To be considered for the full range of merit scholarships, your application for admission and all supporting materials (including official ACT/SAT test scores with writing sent directly from the testing agency) must be received by the admission deadline for students entering autumn semester, February 1.

Late applications and/or supporting materials (including official ACT/SAT test scores) will not be considered. Please read each scholarship description carefully for deadline information.

We must receive test scores by February 1. Students should plan to test at least six weeks prior to the deadline to allow sufficient time for scores to be sent to Ohio State.

For registration dates and special information for international students, visit the ACT website at actstudent.org or the SAT website at collegeboard.org.

• Ohio State's ACT college code: 3312
• Ohio State's SAT (College Board) code: 1592

Students demonstrating financial need may be eligible for additional funds. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the priority date* of February 15 to be considered for need-based aid, including student loans (visit sfa.osu.edu for more information).

*The priority date for financial aid is February 15 for both freshmen and transfer students and is for all campuses.

Unless otherwise indicated, awards are renewable annually for a maximum of eight semesters (or the equivalent) of full-time undergraduate enrollment, provided the recipient maintains a 3.2 or higher GPA (earned by no later than the end of the second year). Renewal criteria for merit scholarships vary, so be sure to read award descriptions carefully.

Contact Undergraduate Admissions if you have questions about combining awards. In all cases, the total amount a student is awarded cannot exceed the cost of an Ohio State education.

When considering students for admission, scholarships, or Honors and 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.

Ohio State does not participate in the Merit Scholarship Program (administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation) or provide any scholarship value specifically associated with a student’s status as a National Merit Finalist. We admire the outstanding academic achievements of our National Merit Finalists; many prove to be strong candidates for university-administered scholarships, including those described on this page. The university will honor Corporate National Merit scholarships for students who accept admission to Ohio State.

The Eminence Scholarship is Ohio State's premier merit award, offered to just 25 stellar new first-year students admitted to the Columbus campus for autumn semester.

Award amount
Full cost of attendance at Ohio State for four years, plus a $3,000 enrichment stipend accessible after the first year of successful study. Note: Due to the award’s value, the Eminence Scholarship replaces all other university merit awards a student may have been offered.

Criteria
Recipients of the Eminence Scholarship typically rank in the top three percent of their graduating classes and have an ACT composite score of 34 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math score of 1520 or higher.

How to apply

1. Applicants must indicate their interest in the University Honors Program when completing Ohio State’s admission application. The Common Application and Ohio State Supplement must be submitted by February 1, 2013.
   
   
2. Within 1-5 days, the applicant will receive an e-mail that acknowledges Ohio State's receipt of his or her admission application and provides a unique Ohio State username (lastname.#), along with instructions on activating this username and setting up a password.
   
   
3. Applicants must then complete the online Eminence Application at honors-scholars.osu.edu/emap by February 8, 2013. The applicant's Ohio State username and password are required. The applicant does not need to wait for an admission decision or offer to join the Honors Program to submit the Eminence Application.
   
   
4. Applicants who are admitted to Ohio State, are offered Honors affiliation, and have submitted the Eminence Application will be reviewed for the Eminence Scholarship. The top 75 finalists will be invited to campus to participate in an interview and visit program.

Notes:

• This award is renewable for a maximum of eight semesters (or the equivalent) of full-time undergraduate enrollment, provided the recipient maintains Honors affiliation (a 3.4 or higher GPA) and completes the requirements (e.g., Honors thesis and capstone experience, etc.) of the Eminence Fellowship Program.

Award amount
$5,000 ($20,000 four-year value)
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 qualified students admitted to the Columbus campus for autumn semester. Those considered rank in the top three percent of their graduating classes and have ACT composite scores of 32 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math scores of 1420 or higher.

Award amount
$3,000 ($12,000 four-year value)

Award Criteria
The Provost Scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis to qualified students admitted to the Columbus campus for autumn semester. Those considered rank in the top 10 percent of their graduating classes and have ACT composite scores of 29 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math scores of 1300 or higher. Excludes recipients of the Maximus and Trustees scholarships.

Award amount
$2,000 ($8,000 four-year value)

Criteria
The Trustees Scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis to qualified students admitted to the Columbus campus for autumn semester. Those considered rank in the top 20 percent of their graduating classes and have ACT composite scores of 28 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math scores of 1260 or higher. Excludes recipients of the Maximus and Provost scholarships.

