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ACU scholarships and merit aid

The short answer

ACU awards automatic merit on admission. ACU does not publish a GPA or test chart, so you cannot self-calculate the dollars.

Where does your student land?

Verified Jul 2026
3 school sources to explore

Published rules, with the school sources close at hand. Confirm the details before you count on an award.

The award collection

Published scholarships

These amounts and requirements come from the school’s own published pages. Open an award to see who qualifies and how to keep it.

Where does your student land?

  1. Merit-Based Scholarships (ACU Academic Scholarships grid)$10,000-$22,000AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Merit-Based Scholarships (ACU Academic Scholarships grid)

    $10,000-$22,000

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Core GPA considered (no published cutoffs per tier)
    SAT
    SAT/CLT superscore considered (no published cutoffs per tier)
    ACT
    ACT superscore considered (no published cutoffs per tier)
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Merit-Based Scholarships (ACU Academic Scholarships grid)

    Who qualifies

    Overall class rank considered; if your school does not provide class rank, core GPA is factored twice. Test-optional applicants are still considered for these awards. Must be admitted to ACU.

    How to keep it

    Renewal GPA published per award: 3.0 GPA for the Royce L. Money Chancellor's Award and John C. Stevens Award; 2.5 GPA for the A.B. Barret Award, Dean's Award and University Award.

    Worth knowing

    All admitted students are considered automatically from the admission application; ACU does not publish the GPA/test thresholds for each of the five award levels.

  2. National Merit Finalists, Semi-Finalists and Commended ScholarsFull tuition (Finalists/Semi-Finalists) + $1,500/yr stipend; $2,000/yr (Commended Scholars)AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    National Merit Finalists, Semi-Finalists and Commended Scholars

    Full tuition (Finalists/Semi-Finalists) + $1,500/yr stipend; $2,000/yr (Commended Scholars)

    Published coverage or packageAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for National Merit Finalists, Semi-Finalists and Commended Scholars

    Who qualifies

    National Merit Finalist, Semi-Finalist or Commended Scholar status; must submit the FAFSA and provide a copy of the National Merit Certificate to an admissions counselor. No application is required.

    Worth knowing

    Full tuition is delivered 'when coordinated with federal, state and institutional grants' — i.e., other grant aid counts toward the full-tuition guarantee rather than stacking on top. The $1,500 stipend helps with room and board but the guarantee itself is tuition-only, not a full ride.

  3. Presidential Scholarship$5,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Presidential Scholarship

    $5,000

    Published amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    SAT
    A test score is required — the Presidential Scholarship is not awarded without a test score
    ACT
    A test score is required — the Presidential Scholarship is not awarded without a test score
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Presidential Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    High level of involvement in extracurricular activities, history in leadership positions, participation in faith-based settings, academic excellence. Selected from application for admission, test scores and high school transcript.

    Worth knowing

    Stacks: 'awarded in addition to other academic scholarships.'

  4. College Board National Recognition Programs scholarshipUp to $6,000Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    College Board National Recognition Programs scholarship

    Up to $6,000

    Variable or qualified amountNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for College Board National Recognition Programs scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Recognition through a College Board National Recognition Program (First Generation Award, School Recognition Award, or Rural/Small Town Award); provide the certificate to an admissions counselor; must be admitted to ACU and plan to file the FAFSA.

    How to keep it

    Up to $6,000 per year for four years.

    Worth knowing

    Stacks with other ACU scholarships and grants only up to the cost of full tuition and cannot be applied toward room and board.

  5. Valedictorian/Salutatorian Scholarship$1,000 (one-time)Not automatic
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Valedictorian/Salutatorian Scholarship

    $1,000 (one-time)

    Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    Open award details for Valedictorian/Salutatorian Scholarship

    Who qualifies

    Graduating valedictorian or salutatorian; submit official final high school transcript.

    Worth knowing

    One-time award, in addition to the merit-based award.

  6. Transfer Merit-Based Awards (2026-2027 grid)$10,000-$19,000AutomaticRenewable
    Published awardAcademic thresholds

    Transfer Merit-Based Awards (2026-2027 grid)

    $10,000-$19,000

    Published rangeAll published eligibility conditions still apply. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    GPA
    Cumulative GPA from all previous colleges: 2.3-2.84 = $10,000; 2.85-3.29 = $13,000; 3.3-3.59 = $16,000; 3.6-3.79 = $17,000; 3.8-4.0 = $19,000
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Transfer Merit-Based Awards (2026-2027 grid)

    Who qualifies

    Undergraduate students transferring to ACU to complete their first Bachelor's degree; notified of scholarship level at the time of acceptance.

