Merrimack prices by major. Most students see a sticker price over $51,000 in tuition, but three majors (Humanities, Government, and Creative Arts & Design) carry a flat $17,000 tuition, four more join that list for Fall 2027, and a new set of three-year degrees launches in Spring 2027 at $25,000 a year. On top of that, Merrimack advertises a guaranteed $20,000 scholarship for new students heading into engineering, the sciences, teaching and public service. The major your student writes on the application can move the bill more than their GPA does.
Augustinian Scholarship; Pioneer Scholars (Lawrence, MA only)
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA Only
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Merrimack College (Read This First)
Test scores do nothing here. Merrimack says it does not use test scores in its review at all. Don’t pay for another SAT sitting hoping it bumps the merit award.
The 2027 scholarship chart isn’t posted yet. As of late September 2026, Merrimack’s scholarship page says the 2027 details are still being finalized. Any dollar range you see floating around online is from an older chart.
The major drives the money. The $20,000 guarantee is tied to specific majors, and the $17,000-tuition majors come with smaller scholarships because the price is already lower. Ask how a major change after enrollment affects renewal before your student switches.
Moving off campus can shrink aid. Merrimack’s award policy says a change in residency status can trigger an adjustment to merit and need-based aid. Get the answer in writing before signing an off-campus lease.
November 15 is the date to beat. Early Action I (non-binding) and Early Decision I (binding) both close November 15, and Honors invitations arrive with the admission letter. You get the earliest look without committing if you choose EA I.
FIRST Robotics money has its own form. It’s the one big award with a separate application, and it closes March 15.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Merrimack College is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: N/A; SAT: 1070-1240.
Average net price? About $37,899/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No. It is a private school, so everyone pays the same rate.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Merrimack College: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in September 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Merrimack College has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly $1,600 to $4,000 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$79,736
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$55,852
Housing & meals (typical)
$23,884
Total billed cost
$79,736
Average federal net price: $37,899 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
One Price for Everyone, but Not for Every Major
Merrimack is private, so there’s no in-state discount and no regional tuition exchange. Massachusetts families and out-of-state families pay the same rate. What does change the price is the program: the standard tuition applies to most majors, while Humanities, Government, and Creative Arts & Design run $17,000 a year, and Architecture runs $33,500. The table above shows the standard major, including Merrimack’s $4,772 comprehensive fee.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Merrimack College
Are these the 2026-2027 prices?
Not yet. Merrimack’s cost page still shows 2025-2026 as its newest table: $51,080 tuition, a $4,772 comprehensive fee, and $23,884 for housing and food. With books, transportation and personal costs, Merrimack’s own full estimate is $83,006 for a resident student. Plan on the 2026-2027 numbers coming in somewhat higher.
What does a $17,000 major actually cost?
Tuition drops to $17,000, but fees, housing and food stay the same. Merrimack puts the full cost of attendance for those majors at $48,926 (2025-2026). Scholarships are also scaled down for these majors, so the gap between them and a standard major is smaller than the tuition difference suggests.
What are the three-year degrees?
Starting Spring 2027, Merrimack offers applied bachelor’s degrees in Business Administration, Communication, Criminal Justice and Psychology that finish in six straight semesters at $25,000 a year in tuition before aid. One less year of housing is a real savings on its own.
Is the average net price really about $37,900?
That’s the federal average after grants and scholarships, based on older federal data that doesn’t reflect the newer low-tuition majors. Merrimack says every student receives merit or need-based aid, so run the Net Price Calculator with your own numbers before you decide anything.
Why does room choice matter so much?
Merrimack prices housing by room type, from about $6,262 a semester for a triple or quad up to $8,125 for a single or an apartment. Meal plans run $3,780 to $4,305 a semester. Merrimack also lists a Housing Grant of $2,500 to $4,000 per semester for eligible on-campus students.
Does Merrimack require the CSS Profile?
No. Merrimack uses the FAFSA only (school code 002120). It doesn’t publish a hard FAFSA priority date; instead it recommends filing by the same deadline as your admission application.
November 15: Early Action I and Early Decision I close. This is the earliest merit review and when Honors invitations start going out with admission letters.
January 15: Early Action II closes (there is no Early Decision II).
February 15: Regular Decision closes. Merit review is still automatic.
March 15: FIRST Robotics Scholarship form due.
