The starting point
Private Baptist university in Waco with an automatic but opaque merit program, so over 80% of admits receive a merit award but Baylor does not publish a stats-to-dollars tier table, with a small competitive layer on top for named programs like Carr P. Collins, Getterman Scholars, and Baylor to Baylor Medical.
More than one award path. Some awards use published academic thresholds. Others have different selection criteria. A score chart does not describe every award at this school.
Awards to discuss
First 3 of 8 recorded awards, in chapter display order. This is a selection, not a ranking. Read the full chapter for all awards. Amounts retain the original units and conditions; confirm the entering year with the school.
Baylor Merit-Based Scholarship (internally the Baylor Distinction Award)
Ranges from $1,000 to full cost of attendance · Published range
Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.
Eligibility: No separate application. Complete admission file by February 1 for priority consideration. Files completed after February 1 are considered based on available funding.
Renewal: Renewable up to 8 terms with a Baylor cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 but stays at or above 2.0 at the end of the first year is renewed on probation for one additional year.
Other terms: Baylor does not publish GPA, SAT, or ACT thresholds for any dollar level. The public description is that all applicants are automatically and comprehensively considered based on a full review of high school academic performance and the completed Baylor application. Test-optional students are eligible, and submitted scores are factored into the review. The internal name Baylor Distinction Award appears only once publicly, on the Baylor Benefit Scholarship page, as the merit component that combines with the need-based Benefit award to reach full tuition.
https://admissions.web.baylor.edu/costs-aid/scholarships-aid/merit-based-scholarships
Carr P. Collins Scholars Program
Minimum $6,850 in the freshman year, renewable for three additional years · Published award terms
Not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules.
SAT: 1310+ · ACT: 28+
Eligibility: Rank in the top quarter of graduating class. Completed a balanced college-preparatory program including history, science, and a foreign language. Established resident of the state of Texas. Test-optional applicants are eligible if they demonstrate academic success within a challenging curriculum. Separate application due by midnight January 31, including a resume, a handwritten 500-word essay, and a teacher, counselor, or principal nomination.
Renewal: Four-year award. Renewal requires a 3.0 GPA, satisfactory academic progress, attendance at the annual Collins Scholars dinner, and participation in an approved service program for one semester each year.
Other terms: Baylor accepts 11 incoming freshmen into the Collins Scholars Program each year. The program combines a scholarship with a cohort-based leadership and service community; renewal is contingent on continuing the service commitment, not just GPA.
https://admissions.web.baylor.edu/costs-aid/scholarships-aid/carr-p-collins-scholars-program
Getterman Scholars Program
Full tuition, fees, books, room, and board, plus one Baylor study abroad, one mission trip, and one research or internship field opportunity over the four undergraduate years · Published coverage or package
Not recorded as automatic on grades and scores. Read the selection rules.
Eligibility: Nationally competitive. Three scholars selected per year out of hundreds of applicants. Must be admitted to an Honors College program (Baylor Interdisciplinary Core, Great Texts, Honors Program, or University Scholars). Scholars also participate in the Invitation to Excellence event.
Renewal: Eight semesters. Requires a cumulative 3.5 GPA and continued active residence in the Honors Residential College; leaving HRC forfeits the room and board portion of the award.
Other terms: Administered by the Baylor Honors College. The $5,000 Getterman Fellows award given to the larger interview pool is already included in the Getterman Scholars package. Getterman funds do not cover summer opportunities before the first year.
https://honors.baylor.edu/getterman
