The 240 Best Merit-Based Scholarships in May 2026

About Scholarships by GPA

Scholarships can be awarded to applicants based on a variety of qualifications. For instance, a scholarship may be awarded to a student who has shown exceptional artistic talent, athletic merit, or financial need. Or, a scholarship can be awarded to a student based on their grade point average.

Grade point average criteria commonly appear in scholarship descriptions, and they require that applicants meet a minimum GPA in order to apply and be seriously considered for a scholarship. In fact, sometimes a specific grade point average may even be the only eligibility requirement for a scholarship.

While there are plenty of scholarship opportunities that do not demand a specific grade point average, high school students and college students who maintain a good academic standing are more likely to be eligible for GPA scholarships, and can therefore apply for more scholarships.

This means that your academic success can actually help fund your college expenses and even realize your future career aspirations. Students may even find that a strong academic standing can help them receive a full-ride scholarship.

That being said, there are also plenty of scholarships that recognize that grade point average is not the sole determinant of a student's value and that any number of environmental and socioeconomic factors can affect a student's performance.

In other words, there are also plenty of scholarship opportunities for students who have lower GPAs. These scholarships not only help to alleviate the financial burden of higher education but can even keep students with lower GPAs from becoming discouraged about attending a university.

Whatever the case, there are GPA scholarships for all kinds of students to apply for. One scholarship may be for high school seniors with a 3.0 GPA, while another may be a full-ride scholarship for graduate students with 4.0 GPAs. Read on to find out about the different kinds of grade point average scholarship opportunities available to all types of students.

What Is a GPA Scholarship?

Grade point average is a number falling on a numerical scale that represents the average of a student's accumulated final course grades over time. Thus, a GPA scholarship is a type of merit-based scholarship that is based on this value, or at least has certain requirements about this value.

For instance, a scholarship program may require that all applicants meet a minimum of a 2.5 GPA in order to apply. Alternatively, another scholarship may be exclusively for students with a 3. 5 GPA. These are typical examples of GPA scholarships that take into account a student's academic standing.

Furthermore, GPA scholarships can encompass a range of different financial rewards. Some a GPA scholarship may be a full ride scholarship or it may cover tuition for the length of one semester. Ultimately, there are many different types of GPA scholarships for applicants to choose from.

Can You Get a GPA Scholarship?

Anyone can get a GPA scholarship so long as they find one whose criteria they match. This means that the scholarship money from a GPA scholarship can be awarded to any high school students, college students, and/or graduate students that have the required GPA.

If you are applying for a GPA scholarship, make sure to carefully read the scholarship description before you apply. Like all scholarships, GPA scholarships may have other factors that applicants must take into account before applying. For instance, a GPA scholarship may be for applicants who participate in certain extracurricular activities, or who are from a certain city.

If you are positive that you match all of the GPA scholarship requirements, then you can apply for and potentially receive the GPA scholarship.

How to Apply for GPA Scholarships

Applying for a GPA scholarship is just like any other scholarship application process. Most notably, this means that scholarship applications vary between scholarships, so there is no set way to apply for a scholarship.

For instance, one GPA scholarship may require applicants to write an essay in response to a given prompt while another one may ask for a letter of recommendation. Some GPA scholarships may require that you even submit some sort of proof that you meet the minimum grade point average required.

In this case, you will probably be asked to submit a transcript or academic progress report. If this is the case, be sure to begin the scholarship application process earlier rather than later. This will allow you ample time to gather your materials before the application deadlines and to deal with any obstacles that may get in your way. Similarly, if you have to get these documents from a counselor or advisor, this also gives them more time to get ahold of the materials you need.

Fortunately, Bold.org allows users to create a profile where grade point average is entered and verified. This means that if you apply for a scholarship with a GPA requirement through Bold.org, you will most likely not have to submit a transcript or academic progress report. Depending on the scholarship, you may be asked to verify information if you're selected as the winner.

Still, despite the fact that your Bold.org profile speeds up the process of applying to a scholarship, it is recommended that students begin the application process sooner rather than later in order to have time to gather materials and deal with any potential obstacles.

How to Get GPA Scholarships

Getting a GPA scholarship is just like getting any other scholarship. Once again, this means that the application process will vary between different scholarships. For instance, a full-tuition scholarship for high school seniors going to art school may ask that students submit an art portfolio. By contrast, need-based scholarships for low-income college students studying English may require students to submit an essay.

However, the main difference between a GPA scholarship and other kinds of scholarships is that the former requires applicants to have a specific GPA. For instance, if you want to apply for a scholarship for high school seniors with a 4.0 GPA, you must have a 4.0 GPA to apply for the scholarship and potentially receive it.

If you are at a point early in your academic career, and you are planning on applying to GPA scholarships in the future, working to maintain a high academic standing is a good way to increase the likelihood of receiving a GPA scholarship.

Best GPA scholarships

Bold.org has access to a number of scholarships with GPA requirements. These merit-based scholarships are available to a wide range of students, and all are welcome to apply. Check out the lists below to see what GPA scholarships are available.