Award amount
$12,000 ($48,000 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 semester. Those considered rank in the top 40 percent of their graduating classes and have ACT composite scores of 28 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math scores of 1260 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.
• This award is renewable for a maximum of eight semesters (or the equivalent) of full-time undergraduate enrollment, provided the recipient maintains a 2.5 or higher GPA (earned by no later than the end of the first year) and is required to pay the out-of-state surcharge.

Award amount
$4,000 ($16,000 four–year value)

Criteria
The Ohio State University is committed to enrolling a diverse and talented student population. The International Undergraduate Scholarship is offered on a competitive basis to qualified full-time, Columbus campus international freshmen (students who have not attended university since graduating from high school/secondary school) who are required to pay the nonresident tuition surcharge. Those considered have ACT composite scores of 29 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math scores of 1300 or higher, and are applying for autumn semester.

Notes:

• This award is renewable annually for a maximum of eight semesters (or the equivalent) of full-time undergraduate enrollment, provided the recipient continues to pay the nonresident tuition surcharge and maintains a 2.5 or higher grade point average (earned by no later than the end of the second year).

Award amount
Equivalent to the value of in-state tuition.

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 admission application deadline (February 1) and the FAFSA priority date (February 15) to be considered.

Notes

• Land Grant Scholars will have the amount of any other university merit scholarships they receive included in the value of the Land Grant Opportunity award.
• This award is renewable annually for a maximum of eight semesters (or the equivalent) of full-time undergraduate enrollment, provided the recipient maintains a 3.0 or higher GPA (earned by no later than the end of the second year).

The Ohio State University is strongly committed to creating a campus community that is inclusive of individuals from diverse cultures, racial/ethnic groups, and socioeconomic backgrounds. As one of the premier scholarships in the United States, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s Morrill Scholars Program (MSP) rewards leadership and academic excellence through diversity. MSP recipients have ongoing opportunities to participate in educational enrichment experiences, such as study abroad, undergraduate research, and professional/graduate school preparation and career development programs. They also enjoy a wide range of activities that focus on personal and professional development as well as service-learning.

MSP scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis to students admitted to the Columbus campus for the autumn semester following high school graduation. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States. For more information about this competitive scholarship, please visit odi.osu.edu.

MSP consideration
The MSP is a very competitive diversity scholarship. Recipients of the MSP scholarship typically rank in the top 10 percent of their graduating classes and have an ACT composite score of 28 or higher or combined SAT Critical Reading and Math score of 1260 or higher. Recipients also tend to possess strong backgrounds and/or experiences that will greatly enhance campus diversity.

Award levels
Note: Due to their values, MSP scholarships replace all other university merit awards a student may have been offered.

• The Distinction Scholarship is equivalent to the value of the cost to attend Ohio State for both Ohio residents and nonresidents. It includes room and board, a book allowance, and miscellaneous expenses.
• The Prominence Scholarship is awarded to nonresidents. This scholarship is equivalent to the value of both in-state tuition and the nonresident surcharge.
• The Excellence Scholarship is awarded to Ohio residents. This scholarship is equivalent to the value of in-state tuition.

How to apply
To be considered for the Morrill Scholars Program, students must indicate their interest in MSP and complete the MSP essay on the Ohio State Supplement to the Common Application. The Common Application and Ohio State Supplement must be submitted by February 1, 2013. Students are encouraged to apply early; the sooner an applicant is admitted to the university, the more quickly he or she can be considered for MSP.

The office of Student Financial Aid awards two cooperative scholarship housing opportunities on the basis of academic merit and demonstrated financial need: Alumnae Scholarship Program (for women only) and the Stadium Scholarship Learning Community (for men and women). 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 admitted for autumn semester are considered for this program if they follow these steps:

1. Submit the FAFSA by February 15.
2. Complete the Application for Special Scholarships, available at sfa.osu.edu/scholarships, by February 15, and indicate interest in cooperative scholarship housing programs.
3. Indicate interest in cooperative scholarship housing on their housing contracts.

Find out more about these programs at urds.osu.edu/learningcommunities under program type: Cooperative Scholarship Housing.