Undergraduate Merit-Based Scholarships
Merit-based scholarships are assigned based on the term the student enrolls.
First-Year Scholarships
| GPA | Scholarship Name | In-State (per year) | Out-of-State/NEBHE* (per year) |
| 3.75 – 4.00 | Presidential | $7,000 | $11,000 |
| 3.25 – 3.74 | Dean’s | $6,000 | $10,000 |
| 2.75 – 3.24 | Aspire | $5,000 | $9,000 |
| 2.50 – 2.74 | Promise | $4,000 | $6,000 |
| 2.25 – 2.49 | Promise | $3,000 | $5,000 |
| < 2.24 | Strive | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| Scholarships are awarded based upon your GPA at the time of decision and are not adjusted based upon final GPA. Merit scholarships are renewable for up to three additional years, at the awarded amount (for a total of eight full-time fall and spring semesters). Notification of eligibility is included in your acceptance letter. All merit awards are evenly split between fall and spring semesters. A specific cumulative GPA is required annually to renew merit scholarships, as follows: Presidential and Dean’s: 3.0; Aspire: 2.5; Promise and NH Strive: 2.25.
* NEBHE students will also receive a $3,000 tuition waiver. |
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Transfer Scholarships
If you have earned 24 or more credits after high school graduation you will qualify for a transfer merit scholarship, which will be assigned based on your incoming college GPA. If you have earned less than 24 credits, you will be awarded a first-year merit scholarship, which will be based on your high school GPA.
| GPA | Scholarship Name | In-State (per year) | Out-of-State/NEBHE* (per year) |
| 3.50 – 4.00 | Presidential | $4,500 | $8,000 |
| 3.25 – 3.49 | Dean’s | $3,000 | $7,000 |
| 2.75 – 3.24 | Aspire | $2,000 | $5,000 |
| < 2.74 | Promise | $1,000 | $3,000 |
| Scholarships are awarded based upon your GPA at the time of decision and are not adjusted based upon final GPA. Merit scholarships are renewable for up to three additional years, at the awarded amount (for a total of eight full-time fall and spring semesters). Notification of eligibility is included in your acceptance letter. All merit awards are evenly split between fall and spring semesters. A specific cumulative GPA is required annually to renew merit scholarships, as follows: Presidential and Dean’s: 3.0; Aspire: 2.5.
* NEBHE students tuition charge will be $3,000 less than non-resident students. |
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International Scholarships
| GPA | Scholarship Name | First-Year | Transfer |
| 3.75 – 4.00 | Presidential | $11,000 | $11,000 |
| 3.25 – 3.74 | Dean’s | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| 2.75 – 3.24 | Aspire | $9,000 | $9,000 |
| 2.5 – 2.74 | Promise | $6,000 | $6,000 |
| Scholarships are awarded based upon your GPA at the time of decision and are not adjusted based upon final GPA. Merit scholarships are renewable for up to three additional years, at the awarded amount (for a total of eight full-time fall and spring semesters). Notification of eligibility is included in your acceptance letter. All merit awards are evenly split between fall and spring semesters. A specific cumulative GPA is required annually to renew merit scholarships, as follows: Presidential and Dean’s: 3.0; Aspire: 2.5; Promise: 2.25. | |||
*PSU merit scholarships are awarded by the Admissions Office.
Additional Awards
Bay and Ocean States Scholarship – $2,000
All first-year, full-time undergraduate students who are residents of Massachusetts or Rhode Island will be awarded this scholarship at the time of admission. No additional scholarship application is required.
North Woods Connection – $2,000
All first-year, full-time undergraduate students who are residents of Maine or Vermont will be awarded this scholarship at the time of admission. No additional scholarship application is required.
Tri-State Scholarship – $2,000
All first-year, full-time undergraduate students who are residents of Connecticut, New Jersey, or New York will be awarded this scholarship at the time of admission. No additional scholarship application is required.
STEM Scholarship – $1,000
Awards are made to accepted, incoming, first-year students who have declared their major in Biochemistry, Biology, Cell & Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Climate Studies, Computer Science, Environmental Biology, Environmental Science & Policy, Forensic Science, Game Design, Information Technology, Mathematical Data Sciences, Mathematics, Meteorology, or Robotics. Awards are renewable for three additional years if a cumulative 2.25 GPA is maintained and the student remains enrolled as a full-time STEM major.