Scholarships for high GPAs

Several scholarships at Bold.org are for students with higher GPAs. Students with stronger academic standings are welcome to apply to these in order to gain college funding for their students. These scholarships are for students who have earned a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

1. 3.5 GPA Scholarships
2. Merit-Based Scholarships

Scholarships for Low GPAs

Bold.org also has several scholarships for students with lower GPAs. Those who fit the eligibility criteria and are hoping to pursue higher education are invited to apply for these scholarships.

1. 2.0 GPA Scholarships
2. 2.5 GPA Scholarships
3. 3.0 GPA Scholarships

How to Find GPA Scholarships

Finding a GPA scholarship is just like finding any other scholarship, meaning it requires careful research. A quick search on the internet will yield many results, but this can oftentimes be overwhelming, especially since not all of the sources on the internet are reliable and credible.

Fortunately, on Bold.org you can find plenty of exclusive and credible GPA scholarships that can't be found anywhere else. You can use the available filters to find the right scholarships for you, including scholarships with GPA requirements and scholarships without them.

Finally, another option to take when looking for GPA scholarships is to ask your college counselor or academic advisor, or the financial aid office of your university. This is oftentimes a great place to start when you are looking for credible scholarships to apply for.

As you search for GPA scholarships or scholarships of any kind, make sure you weigh your options and apply to the best scholarships for you. It is important to consider financial value, the application process, and your own needs.

You can also find scholarship for high school seniors with varying GPA requirements or none at all. Check them out now!

Do Colleges Look at Weighted GPAs for Scholarships?

Although it may vary between schools and between scholarships, colleges generally consider a student's unweighted GPA when it comes to college scholarships. This means that a GPA measure on a 4.0 scale will be used to determine a student's academic success.

However, if you are applying for a GPA scholarship, be sure to carefully read the scholarship description so that you know whether the scholarship is examining weighted or unweighted GPA.

Similarly, there are scholarships made specifically for students taking Advanced Placement courses, meaning courses that contribute to a weighted GPA. Weighted GPAs at schools offering AP courses are generally measured on a 5.0 scale.

What GPA Can Get You a Scholarship?

There is no specific GPA necessary to get a scholarship. If you are applying to scholarships with grade point average requirements, having a more impressive GPA will make you eligible for more scholarships and may even increase your likelihood of winning, but this does not mean that a certain GPA can get you a scholarship.

There are plenty of scholarships available to students with lower grade point averages, and although these scholarships still have GPA requirements, they are more expansive so that students with lower grades may still apply to fund their higher education.

Finally, there are plenty of scholarships that do not require a specific grade point average at all. In other words, these scholarships are open to all students regardless of GPA. This can include need-based scholarships, scholarships based on extracurricular activities, scholarships based only on writing, scholarships for artwork, and many more.

There is a very wide range of scholarships not requiring a certain grade point average, and the financial awards can range from being a full-ride scholarship to paying much less. Regardless, if you are conducting scholarship research, you are sure to find something that you can apply for.

If you are hesitant to apply for scholarships because you believe your academic standing may pose an obstacle, rest assured that there are many scholarships for which you are eligible. This includes GPA scholarships as well as the other types of scholarships that do not have grade point average requirements, making higher education financially feasible for all kinds of students.

When Can I Start Applying?

There is no specific time when students need to begin applying for scholarships. That being said, a general rule of thumb is that the earlier you apply the better. In fact, the Federal Student Aid Office recommends that students begin searching for scholarships as early as the summer before their senior year of high school.

This will allow you to find more scholarships to apply for across a wide variety, like scholarships for extracurricular activities or scholarships for students with a specific desired career path.

Since searching for scholarships early on can also increase the number of scholarships you are eligible for, you can consequently apply for more scholarships. If you apply for a higher volume of scholarships, you are more likely to win the money you need to afford your pursuit of higher education.

How Do I Know If I'm Eligible for a Scholarship?

Scholarship eligibility varies between scholarships and is almost always listed in the scholarship's description. If you are considering applying for a scholarship, be sure to carefully read the eligibility criteria to know if you are able to apply.

Eligibility criteria can include any number of things. For instance, a scholarship may require that eligible candidates have certain test scores, or a specific cumulative GPA, while another scholarship may require eligible applicants to demonstrate financial need.

Whatever the case, whether you are applying to full-ride scholarships or scholarships for a smaller monetary amount, be sure that you fulfill the eligibility requirements of your scholarship of choice before beginning the application process. This way, you can avoid wasting any time on scholarships that you weren't eligible for in the first place.

What Do I Have to Do to Apply?

After ensuring that you indeed meet all of your scholarship's requirements, you can begin the application process. Whether you are applying only to full-ride scholarships for athletics or only to academically merit-based scholarships, each scholarship will have a different application process.

Some scholarships require transcripts or even letters of recommendation while other scholarships require essays or an art portfolio. Carefully read your scholarship's description before applying so you know all of the application materials you need to gather.

Finally, start the application process as early as possible. This will give you enough time to gather all the materials that you need to apply, like test scores, evidence of financial need, high school transcripts, and more.

Are Scholarships Counted as Income?

In general, scholarships are not counted as income, regardless of whether they are merit-based scholarships, need-based scholarships, or otherwise. Most scholarships generally meet the requirements to be excluded from income; however, you should research your scholarship and compare it to the information listed on the scholarships and grants page of the Internal Revenue Service website to be sure.