Alongside the application: File the FAFSA (school code 002120). Merrimack recommends matching your admission deadline.
Parent rule of thumb: apply Early Action I. It’s non-binding, it gets you the earliest merit look, and you still have until May 1 to decide.
Automatic Merit Scholarships: Merrimack College
Every admitted student is reviewed for merit automatically. There’s no scholarship form, no essay, and no test score requirement, because Merrimack doesn’t use test scores at all. The biggest lever is the major: Merrimack guarantees $20,000 scholarships to new students in engineering, the sciences, teaching and public service.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
Merrimack Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Sits alongside need-based grants and the Housing Grant. Merrimack's award policy warns that changing where you live (on campus vs. off campus) can change merit and need-based aid, so read the fine print before signing an off-campus lease.
💡
Strategic Detail
Merrimack's general merit scholarship. Every admitted first-year is reviewed for it automatically, and the college says 100% of students receive merit or need-based aid. Merrimack has not yet posted its 2027 award chart, so there is no published dollar range right now. Earlier charts showed roughly $15,000 to $29,000 per year, but treat that as history, not a promise.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most admitted first-year students receive some amount. The size depends on a holistic read of the application and, increasingly, on the major.
Automatic
Merrimack College Science & Engineering Scholarship (MCSE)
📅 Deadline: November 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$20,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layers with need-based grants and the Housing Grant up to cost of attendance. Merrimack has not said whether this replaces or adds to the general Merrimack Scholarship, so compare the line items on the award letter. Switching out of an eligible major may affect renewal; ask financial aid first.
💡
Strategic Detail
Merrimack advertises guaranteed $20,000 scholarships for new students heading into engineering and the sciences. The college has not published a complete list of qualifying majors, so confirm your student's intended major with admissions before counting on it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted first-year students who enter an eligible engineering, science or computing major.
Automatic
Merrimack College Future Educator Scholarship (MCFE)
📅 Deadline: November 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$20,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layers with need-based grants and the Housing Grant up to cost of attendance. Check the award letter to see whether it sits on top of, or in place of, the general Merrimack Scholarship. Changing out of Education may affect renewal.
💡
Strategic Detail
Part of Merrimack's guaranteed $20,000 scholarship for new students in teacher-preparation majors. Merrimack groups teachers with engineers, scientists and public servants in its guarantee language but has not posted a full major list, so confirm with admissions.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted first-year students entering an Education major.
Automatic
Merrimack College Criminal Justice Scholarship (MCCJ)
📅 Deadline: November 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$20,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Layers with need-based grants and the Housing Grant up to cost of attendance. Check the award letter to see how it interacts with the general Merrimack Scholarship. Changing majors may affect renewal.
💡
Strategic Detail
Merrimack's Criminology and Criminal Justice page advertises a guaranteed $20,000 scholarship for the major, paired with a semester-long internship that every student in the program completes. This is the "public servants" piece of Merrimack's $20,000 guarantee.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Admitted first-year students entering the Criminology and Criminal Justice B.A. (the three-year Applied B.A. in Criminal Justice is a separate, lower-tuition track).
Automatic
Merrimack Housing Grant
📅 Deadline: Applied to eligible on-campus residents; file the FAFSA with your admission application. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000–$8,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with merit and need-based aid. It is tied to living on campus: Merrimack's award policy says a change in residency status can trigger an adjustment to institutional aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
Merrimack's housing price table lists a Housing Grant of $2,500 to $4,000 in its per-semester column, which works out to roughly $5,000 to $8,000 a year. Merrimack does not spell out who qualifies or how the exact amount is set, so ask financial aid how it was calculated in your student's letter.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students living in Merrimack housing. The amount appears to be set during the full financial aid review.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Transfer Merit Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Rolling with transfer admission. ✓ Renews
$2,000–$40,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Phi Theta Kappa members and Northern Essex Community College transfers can add extra money on top.
💡
Strategic Detail
Merrimack automatically reviews transfer applicants for merit scholarships ranging from $2,000 to $40,000, renewable annually. Merrimack says transfers are reviewed for the same merit awards as incoming first-year students.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Transfer students with solid college grades. The award is set during admission review.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Rolling with transfer admission. ✓ Renews
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Adds on top of the transfer merit scholarship. Keep full-time enrollment and good standing to renew.
