The National Merit® Scholarship Program 2027 is America’s most prestigious academic scholarship competition, run by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), a not-for-profit founded in 1955. More than 16,000 US high school seniors were named Semifinalists in September 2026 after the 2025 PSAT/NMSQT, and about 6,700 of them will win Merit Scholarships worth $2,500 to $10,000+ in spring 2027. There is no separate entry form — the 2027 competition was entered automatically by taking the PSAT/NMSQT in junior year (fall 2025). Finalists are named on February 8, 2027, and the first scholarship winners are announced in March 2027.

Key Details

  • Programme: National Merit® Scholarship Program 2027, administered by National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC)
  • Who it is for: US high school seniors (Class of 2027) who took the PSAT/NMSQT in October 2025
  • Honored students: ~50,000; Semifinalists: more than 16,000 (less than 1% of each state’s seniors)
  • Expected Finalists: more than 15,000 (named February 2027)
  • Scholarships offered in 2027: about 6,700 — roughly half of Finalists win, and no student receives more than one NMSC award
  • Entry route: the 2025 PSAT/NMSQT (over 1.3 million entrants); the PSAT™ 10 and PSAT™ 8/9 do NOT count
  • Official source: nationalmerit.org
  • Deadline: the 2027 competition was entered via the October 2025 PSAT/NMSQT (now closed). Next milestone: Finalists are named February 8, 2027, and Merit Scholarship winners are announced starting March 2027. Students currently in junior year take the PSAT/NMSQT in October 2026 to enter the 2028 competition.
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The Three Types of National Merit Scholarships (2027)

  • National Merit® $2,500 Scholarships — 2,500 awards. Single-payment $2,500 scholarships; every Finalist is considered. Winners chosen by a committee of college admission officers and counselors in late January 2027, announced in the news media on May 12, 2027.
  • Corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarships — about 700 awards. Funded by ~120 corporate sponsors, mostly for children of employees. Renewable awards range from $1,000–$10,000 per year; one-time awards range from $2,500–$10,000. Winners announced April 21, 2027.
  • College-sponsored Merit Scholarships — about 3,500 awards. Sponsored by ~140 US colleges and universities. Range from $500–$2,000 per year, renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study. You must have applied for admission, named the sponsor college as your first choice with NMSC, and received no other National Merit award. Winners announced June 2 and July 12, 2027. The award is cancelled if you transfer to a different college.

Eligibility

  1. Enrolled as a high school student (traditional or homeschooled), progressing normally toward graduation by 2027, and planning to accept admission to college no later than fall 2027.
  2. Attend high school in the United States, the District of Columbia, or a US commonwealth/territory — or meet the citizenship requirements that apply to students attending high school outside the US.
  3. Took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) in the specified year of the high school programme (junior year) — or completed NMSC’s Alternate Entry requirements.
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How Semifinalists Advance (2027 cycle)

  1. Entry (already done for the 2027 cycle): Students took the PSAT/NMSQT in October 2025, which served as the initial screen of over 1.3 million entrants for the 2027 competition.
  2. Semifinalists (September 9, 2026): more than 16,000 Semifinalists were designated on a state-representational basis and announced to the news media on September 9, 2026.
  3. Semifinalist application: Semifinalists submit the National Merit Scholarship Application through NMSC’s Online Scholarship Application (OSA), including the school’s recommendation, an essay, and an SAT or ACT confirming score.
  4. Finalists (February 2027): high schools are notified on February 4, 2027; Finalists receive letters at home on February 8, 2027 and Certificates of Merit on March 1, 2027.
  5. Winners (March–July 2027): NMSC begins notifying scholarship winners in March 2027 (confidential, through schools); media announcements run April 21, May 12, June 2, and July 12, 2027.

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See also: Why Is the PSAT Important?, Benacquisto Scholarship, and UNM Scholarships 2027.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many National Merit Scholarships are offered in 2027?

About 6,700 scholarships of three types are offered in the 2027 competition: 2,500 single-payment National Merit $2,500 Scholarships, about 700 corporate-sponsored awards, and about 3,500 college-sponsored awards — all verified in NMSC’s official 2027 competition leaflet.

When are National Merit Semifinalists announced for 2027?

NMSC released the 2027 Semifinalist names to the news media on September 9, 2026. Students are first told through their high schools.

When are National Merit Finalists announced in 2027?

On February 4, 2027 NMSC notifies high school principals; Finalists receive letters at home on February 8, 2027; Certificates of Merit are mailed March 1, 2027. More than 15,000 of the 16,000 Semifinalists are expected to reach Finalist standing.

How much is the National Merit Scholarship?

The flagship award is a one-time $2,500 payment. Corporate-sponsored awards range from $1,000–$10,000 per year (renewable) or $2,500–$10,000 (one-time); college-sponsored awards range from $500–$2,000 per year, renewable for up to four years.

How do I apply for the National Merit Scholarship?

You don’t submit a separate application. Entry is automatic when you take the PSAT/NMSQT in your junior year of high school. Semifinalists later complete the scholarship application through NMSC’s Online Scholarship Application (OSA).