National Merit Scholarship Program
The PSAT/NMSQT is the qualifying test for entry to the National Merit® Scholarship Program, an academic competition for recognition and scholarships. The PSAT 10 and PSAT 8/9 are not considered for entry.
For more information, visit the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) website, see the PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide, or see the Guide to the National Merit Scholarship Program (for educators). NMSC is a cosponsor of the PSAT/NMSQT.
Student Search Service
When you take the PSAT/NMSQT or the PSAT 10 and say "yes" to our free Student Search Service® or opt in online, you can help colleges and scholarship providers find you. We'll also connect you to our scholarship partners, who offer over $300 million annually in scholarships to qualified underserved students with financial need.
If you opt in to Student Search Service and you qualify, you'll be invited to apply for scholarships in the fall of your junior year.
Additional Scholarship Partners
American Indian Graduate Center
Offers merit- and need-based scholarships to qualified American Indian and Alaska Native students.
When to apply: March 1–June 1
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American Indian Science and Engineering Society
Offers awards to American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students in the STEM fields.
When to apply: December 15–March 31
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American Savings Foundation
The Robert T. Kenney Scholarship program awards scholarships primarily based on need to students within our 64 town service area who are attending community college, 4-year college or university, or an accredited technical/vocational program.
When to apply: Opens November 1, Due March 31
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APIA Scholars
Offers awards to qualified students of Asian and Pacific Islander heritage.
When to apply:
- APIA Scholarship: September 4–January 22
- AANAPISI Scholarship: September 4–November 6
Boettcher Foundation
Scholarships for Colorado high school seniors attending four-year institutions in Colorado.
When to apply: September 1–November 1
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Children of Fallen Patriots
This is a rolling application deadline open year-round. Families can enroll with Children of Fallen Patriots to get started.
When to apply: Anytime
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Cobell Scholarship (awarded by Indigenous Education, Inc.)
Offers merit- and need-based scholarships to qualified American Indian and Alaska Native students.
When to apply:
- Academic year opportunities: December 15–March 31
- Summer scholarships: February 14–May 4
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
Provides national, merit-based scholarships.
When to apply: August 1–October 31
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Daniels Fund
Offers need-based scholarships to residents of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.
When to apply: October 1–November 15
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The Ford Family Foundation
Offers scholarships to qualified residents of the state of Oregon, and of Siskiyou County, California, with demonstrated financial need.
When to apply: November 1–March 1
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The Gates Scholarship
Offers last-dollar scholarships for Pell-eligible, minority high school seniors.
When to apply: July 15–September 15
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George Snow Scholarship Fund
Offers need-based scholarships to residents of Palm Beach County, Florida.
When to apply: November 1–February 1
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Greenhouse Scholars
Provides scholarships for students with financial need who are residents of Colorado, Georgia, Illinois or North Carolina.
When to apply: August 15-December 2
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Hispanic Scholarship Fund
Offers merit- and need-based scholarships to qualified Hispanic American students.
When to apply: January 1–February 15
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Horatio Alger Association
Offers scholarships to students who have faced and overcome great obstacles in their young lives and have demonstrated financial need.
When to apply: August 1–October 25
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Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Offers scholarships to qualified students with demonstrated financial need.
When to apply: August 1–November 13
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The Jackie Robinson Foundation
Offers scholarships and leadership development to minority students.
When to apply: November 1–February 1
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Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation
Provides scholarships to children of veteran, active duty, and reserve Marines. Children of U.S. Navy corpsmen, Navy chaplains, and religious program specialists who have been attached to a Marine Corps unit are also eligible.
When to apply: January 1–March 3
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Ron Brown Scholar Program
Offered to African American high school seniors, this scholarship focuses on leadership and civic engagement.
When to apply:
- Early timeline: August 1–November 1
- Regular timeline: August 1–January 9
Sachs Foundation
Provides scholarships to Black and African American high school seniors residing in Colorado.
When to apply: January 1–March 15
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Society of Women Engineers
Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Scholarships support college and university students who identify as a female/woman and are pursuing an ABET-accredited bachelor or graduate student program in preparation for careers in engineering, engineering technology and computer science globally.
When to apply:
- Upperclass (Sophomore–Graduate students): December 1–February 15
- Incoming Freshmen: March 1–May 1
Southern Scholars Initiative
Offers merit- and need-based scholarships to African American students who are residents of low-income rural communities in the South.
When to apply: February 2–May 12
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Sunrise Scholars Foundation
The Sunrise Scholars scholarship program is open to high-achieving Florida juniors who come from low-income and underrepresented backgrounds.
When to apply: November 1–March 1
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TheDream.US
Provides scholarships for DREAMers.
When to apply: November 1–February 27
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United Negro College Fund (UNCF)
Offers scholarships to qualified African American students with demonstrated financial need.
When to apply: Anytime
Learn more
Washington State Opportunity Scholarship
Provides scholarships to low- and middle-income Washington state residents planning to earn an associate degree, certificate, apprenticeship, or bachelor's degree in STEM or healthcare at a Washington state institution.
When to apply:
- For bachelor's degrees: December 7, 2020–February 11, 2021
- For other opportunities: January 6–February 11, 2021
What Our Scholarship Partners Say
Our partnerships connect students like you to available funding for college. Take a look at what scholarship providers say about the impact of our partnerships.
Our partnership with College Board has enabled APIASF to access thousands of Asian and Pacific Islander American student leaders who may not otherwise hear about our scholarship programs. Through the hundreds of APIASF scholarships awarded each year, this partnership empowers rising leaders to turn dreams of higher education into real-life benefits for themselves, their families, and communities.
—Jeannette Soon-Ludes, Ph.D., Director, APIASF Scholarships & Programs
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund’s partnership with the College Board has allowed us to expand our recruitment efforts to students from all 50 states and from all economic backgrounds. This type of reach ensures that we find, select, and promote the success of America’s young leaders to new heights. Thank you College Board for all the help you have provided over the years!
—Fidel A. Vargas, President & CEO, Hispanic Scholarship Fund
The College Board is an essential partner to the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation. The Cooke Foundation awards annual scholarships of up to $40,000 to exceptionally promising students who have financial need. By partnering with the College Board, we are able to locate more high-achieving, low-income students that have the ability to excel when given the resources to develop their talents. The College Board has done extraordinary things by facilitating our outreach efforts. We are forever grateful that the College Board has expanded our outreach efforts in this way.
—Harold Levy, Executive Director, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
Other Programs
These programs use PSAT/NMSQT scores to find eligible juniors.
National Scholarship Service
The National Scholarship Service offers a free college advisory and referral service for 11th-grade African American students. For more information, write to:
National Scholarship Service980 Martin Luther King Drive SW, P.O. Box 11409
Atlanta, GA 30310
Telluride Seminar Scholarships
The Telluride Association offers scholarships to gifted 11th-grade students for their six-week summer program in the humanities and social sciences.
How to Opt Out
Write to PSAT/NMSQT by October 31 at the address below if you don’t want to share your scores with the Telluride Seminar Scholarships program or the National Scholarship Service:
P.O. Box 6720Princeton, NJ 08541-6720