💡
Strategic Detail
Merrimack's transfer FAQ says Phi Theta Kappa members are eligible for an additional $2,000 scholarship, renewable annually, on top of transfer merit.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Transfer applicants who are members of Phi Theta Kappa, the community college honor society.
Automatic⚠ Transfer Only
Northern Essex Community College (NECC) Transfer Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Rolling with transfer admission. ✓ Renews
$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🎓 Transfer
✚
Stacking & Combining
Adds on top of transfer merit. Merrimack does not say whether the NECC add-on renews every year, so confirm renewal terms on the award letter.
💡
Strategic Detail
Northern Essex Community College transfers may be eligible for up to $10,000 in additional scholarships under Merrimack's joint admissions and transfer partnership with NECC. Merrimack's February 2025 announcement also mentions a $5,000 option for NECC students entering the Humanities bachelor's.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students finishing an associate degree at Northern Essex Community College who transfer to Merrimack.
Data last verified Sep 30, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Note: Merrimack’s 2027 scholarship chart hadn’t been posted when we last checked (September 2026). Amounts shown come from Merrimack’s current pages where they exist. Where Merrimack hasn’t published a number, we show “varies” rather than guess.
Automatic Merit: FAQs (Merrimack College)
Do I need to apply separately for the Merrimack Scholarship?
No. Every admitted first-year student is considered automatically, and Merrimack says 100% of its students receive merit or need-based aid.
Which majors get the guaranteed $20,000?
Merrimack describes it as a guarantee for new students who will be engineers, scientists, teachers and public servants, and its Criminology and Criminal Justice page confirms it for that major. Merrimack hasn’t posted a complete list, so email admissions with your student’s intended major and ask directly.
Does the $20,000 stack on top of the Merrimack Scholarship?
Merrimack hasn’t said. Treat it as possibly the main award for those majors, and read each line on the award letter. It does layer with need-based grants and the Housing Grant.
What is the Housing Grant?
Merrimack’s housing table lists a grant of $2,500 to $4,000 per semester (about $5,000 to $8,000 a year) for eligible on-campus students. Live on campus and file the FAFSA to be considered.
How do I keep the money?
Merit renews for up to four years (eight semesters) with full-time enrollment, good academic standing and satisfactory academic progress. There’s no special scholarship GPA. The two things that can change it are moving off campus and, for the major-based awards, switching majors.
What about transfer students?
Transfers are reviewed automatically for merit from $2,000 to $40,000 a year. Phi Theta Kappa members get an extra $2,000 a year, and Northern Essex Community College graduates may get up to $10,000 more.
Is there still an early application bonus?
We couldn’t find one. Older sources mention a one-time bonus for applying early, but no current Merrimack page does. Apply early for the earliest review and Honors consideration, not for a bonus.
Merrimack doesn’t run a big essay-and-interview scholarship competition open to everyone. Its largest awards go through automatic review. The competitive awards below are niche: one is for graduates of Augustinian high schools, one is for FIRST Robotics students, one is for marching band musicians, and one is a full ride reserved for students from a single high school in Lawrence, MA. If your student fits one of these, it can be a big deal. If not, focus your energy on the automatic awards and choice of major.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Merrimack?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Merrimack Parent Translation
Merrimack Scholarship + $20K major award
Unclear
Merrimack hasn’t said whether the major award adds to or replaces general merit. Read the award letter line by line.
Housing Grant
Yes
Adds on for on-campus students. Moving off campus can reduce aid.
Augustinian Scholarship (full tuition)
Replaces
A full-tuition award takes the place of merit rather than piling on top.
FIRST Robotics / Marching Band
Usually yes
Built as add-ons, but confirm on the award letter.
Need-based grants (FAFSA)
Yes
Layered in after merit. File the FAFSA with your application.
Outside scholarships
Usually
Usually stack, but can reduce loans, work-study or need-based grants.
The one to circle: if your student is on a FIRST Robotics team and heading into a STEM major, Merrimack offers up to ten $5,000 scholarships a year, renewable up to $20,000 total. The form is short (a 150-word essay) and closes March 15.
Full TuitionAutomatic
Augustinian Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
faith-based prestige scholarship
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Graduates of Augustinian-affiliated high schools only.
