Guaranteed Merit Scholarships by GPA
Pick the GPA and see the guaranteed money it actually reaches: for each band, the colleges whose published guaranteed awards that GPA qualifies for, ranked by their top award. Guaranteed only — consideration money is never mixed in.
Guaranteed merit at a 3.0 GPA
A 3.0 GPA on the 4.0 scale reaches a published guaranteed award at 56 colleges in our dataset. The largest is Agnes Scott College — Agnes Scott $100K+ Promise, $28,000 per year ($112,000 over four years). The ten largest at this GPA:
| College — top award | Min GPA | Min SAT | Min ACT | $/year | 4-yr total | Residency | Deadline | Separate app? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agnes Scott College Decatur, GA Agnes Scott $100K+ Promise Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.0 | — | — | $28,000 | $112,000 | both | January 15 (Early Action II / Scholarship Priority Deadline) | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
| Principia College Elsah, IL Dean Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.0 | — | — | $28,000 | $112,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Linfield University McMinnville, OR Linfield Recognition Award Guaranteed — published by the college | 2.9 | — | — | $26,000 | $104,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, NE Black & Gold Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.0 | — | — | $24,000 | $96,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Carroll University Waukesha, WI Presidential Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 2.8 | — | — | $22,000 | $88,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| University of Lynchburg Lynchburg, VA Trustee Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.0 | — | — | $21,000 | $84,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Texas Lutheran University Seguin, TX Heritage Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 2.8 | — | — | $20,000 | $80,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Anderson University Anderson, SC Provost's Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.0 | 1100 | 22 | $15,000 | $60,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Hardin-Simmons University Abilene, TX Opportunity Grant Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.0 | — | — | $14,000 | $56,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| California Baptist University Riverside, CA Directors Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 2.95 | — | — | $14,000 | $56,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
The full 3.0 GPA page — guaranteed awards and automatic consideration, every college →
Guaranteed merit at a 3.25 GPA
A 3.25 GPA on the 4.0 scale reaches a published guaranteed award at 65 colleges in our dataset. The largest is Principia College — President Scholarship, $29,500 per year ($118,000 over four years). The ten largest at this GPA:
| College — top award | Min GPA | Min SAT | Min ACT | $/year | 4-yr total | Residency | Deadline | Separate app? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principia College Elsah, IL President Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.25 | — | — | $29,500 | $118,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Agnes Scott College Decatur, GA Agnes Scott $100K+ Promise Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.2 | — | — | $29,000 | $116,000 | both | January 15 (Early Action II / Scholarship Priority Deadline) | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
| Linfield University McMinnville, OR Linfield Recognition Award Guaranteed — published by the college | 2.9 | — | — | $26,000 | $104,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, NE Black & Gold Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.0 | — | — | $24,000 | $96,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Carroll University Waukesha, WI Presidential Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 2.8 | — | — | $22,000 | $88,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| University of Lynchburg Lynchburg, VA Trustee Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.0 | — | — | $21,000 | $84,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Texas Lutheran University Seguin, TX Heritage Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 2.8 | — | — | $20,000 | $80,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Hardin-Simmons University Abilene, TX University Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.2 | — | — | $16,000 | $64,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Anderson University Anderson, SC Provost's Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.0 | 1100 | 22 | $15,000 | $60,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Concordia College at Moorhead Moorhead, MN Excellence Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.01 | — | 22 | $14,500 | $58,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
The full 3.25 GPA page — guaranteed awards and automatic consideration, every college →
Guaranteed merit at a 3.5 GPA
A 3.5 GPA on the 4.0 scale reaches a published guaranteed award at 76 colleges in our dataset. The largest is Principia College — Trustee Scholarship, $33,000 per year ($132,000 over four years). The ten largest at this GPA:
| College — top award | Min GPA | Min SAT | Min ACT | $/year | 4-yr total | Residency | Deadline | Separate app? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principia College Elsah, IL Trustee Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.5 | — | — | $33,000 | $132,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Agnes Scott College Decatur, GA Agnes Scott $100K+ Promise Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.4 | — | — | $30,000 | $120,000 | both | January 15 (Early Action II / Scholarship Priority Deadline) | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
| Linfield University McMinnville, OR Francis R. Linfield Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.5 | — | — | $29,000 | $116,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL Presidential Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.5 | 1420 | 32 | $28,000 | $112,000 | out-of-state | December 4, 2026 (Summer/Fall 2027 admission and scholarship deadline) | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
| Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, NE Presidents Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.5 | — | — | $26,000 | $104,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Carroll University Waukesha, WI Voorhees Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.5 | — | — | $25,000 | $100,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Rockhurst University Kansas City, MO Deans Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.3 | — | — | $24,000 | $96,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| University of Lynchburg Lynchburg, VA Founder's Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.5 | — | — | $23,000 | $92,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Texas Lutheran University Seguin, TX Academic Excellence Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.3 | — | — | $22,000 | $88,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Hardin-Simmons University Abilene, TX Deans Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.5 | — | — | $18,000 | $72,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
