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Baylor · Texas

Baylor Merit Aid

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.

Verified Apr 2026Analyst pt-browser
Merit tiers81 automatic on stats
Get merit aid42%First-year students, CDS 2024-2025
Last verifiedApr 2026Analyst pt-browser

Who this school is for

Families who want a Big 12 private Baptist university with a research profile and a visible faith identity, and are comfortable with a holistic merit process that does not publish tiers or stat thresholds. The right student has strong grades and rigor, plans the November 1 deadline if they want to be considered for any competitive scholarship program, and models out Texas-specific tradeoffs like the Tuition Equalization Grant interaction with Baylor's ministry scholarships.

Tuition / cost of attendance: Approximately $92,778 for 2026-2027. Billable components published by Baylor for 2026-2027: $75,556 tuition plus $17,222 average room and meals. A sample on-campus total cost of attendance including books ($1,572), transportation ($1,548), and personal expenses ($2,466) estimates to approximately $92,299. Baylor does not publish a single COA sticker-price figure; the Estimate Your Bill tool computes per-student totals. Source

Institutional merit aid tiers

Every tier below is sourced to the school’s own published financial aid pages. Renewal terms apply only if the student maintains the stated GPA.

Ranges from $1,000 to full cost of attendance

Baylor Merit-Based Scholarship (internally the Baylor Distinction Award)

AutomaticRenewable 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.

RequirementsNo separate application. Complete admission file by February 1 for priority consideration. Files completed after February 1 are considered based on available funding.

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.

Source

Minimum $6,850 in the freshman year, renewable for three additional years

Carr P. Collins Scholars Program

ApplicationFour-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.

RequirementsSAT 1310+ · ACT 28+ · 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.

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.

Source

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

Getterman Scholars Program

ApplicationEight 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.

RequirementsNationally 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.

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.

Source

$12,000 scholarship ($3,000 per year for four years)

Distinguished Scholars Day

ApplicationFour-year award at $3,000 per year.

RequirementsSAT 1260-1390 · ACT 27-31 · Invitation-only event. Baylor Application for Admission submitted by November 1. Test-optional students with high academic GPAs and high class rankings are eligible for invitation. Registration through the goBAYLOR Events tab, plus a faculty event and a 750-word essay within 48 hours of attending.

Department-specific event covering Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering and Computer Science, Honors College, Ministry, Music (video audition if selected), and Pre-Nursing. Award notification by March 15.

Source

Amount for 2026-2027 not published on a retrievable baylor.edu page

Invitation to Excellence (I2E)

ApplicationRenewal terms for 2026-2027 are not publicly documented. Prior-cycle third-party references describe a four-year renewable award, but the entry writer should confirm directly with Baylor admissions.

RequirementsInvitation-only. Baylor Application for Admission submitted by November 1, plus the Scholarship Program Application via goBAYLOR by November 11. Two events held in-person on January 23-24, 2026 and February 6-7, 2026 for Fall 2026 entry.

Baylor's signature scholarship event. About 900 students attended the combined 2026 events. The Getterman Fellows pool is a subset of I2E attendees. The per-student 2026-2027 scholarship value is not published on an admissions.web.baylor.edu page retrievable at the time of verification, so families should confirm the current dollar amount with Baylor admissions rather than relying on aggregator sites.

Source

Scholarship ranges between $12,000 and $80,000. Two of six selected receive $40,000 ($10,000 per year across four undergraduate years), four of six receive $12,000 ($3,000 per year), and two of the six are eligible to earn an additional $40,000 during medical school at Baylor College of Medicine.

Baylor to Baylor Medical Program

ApplicationFour undergraduate years, plus up to four medical school years for the top two awardees. Requires a 3.5 cumulative and science GPA and an MCAT of at least 508 with no section below 125.

RequirementsGPA 3.7+ · SAT 1430+ · ACT 32+ · Rank in the top 5% of high school graduating class, or minimum 3.7 GPA on a 4.0 scale. U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Baylor Application due November 1, Scholarship Program Application due November 11. Six students admitted per cycle with provisional acceptance to Baylor College of Medicine.