New Hampshire Transfer Student Fund
This endowment provides funds for New Hampshire residents transferring to Plymouth State University. Criteria includes application for or accepted current full-time student status and minimum 3.0 GPA. The PSU Office of Financial Aid will determine the award recipient. No application is required.
Phi Theta Kappa – $1,000
Plymouth State will annually award (10) $1,000 scholarships to full-time undergraduate transfer students who enter PSU as Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) members with a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. A 2.5 cumulative grade point average of all college work is required for the scholarship to be renewed. PSU reserves the right to request proof of PTK membership.
New Hampshire Governor’s Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to students who meet the following criteria: (1) Eligible for Federal PELL Grant, (2) New Hampshire residents, (3) enrolled full-time in a degree program, (4) not have been adjudicated delinquent or convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felonies or any second or subsequent alcohol or drug-related offenses under the laws of this or any other state, or under the laws of the United States, except that an otherwise eligible person who has been adjudicated delinquent or has been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to a second or subsequent alcohol or drug-related misdemeanor offense shall be eligible or continue to be eligible for a scholarship after the expiration of one academic year from the date of adjudication, conviction, or plea, (5) A person shall have either graduated from high school or obtained a New Hampshire high school equivalency certificate based on the HiSet tests no more than 3 years prior to his or her application for a scholarship. Students with the NH Scholars designation will be eligible for $2,000 annually, others will be eligible for $1,000 for up to four years. NH Scholars must maintain a 2.5 GPA for annual renewal, all others must maintain a 2.0. If the student loses the award for any reason, it will not be reinstated.
Outside Scholarships
Private foundations, civic organizations and others are a great resources for additional scholarship monies. In our experience, over 90 percent of the outside scholarships received by students, specifically first-year students, are obtained from organizations within their home communities. For this reason, we encourage you to check with your high school guidance office, employer, local civic organizations and religious institutions to see what scholarships are available. Many scholarship search engines are also available online.
First Year Scholarships
| GPA | Scholarship Name | In-State (per year) | Out-of-State/NEBHE* (per year) |
| 3.75 – 4.00 | Presidential | $7,000 | $11,000 |
| 3.25 – 3.74 | Dean’s | $6,000 | $10,000 |
| 2.75 – 3.24 | Aspire | $5,000 | $9,000 |
| 2.50 – 2.74 | Promise | $4,000 | $6,000 |
| 2.25 – 2.49 | Promise | $3,000 | $5,000 |
| 2.00 – 2.24 | NH Strive | $2,000 | $3,000 |
| Scholarships are awarded based upon your GPA at the time of decision and are not adjusted based upon final GPA. Merit scholarships are renewable for up to three additional years, at the awarded amount (for a total of eight full-time fall and spring semesters). Notification of eligibility is included in your acceptance letter. All merit awards are evenly split between fall and spring semesters. A specific cumulative GPA is required annually to renew merit scholarships, as follows: Presidential and Dean’s: 3.0; Aspire: 2.5; Promise and NH Strive: 2.25.
* NEBHE students will also receive a $3,000 tuition waiver. |
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Transfer Scholarships
If you have earned 24 or more credits after high school graduation you will qualify for a transfer merit scholarship, which will be assigned based on your incoming college GPA. If you have earned less than 24 credits, you will be awarded a first-year merit scholarship, which will be based on your high school GPA.
| GPA | Scholarship Name | In-State (per year) | Out-of-State/NEBHE* (per year) |
| 3.50 – 4.00 | Presidential | $4,500 | $8,000 |
| 3.25 – 3.49 | Dean’s | $3,000 | $7,000 |
| 2.75 – 3.24 | Aspire | $2,000 | $5,000 |
| 2.50 – 2.74 | Promise | $1,000 | $3,000 |
| Scholarships are awarded based upon your GPA at the time of decision and are not adjusted based upon final GPA. Merit scholarships are renewable for up to three additional years, at the awarded amount (for a total of eight full-time fall and spring semesters). Notification of eligibility is included in your acceptance letter. All merit awards are evenly split between fall and spring semesters. A specific cumulative GPA is required annually to renew merit scholarships, as follows: Presidential and Dean’s: 3.0; Aspire: 2.5.
