HomeBlog
1 min read11 June 2026

ACT Scholarships: How To Find ACT Merit Scholarships?

Summarise with AI
ACT Scholarships: How To Find ACT Merit Scholarships?

Achieving a strong score on the ACT can help you reduce educational expenses by opening the door to various financial awards. Certain scholarships are granted strictly on the basis of your test performance. Here at Ashiraj, we will guide you on how and where to discover ACT-based scholarships, as well as highlight universities that provide financial aid to international students.

ACT 2024 Scholarships and Financial Aid

ACT 2024 Scholarships and Financial Aid

An applicant's cumulative grade point average and ACT results serve as the main criteria for granting ACT scholarships. Students who achieve a baseline ACT score, such as 25, qualify for funding through lower-tier scholarships. The level of competition for these awards rises proportionally with the score bracket. Applicants targeting an ACT score between 20 and 25 can potentially receive offers reaching up to $90,000 upon meeting the criteria. Furthermore, various colleges and universities offer ACT merit grants depending on standardized test performance.

Suggested: How to register for the ACT exam

While a specific ACT score is generally required for college applications, earning a high score substantially boosts your likelihood of securing financial support. Achieving a strong ACT score stands as one of the primary prerequisites for earning ACT merit scholarships in most cases. Numerous private universities provide scholarships through application processes closely resembling college admissions, which often involve essays and recommendation letters. 

Additionally, smaller scholarships may be granted based on personal essays, individual circumstances, or a parent's employer. A wide variety of options exist, including the ACT student champion scholarships, LSU and UT ACT scholarships, the California dream ACT scholarships, and more.

Suggested:  How to interpret ACT scores

ACT Scholarships for Indian Students

ACT Scholarships for Indian Students

Below is an inventory of scholarships tied to ACT scores that are open to students from India pursuing studies overseas.

Scholarship

ACT Score Required

Amount Granted

Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program

23

USD 10,000

Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship

21

USD 30,000

Pacific Gas and Electric Company Asian ERG Scholarship

25

USD 2,000

Lloyd M. Fujie Scholarship for Accounting Major Students

21

USD 2,500

Deana's Wish Memorial Scholarship

24

USD 2,000

MSLP Governor's Best and Brightest Scholarship

20

Not Applicable

CIA Undergraduate Scholarship Program

21

USD 18,000

Matt Logies Memorial Scholarship

24

USD 5,000

How to Find an ACT Scholarship?

How to Find an ACT Scholarship?

There are three primary methods for discovering ACT scholarships. Most of these awards are provided directly by individual universities and can be located on their official websites, taking the form of either financial aid or institutional scholarships. You can also run a Google search to identify scholarships that match your ACT score and determine if you wish to apply.

Another effective strategy is to search for ACT-based scholarships on popular scholarship search engines. Resources like Scholarships.com and the College Board's BigFuture Scholarship Search are two widely used online portals offering details on current financial aid programs. Nevertheless, always review the eligibility guidelines thoroughly before submitting any applications.

Colleges Providing ACT Scholarships to International Students

Colleges Providing ACT Scholarships to International Students

For international students, scholarships can prove immensely helpful in reaching academic goals. Review the following compilation of prominent academic institutions offering financial assistance based on ACT results:

Baylor University

Name of Scholarship

Amount Awarded per Year (Estimate)

President's Gold Scholarship

USD 20,000- USD 22,000

Provost's Gold Scholarship

USD 17,000- USD 19,000

Dean's Gold Scholarship

USD 15,000- USD 16,000

Founder's Gold Scholarship

USD 8,000- USD 13,000

Clemson University

Scholarship

Minimum ACT Score

Class Rank Requirement

Out of State Tuition Scholarship

ACT: 29

Top 10%

Colorado State University

ACT Score

23-24

25-26

27-28

29+

Award

USD 5,000

USD 6,000

USD 8,000

USD 10,000

Florida A&M

Scholarship

Minimum ACT and Math Score

FAMU GPA

George W. Gore

ACT: 29

3.75

Presidential Special Scholarship

ACT: 27

3.5

Florida Gulf Coast University

Scholarship

Minimum ACT Score

Minimum GPA

Amount Awarded per Year

Blue and Green Scholars Award

ACT: 28

3.9

USD 15,000

Blue and Green Directors Award

ACT: 25

3.5

USD 10,000

University of Arizona

GPA

Global Wildcat Awards

4.0

USD 22,000

3.90-3.99

USD 18,500

3.75-3.89

USD 15,000

3.50-3.74

USD 11,000

3.25-3.49

USD 7,500

3.0-3.24

USD 5,500

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Scholarship

Minimum ACT Score

Minimum GPA

Amount Awarded per Year

Provost's Award

30-36

3.8-4.0

USD 5,500

UNLV Excellence Scholarship

27-29

3.5-3.7

USD 4,500

Rebel Scholarship

23-26

3.2-3.4

USD 1,800

University of Oregon

Scholarship

Minimum ACT Score

Minimum GPA

Amount Awarded per Year

Summit

26

3.9

USD 4,000

Apex

25

3.7

USD 2,000

University of Tennessee

Minimum ACT Score

GPA

Amount Awarded per Year

28-36

3.6-3.79

USD 7,500

24-27

3.6

USD 4,000

25-27

3.8

USD 6,000

University of Texas, Arlington

Scholarship

Minimum ACT Score

GPA Requirement

Amount Awarded

Presidential Scholar

30

Top 20% of class

USD 12,000

Maverick Academic Scholarship

23

Top 50% of class

USD 2,000- USD 8,000

University of Missouri

Scholarship

Minimum ACT Score

Amount Awarded per Year

International Merit Scholarship

ACT: 27

USD 5,000 

International Honors Scholarship

ACT: 29

USD 10,000

These awards present great opportunities if you aim to submit multiple applications. Pursuing high-prestige scholarships demands extra dedication on your applications, but the outcomes are well worth the effort. Make sure to leverage your ACT scores effectively to build a promising and financially secure future. Reach out to our Ashiraj counselors today for personalized guidance. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Which ACT score do most scholarships require?

An ACT score of 25 or higher generally qualifies you to apply for smaller scholarships. Conversely, as the funding increases and the score thresholds rise, scholarships become progressively harder to secure. To sum up, aiming for a score between 20 and 25 should be your absolute baseline target.

Which ACT score qualifies you for a full ride?

ACT Composite of 32–36: Numerous colleges and universities offer full-ride scholarships to applicants who achieve an ACT score within this bracket and maintain a high school GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Is an ACT score of 36 considered good?

Absolutely, a composite score of 36 represents a flawless performance. This figure is calculated by averaging your individual scores across the English, Math, Reading, and Science sections. While elite universities do not strictly require a flawless score, earning a 36 on the ACT certainly helps you catch their attention.

Can the ACT help you earn scholarships?

Indeed, specific colleges grant scholarships automatically depending on your ACT performance. Numerous universities reward students with guaranteed scholarships when high ACT scores are paired with other scholastic achievements, such as an impressive GPA and a strong academic background.

Which scholarship offers the highest payout?

Yes, the ACT is one of the two standardized tests accepted in Canada and is widely acknowledged by schools as fulfilling undergraduate admission criteria. Consequently, quite a few Canadian universities feature ACT-based financial assistance programs.

You Might Also Like

ACT Scholarships: How To Find ACT Merit Scholarships?