National Merit Finalist Scholarship

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

Fall 2026 package. Non-residents: total $153,450 (non-resident tuition waiver $90,600; resident tuition waiver $26,850; OU cash $22,000 at $5,500 per year; National Merit cash stipend $5,000; first-year housing scholarship $6,000; First-Year Associates $1,000; research and study abroad stipend $2,000). Residents: total $146,850. Tuition waiver can extend to five years.

Deadline

For fall 2026: apply to OU by December 15, 2025 and name OU with NMSC by April 30, 2026. Fall 2027 dates not yet posted.

How to apply

Be a National Merit Finalist, apply to OU by its scholarship deadline, and name OU as first choice with NMSC by the NMSC deadline.

What you'll need

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

Who can apply

Admitted National Merit Finalists entering OU. NMSC requires entrants to be US citizens or US lawful permanent residents intending to become citizens.

Good to know

Page shows only the fall 2026 package (updated December 2025). Does not cover full cost of attendance. Full-time enrollment and 24 OU hours per year required; GPA rules vary by component.

Details

Before Early Action