National Merit Scholarship 2025. Timeline for the 2025 national merit scholarship competition. To be eligible for the 2026 national merit scholarship program, a student attending high school outside the united states must be a citizen of the united states;

How can you increase your chances of a national merit scholarship? About 95 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half of the finalists will win a national merit scholarship, earning the merit scholar® title.