👥 ~Select number of full-tuition awards and a separate select number of $1,000 runner-up awards each year. winners/yr
💡
Strategic Detail
Merrimack is one of only two Augustinian Catholic colleges in the country (Villanova is the other), and this is its signature award for students from Augustinian-affiliated high schools. Merrimack's most recent published guide listed it as a full-tuition award; the 2027 details have not been posted yet, so confirm the current amount and service expectations with admissions.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
A small number of students from Augustinian-affiliated high schools who reflect the Augustinian values of truth, unity and love.
App Required
FIRST Robotics Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~10 winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Designed as an add-on for STEM students. Check the award letter to confirm how it sits alongside the $20,000 major scholarship.
📄
How to Apply
Get admitted as a full-time student in a STEM major, then complete Merrimack's online FIRST Robotics Scholarship form: team name and number, years on the team, a 150-word essay on your FIRST experience and goals, and an optional mentor recommendation. Deadline is March 15.
Selection criteria: Selected by the Admissions Office based on FIRST Robotics participation and the supplemental application.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Up to ten scholarships of $5,000 each for high school seniors who competed on a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) or FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team. Renewable up to $20,000 total over four years with good academic standing and the Dean's recommendation.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Admitted full-time seniors on an FRC or FTC team who are heading into a STEM major and submit a thoughtful short essay by March 15.
App Required
Marching Band Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Auditions happen during the admission process. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Usually an add-on to merit, but the exact structure depends on the overall package. Compare the full award letter.
📄
How to Apply
Flag marching band interest when you apply and schedule an audition through the band program during the admission process.
Selection criteria: Selected by the Director of Bands based on musical ability and commitment to marching band.
💡
Strategic Detail
Merrimack offers band scholarships up to $5,000 based on musical ability and the needs of the band program. Auditions are part of the admission process.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Talented musicians who audition and commit to marching with the band, especially on instruments the band needs that year.
Full RideApp Required
Pioneer Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Set by the Pioneer Scholars program each year. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
⚠ Abbott Lawrence Academy (Lawrence, MA) students in Merrimack's Early College Program only.
👥 ~10 winners/yr
📄
How to Apply
Enroll at Abbott Lawrence Academy, complete Merrimack's Early College Program, and apply through the Pioneer Scholars selection process.
Selection criteria: Competitive review by a Merrimack selection committee weighing academic performance in the Early College Program, written application, and interview.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
A partnership between Merrimack and Abbott Lawrence Academy in Lawrence, MA. Up to ten students who complete Merrimack's Early College Program receive full scholarships covering tuition, room and board, fees and a book stipend. The program was still active as of February 2026.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Abbott Lawrence Academy seniors who completed Merrimack's Early College Program. Not open to general applicants.
Data last verified Sep 30, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Who qualifies for the Augustinian Scholarship?
Graduates of high schools affiliated with the Order of St. Augustine. Merrimack is one of only two Augustinian Catholic colleges in the U.S. (Villanova is the other), and this is its signature award for that community. Merrimack’s most recent published guide listed it as full tuition; confirm the 2027 terms with admissions.
How does the FIRST Robotics Scholarship work?
High school seniors who competed on an FRC or FTC team, are admitted full-time, and plan a STEM major fill out a short online form with a 150-word essay by March 15. Up to ten students receive $5,000 a year, renewable up to $20,000 total with good standing and the Dean’s recommendation.
How do I get a marching band scholarship?
Band scholarships go up to $5,000 based on musical ability and what the band needs that year. Auditions happen during the admission process, so reach out to the band program early.
Can anyone apply for Pioneer Scholars?
No. It’s a full scholarship (tuition, room and board, fees and books) for up to ten Abbott Lawrence Academy students in Lawrence, MA who complete Merrimack’s Early College Program. It’s a great model, but it isn’t open to general applicants.
Does Merrimack offer National Merit or Stamps scholarships?
We found no National Merit or Stamps program at Merrimack. The big money here is automatic and major-based.
What should students prepare?
For most of these, very little beyond the application. For FIRST Robotics, a short, specific essay. Our Essay Toolkit and Brag Sheet Builder help organize the details.
Merrimack mentions some of its most useful awards in a single sentence on a department page, with no amount and no form. That’s not a sign they’re unimportant. It’s a sign most families never ask.
If your student did the Massachusetts State Science & Engineering Fair or FIRST Robotics, put it on the application and mention it in an email to admissions.
