

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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

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:

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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 

  • 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

Also read:

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:

Scholarship

Total SAT Score Required

Composite ACT Score Required

Amount granted

MSLP Governor’s Best and Brightest Scholarship

1440

20

N/A

Pacific Gas and Electric Company Asian ERG Scholarship

1500

25

$2,000

Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship

1000

21

$30,000

Deana’s Wish Memorial Scholarship

1100

24

$2,000

Lloyd M. Fujie Scholarship for Accounting Major Students

1500

21

$2,500

Matt Logies Memorial Scholarship

1500

24

$5,000

Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program

1070

23

$4,000

CIA Undergraduate Scholarship Program

1000

21

$18,000

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.

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Q:   Who all are eligible to take the SAT test?

A:

There is no age limit set by the College Board. But the rules are different for:

  • If a candidate is 13 or old then he/she can create a free account on College Board and register online
  • Candidates who are 12 years or younger can register only through mail or phone. Such candidates need not pay the phone registration fee
  • Candidates studying in the eighth grade or lower need not include a photo during registration. However, they need a valid photo ID at the exam center
  • There may be students who may want to go for PSAT and be eliible for giving the SAT exam. 

Q:   Can I go to a college after giving the SAT without passing 12th?

A:
Hi, The conducting body of SAT the College Board has not set up any SAT eligibility for candidates wanting to appear for the exam. Originally referred to as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, then the Scholastic Assessment Test and now commonly called the SAT exam is conducted for undergraduate admission to colleges/universities abroad. The College Board which is the official SAT conducting agency have not laid down any specific eligibility criteria for SAT exam for students appearing for one of the most recognised entrance exams for undergraduate studies abroad. Students who are planning to travel overseas to take admission to undergraduate studies are required to successfully qualify for the SAT exam. The College Board has not set up any SAT eligibility criteria as far as the age limit is concerned. There is no minimum or maximum age limit set by the conducting body for aspirants wanting to register for SAT exam. However, students are required to have successfully passed their high school to seek admission for undergraduate studies. Students belonging to the age group of 17-19 years have recorded the highest turnout for the SAT exams. Countries that majorly accept SAT scores and results are the United States of America (USA), Canada, the United Kingdom (UK), Singapore, the Netherlands, Australia, and New Zealand among others.

Q:   How to choose apt ACT exam centre?

A:

The only way to choose an apt exam centre is to first visit ACT’s official website and find the ACT exam centre options. Then check for the nearest ACT exam centre's location. Then, know about the scheduled test dates for each exam centre before choosing one particular option. Applicants can also check out the list of ACT exam centres mentioned in the above article for reference.

Q:   Can I appear for SAT exam after completing class 12th?

A:

Yes, you can sit for the SAT after 12th. Don’t worry about a year getting wasted or so, you can shortlist the universities beforehand and save time of additional research. There are no specific age criteria laid down by The College Board for appearing for your SAT exam. However, since SAT is for admission to undergraduate programs candidates are advised to appear for their SAT while in they are either in the last months of their study in class XI and XII or after they pass out from the school. Usually students appear for SAT when they have made a decision to apply for foreign universities for undegrad course. Thus, yes, a student can sit for the SAT exam after class XII.

Q:   When should I appear for SAT exam?

A:

Usually, students take the SAT once they have decided to apply for undergrad abroad. Candidates should plan the test in such a way that they have the SAT scores with them at the time of applying to the colleges. The ideal time to apply for SAT should be after passing out from school after taking a month or two for preparation. The SAT results are released in a matter of few days, this has been possible with Digital SAT in India. Thus, after having your SAT scores you can begin applying to universities abroad. 

Thus, applicants must decide on the SAT dates prior so that they do not have to rush at the last hour for preparation and registration. The SAT dates must also be dediced beforehand so that the applicants don't miss out on university deadlines for SAT score submissions. In case of delays applicants may be penalised and may not be considered for admission also where SAT scores are an important part of the admission process. 

Q:   If there is no SAT eligibility, can I apply multiple times?

A:

Applicants are eligible to apply for SAT exam multiple times irrespective of their current standing - in school or a pass out from school or even those in college. Students who wish to appear for SAT another time or multiple times can do so, there is no bar. Students must have a valid reason to appear multiple times for the SAT, because one its costs are high and second, if students fail to elaborate, they may be barred from giving the exam. 

Q:   What is included in the ACT?

A:

The ACT test includes Reading, English, Math, and Science apart from the optional Writing section. Each section includes a different set of questions, you can check the above article and read in detail about the ACT syllabus. There is a total of 215 multiple-choice questions on the ACT. Each section has multiple topics which are tested and each topic in turn has a certain weightage attached to it as in the number of questions that would be tested. 

Q:   What is the eligibility criteria to give SAT exam?

A:

As such there are no eligibility criteria laid down by The College Board for taking the SAT exam. However, since SAT is for admission to undergraduate programs candidates are advised to appear for their SAT while in standard 11th or 12th. This way they would be eligible to send their SAT scores to the univeristies abroad where they wish to seek admission. SAT eligibility does not change frequently over night. 

Indian students residing in India are eligible to appear for SAT in India. The students are eligible to choose any the nearest or convenient SAT test centre in the state of residence and city too. In case the city of residence does not have a SAT test centre, Indian students are eligible to choose the next best option to appear for the SAT exam. 

Thus, those preparing to go for education abroad especially for their bachelor's and submitting standardised test scores is an integral part of the admission process, then applicants will have to sit for the SAT exam and submit its scores well within time to not miss out any deadlines and also that their applications are scrutinised. 

About the Author
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Written by
Aishwarya Bhatnagar
Study Abroad Expert

Aishwarya is a professional Writer currently working as a Study Abroad Expert in the Editorial Team at Shiksha. She has over 5 years of experience and is skilled at creating Online Content with leveraged knowledge i... Read Full Bio

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Comments

(2)

g

g

2 years ago

can you please help me for checking how many scholarships i can get bc I have decide if it suits to the budget i have for abroad collage

Reply to g

P

Piyush Kohli

2 years ago

Hi Aryan, please use the below URL and check what all scholarships are available for studying abroad: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/scholarships Use filters to enhance your research!

M

Mustafa murtaza

2 years ago

Are these scholarships on the total tuition or on per year tuition

Reply to Mustafa murtaza

P

Piyush Kohli

2 years ago

Hi Mustafa, there is a different criteria for every scholarship. You can need to check with the authority/university how it is applicable.