Private religious flagship with two published tuition tiers: $6,888/year for Latter-day Saint undergraduates and $13,776/year for non-members. Named merit awards (Presidential, Heritage, National Merit) are denominated as a percentage of LDS tuition rather than fixed dollars, and every undergraduate, LDS or not, must secure an annual ecclesiastical endorsement for admission and retention.
Verified May 20261 month ago· PT
Merit tiers51 automatic on stats
Get merit aid11.2%First-year students, CDS 2024-2025
Last verifiedMay 2026Analyst PT
Quick verdict
Worth applying for if your student is a strong-stat applicant willing to write the competitive essay — but every named tier is denominated in the discounted member tuition, so the real value depends on which price you pay.
BYU's merit ladder is unusual: every award is expressed as a percentage of Latter-day Saint tuition ($6,888 for 2025-26), not a fixed dollar figure. The top tier, the Presidential (Dallin H. Oaks) Scholarship, is 150% of that, roughly $10,332/yr — the only award above full tuition, and the only one that covers tuition in full plus a slice of other costs. The single cleanest dollar step is full tuition (Heritage, $6,888) to Presidential ($10,332): +$3,444/yr, a 1.5x lift on the tuition base. The catch: Presidential and Heritage both require a separate competitive application with an essay and are not automatic on stats. Only the National Merit award is automatic, and only for a Finalist who lists BYU first-choice with NMSC. Stacking is genuinely unclear: BYU publishes an outside-scholarship application order (tuition, then fees, then housing) but no documented displacement rule against institutional aid — confirm treatment with Financial Aid before counting on a large outside award stacking. No tier reaches full cost of attendance ($22,600 member / $29,488 non-member), so none is a full ride.
Rules that bite at BYU
The trip wires we'd flag in a custom playbook. Each is derived from BYU's own published policy, not generic advice.
cliffOne ACT point can move the award by +$500/yr ($7,388 − $6,888)
BYU publishes a tier ladder where crossing National Merit Finalist listing BYU first-choice vs. full-tuition tier changes the marginal value by +$500/yr ($7,388 − $6,888). The named National Merit stipend layered on top of full tuition. Small in dollars, but the only fully automatic path — no BYU essay required.
renewalPresidential Scholarship (Dallin H. Oaks): renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out
Renewable for up to 8 semesters. Multi-year awards issued in 2024-25 or later require a 3.70 cumulative BYU GPA through each winter semester; earlier awards require 3.60. Students must also complete 12 credits each fall and winter and submit an annual thank-you letter before the add/drop deadline. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.
displacementNo published displacement order
BYU'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.
Common merit-aid mistakes at BYU
BYU publishes two distinct annual tuition rates: $6,888 for undergraduates who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and $13,776 for non-members (exactly 2x the member rate). Non-LDS students are welcome and regularly admitted, but they pay the higher tier as a matter of published institutional policy. Families who see "BYU tuition" in media coverage without noting the LDS vs non-LDS split consistently underestimate net cost for non-member students by about $7,000 per year.
Every BYU applicant, LDS or not, must secure an annual ecclesiastical endorsement for admission and retention. LDS applicants interview with their bishop; non-LDS applicants interview first with their own religious leader (or a local LDS bishop) and then with the university chaplain. Losing the endorsement mid-year can end enrollment, which in turn ends any active institutional scholarship. This is a BYU-specific retention risk that does not exist at other schools in the registry, and it should be factored into any multi-year cost projection before committing.
BYU's scholarship eligibility page states that recipients must submit one thank-you letter per year before the add/drop deadline or the scholarship is canceled. This is a paperwork trigger that catches families every year. The letter is submitted through the scholarship portal and is a retention condition on every multi-year award, Presidential, Heritage, National Merit, and University. Mission deferments require separate paperwork before the semester ends to preserve the scholarship.
The BYU National Merit Scholarship (full LDS tuition plus $500 annual stipend) requires the student to be a named National Merit Finalist AND list BYU as their first-choice school with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation by NMSC's deadline. Admission to BYU alone does not trigger the award. Families who submit BYU applications without completing the NMSC first-choice step forfeit the full-tuition-plus-stipend package entirely, even if the student is a confirmed Finalist enrolled at BYU.
What each named tier actually pays
Every BYU freshman tier is denominated in Latter-day Saint tuition ($6,888 for 2025-26). Dollar values below are BYU's own figures or a direct percentage of that published tuition. The Presidential, Heritage, and University tiers require a separate competitive application and are not awarded automatically on stats; only the National Merit tier is automatic. For context, the middle 50% of enrolled 2024-25 freshmen scored SAT 1290-1440 or ACT 28-32.
Student profile
Likely outcome
University Scholarship (half tuition) · need is a published criterion
Half LDS tuition — ~$3,444/yrBYU's lowest named tier and the only one with an explicit financial-need component. Strong stats without demonstrated need may land Presidential or Heritage but not University.
