Grants and Scholarships

The following grants and scholarships are available to Merrimack College students.

Athletic Scholarships

Recipients are selected by the Merrimack department of athletics. All questions regarding this type of aid should be directed to the coach and the assistant athletic director of compliance.

Endowed and Restricted Scholarships

A number of individuals, foundations and corporations have donated money to establish nearly 250 endowed and restricted scholarships at Merrimack College. These scholarships vary in character and purpose. Some support study in a particular field, others provide assistance to students from designated geographic areas.

Endowed and restricted scholarships are based on merit, leadership capability and financial need. Endowment scholarship awards will be made during the academic year by the Office of Financial Aid. Scholarships designated for entering students do not require a separate application.

If you are selected as a recipient, you will be notified of the award name and to whom a letter of thanks must be addressed. Your acceptance of these funds implies permission for the college to publicize the award.

Family Scholarships

If two children from the same family are enrolled at Merrimack College in a full-time, day degree program, each child is entitled to a 10 percent reduction in tuition. Three children receive a 13.3 percent reduction, and four children receive a 15 percent reduction. Reductions are calculated after institutional aid is applied.

Federal Pell Grants

Pell Grants are awarded to students who have filed the FAFSA and whose expected family contribution falls within federal guidelines. Awards for full-time students in 2018-19 range from $652 to $6,095 per year. 

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants are awarded on a very limited basis to Pell Grant recipients, with priority given to those with the lowest expected family contributions. A limited number of SEOG grants are available. The priority deadline to be considered is Feb. 15 for freshmen and April 1 for returning students, after which funds will be awarded based on Pell Grant recipient profiles and their corresponding unmet needs.

Gilbert Grants

Gilbert Grants are one-year awards made available by the commonwealth of Massachusetts to eligible Massachusetts residents. Awards are determined annually, pending state funding.

International Scholarships

International students do not qualify for need-based financial aid. However, all international students are considered for partial-tuition merit scholarships.

MASSGrants

Massachusetts provides educational grants to qualified students who have completed the FAFSA application. Eligibility is based on residency, financial need according to the expected family contribution and enrollment status. For the 2017-18 academic year, MASSGrant awards ranged from $600 to $1,600. The awards are not automatically renewed; students must file the FAFSA before May 1 each year to determine eligibility. If you receive state notification of a MASSGrant award, you may deduct the state scholarship from your bill only with the understanding that you are responsible for any balance due if the state subsequently adjusts or cancels your award.

Merit Scholarships

Merrimack College offers a variety of merit scholarships to academically qualified incoming students. Merit scholarships are renewable for four years or up to eight semesters, provided the student maintains good academic standing as defined in the Merrimack College catalog.

Merrimack Need-Based Grants

In order to qualify for need-based aid, a student must file the FAFSA and demonstrate financial need, as determined by FAFSA guidelines. The award amount in subsequent years will be calculated by the demonstrated level of financial need.

Other-State Grants

Your state agency will notify you directly of your tentative award, and then notify Merrimack once your award has been confirmed for the academic year. States that have reciprocal agreements with Massachusetts are Maryland, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont as well as the District of Columbia. Available funding is determined by your state funding authority. Recipients may deduct state scholarships from their bill, with the understanding that they are responsible for any balance due if the state subsequently adjusts or cancels the award.

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Transfer Scholarships

Transfer scholarships are renewable provided the student maintains good academic standing as defined in the Merrimack College catalog. The number of semesters for which the scholarship is renewed is determined by the total transfer credits accepted upon admission and the number of semesters that remain to meet the required credits for graduation.

Tuition Exchange

Tuition-exchange scholarships are based on parental employment at another participating institution. For additional information, contact the tuition-exchange liaison at your institution.