* NEBHE students tuition charge will be $3,000 less than non-resident students. |
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International Scholarships
| GPA | Scholarship Name | First-Year | Transfer |
| 3.75 – 4.00 | Presidential | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| 3.25 – 3.74 | Dean’s | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| 2.75 – 3.24 | Aspire | $9,000 | $9,000 |
| 2.50 – 2.74 | Promise | $6,000 | $6,000 |
| Scholarships are awarded based upon your GPA at the time of decision and are not adjusted based upon final GPA. Merit scholarships are renewable for up to three additional years, at the awarded amount (for a total of eight full-time fall and spring semesters). Notification of eligibility is included in your acceptance letter. All merit awards are evenly split between fall and spring semesters. A specific cumulative GPA is required annually to renew merit scholarships, as follows: Presidential and Dean’s: 3.0; Aspire: 2.5; Promise: 2.25. | |||
*PSU merit scholarships are awarded by the Admissions Office.
Additional Awards
Bay and Ocean States Scholarship – $2,000
All first-year, full-time undergraduate students who are residents of Massachusetts or Rhode Island will be awarded this scholarship at the time of admission. No additional scholarship application is required.
North Woods Connection – $2,000
All first-year, full-time undergraduate students who are residents of Maine or Vermont will be awarded this scholarship at the time of admission. No additional scholarship application is required.
Tri-State Scholarship – $2,000
All first-year, full-time undergraduate students who are residents of Connecticut, New Jersey, or New York will be awarded this scholarship at the time of admission. No additional scholarship application is required.
STEM Scholarship – $1,000
Awards are made to accepted, incoming, first-year students who have declared their major in Biochemistry, Biology, Cell & Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Climate Studies, Computer Science, Environmental Biology, Environmental Science & Policy, Forensic Science, Game Design, Information Technology, Mathematical Data Sciences, Mathematics, Meteorology, or Robotics. Awards are renewable for three additional years if a cumulative 2.25 GPA is maintained and the student remains enrolled as a full-time STEM major.
New Hampshire Transfer Student Fund
This endowment provides funds for New Hampshire residents transferring to Plymouth State University. Criteria includes application for or accepted current full-time student status and minimum 3.0 GPA. The PSU Office of Financial Aid will determine the award recipient. No application is required.
Phi Theta Kappa – $1,000
Plymouth State will annually award (10) $1,000 scholarships to full-time undergraduate transfer students who enter PSU as Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) members with a 3.0 cumulative grade point average. A 2.5 cumulative grade point average of all college work is required for the scholarship to be renewed. PSU reserves the right to request proof of PTK membership.
New Hampshire Governor’s Scholarship
This scholarship is awarded to students who meet the following criteria: (1) Eligible for Federal PELL Grant, (2) New Hampshire residents, (3) enrolled full-time in a degree program, (4) not have been adjudicated delinquent or convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to any felonies or any second or subsequent alcohol or drug-related offenses under the laws of this or any other state, or under the laws of the United States, except that an otherwise eligible person who has been adjudicated delinquent or has been convicted or pled guilty or nolo contendere to a second or subsequent alcohol or drug-related misdemeanor offense shall be eligible or continue to be eligible for a scholarship after the expiration of one academic year from the date of adjudication, conviction, or plea, (5) A person shall have either graduated from high school or obtained a New Hampshire high school equivalency certificate based on the HiSet tests no more than 3 years prior to his or her application for a scholarship. Students with the NH Scholars designation will be eligible for $2,000 annually, others will be eligible for $1,000 for up to four years. NH Scholars must maintain a 2.5 GPA for annual renewal, all others must maintain a 2.0. If the student loses the award for any reason, it will not be reinstated.
Outside Scholarships
Private foundations, civic organizations and others are a great resources for additional scholarship monies. In our experience, over 90 percent of the outside scholarships received by students, specifically first-year students, are obtained from organizations within their home communities. For this reason, we encourage you to check with your high school guidance office, employer, local civic organizations and religious institutions to see what scholarships are available. Many scholarship search engines are also available online.