Full LDS tuition — ~$6,888/yrSecond named tier. Holistic review across academics, rigor, character, and leadership; no published test-score cutoff.
University Scholarship (full tuition)
Full LDS tuition — ~$6,888/yrSame cash value as Heritage but routed through the need-aware University category.
Sterling Scholar · regional competition winner
Full LDS tuition, 2 semesters only — ~$6,888 one yearNot renewable. Model as a one-time cash infusion, not a 4-year commitment like the other tiers.
National Merit Finalist · BYU listed first-choice with NMSC
Full LDS tuition + $500 stipend — ~$7,388/yrThe only automatic award: no separate BYU application. Decisions issued after June 1. The $500 is the named NM cash component; full tuition is BYU's institutional layer.
Presidential (Dallin H. Oaks) · competitive essay, 50 awarded/yr
150% LDS tuition — ~$10,332/yrTop tier and the only award above full tuition. Verbatim 50 new freshmen awarded annually. Covers tuition in full plus part of other billed costs.
Where the dollars move on BYU's ladder
Each step is the arithmetic gap between two named tiers, computed off 2025-26 LDS tuition of $6,888. Because every tier is a percentage of tuition, these gaps grow if tuition rises. Note that BYU's higher tiers (Presidential, Heritage) hinge on a competitive essay application, not a test-score threshold, so these are application-effort cliffs, not pure stat cliffs.
Threshold
Marginal value
National Merit Finalist listing BYU first-choice vs. full-tuition tier
+$500/yr ($7,388 − $6,888)The named National Merit stipend layered on top of full tuition. Small in dollars, but the only fully automatic path — no BYU essay required.
University half-tuition → University full-tuition
+$3,444/yr ($6,888 − $3,444)Doubles the tuition coverage within the need-aware tier. Tied with the Heritage-to-Presidential step as the largest single gap on the ladder.
Full tuition (Heritage) → Presidential (Dallin H. Oaks)
+$3,444/yr ($10,332 − $6,888)A 1.5x lift on the tuition base and the only step that pushes an award above full tuition. Requires winning a competitive essay slot (50 freshmen/yr), not clearing a stat line.
Who this school is for
BYU works for academically strong LDS families who want the lowest published sticker price in BYU's selectivity band, and for non-LDS families who accept the Honor Code, ecclesiastical endorsement process, and 2x tuition differential. The named merit ladder is denominated in LDS tuition rather than dollars, so award values scale with annual tuition changes rather than with cost inflation: the Presidential Scholarship (Dallin H. Oaks) covers 150% of Latter-day Saint tuition over 8 semesters with a competitive essay application and roughly 50 recipients per year; the Heritage Scholarship covers full LDS tuition for 8 semesters; the National Merit Scholarship covers full LDS tuition plus a $500 annual stipend for up to 8 semesters when a Finalist lists BYU as first choice with NMSC; University Scholarships award half or full LDS tuition. BYU does not publish GPA or test-score cutoffs for any of these awards, review is holistic, and the middle 50% of enrolled freshmen in the 2024-25 Common Data Set scored SAT 1290-1440 or ACT 28-32 with an average 3.90 high school GPA. Multi-year awards issued in 2024-25 or later require a 3.70 cumulative BYU GPA to renew, and every recipient must submit an annual thank-you letter before the add/drop deadline or the scholarship is canceled.
Cost of attendance$23,468–$30,564 for 2026-2027Each bar is the full published cost for that scenario, sized against the highest figure so totals compare at a glance.
On-campus (non-Latter-day Saint tuition)$30,564
$14K
$11K
On-campus (Latter-day Saint tuition)$23,468
$7.1K
$11K
Tuition & fees
Housing & food
Books
Travel
Personal
Loan fees
Official BYU Enrollment Services COA. Page publishes 2026-27 (no 2025-26 component table published); year captured as published. Undergraduate, on-campus, no dependents. Two rows reflect Latter-day Saint vs non-Latter-day Saint tuition. Books represents supplies only (book costs are bundled in tuition). Loan fees only counted if a federal loan is accepted.
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.
150% of Latter-day Saint tuition
Presidential Scholarship (Dallin H. Oaks)
ApplicationRenewable
View requirements+
Eligibility
Separate competitive application with a mandatory essay. 50 new entering freshman students awarded annually (verbatim per BYU's freshman scholarships page). ACT or SAT score required for consideration (BYU does not publish a hard test-score cutoff but a submitted score is part of the holistic review). For context, the middle 50% of enrolled 2024-25 freshmen scored SAT 1290-1440 or ACT 28-32 with an average 3.90 HS GPA.
