The merit scholarships are awarded based on a student’s academic achievements, leadership qualities, talent, and other exceptional characteristics. Most of the scholarships offered by North Western are based on financial need but it also offers some scholarships that are based on academic merit. So, here we will discuss Northwestern University, the merit, and other scholarship programs that are offered by Northwestern.

What is Northwestern?

Northwestern is a university in Evanston, Illinois, United States and it is the country’s leading private research and teaching university. This university was established in 1851. North Western University follows the laws of state and federal government that prohibit discrimination. So, North Western does not permit discrimination by any member against any individual and it is applicable for the whole Northwestern community. Individuals do not discriminate based on religion, race, color, sex, gender identity, marital status, age, citizenship status, genetic information, parental status, nationality, or any other classification such as employment, admission, housing, education activities, etc. If any individual feels any kind of discrimination then he can contact the universities office of civil rights. They will indeed protect the rights of that individual.

Does Northwestern give Merit Scholarships?

Most of the scholarships offered by Northwestern are based on financial need but it also offers some merit-based scholarships. The list of merit-based scholarships is given below. Merit-based scholarships are evaluated based on academic achievement and any other exceptional ability.

National Merit Scholarships: Northwestern University offers this scholarship to high-achieving students means those students who achieve good marks during their junior year of High School on the PSAT/NMSQT. This award is possible because Northwestern University participates in the national merit scholarship program. Students who can qualify for National Merit finalist are considered eligible for this scholarship.
Music and Performing Arts Scholarship: Students who are having exceptional talents like music, and any other performing art are considered eligible for Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music merit-based scholarship. In the same manner, for the outstanding performers, the School of communication theatre and performing arts department offers scholarships. So, if you have any such talent then this scholarship works best for you.
Presidential Scholars Merit Scholarships: This scholarship program offers a full-tuition cost along with additional benefits and is available for outstanding incoming freshmen. It is one of the most prestigious merit scholarship programs offered by Northwestern. In this, students are selected based on their academic qualities, leadership abilities, and community involvement. Individuals require to submit separate essays and the application process for a Presidential Scholarship is highly competitive.
Community and Service-Based Scholarships: Students who are dedicated to community service are eligible for the community and service-based scholarship of Northwestern University. If you have vital records of volunteer work and civic engagement then you may be eligible for several scholarships including Northwestern merit scholarship programs.
College-specific Merit Scholarships: The college-specific merit scholarships are also offered by some Northwestern colleges. In this, the scholarships are based on the specific area of study. For example, the School of Communication offers scholarships to students who have outstanding achievements in media studies. Therefore, you can say that a lot of merit scholarships are available based on a specific major or field of study.

The above-mentioned scholarship programs are merit-based programs at Northwestern University and to earn these you have to maintain excellent academic achievement and extracurricular interest. Some other scholarship programs that are available at Northwestern are mentioned below.

Other Scholarship Programs at Northwestern

Some scholarship programs at Northwestern University are based on financial need rather than academic achievement and these are as follows.

Northwestern University Scholarship Program: In this program, the awards are based on demonstrated institutional financial need. This award is funded by alumni and friends of North Western University and to get eligible students have to meet the selection criteria of the donors. Sometimes, the eligibility may also depend upon the availability of funding at the institution. The range of award amounts is from $250 to $40,000 annually.
Good Neighbor, Great University: This scholarship program at Northwestern University is available for students who graduated from high schools in Chicago and Evanston. The award range of this scholarship is from $1,000 to $5,500.
Chicago Star Scholarship Program: It is a need-based scholarship program and is available for students who have completed their studies at the city colleges of Chicago and then take a transfer to Northwestern University. The award amount of the Chicago star scholarship is based on the students demonstrated need. To get eligible, students have to maintain satisfactory academic progress and it is available for up to three years.
QuestBridge National College Scholarship: Students who have excellent academic records are considered eligible for the scholarship. QuestBridge is a not-for-profit organization and its primary purpose is to serve low-income students.

So, these are the other scholarship programs at Northwestern University that are based on financial need and the eligibility requirements are by federal, state, and university regulations and policies.

Are there any Supplemental Materials required for Eligibility at Northwestern?

No, there are not any supplemental materials required for the eligibility of the scholarships at Northwestern. Northwestern does not accept any supplemental material such as artwork, portfolios, social media websites, etc. These materials are not reviewed and checked by the officials. Therefore, these documents do not work as complementary material for getting the scholarship.

Conclusion

Northwestern offers both merit-based scholarships and need-based scholarships. The majority of the scholarships are awarded in the form of need-based grants in which students’ financial need is evaluated by the officials. The main aim of offering these scholarships at Northwestern is to make education affordable for students from various economic backgrounds. For merit-based scholarships, students are evaluated by the official during the admission process. So students must have to apply for the scholarships by the specified deadline.