General merit
ListedCollege program
- Award
- Published merit amounts range from $5,000 to full tuition; the range does not specify payment frequency. Admission merit awards are fixed for four years/eight semesters, with cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 and full-time enrollment of at least 12 credits per semester unless a donor specifies different terms.
- Deadline
- Submit the completed admission application by the chosen round: Early Decision I November 15, Early Decision II January 15, or Regular Decision January 15. The admission page does not state cycle years. Special arts awards can have additional requirements.
- How to apply
- Automatic general merit consideration with a complete Common Application or Coalition Application, personal essay, school report/counselor recommendation, official transcript, and at least one core-subject teacher evaluation. SAT/ACT are optional. Arts scholarships require additional materials.
- What you'll need
- No separate application: you are considered when you apply for admission
- Recommendations
- An essay
- Who can apply
- All admission applicants are automatically considered for general merit regardless of financial aid eligibility. Some named scholarships restrict location, school, STEM field, talent, or financial need. No general entry GPA floor is published; donor-specific renewal rules may differ.
- Good to know
- The Fall 2027 Denison Commitment is income-based tuition pricing and does not stack on top of merit. Merit can help fulfill that commitment, with the lower tuition outcome used. Merit amounts are guaranteed four years despite changes in family income; need-based aid is reevaluated.