National Distinction Scholarship
ListedCollege program
- Award
- $40,000 total ($10,000 per year). Nonresident recipients may also qualify for the in-state tuition rate for the same period.
- Deadline
- NMSC must receive the first-choice designation by May 31, 2027. Texas State also lists May 31 before the first semester. Confirm the route for Semifinalists because the award overview requires Finalist status.
- How to apply
- Be a National Merit Finalist or Semifinalist, submit an admission application and transcript, select Texas State first with NMSC by May 31, and email your certificate to processing@txstate.edu.
- Who can apply
- First-time freshmen admitted for fall or spring. The overview limits National Distinction to National Merit Finalists, while the eligibility table also lists Semifinalists; confirm Semifinalist eligibility. NMSC citizenship requirements apply to entrants attending high school outside the U.S.; individual award rules still apply.
- Good to know
- Amounts apply to entrants admitted summer 2026 onward. Renewable up to eight continuous semesters with a 3.5 Texas State GPA and 28 passing Texas State credits during fall/spring each year; AP and CLEP do not count. Undergraduate enrollment and no prior bachelor's degree required. Accelerated Online, TXST-LSCO Gateway and Local Co-Enrollment programs excluded. In-state tuition waiver requires lawful U.S. presence and Selective Service registration or exemption. Total aid cannot exceed cost of attendance.