If a parent works at another college, check whether it’s a Tuition Exchange member.
If your family has financial need and your student is heading into STEM, ask whether the MACHS program is taking a new group.
Once enrolled, apply to the outside engineering scholarships Merrimack lists (SWE, NSPE, SAME, AFCEA, Coherent/II-VI).
Parent translation: one short email that says “my student did X, are they eligible for Y?” costs nothing and can add thousands.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These aren’t the headline awards. Some depend on a family connection, some on a specific STEM activity, and some are outside scholarships that Merrimack points its engineering students toward. They’re worth a look if your student fits.
Automatic
Massachusetts State Science & Engineering Fair Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Ask admissions; not published. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
Holistic / Status Based
✚
Stacking & Combining
Merrimack does not say how it combines with the $20,000 major scholarship. Ask admissions and compare the award letter.
💡
Strategic Detail
Merrimack's School of Engineering and Computational Sciences says it offers special scholarships for selected students who participate in the Massachusetts State Science and Engineering Fair. No amount or process is published, which is exactly why most families never ask about it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Selected students who competed in the Massachusetts State Science and Engineering Fair and are heading into a STEM major.
App Required
MACHS Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: Recipients typically chosen by May 1 for awards applied the following fall. · 📢 Results: By May 1 for entering cohort. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$8,100/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.3+ GPA👥 ~Up to 20 STEM students over five years across multiple cohorts. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Designed to reduce loans and work-study for students with financial need. Layers on top of merit.
📄
How to Apply
Apply to Merrimack in a STEM major, file the FAFSA, and ask admissions whether MACHS is selecting a new cohort. Recipients have historically been chosen by May 1.
Selection criteria: Selection based on financial need, academic excellence, intent to pursue a STEM major, essays and interviews by a steering committee.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview
💡
Strategic Detail
An NSF-funded program (Merrimack Achieves Collegiate Holistic Support) worth up to $8,100 a year and $32,400 total for high-achieving, lower-income STEM students. Merrimack's page lists cohorts in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and does not say a new cohort is being recruited, so ask admissions whether it is still active before counting on it.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: STEM admits with a 3.3+ high school GPA and demonstrated financial need who live on campus and are U.S. citizens, permanent residents or refugees.
App Required
Tuition Exchange
📅 Deadline: Set by the Tuition Exchange program; confirm with the parent's employer. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✘ Not stackable
Holistic / Status Based
📄
How to Apply
Ask the Tuition Exchange liaison at the parent's employer to certify eligibility, apply to Merrimack, and file the FAFSA.
Selection criteria: Selected by Merrimack from the eligible Tuition Exchange applicant pool.
💡
Strategic Detail
If a parent works at a college that belongs to the Tuition Exchange consortium, the student may qualify for a Tuition Exchange Scholarship at Merrimack. Merrimack requires new recipients to file the FAFSA. Award value follows Tuition Exchange rules, so confirm the amount with both schools.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Dependents of employees at Tuition Exchange member colleges who are selected by Merrimack.
App Required
Tuition Remission
📅 Deadline: Coordinated through Merrimack Human Resources. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✘ Not stackable
⚠ Merrimack employees and their dependents only.
Holistic / Status Based
📄
How to Apply
Confirm eligibility and the benefit percentage with Merrimack Human Resources.
Selection criteria: Eligibility determined by Merrimack Human Resources per institutional policy.
💡
Strategic Detail
An employee benefit that waives a percentage of tuition for Merrimack employees and their dependents. The percentage depends on the employee's status and seniority.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Merrimack College employees and their eligible dependents.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
II-VI Foundation Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Varies Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
Outside money usually stacks, but it can shift need-based aid, loans or work-study. Report it to financial aid.
📄
How to Apply
Apply directly through the Coherent / II-VI Foundation scholarship program.
Selection criteria: Determined by the Coherent / II-VI Foundation; typically emphasizes STEM major, academic performance and motivation.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Listed on Merrimack's engineering scholarships page as an outside scholarship for students in engineering, math and science degrees. Amounts and rules are set by the Coherent (formerly II-VI) Foundation.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Engineering, math and science students who submit strong applications directly to the foundation.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
SAME Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Packets available in December; specific submission date set by engineering department. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
Outside money usually stacks, but it can shift need-based aid, loans or work-study. Report it to financial aid.
