The Ohio State University

Scholarships

About Ohio State's merit scholarships
Ohio State offers a variety of merit scholarships to academically competitive students. We've listed our university-administered merit scholarships below.

To be considered for the full range of scholarships, your application for admission and all supporting materials (including official ACT/SAT test scores with writing) must be received by December 1, 2008. Read more about scholarship deadlines.

To read about and apply for special-eligibility scholarships, see the Application for Special Scholarships, available at sfa.osu.edu/scholarships. Apply by the financial aid priority deadline.

Unless otherwise indicated, all awards described here:

• are available for 12 quarters of full-time undergraduate enrollment
• are for new domestic freshmen (not including students transferring from other colleges or universities)
• do not require applications other than the Ohio State Application for Freshman Admissions (available in the Freshman Application Packet or online at apply.osu.edu); exceptions: Morrill Scholars Program and Cooperative Scholarship Housing

• December 1 and other scholarship deadlines
• Last date to take ACT or SAT test
• Submit the FAFSA by the priority financial aid deadline
• Renewal criteria
• Combining scholarship awards
• Using multiple ACT/SAT test scores

Note: The scholarships listed on this page are for domestic freshmen only. Transfer students should visit Domestic transfer students for scholarship information. International freshmen should visit International freshman students.

Maximus Scholarship and Competition:

• Maximus Scholarship
• Maximus Competition
  — Presidential Scholarship
  — Medalist Scholarship

Access merit scholarships:

• Land Grant Opportunity Scholarship
• Morrill Scholars Program (MSP)
• Cooperative Scholarship Housing programs

Other merit scholarships:

• Provost Scholarship
• National Merit Scholarship
• Distinguished Scholarship for National Merit, National Achievement, and National Hispanic Scholars
• Trustees Scholarship
• National Buckeye Scholarship

Maximus Scholarship and Competition

Maximus Scholarship • December 1 deadline!

Award amount
$2,700 ($10,800 four-year value) and the opportunity to compete for more (see Maximus Competition, below)
Note: Due to the award's value, Maximus Scholars are not eligible for the Provost or Trustees scholarship.

 

Criteria
The Maximus Scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis to admitted Columbus campus students; those considered rank in the top three percent of their classes with ACT composite scores of 32 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math scores of 1420 or higher. Students must apply for admission by December 1 for consideration.

Maximus Competition
Maximus Scholars are invited to campus in February to compete for the following awards, which include the value of the Maximus Scholarship:

Presidential Scholarship

Award amount
The Presidential Scholarship (10 awarded) is the top award given to competing students and covers the full in-state cost of education at Ohio State.
Note: The Presidential Scholarship requires a separate application; Maximus Scholars will receive instructions about the application process.

Medalist Scholarship

Award amount
The Medalist Scholarship (70 awarded) is worth full in-state tuition.

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Access merit scholarships

Land Grant Opportunity Scholarship for Ohio residents

Award amount
Combination of scholarships, need-based grants, and work-study opportunities covering the full demonstrated need of the student applicant.

Criteria
The Land Grant Scholarship is awarded to at least one admitted, academically talented Columbus campus student demonstrating financial need from each of Ohio’s 88 counties. No separate application is required for this award; students only need meet the admissions application deadline (February 2) and the FAFSA deadline (February 16) to be considered.

Notes:

• Land Grant Scholars will have the amount of any other merit scholarships they receive included in the value of the Land Grant Opportunity award.
• Renewal criteria for students entering the university beginning summer 2009: This award is renewable annually for a maximum of 12 quarters of full-time undergraduate enrollment provided the recipient has earned a 3.0 or higher GPA by the end of the second year and continues to maintain the minimum 3.0 GPA, as well as make satisfactory academic progress.

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Morrill Scholars Program (MSP) • December 1 deadline!

The Morrill Scholars Program is named in honor of Senator Justin Morrill, author of the 1862 Morrill Act that facilitated access to higher education for students previously underrepresented at America’s colleges. The Office of Minority Affairs offers this program to promote intellectual diversity, multiculturalism, and leadership.

Award amount

Distinction Scholarship

The Distinction Scholarship is equivalent to the value of full tuition (for both Ohio residents and nonresidents), room and board, book allowance, and miscellaneous expenses. Other merit scholarships may be included in the value of this award.

Prominence Scholarship

The Prominence Scholarship is awarded to nonresidents required to pay the out-of-state surcharge. Students earning a Prominence Scholarship will receive the value of both in-state tuition and the nonresident surcharge. Other merit scholarships may be included in the value of this award.

Excellence Scholarship

The Excellence Scholarship is available to both Ohio residents and nonresidents and is equivalent to the value of full in-state tuition. Other merit scholarships may be included in the value of this award.

Criteria
MSP scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis to students admitted to the Columbus campus for the autumn quarter following high school graduation. Applicants must complete a separate MSP application and meet two of the three following criteria:

1. top 20 percent of graduating class
2. 3.3 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) high school GPA
3. ACT composite score of 23 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math score of 1070 or higher

Additional criteria to be considered include:

• applicant’s status as a potential first-generation college graduate
• applicant’s race/ethnic/tribal background
• socio-economic factors
• Ohio county of residence

Notes:

• Candidates must submit both an application for admission to Ohio
  State and a separate MSP application by December 1. Visit the
  Office of Minority Affairs web site at oma.osu.edu/recruitment
  or e-mail morrillscholars@osu.edu for further information.
• Complete the 2009-10 FAFSA by the university’s priority deadline of
  February 16, 2009 (fafsa.ed.gov). The FAFSA is highly recommended
  for all Morrill Scholars applicants.
• Renewal criteria are available at oma.osu.edu/mss.