    How to keep it

    Renewal GPA 2.5 for awards earned with a 2.3-3.59 transfer GPA; renewal GPA 3.0 for awards earned with a 3.6-4.0 transfer GPA.

  7. Heacock Scholars / Dukes Scholars (College of Business Administration)$7,000-$12,000+Not automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Heacock Scholars / Dukes Scholars (College of Business Administration)

    $7,000-$12,000+

    Published rangeNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    SAT
    Test scores are required to be invited to apply
    ACT
    Test scores are required to be invited to apply
    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Heacock Scholars / Dukes Scholars (College of Business Administration)

    Who qualifies

    Invitation-only elite scholar programs: Heacock Scholars (all business majors) or Dukes Scholars (finance majors only).

    Worth knowing

    Scholarship funds take the place of any previously awarded business scholarships — they replace, not stack with, the Business Professionals scholarship.

  8. Honors Fellowship AwardAmount not publishedNot automaticRenewable
    Published awardOther selection criteria

    Honors Fellowship Award

    Amount not published

    Published award termsNot recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules. Confirm the policy year with the school.

    Start with the award’s published eligibility.

    RenewableCheck the conditions
    Open award details for Honors Fellowship Award

    Who qualifies

    Undergraduate ACU Honors students serving as Honors Ambassadors; apply to the ACU Honors College by December 1 or April 1; selection considers application for admission, Honors College application, recommendations, test scores and high school transcript.

    Worth knowing

    ACU does not publish a dollar amount for this award.

Lights up against ACU's published cutoffs. Not an award offer; confirm with the financial aid office. Award terms and residency rules change; some awards differ for in-state and out-of-state students. Always confirm at the school’s source page.

Free Merit Check

Check the rules that could cut this.

The free Merit Check shows which ACU award your student's numbers reach, and the rules that could change it. About 30 seconds.

Checking merit aid at ACU

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The fine print

Renewal ruleTransfer Merit-Based Awards (2026-2027 grid): renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out

Renewal GPA 2.5 for awards earned with a 2.3-3.59 transfer GPA; renewal GPA 3.0 for awards earned with a 3.6-4.0 transfer GPA. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

Outside awardsNo published displacement order

ACU's policy doesn't specify whether outside scholarships hit loans, grants, or only the COA ceiling. Get a written aid-office answer before chasing private awards.

What makes ACU different

ACU automatically considers every admitted freshman for a five-level named merit award of $10,000-$22,000 per year off its annual block tuition, with National Merit Finalists and Semi-Finalists guaranteed full tuition plus a $1,500 room-and-board stipend.

Merit tiers83 based on grades or scores
Research checkedJul 2026By our research team

More than one award path

Separate the two paths.

Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.

  1. Match the published criteria

    Use all requirements together, including residency and the entering class.

  2. Check the application dates

    Confirm the current admission and scholarship deadlines directly with the school.

  3. Know what happens next year

    Check renewal, credit requirements and how other aid affects the award.

The fine print / Three questions to carry forward

Before you count on it.

Does it apply to us? Confirm the entering year, residency and every eligibility condition.

Can we keep it? Check renewal GPA, credits and how long the award lasts.

Can we combine it? Ask how outside scholarships and other school awards change the offer.

Take ACU's decision sheet

A printable research summary, source links and room for your questions.

See what could change an award

What families often miss

  1. The first-year page says Finalists and Semi-Finalists are 'guaranteed full tuition, when coordinated with federal, state and institutional grants' — meaning other grant aid is folded into reaching full tuition, not added on top. The guarantee covers tuition only; room and board get just a $1,500/yr stipend.

  2. The page states it 'may be used in addition to other ACU scholarships and grants up to the cost of full tuition but cannot be applied toward room and board expenses' — a full-tuition cap on combined ACU aid.

  3. Test-optional applicants are considered for the automatic merit grid, but the page states 'the Presidential Scholarship is not awarded without a test score.'

  4. The Royce L. Money Chancellor's Award ($22,000) and John C. Stevens Award ($20,000) require a 3.0 GPA to renew, while the lower three tiers require only 2.5. A 2.7 GPA freshman year keeps a Dean's Award but loses a Chancellor's Award.

  5. The page states Heacock/Dukes scholarship funds ($7,000-12,000+) 'takes place of any previously awarded business scholarships' — it replaces, not adds to, prior business awards.