📄
How to Apply
Ask the engineering department for the SAME application packet (typically available in December) and submit by the posted date.
Selection criteria: Determined by engineering faculty; typically considers academic performance and fit with donor intent.
💡
Strategic Detail
Listed on Merrimack's civil engineering scholarships page. The Society of American Military Engineers funds awards for engineering students, with application packets that Merrimack's engineering department has historically made available in December.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Engineering majors who apply through the department or SAME post.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
NSPE Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Varies Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
Outside money usually stacks, but it can shift need-based aid, loans or work-study. Report it to financial aid.
📄
How to Apply
Apply directly through NSPE or your state society.
Selection criteria: Set by NSPE; typically evaluates academics, leadership and commitment to the engineering profession.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Listed on Merrimack's civil engineering scholarships page. The National Society of Professional Engineers runs national and state-level scholarships for engineering students.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Engineering students who apply to NSPE national or state programs.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Varies Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
Outside money usually stacks, but it can shift need-based aid, loans or work-study. Report it to financial aid.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Society of Women Engineers scholarship portal.
Selection criteria: Determined by SWE; emphasizes academic performance, leadership, service and commitment to engineering fields.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Listed on Merrimack's engineering scholarships pages. The Society of Women Engineers offers scholarships for women in ABET-accredited engineering, engineering technology and computer science programs.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Women in engineering and computer science who apply through SWE.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Only
AFCEA STEM Majors Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Varies Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 Upperclassmen
✚
Stacking & Combining
Outside money usually stacks, but it can shift need-based aid, loans or work-study. Report it to financial aid.
📄
How to Apply
Apply directly through the AFCEA Educational Foundation.
Selection criteria: Determined by AFCEA; typically considers academic performance, STEM focus and leadership/service.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Listed on Merrimack's civil engineering scholarships page. The AFCEA Educational Foundation offers STEM Majors Scholarships for full-time students in STEM fields.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Full-time STEM students who apply directly to AFCEA.
Data last verified Sep 30, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
How much is the Science & Engineering Fair scholarship?
Merrimack doesn’t publish an amount. Its engineering school says it offers special scholarships for selected students who took part in the Massachusetts State Science and Engineering Fair. List it on the application and ask admissions directly.
Is the MACHS program still running?
Maybe not. MACHS is an NSF-funded program worth up to $8,100 a year ($32,400 total) for high-achieving STEM students with financial need. Merrimack’s page lists groups selected in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and doesn’t mention a new one, so ask before counting on it.
How does Tuition Exchange work at Merrimack?
If a parent works at a college in the Tuition Exchange consortium, your student may qualify. The parent’s employer certifies eligibility, and Merrimack requires new recipients to file the FAFSA. Spots and amounts follow Tuition Exchange rules, so start the conversation early.
Do outside engineering scholarships affect my Merrimack aid?
They usually stack, but you have to report them, and they can reduce loans, work-study or need-based grants. They rarely cut merit.
Can current Merrimack students get these?
Yes. Most of the outside engineering scholarships (SWE, NSPE, SAME, AFCEA, Coherent/II-VI) are aimed at students already in college, so put them on the calendar for sophomore and junior year.
Merrimack has an Honors Program, not a separate Honors College, and you don’t apply to it. Admissions picks the strongest applicants in every major and invites them in the admission letter. Students accept through the admission portal with an Honors Reply Form.
Typical member: about a 4.1 average high school GPA
How you get in: invitation with admission (current first-years can also be nominated by faculty at the end of fall semester)
Staying in: 3.4 GPA after the first year, then 3.5
Honors Scholarships
Automatic
Honors Scholarship
📅 Deadline: November 15 ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✘ Not stackable
Holistic / Status Based
💡
Strategic Detail
There is no separate Honors check. Merrimack says students invited to the Honors Program are reviewed for the highest merit scholarships in their major, so this shows up as a bigger version of the regular merit award rather than an extra line. No dollar amount is published.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: The strongest admits in any major. Honors members average about a 4.1 high school GPA.
Data last verified Sep 30, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Merrimack doesn’t publish a dollar amount for Honors. Its Honors page says invited students are reviewed for the highest merit scholarships in their major, so the benefit shows up as a larger merit award rather than a separate check.
Timing Note: Invitations come with admission letters, so the earliest invitations go to Early Action I and Early Decision I applicants (November 15). Merrimack doesn’t publish a cutoff, but applying early gives your student the best shot at the top merit tier.