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Cooperative Scholarship Housing programs

The Office of Student Financial Aid awards two cooperative scholarship housing opportunities on the basis of academic merit and demonstrated financial need: the Stadium Scholarship Program (for men and women) and the Alumnae Scholarship Program (for women only). Students who accept these awards agree to participate in governing, managing, or maintaining their residence halls in exchange for a reduced cost of living on campus.

Columbus campus applicants are considered for this program if they follow these steps:

1. Submit the FAFSA by the priority deadline.
2. Complete the Application for Special Scholarships, available at sfa.osu.edu/scholarships, by the financial aid priority deadline, and indicate interest in cooperative scholarship housing programs.
3. Indicate interest in cooperative scholarship housing on their housing
   contracts.

Find out more about the Stadium Scholarship Program at ssp.osu.edu and the Alumnae Scholarship Program at housing.osu.edu.

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Provost Scholarship • December 1 deadline!

Award amount
$2,100 ($8,400 four-year value)

Award Criteria
The Provost Scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis to admitted Columbus campus students; those considered have ACT composite scores of 29 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math scores of 1300 or higher and rank in the top 10 percent of their high school classes. Excludes recipients of the Maximus and Trustees scholarships. Students must apply for admission by December 1 for consideration.

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National Merit Scholarship

Award amount
$1,000, or up to $2,000 with financial need ($4,000 to $8,000 four-year value)

Criteria
National Merit Finalists who designate to the National Merit Corporation that Ohio State is their first-choice institution are considered for this award.

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Distinguished Scholarship for National Merit, National Achievement,
and National Hispanic Scholars

Award amount
Full in-state tuition; includes the value of the National Merit Scholarship

Criteria

• National Merit Finalists who rank in the top 10 percent of their graduating classes, and who designate to the National Merit Corporation by March 1, 2009, that Ohio State is their first-choice institution, are given priority consideration for this award.
• National Achievement and National Hispanic Finalists who apply for admission by February 2, 2009, are eligible for consideration for this award.

Note:
The amount of any other university-administered merit scholarships awarded to a Distinguished Scholar will be included in the Distinguished Scholarship. However, Maximus Scholars who apply by the December 1 deadline are eligible to compete for the larger Presidential Scholarship (see Maximus Competition).

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Trustees Scholarship

Award amount
$1,050 ($4,200 four-year value)

Criteria
The Trustees Scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis to admitted Columbus campus students; those considered rank in the top 20 percent of their graduating classes and have ACT composite scores of 27 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math scores of 1220 or higher. Excludes recipients of the Maximus and Provost scholarships.

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National Buckeye Scholarship for non-Ohio residents

Award amount
$7,200 ($28,800 four–year value)

Criteria

Ohio State is committed to enrolling a diverse and talented student population. The National Buckeye Scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis to non-Ohio students required to pay the out-of-state surcharge who are admitted to the Columbus campus for autumn quarter. Those considered have ACT composite scores of 27 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math scores of 1220 or higher.

Notes:

• Except where noted, the National Buckeye Scholarship can be combined with any other merit scholarships, as long as the combined total does not exceed the total cost of an Ohio State education.
• Renewal criteria for students entering the university beginning summer 2008: this award is renewable for a maximum of 12 quarters of full-time undergraduate enrollment, provided the recipient maintains a 2.5 or higher GPA from the second year forward and makes satisfactory academic progress, and nonresident classification remains unchanged.

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More about merit scholarships

Scholarship deadlines
To be considered for the full range of scholarships, your application for admission and all supporting materials (including official ACT/SAT test scores with writing) must be received by December 1, 2008. This deadline specifically includes the Maximus Scholarship and Competition, the Morrill Scholars Program, and the Provost Scholarship.

Some scholarships require only that you submit your application for admission by the admissions deadline (for admissions deadlines, visit undergrad.osu.edu/admissions.html). Please read each scholarship description carefully for deadline information.

Those whose application and/or supporting materials (including official ACT/SAT test scores) are received after the specified deadlines will not be considered for merit scholarships. Please read each scholarship description carefully for deadline requirements.

Last date to take ACT or SAT test
To be considered for merit scholarships, your official ACT/SAT test scores with writing (along with your admission application and supporting materials) must be received by the specified deadlines (see the item above). In order to have your official test scores sent to us in time, you must meet the following test deadlines:

Test    Last test date to make December 1, 2008, deadline     Test registration deadline
ACT     October 25, 2008                                                          September 19
SAT     November 1, 2008                                                         September 26

Test    Last test date to make February 2, 2009, deadline      Test registration deadline
ACT     December 13, 2008                                                       November 7
SAT     December 6, 2008                                                         November 5

For late registration dates and special information for international students, visit the ACT web site at www.actstudent.org or the SAT web site at www.collegeboard.com.

Submit the FAFSA by the priority financial aid deadline
Students demonstrating financial need may be eligible for additional scholarships. Submit the FAFSA by the priority deadline to be considered for all need-based aid, including student loans.

Priority deadlines for financial aid:

• February 16, 2009 – for Columbus campus applicants
• March 2, 2009 – for regional campus/ATI applicants

Renewal criteria
For students entering the university beginning summer 2009: unless otherwise indicated, awards are renewable annually for a maximum of 12 quarters of full-time undergraduate enrollment provided the recipient has earned a 3.2 or higher GPA by the end of the second year and continues to maintain the minimum 3.2 GPA and make satisfactory academic progress.

Combining scholarship awards
If you're not sure about which scholarships can be combined, contact Undergraduate Admissions and First Year Experience. In all cases, the total amount a student is awarded cannot exceed the cost of an Ohio State education.

Using multiple ACT/SAT test scores
When considering students for admission, scholarships, or Honors/Scholars selection, we will consider the best official composite/combined score from a single test administration. Ohio State does not mix sub-scores from multiple tests.

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