Freshmen

USF’s National Merit Scholarship Program

USF proudly welcomes National Merit Scholars to our leading Tampa, Florida, university. From our incredible location to our exceptional program options, it is easy to see why we attract some of the best and brightest young minds:

• More than 180 undergraduate majors and concentrations
• Opportunities to study and conduct research with world-renowned faculty
• Study abroad programs in more than 25 countries around the world

USF's National Merit Scholar Benefits

National Merit Scholars at USF get access to a variety of high-dollar scholarships for both Florida residents and non-Florida residents. If you are named a National Merit® Scholar Finalist Designee, you are also eligible to receive the benefits of the USF Golden Achievement Scholarship Program, which offers even more exclusive advantages:

Scholarships and Financial Support

• Scholarship covering your full cost of attendance during fall and spring semesters
• Scholarship options for study abroad
• Funding for academic conferences, research and publication
• Access to expert advising in the Office of National Scholars to prepare you to compete for prestigious national and international awards
• A tuition waiver for your first year of graduate study at USF

Exclusive Campus Services

• Admittance to the Honors College: small classes, individual faculty mentoring, and concierge academic advising
• On-campus housing in our new Honors College Living-Learning Community
• Research opportunities early in your enrollment at USF
• First-year luncheon with President Genshaft

Career, Education and Development Support

• Assistance in securing internships
• Access to free preparatory courses for standardized tests, such as the MCAT
• Leadership development opportunities with mentoring by faculty and community leaders

Join us for a Scholars Experience Visit

The Scholars Experience visit is a personalized campus visit that lets you decide who and what you would like to see when you are on campus. Get a hands-on feel for the classrooms, labs and study spaces for the individual colleges you will join. Meet professors who will guide you through your studies.

For in-state National Merit Semifinalists who apply to USF, we cover the cost of your hotel during the visit. If you're an out-of-state National Merit Semifinalist, we will also pay for your flight to visit. Contact our Scholarship Coordinator, Winsome Nisbett, to learn more and schedule a tour.

Your Next Steps

If you've been named a National Merit Scholar Semifinalist, we make it easy to apply and enjoy the benefits of joining USF. The best part? You don't need to submit any additional applications or documents. Just follow the steps below to see the National Merit Scholar benefits you could receive:

• Visit USF to schedule your tour and see all the exciting benefits of becoming a Bull
• Submit a complete admissions application to USF by January 15, 2018
• Complete the admission process by submitting your high school transcripts and SAT or ACT test scores

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Winsome Nisbett, our Scholarship Coordinator, at scholarships@usf.edu.