What Honors Students Actually Get
Smaller classes: eight Honors courses across four years, plus a capstone.
Priority course access so schedules actually work.
Guaranteed internships for Honors students.
Honors housing option and a diploma notation at graduation.
Honors Program: FAQs (Merrimack College)
Is there a separate Honors application?
No. Merrimack invites students through the regular admission review. If your student isn’t invited at first, they can still be nominated by faculty after their first fall semester.
Does Honors come with a guaranteed scholarship?
Not a fixed one. Honors invitees are reviewed for the highest merit awards in their major, which usually means a bigger merit number, not an extra line on the letter.
Is Honors only for certain majors?
No. Merrimack recruits top applicants in any major, including the $17,000-tuition majors.
What happens if my student’s GPA dips?
Honors expects a 3.4 after the first year and a 3.5 after that. Merit renewal itself only requires good standing, so falling out of Honors doesn’t automatically mean losing merit money. Confirm the details on the award letter.
Merrimack is a Catholic college in North Andover, Massachusetts, about 25 miles north of Boston, founded by the Augustinian friars in 1947. For a long time it was a small regional school. Over the last decade it has turned into one of the fastest-growing private colleges in New England, moved its athletics to NCAA Division I (full member since 2023-24, playing in the MAAC with hockey in Hockey East), and built its whole pitch around one idea: college should lead to a job, and it shouldn’t cost a fortune to get there.
What Merrimack Is Known For: Co-ops and career outcomes: Merrimack reports that 90% of its 2024 graduates completed an internship or co-op, and 96% had a positive career outcome. Some co-op students earn $15,000 or more in a single semester, which can meaningfully offset the cost of the next one.
Girard School of Business: Merrimack’s business school, where internships and co-ops are a core part of the degree rather than an add-on.
Nursing (B.S.N.): A newer program (first class in 2019) that is CCNE-accredited, with more than 750 clinical and simulation hours and first-attempt NCLEX pass rates of 97% (2023), 93% (2024) and 86% (2025).
Engineering & Computational Sciences: Covered by Merrimack’s guaranteed $20,000 scholarship, with FIRST Robotics and science fair awards layered on top.
Education: Future teachers are part of the $20,000 guarantee too, and Merrimack offers direct-entry master’s pathways for students who want to finish a graduate degree quickly.
Criminology & Criminal Justice: Comes with a guaranteed $20,000 scholarship and a semester-long internship for every student.
Low-price majors: $17,000-tuition Humanities, Government, and Creative Arts & Design degrees with guaranteed co-ops, plus Kinesiology, Mathematical Science, Economics and Information Technology joining for Fall 2027.
Stay for a master’s: Graduates who return for a Merrimack master’s get a 25% “Double Warrior” discount.
🔗 Official Merrimack College Links
Use Merrimack’s official pages below to confirm deadlines, scholarship terms and costs. Merrimack updates its scholarship chart each year, so always check these pages for the final word.
Merrimack is easy to understand once you know where the money comes from, and the answer is mostly the major. Engineering, science, teaching and criminal justice students get a guaranteed $20,000 scholarship. Humanities, Government, and Creative Arts & Design students start at a $17,000 tuition instead. Everyone else gets an automatic merit review with no test scores involved, and the strongest students get invited into Honors and the top of the merit scale.
The playbook is simple. Apply Early Action I by November 15, pick the major carefully (and ask what happens to the money if it changes), file the FAFSA with the application, and don’t sign an off-campus lease without asking financial aid first. If your student has a FIRST Robotics, science fair or Augustinian high school background, say so loudly. And since Merrimack’s 2027 scholarship chart wasn’t out yet when we last checked, compare actual award letters rather than numbers you read online.
Your kid did everything right. That does not mean the money follows.
Most families build a college list first and think about scholarships second, which is backwards. This free four-part series shows you where the money actually comes from, and how to build a list around it.
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Written by Leo Dimilo
I started CollegeReadyParent while working through college costs for my own kid, and quickly figured out that the number a school advertises and the number a family actually pays are two very different things. Since then I’ve gone school by school pulling apart award letters, scholarship pages, and cost sheets to find what families are supposed to just know. This site is the version of that research I wish someone had handed me. More about Leo →
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