  6. ACU's Financial Aid Counseling FAQ states 'any additional funding you receive from any source may require an adjustment to your federal or state aid,' and outside checks take 4-6 weeks to be received and applied to the account.

  7. ACU prorates scholarships per credit hour for less-than-full-time enrollment: 'if you are in 6 hours, you will only receive 6 hours (50%) worth of your scholarships.' Transfer awards (Phi Theta Kappa, Transfer Partner) are also restricted to annual block tuition hours.

  8. You must be admitted to ACU for scholarship consideration; the Priority Scholarship Deadline is December 1 and the regular scholarship deadline is March 1, and ACU recommends completing the FAFSA by December 1 for priority consideration of scholarships and grants. Some scholarships (e.g., National Merit, LYNAY, Bible/Missions) require the FAFSA.

  9. ACU runs a separate online program with its own scholarship structure ('Online Scholarships' pages); the merit grid, National Merit guarantee and departmental awards on the first-year page apply to the residential Abilene campus.

See costs and school data

Who this school may work for

Students with strong core GPA, class rank and ACT/SAT/CLT superscores who want sizable automatic merit awards at a Church of Christ-affiliated Texas campus; National Merit Finalists/Semi-Finalists can lock in full tuition. Test-optional applicants are still considered for merit, but not for the Presidential Scholarship.

Cost and graduation facts

Federal reporting on who actually enrolls at ACU, what they paid after aid, and what happened next — independent of anything the school markets.

Average annual net price by family income at ACU, academic year 2021-22
Family incomeAverage net price paid
$0–$30,000$20,285
$30,001–$48,000$21,150
$48,001–$75,000$23,012
$75,001–$110,000$27,576
$110,001+$31,763
All income levels (average)$26,182

Sticker price vs. what students actually pay

Total cost of attendance (sticker), AY 2021-22
$59,256
Published tuition & fees, AY 2022-23
$44,200
Average net price paid (all Title-IV aid), AY 2021-22
$26,182

That works out to an average 56% discount off the sticker price above — both figures come from the same federal AY 2021-22 Scorecard report, not a number the school itself published.

Outcomes for students who enrolled here

Graduation rate (150% of normal time), 2016 cohort
59%
First-year retention rate, 2021 cohort
81%
Median debt at completion, 2020–2021 completers
$24,250 (~$257/mo on a 10-yr plan)
Median earnings, 10 years after entry (measured 2020-21)
$55,736
Share of students receiving a Pell grant, AY 2021-22
24%
Share of students receiving a federal loan, AY 2021-22
39%
See other scholarships and cost examples

If your student brings another scholarship

The school does not publish a specific outside-scholarship displacement policy; confirm treatment with the aid office before counting on stacking.

Verified policy language (2026-07-02): Because of this, any additional funding you receive from any source may require an adjustment to your federal or state aid. Separately, the school's own award-stacking rules: ACU's named merit awards mostly stack (Presidential, National Merit Commended, and Valedictorian/Salutatorian are explicitly 'in addition to' other awards), with caps: the College Board recognition award stacks only up to full tuition, the National Merit full-tuition guarantee is coordinated with federal, state, and institutional grants, and Heacock/Dukes business awards replace prior business scholarships. (per https://acu.edu/student-life/wildcat-central/financial-aid-counseling/)

Source

Other ACU scholarships worth checking

These awards can be harder to find. Each one has its own rules.

Amount$1,000EligibilityEagle Scout, Venturing Silver, Sea Scouting Quartermaster, Gold Award, or American Heritage Girls Stars and Stripes; must be admitted and apply with scouting certificate

Renewable annually for up to four years.

Source

AmountUp to $500/yr (dollar-for-dollar match)EligibilityAny student whose church sends a gift with the church match form

ACU matches church gifts dollar-for-dollar up to $500 per student per year.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityAll first-time incoming students; application opens October 1, priority December 1, regular deadline March 1; must plan to file the FAFSA

Recipients must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA at ACU, attend weekly meetings and fulfill a community service commitment each semester.

Source

Amount$5,000/yrEligibilityDependent children of full-time employees of an ACU Education Partner or NCSA school

Valued at $5,000 per year for up to four years; application required.

Source

Amount$1,000/yrEligibilityGraduates of an ACU Education Partner or NCSA school; no application — must be admitted and submit high school transcript

Valued at $1,000 per year for up to four years.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityFirst-time incoming freshmen who are dependent children of full-time church ministers; priority to Church of Christ ministers' children; FAFSA required

Endowed; renewable annually for up to four years.