Combined 8-year BA/MD program. This is the most structured Texas-private medical pipeline; families weighing Baylor against TCU or SMU for pre-med should factor in the value of a provisional medical school seat separate from the scholarship dollars.

Source

Not published on current Baylor admissions pages for 2026-2027

National Merit Finalist package

ApplicationRenewable

RequirementsMust be designated a Finalist by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Historical Baylor catalog language required NMF to list Baylor as first choice with NMSC for the former Regents' Gold full-tuition package, but that page is no longer on the current admissions site.

The Honors College FAQ confirms that National Merit Finalists are automatically considered for scholarships, but Baylor does not currently publish a named NMF package, dollar amount, or first-choice requirement for 2026-2027. Families expecting a full-tuition NMF award from older Baylor catalog references should confirm current terms with Baylor admissions directly before committing.

Source

Full tuition coverage for a select number of incoming freshmen, delivered through a combination of the Baylor Benefit Scholarship, the Baylor Distinction Award (merit), federal grants, state grants, and Baylor need-based grants

Baylor Benefit Scholarship (need-based, full tuition)

ApplicationUp to 8 semesters with a 2.5 cumulative GPA, notably lower than the 3.0 merit renewal threshold.

RequirementsAdmitted for Fall 2026 or Summer 2026. U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or eligible non-citizen. FAFSA parent or student adjusted gross income under $50,000. FAFSA and CSS Profile submitted by February 1, 2026. Separate Benefit application window February 1 through March 1, 2026.

Covers tuition only. Housing, meals, and other fees are not included. This is Baylor's 2026-cycle affordability commitment for lower-income admits, and it is the only page on baylor.edu that uses the Baylor Distinction Award label for the automatic merit component.

Source

Outside scholarship stacking policy

Baylor first reduces work-study or educational loans when outside scholarships arrive, but federal and state regulations can force the financial aid office to adjust grants and scholarships too, so outside aid can displace institutional grants depending on the package.

Baylor's published policy on outside scholarships states that an outside award may affect financial aid eligibility, that Baylor's policy allows outside scholarships to first reduce work-study or educational loans, and that because of federal or state regulations the Student Financial Aid office may have to adjust grants and scholarships. Every outside scholarship must be reported through Baylor's Outside Scholarship Report Form, and total aid cannot exceed the cost of attendance under federal rules. Two Texas-specific traps apply: Baylor Ministry Scholarship and BGCT Ministry Scholarship recipients are ineligible for the Texas Tuition Equalization Grant, and recipients of certain church-partnership awards that reduce tuition directly may change the state-aid calculation as well. Families weighing outside awards should ask One Stop to model both the with-scholarship and without-scholarship scenarios before accepting.

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Common Data Set snapshot

From the Baylor Common Data Set 2024-2025:

SAT mid-50%1160–134025th / 75th percentile
ACT mid-50%25–3125th / 75th percentile
Receive institutional merit42%First-year students
Average merit award$17,382Across recipients

Source: Common Data Set

Lesser-known scholarships at Baylor

Named awards that don’t always surface on the main financial aid page. Each one has its own eligibility rules.

Amount15% of tuition for Baylor undergraduate hoursEligibilityEvidence of a divine call to church-related vocational ministry, active membership in a Christian church, and work toward a Religion major or minor or other ministry-related degree such as Church Music or Church Recreation. Requires completion of Religion 2480 Introduction to Ministry with a satisfactory grade. Pastor certification required.

Texas-specific trap: recipients are ineligible for the state-funded Texas Tuition Equalization Grant. For a Texas resident with demonstrated need, losing TEG can substantially offset the 15% tuition discount, so families should model both scenarios before accepting. Not listed on the main scholarships landing page; lives under the Department of Religion.

Source

Amount5% of tuition for Baylor undergraduate hoursEligibilitySame ministry-call and Religion 2480 requirements as the Baylor Ministry Scholarship, plus active membership in a Baptist General Convention of Texas affiliated church with annual certification.

Stacks conceptually with the Baylor Ministry Scholarship for Baptist students. Same Texas Tuition Equalization Grant disqualification applies.

