## About the National Merit Scholarship Program The National Merit Scholarship Program is one of the most prestigious academic competitions in the United States, recognizing exceptional academic talent in high school students. The program is administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a nonprofit organization. ### How It Works Students enter the program by taking the **PSAT/NMSQT** in their junior year (11th grade). High scorers become Semifinalists, then Finalists, competing for three types of scholarships: - **National Merit $2,500 Scholarships** — One-time awards funded by NMSC - **Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarship Awards** — Funded by over 400 corporations and businesses - **College-Sponsored Merit Scholarship Awards** — Renewable awards funded by 180+ colleges ### Eligibility Requirements - U.S. citizen or permanent resident - Enrolled full-time as a high school student - Taking the PSAT/NMSQT in junior year (10th grade for early entry) - Planning to enroll full-time in college the fall after high school graduation ### Timeline - **October**: Take PSAT/NMSQT - **September following year**: Semifinalists announced (top ~16,000 scorers) - **February**: Finalists announced (~15,000 students) - **March–June**: Scholarship winners notified Over 1.5 million students enter the competition each year, with about 7,500 Merit Scholarship winners selected annually.