The full 3.5 GPA page — guaranteed awards and automatic consideration, every college →
Guaranteed merit at a 3.75 GPA
A 3.75 GPA on the 4.0 scale reaches a published guaranteed award at 79 colleges in our dataset. The largest is Principia College — Chairman Scholarship, $34,800 per year ($139,200 over four years). The ten largest at this GPA:
| College — top award | Min GPA | Min SAT | Min ACT | $/year | 4-yr total | Residency | Deadline | Separate app? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Principia College Elsah, IL Chairman Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.75 | — | — | $34,800 | $139,200 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Agnes Scott College Decatur, GA Agnes Scott $100K+ Promise Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.6 | — | — | $31,000 | $124,000 | both | January 15 (Early Action II / Scholarship Priority Deadline) | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
| Linfield University McMinnville, OR Francis R. Linfield Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.5 | — | — | $29,000 | $116,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL Presidential Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.5 | 1420 | 32 | $28,000 | $112,000 | out-of-state | December 4, 2026 (Summer/Fall 2027 admission and scholarship deadline) | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
| Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, NE Board of Governors Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.75 | — | — | $28,000 | $112,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Rockhurst University Kansas City, MO Provost Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.75 | — | — | $26,000 | $104,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Carroll University Waukesha, WI Voorhees Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.5 | — | — | $25,000 | $100,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Texas Lutheran University Seguin, TX Distinction Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.7 | — | — | $24,000 | $96,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| University of Lynchburg Lynchburg, VA Founder's Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.5 | — | — | $23,000 | $92,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Mississippi State University Starkville, MS Nonresident Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.6 | 1390 | 31 | $21,000 | $84,000 | out-of-state | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
The full 3.75 GPA page — guaranteed awards and automatic consideration, every college →
Guaranteed merit at a 4.0 GPA
A 4.0 GPA on the 4.0 scale reaches a published guaranteed award at 82 colleges in our dataset. The largest is Grinnell College — Iowa Dean's Scholarship, $50,000 per year ($200,000 over four years). The ten largest at this GPA:
| College — top award | Min GPA | Min SAT | Min ACT | $/year | 4-yr total | Residency | Deadline | Separate app? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grinnell College Grinnell, IA Iowa Dean's Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 4.0 | — | — | $50,000 | $200,000 | in-state | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Principia College Elsah, IL Chairman Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.75 | — | — | $34,800 | $139,200 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Agnes Scott College Decatur, GA Agnes Scott $100K+ Promise Guaranteed — published by the college | 4.0 | — | — | $34,000 | $136,000 | both | January 15 (Early Action II / Scholarship Priority Deadline) | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
| Linfield University McMinnville, OR Francis R. Linfield Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.5 | — | — | $29,000 | $116,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL Presidential Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.5 | 1420 | 32 | $28,000 | $112,000 | out-of-state | December 4, 2026 (Summer/Fall 2027 admission and scholarship deadline) | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
| Nebraska Wesleyan University Lincoln, NE Board of Governors Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.75 | — | — | $28,000 | $112,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Rockhurst University Kansas City, MO Presidential Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 4.0 | — | — | $28,000 | $112,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Carroll University Waukesha, WI Trustee Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.9 | — | — | $27,000 | $108,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| University of Lynchburg Lynchburg, VA Hopwood Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 4.0 | — | — | $25,000 | $100,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 | |
| Calvin University Grand Rapids, MI Trustee's Scholarship Guaranteed — published by the college | 3.95 | 1400 | 31 | $20,000 | $100,000 | both | No | Official source Verified 2026-11-02 |
The full 4.0 GPA page — guaranteed awards and automatic consideration, every college →
Awards that carry an extra condition — a class rank, a named program, county residency, transfer status — are not counted in these tables even when their GPA threshold fits the band; they are listed separately in the guaranteed hub's "also published" section, with the condition stated.
Common questions
Why does this page show fewer colleges than the GPA band pages?
The band pages show every published award a GPA reaches — guaranteed awards and automatic-consideration awards in separate sections. This hub is the stricter cut: guaranteed money only, one top award per college.
My student's GPA is on the 100-point scale. Where are those awards?
Some colleges publish merit grids on a 100-point GPA scale. We record those grids exactly as published and never convert between scales — a converted GPA would be a number we invented. They are listed on the 100-point GPA scale page.
Does a higher GPA always unlock a bigger guaranteed award?
No. Each college sets its own grid: some pay their top tier at a 3.5, others reserve it for a 4.0, and some grids key on test scores with GPA as a floor. The tables above show each band's actual published maximums rather than a pattern assumed across colleges.
Rankings & hubs: Guaranteed merit scholarships · Largest guaranteed merit scholarships · Guaranteed merit by GPA · Out-of-state merit scholarships · Automatic consideration, explained · Merit aid data at a glance
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Put a number on your student's merit money
The calculator matches your student's GPA and scores to every published automatic award in our verified dataset — guaranteed money and consideration money kept separate, every figure sourced. The MeritChart System ($397) then turns the results into a working plan: a list builder, a test-score ROI tool, and a deadline & renewal tracker.