Competitive Merit Scholarships
Competitive merit scholarships are renewable for four years. First-year students must enroll summer or fall immediately following high school graduation to receive consideration.*
Consideration
- First-year students accepted for admission by early February receive automatic consideration. A scholarship application is not required.
- Consideration is based on high school GPA and standardized test score. Verify Auburn has received your academic information in the Applicant Portal. The high school GPA that determined eligibility for admission will be the same GPA that determines eligibility for scholarships. Auburn will accept the ACT Superscore Report. Auburn will also calculate a superscore for the SAT and any individual score reports from ACT. Only your best testing result will be used for scholarship consideration. Updated highest scores from individual tests must be received by Auburn by January 10. Scores received after this deadline will not be reviewed for competitive merit scholarship consideration.
Awards
- Scholarships are awarded competitively. Consideration does not guarantee an award. Each entering class competes with itself. Actual awards are determined based on the number of qualified admitted students, the credentials of those applicants, and available funding.
- First-year students accepted for admission earlier are more likely to receive an award.
- Scholarships are awarded mid-November, mid-January, and early February.
- Recipients are notified by email to their Auburn email account and by postal mail to their permanent address.
*Please visit First-year Student Scholarships under Frequently Asked Questions for more information on specific enrollment situations that may impact competitive merit scholarship eligibility.
Competitive merit scholarships were awarded to Alabama residents enrolling fall 2025 as follows. This chart is a guide and is not a guarantee of future awards. Each entering class competes with itself. Actual awards are determined based on the number of qualified admitted students, the credentials of those applicants, and available funding. Additional competitive merit scholarships not shown may be awarded as funding permits.
Fall 2024 Scholarship |
Minimum High School GPA Required |
Minimum ACT Score Required* |
Estimated Annual Award Amount |
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Spirit of Auburn Presidential Scholarship
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3.5 | 33-36 | $11,000 |
| Spirit of Auburn Founders Scholarship | 3.5 | 30-32 | $9,000 |
| Spirit of Auburn University Scholarship | 3.5 | 28-29 | $5,000 |
*Equivalent SAT scores are available at auburn.edu/testscores.
Competitive merit scholarships were awarded to non-residents enrolling fall 2025 as follows. This chart is a guide and is not a guarantee of future awards. Each entering class competes with itself. Actual awards are determined based on the number of qualified admitted students, the credentials of those applicants, and available funding. Additional competitive merit scholarships not shown may be awarded as funding permits.
Fall 2024 Scholarship |
Minimum High School GPA Required |
Minimum ACT Score Required* |
Estimated Annual Award Amount |
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Academic Presidential Scholarship
|
3.5 | 35-36 | $17,000 |
| 3.5 | 33-34 | $15,000 | |
| Academic Heritage Scholarship | 3.5 | 31-32 | $11,000 |
| Academic Charter Scholarship | 3.5 | 29-30 | $7,000 |
Consideration
First-year students named National Merit Semifinalists must complete the scholarship application through AUSOM by February 14. National Merit Finalists should contact the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to name Auburn University as their first choice institution by May 1. For more information how students qualify as National Merit Finalists, please visit National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
National Merit Finalists receive a stipend of $4,000 over four years at $1,000 per year. Depending on eligibility as determined through completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)*, eligible students may receive an additional $1,000 annually. National Merit Finalists who are Alabama residents may receive the National Scholars Presidential Scholarship valued at $42,000 over four years at $11,000 per year , which will replace a previously awarded competitive merit scholarship.
To receive scholarship funds, students must enroll for a minimum of 12 credit hours each term by the last day to add courses for the term (the 15th class day). Scholarship funds are applied as a credit to the student’s university billing account at the amount indicated in the scholarship award letter. Scholarship awards are divided equally between fall and spring semester and disbursed a maximum of 10 days before the semester begins.
Competitive merit scholarships are available for a maximum of eight semesters, independent of academic program. To be eligible for renewal, students must have a minimum 3.0 unadjusted Auburn GPA and have earned a minimum of 24 Auburn credit hours from fall to spring of the current academic year. Eligibility for scholarship renewal for the upcoming academic year is reviewed at the end of spring semester.
Students who plan to enroll summer term and wish for their competitive merit scholarship to be applied during that term should email the Office of University Scholarships. Scholarship funds requested for summer term will contribute to the maximum eight semester total. Students must be eligible for scholarship renewal at the end of spring semester to request payment for summer term.
Students who are unable to enroll at Auburn for an expected term for any reason should contact the Office of University Scholarships. Exceptions are granted for students who obtain a medical resignation or military withdrawal or participate in the Cooperative Education Program. Students who obtain a medical resignation or military withdrawal or participate in the Cooperative Education program during the fall or spring semester of an academic year may be granted through the summer term to meet renewal requirements.
Competitive merit scholarships may only be applied toward the completion of a first undergraduate degree. Students may use scholarship funds for professional study (i.e. pharmacy or veterinary medicine) or an Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s (ABM) Program, provided they have not already completed a first undergraduate degree, have semesters of eligibility remaining, and are eligible for renewal. Students who graduate early are ineligible to receive the balance of unused funds in their final semester and may not apply unused funds to graduate study or a second undergraduate degree.
Scholarship funds may be applied to study abroad program fees when a student participates in an Auburn-led study abroad programs and exchange programs through Auburn Abroad and will earn a minimum of 12 Auburn credit hours. For more information on eligible programs, please visit Auburn Abroad, call (334) 844-3667, or email auab@auburn.edu.
Auburn University is committed to providing a nurturing and vibrant community founded upon the fundamental dignity and worth of its members in an environment that promotes integrity, responsibility, and mutual respect. The Auburn Creed is the foundation upon which these values are established. Standards of acceptable behavior for students and student organizations are reflected in the Code of Student Conduct and other university policies. Suspension from the university for academic or non-academic conduct violations may result in scholarship termination.
