National Merit Scholars Program package

This is a real program, but some details for the current cycle are not published or not yet confirmed. Check the official source before you plan around it.

Award

Published fall 2026 package, subject to availability: tuition for up to eight semesters; University Commons room or 4x2 University Village apartment; COMET 14 or equivalent meals for on-campus scholars; book/supply, study abroad and one-time summer research stipends; Collegium V admission. Exact stipend amounts and housing duration are not stated.

Timeline

1. Dec 1Current Honors admissions page requires a UT Dallas application by and NMSC first-choice designation before May 1
2. Dec 1Neither National Merit date identifies the 2027 cycle. Package page treats as priority with late applications considered. NMSC's general final receipt deadline is May 31, 2027.

How to apply

Be a National Merit Finalist, submit a complete UT Dallas application by December 1, be admitted, and list UT Dallas as first choice in the NMSC portal.

What you'll need

• No separate application: you are considered when you apply for admission

Who can apply

Admitted National Merit Finalists. Students attending high school outside the US must satisfy NMSC citizenship or permanent-residence rules.

Good to know

The financial package is still labeled fall 2026. Current admissions instructions describe December 1 as required, while the package page allows late applications after priority. Renewal requires 3.0 GPA each semester and academic year, full-time enrollment (12 undergraduate or 9 graduate credits), progress on a four-year graduation timeline, conduct compliance and an annual scholarship information session. Unused tuition semesters may support UT Dallas graduate study. Summer research stipend requires an SSN.

Details

Before Early Action