The 60 Best Merit-Based Scholarships in May 2026

Students with a 2.5 grade point average (GPA) have many options for funding their undergraduate or graduate studies. High schools, colleges, and graduate schools use GPA to represent your academic performance throughout your entire academic career.

Students with a 2.5 GPA have an average C+ letter grade on a 4.0 scale. The national average GPA is 3.0, which means that a 2.5 GPA is below average. However, students with low GPAs still have options for funding their education, so do not be discouraged by having a low GPA as many universities and scholarship programs will still assist future college students.

No matter the grade level or grade point average a student has, scholarships are available to assist students with easing the burden of paying for their college education. Even if you are a college freshman just starting out or a student in later years of study, you might find yourself needing extra financial aid, whether it be to match the rising cost of higher education or to meet extra expenses that you'll accrue throughout the academic year.

Costs of College and Why Scholarships Matter

In some cases, the price tag of a bachelor's degree can be hundreds of thousands of dollars, leading university students to seek out more financial aid like college scholarships. A graduate program can cost upwards of $100,000 depending on the type of program.

Along with the rising cost of university, full-time students may find that they're in need of more financial assistance than in previous years due to changed circumstances. High school graduates will need to be proactive in fining scholarships to lessen the financial burden of college.

Fortunately, finding a scholarship program can help students tackle the cost of secondary education. A great benefit of scholarships is that they can be applied to any qualified educational expense — textbooks, tuition, course fees, etc. — and do not need to be repaid. This makes them more favorable in comparison to loans.

Oftentimes, students may not apply to scholarships because they do not think they will meet the minimum GPA. However, there are scholarships available to students will all kinds of grades so that they can attend an accredited college.

Not all students are average students. If you're GPA is lower than the average do not fret! Scholarships are available to help you afford higher education. Apply now!

What Is a 2.5 GPA Scholarship?

A 2.5 GPA scholarship is money awarded to students who can maintain a 2.5 GPA and keep up their grades for the portion of the time they receive the scholarship. Merit-based scholarships, which require students to disclose their GPA, come in the form of athletic and academic scholarships. These scholarships allow students to receive money without having to demonstrate financial need.

GPA requirements aren't always required by scholarship programs, which means that students who have a low GPA can still apply for funding and attend college. You might have to submit an essay instead of your transcript or disclose knowledge of the major you're studying.

Can You Get a Scholarship with a 2.5 GPA?

Fortunately, at Bold.org we have scholarships for students attending university, helping take some of that financial burden off their shoulders. New scholarships are added every day, supplying various scholarship opportunities for dental school students.

Many of these scholarships have a minimum GPA requirement, but there are also many that do not. In fact, there is no shortage of scholarships that examine a student's application through means beyond their GPA.

Attention graduate students! Apply for these scholarships for grad school now!

How to Apply for 2.5 GPA Scholarships

Once you've found a scholarship for students with a 2.5 GPA that you'd like to apply for, you can create a free account on Bold.org and get started! Scholarships may be categorized by education level, major, and/or location, so be sure to adjust the filters as needed. In addition to your Bold.org profile, some scholarships will require an essay prompt or other submission as part of the application.

The scholarship application process will differ based on the scholarship program, with some scholarship programs requiring transcripts or test scores to see that the applicant is in good academic standing, or even a writing sample. Some scholarships might want students to demonstrate their knowledge of science education, history expertise, or any other field of study in practice with an essay prompt.

As with any other scholarship program, it is important to get started on the scholarship application process early on so that you can gather any necessary materials, like transcripts or letters of recommendation, and get started on any writing required for the application. Scholarship programs will list the GPA requirement if necessary, and other qualifications in order for you to be eligible to apply.

Finding scholarships for students pursuing higher education begins which a quick search on Bold.org's website. Scholarships can be found by entering a keyword, or filtering by education level or category.

You can even search queries like "community service" to find scholarships in that niche. Once you find a scholarship you qualify for, simply click "apply now" and follow the instructions. High school seniors enrolling in a four-year degree program

If you're enrolled full-time at a four-year college or university, apply for these college scholarships now!