Source

AmountMinimum 50% discounted tuitionEligibilityDependent children of full-time employees at Church of Christ universities; FAFSA required

Guaranteed minimum 50% discounted tuition 'when coordinated with other institutional aid.'

Source

Amount75% discounted tuitionEligibilityChildren of full-time Church of Christ supported missionaries serving internationally; FAFSA required

Guaranteed 75% discounted tuition 'when combined with all other gift aid from federal, state and institutional sources.'

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityResidents of Texas Panhandle zip codes beginning 790xx-794xx; no application — selected from address on file and high school academic profile; FAFSA required

Endowed regional award.

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityOutstanding students from the Texas Rio Grande Valley area; application and FAFSA required

Source

AmountAmount not publishedEligibilityAll students participating in the Big Purple Marching Band in good academic and behavioral standing; no audition required

Awarded for the fall semester.

Source

Amount$1,000EligibilityTransfer students who are members of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society; provide certificate or membership number

Renewable; valid for up to three annual block tuition plans while pursuing a first undergraduate degree; cannot be used for classes outside of annual block tuition.

Source

Amount$3,000/yrEligibilityStudents transferring directly from Cisco College, Collin County College, or a Tarrant County College campus

Valid for up to 7 long semesters while enrolled full time pursuing a first undergraduate degree; cannot be used outside of annual block tuition hours.

Source

ACU merit aid FAQ

  • What is the scholarship deadline?

    Per ACU's first-year scholarships page: 'Priority Scholarship Deadline is December 1 and our regular scholarship deadline is March 1.' You must be admitted to ACU to be considered. Some program awards differ: Art & Design portfolios are due March 1, the Honors College application is due December 1 or April 1, and the Entrepreneurship and Speech & Debate scholarship deadlines are April 1.

  • Do I have to apply separately for ACU's merit scholarships?

    No. 'All students admitted to ACU are considered for scholarships based on your application for admission,' with awards up to $22,000 per year determined by ACT/SAT/CLT superscore, core GPA and class rank.

  • Is the FAFSA required for merit scholarships?

    ACU encourages all students to complete the 2026-2027 FAFSA, and 'FAFSA submission is required for some scholarships' (e.g., National Merit awards, LYNAY, Bible/Missions, College Board recognition). ACU recommends filing by December 1 for priority consideration of scholarships and grants.

  • Does the National Merit full-tuition award cover room and board?

    No. Finalists and Semi-Finalists are guaranteed full tuition 'when coordinated with federal, state and institutional grants,' plus a $1,500 stipend per year to help cover room and board costs — room and board themselves are not covered.

  • What GPA do I need to keep my scholarship?

    Published renewal GPAs: 3.0 for the Chancellor's ($22,000) and Stevens ($20,000) awards; 2.5 for the Barret ($19,500), Dean's ($17,000) and University ($10,000) awards. Transfer awards renew at 2.5 (lower three tiers) or 3.0 (top two tiers). The catalog's Satisfactory Academic Progress standard must also be sustained to maintain any financial aid.

  • What does ACU cost for 2026-2027?

    Per ACU's tuition page: block tuition & student activity fee $47,350, average housing and food $13,900, textbooks $700 — total direct cost $61,950. ACU also lists additional estimated expenses (loan fees $70, supplies $200, miscellaneous $1,830, transportation $1,500) but does not publish a single full cost-of-attendance total.

  • What happens if I win an outside scholarship?

    ACU's Financial Aid Counseling FAQ: 'any additional funding you receive from any source may require an adjustment to your federal or state aid. If an adjustment is needed, you will receive a revised financial aid offer.' Outside checks are mailed to ACU (Box 29007) and take 4-6 weeks to process.

See sources and other schools

How ACU compares

  • 133 of 749 verified schools in our dataset use unclear or unpublished displacement.

    ACU is in a recognizable cluster (133 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.

  • 133 of 749 verified schools publish no clear displacement order.

    ACU is one of them. The right move is the aid-office email script below, not a guess.

  • 665 of 749 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.

    ACU is one of them. The cohort minority (84 schools) only awards one-year scholarships, which means the four-year value families assume on a brochure quote isn't guaranteed at every school.

Sources used on this page

Every claim is checked against ACU’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.

Compare with similar schools

Keep exploring ACU merit aid

The next chapter

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