Award Process Merit scholarship awards are competitive and are allocated based on available funding. Scholarships are offered for a total of four years provided recipients maintain a grade-point average of 3.0 or better each year. We will consider applicants who:
- Apply for fall semester admission no later than our December 1 due date and submit all academic credentials by December 15.
- Are U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Scholarship notification is sent subsequent to the offer of admission. Students can qualify for only one type of merit award listed below. Scholarship selections vary by school within Rutgers and may not transferable between schools. Only students who qualify for scholarships are notified. Scholarship amounts are not negotiable.
All students seeking merit scholarships are encouraged to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15. The online form can be accessed at www.fafsa.gov. Eligible applicants may qualify for additional merit awards based on financial need.
Back to Top Selection Criteria Rutgers scholarships are competitive awards. There is no set of “numbers” that will guarantee a scholarship or scholarship amount. Most past scholarship awardees were in the top 10% of their high school graduating class, with many in the top 5%; most had A or A- high school grade-point averages, and most had combined SAT’s of at least 1950 or 30 ACT or higher. New Jersey and out-of-state students are eligible.
Back to Top Scholarship Awards Presidential Scholarship
The Presidential Scholarship is the most prestigious scholarship award Rutgers offers undergraduates. Awards are $24,000 per year, and include a $11,500 credit for on-campus housing and dining. For those who choose not to live on campus, the award will be $12,500. Students are guaranteed on-campus housing for four years and admission to the Honors Program. To be considered, students must have at least 2250 combined SAT or an ACT score of 35 and an A grade point average.
Scarlet Scholarship The Scarlet Scholarship is offered to outstanding first year students each year based on a combination of academic achievement and financial aid as demonstrated on the FAFSA. Students are encouraged to file the FAFSA by February 15. A minimum combined SAT of 1950 or higher or 30 ACT score is required to be considered. Awards range from $3,500 to $7,500 a year.
James Dickson Carr Scholarship
The James Dickson Carr Scholarship honors the first African-American Rutgers graduate. This scholarship reflects our commitment to enrolling a student body that is broadly diverse in terms of experience, socioeconomic background, geography, special skills, and talents. We include the following in our assessment: academic credentials, specialized talents, extracurricular activities, leadership, community service, work experience, awards, honors, and achievement.
National Merit Scholarships/College-Sponsored Merit Awards
Rutgers University is a sponsoring institution for students selected by the National Merit Scholarship Committee (NMSC) to receive the College-Sponsored Merit Scholarship award. National Merit finalists who designate Rutgers as their first choice on the National Merit Scholarship application will be awarded $1,000 per year, renewable, for three years. This award is in addition to any other Rutgers scholarship offers. For more information on the National Merit Scholarship program, please visit their website at http://www.nationalmerit.org.
September 11th Memorial Scholarships
The Rutgers September 11th Memorial Scholarships for the dependent children of New Jersey residents who lost their lives as a direct result of the terrorist acts at the World Trade Center or the Pentagon or in the airplane crash in Pennsylvania.
This scholarship is adjusted annually to equal the cost of in-state tuition; it is renewable for three additional years provided the student makes satisfactory academic progress consistent with university standards. Following admission to the university, individuals should identify themselves as eligible for the scholarship by forwarding a letter with documentation (copy of the victim’s death certificate, New Jersey resident Income Tax return, student’s birth certificate) to the Director of Funds Management, Rutgers Office of Financial Aid, 620 George St., New Brunswick, NJ 08901.
Questions regarding the September 11th Memorial Scholarship may be addressed to:
Carolann Pierre-Morgan
Office of Financial Aid / Funds Management
620 George Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
(732) 932-7057 x630
Rutgers Class Endowed Scholarships
Rutgers Class Endowed Scholarships are offered to descendants of the following class years: 1940, 1941, 1949, 1970, and 1980 based on available funds. These awards are possible by the generous donations for our alumni donors. Students should identify themselves as eligible by submitting a letter with the name of the Rutgers graduate, that person's school and year of graduation and your relationship to that person to: Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Scholarship Committee, 65 Davidson Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 by May 1. Awards are from $500 - $5,000. Not all are renewable. Only students who are awarded a scholarship are notified in July.
Theodore J. and F. Elizabeth Kirsch Southern California Scholarship
The Theodore J. and F. Elizabeth Kirsch Scholarship is for first year students who reside and attend public high school in the California communities of San Jose, San Mateo, and Palm Desert. The award is based on academic merit and financial need. Eligible students must self identify by submitting a letter of interest to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Scholarship Committee, 65 Davidson Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854 by January 1 and file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15. Recipients are notified in June.
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Other Sources of Financial Aid
We strongly recommend that students who wish to be considered for other forms of financial aid complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
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