Source

AmountAmounts not publishedEligibilityIncoming freshmen admitted to the Baylor Business Fellows program. Carlton is restricted to Business Fellows from Arkansas; the Business Fellows Getterman (distinct from the Honors College Getterman Scholars Program) is restricted to Business Fellows from the top 10% of a McLennan County, Texas high school. Requires Business Fellows admission plus FAFSA and CSS Profile by March 1.

Buried on the Hankamer School of Business Fellows page rather than the main admissions merit pages. Only Carlton and the Business Fellows Getterman are open to incoming freshmen; Riley and Wilkerson are current-student only.

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Common mistakes at Baylor

  1. Historical Baylor catalogs from prior decades did list named tiers, and third-party aggregators still reference them with stats bands. Baylor's current 2026-2027 admissions pages do not publish any tier names or thresholds for the automatic merit award. Families who calibrate expectations to aggregator tables often end up confused by the actual offer, which is a single holistic award between $1,000 and full cost of attendance.

  2. Automatic merit review works with the February 1 priority deadline for any complete admission file. Every competitive scholarship program (Carr P. Collins, Getterman Scholars, Distinguished Scholars Day, Invitation to Excellence, Baylor to Baylor Medical, Baylor to Baylor Law) requires a completed Baylor application by November 1 and a separate Scholarship Program Application by November 11. Applicants who submit on the February deadline still get automatic merit review but forfeit the competitive layer entirely.

  3. Both ministry scholarships make recipients ineligible for the Texas TEG, a state-funded grant that can be substantial for middle-income Texas families attending private colleges. For a Texas resident with demonstrated need, the 15% or 5% tuition discount can be partially or fully offset by losing TEG dollars, so families should ask Baylor One Stop to run the with-scholarship and without-scholarship scenarios before accepting.

Baylor merit aid FAQ

  • Does Baylor publish a chart showing GPA or test scores to merit dollars?

    No. Baylor's merit-based scholarship pages state only that scholarships range from $1,000 to full cost of attendance and that all admitted students receive a full comprehensive review. There is no public stats-to-dollars table for the 2026-2027 cycle, which is a real difference from peers like SMU that do publish named tiers.

  • Do I need a separate application for Baylor's automatic merit scholarships?

    No. No additional application is required for merit-based scholarships. All applicants are automatically and comprehensively considered for merit-based scholarships when they apply, including test-optional students. Submit your complete admission file by February 1 for priority consideration. Separate applications are required only for the competitive named programs like Carr P. Collins, Getterman Scholars, Distinguished Scholars Day, Invitation to Excellence, and the Baylor to Baylor Medical and Law programs.

  • What GPA do I need to keep my Baylor merit scholarship?

    A Baylor cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. If your cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 but stays at or above 2.0 at the end of your first year, your scholarship continues on probation for one more year. Merit scholarships are renewable up to 8 terms.

  • What happens if I win an outside scholarship on top of my Baylor merit?

    Baylor's policy allows outside scholarships to first reduce work-study or educational loans. However, because of federal or state regulations, the Student Financial Aid office may have to adjust grants and scholarships, so outside aid can displace institutional grants depending on the package. You must report every outside scholarship through Baylor's Outside Scholarship Report Form.

  • What is the Baylor Benefit Scholarship and how does it relate to merit aid?

    The Baylor Benefit Scholarship covers full tuition for a select number of incoming freshmen with adjusted gross income under $50,000. If awarded, your tuition is covered by a combination of the Benefit Scholarship plus your Baylor Distinction Award (the automatic merit component), federal grants, state grants, and Baylor need-based grants. It requires FAFSA and CSS Profile by February 1, a separate application between February 1 and March 1, 2026, and a 2.5 cumulative GPA to maintain. Housing, meals, and other fees are not covered.

  • What does Baylor offer National Merit Finalists?

    Baylor's Honors College FAQ confirms that National Merit Finalists are automatically considered for scholarships alongside other high-achieving students. However, Baylor does not currently publish a named NMF package or dollar amount on its 2026-2027 admissions pages. Historical Baylor catalogs from prior cycles referenced a Regents' Gold full-tuition NMF package, but that page is no longer on the current site. Families expecting a specific NMF benefit should confirm current terms with Baylor admissions directly.