Renewal terms
Renewable for up to 8 semesters. Multi-year awards issued in 2024-25 or later require a 3.70 cumulative BYU GPA through each winter semester; earlier awards require 3.60. Students must also complete 12 credits each fall and winter and submit an annual thank-you letter before the add/drop deadline.
Notes
BYU's top named freshman merit award, and the only one denominated above full LDS tuition. Because the award is expressed as a percentage of LDS tuition rather than a fixed dollar amount, its cash value tracks future tuition changes. At 2025-26 LDS tuition of $6,888, 150% works out to about $10,332 per year, which covers LDS tuition in full and a portion of other billed costs.
Separate scholarship application required. ACT or SAT score required for consideration (BYU does not publish a hard test-score cutoff). Review is holistic across academic performance, program rigor, character, and leadership.
Renewal terms
Renewable for up to 8 semesters. Multi-year awards issued 2024-25 or later require a 3.70 cumulative BYU GPA; earlier awards require 3.60. Annual thank-you letter required before add/drop or the scholarship is canceled.
Notes
The second named tier in BYU's freshman merit ladder. Denominated as full LDS tuition rather than a fixed dollar amount, which at 2025-26 LDS tuition works out to about $6,888 per year.
Full Latter-day Saint tuition + $500/yr National Merit stipend
National Merit Scholarship
AutomaticRenewable
View requirements+
Eligibility
Named National Merit Finalist who lists BYU as first-choice school with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Decisions are issued after June 1.
Renewal terms
Renewable for up to 8 semesters subject to the same GPA, enrollment, and thank-you-letter rules as other BYU merit awards.
Notes
BYU's Finalist-specific award. Unlike the Presidential and Heritage Scholarships, this one is automatic once the NMSC first-choice step is complete, with no separate BYU scholarship application required. The $500 stipend is the named National Merit cash component; full LDS tuition is the institutional layer BYU adds on top.
Regional Sterling Scholar competition winner. Award covers two semesters at BYU (one academic year), not the standard 8-semester ladder used by the Presidential, Heritage, and National Merit awards.
Notes
A single-year award tied to the Utah/regional Sterling Scholar competition rather than BYU's multi-year scholarship ladder. Families should model this as a one-time cash infusion rather than a 4-year institutional commitment.
Essay recommended on the scholarship application. BYU does not publish hard GPA or test-score cutoffs. Award criteria include academic performance, rigor of program, AND financial need (verbatim per BYU's freshman scholarships page), making this BYU's only named freshman merit tier with an explicit financial-need component.
Renewal terms
Renewal terms vary by award. Multi-year awards issued in 2024-25 or later require a 3.70 cumulative BYU GPA.
Notes
BYU's lower named freshman merit tier. Functions as a secondary award below Heritage and Presidential, families who don't clear the top two named tiers may still receive half or full LDS tuition through this category. Because financial need is one of the published criteria (unlike the higher tiers), families with strong stats but no demonstrated need may receive Presidential or Heritage but not University.
BYU's published scholarship eligibility page is explicit that recipients cannot combine awards from different semesters, and caps total institutional scholarship eligibility at 8 semesters of fall/winter scholarship per student. BYU does not publish an explicit displacement rule for how outside scholarships interact with institutional need-based aid calculations, it publishes an application order instead, routing outside funds to tuition, then class fees, then housing, meals, and personal items before refunding any leftover amount to the student.
Verbatim from BYU's scholarship eligibility page: recipients cannot combine awards from different semesters, and the Financial Aid Office limits scholarship eligibility to eight semesters of fall/winter scholarship per student. For outside (off-campus) scholarships, BYU publishes an explicit application order, tuition, class fees, international studies program fees, housing, meal plans, textbooks, short-term loans, insurance, with any leftover amount refunded to the student beginning the third day of classes. If the granting organization doesn't specify a GPA requirement, BYU releases the funds regardless of GPA, and the default credit-hour requirement is 0.5 credits (less than half-time). BYU does not publicly document a loan-first or grant-first displacement rule for how outside scholarships interact with institutional need-based aid packaging. Families planning to stack large outside scholarships on top of institutional merit should confirm the specific displacement treatment with BYU Financial Aid before committing. Mission deferment is automatic for off-campus funds unless the grantor stipulates otherwise.
Merit penetrationHow likely is merit aid here?From BYU’s Common Data Set: the share of first-year students who receive institutional merit and the average dollar amount when they do.
11.2%of admitsget merit
Average award$2,525Covers ~8% of $30,564 cost of attendance
At BYU, roughly 1 in 9 first-year admits receive institutional merit aid. The average award is $2,525 — about 8% of total cost.
SAT mid-50%1290–144025th / 75th percentile
ACT mid-50%28–3225th / 75th percentile
Receive institutional merit11.2%First-year students
Named awards that don’t always surface on the main financial aid page. Each one has its own eligibility rules.
AmountAmount not publicly publishedEligibilityStudents enrolled in BYU's University Honors Program, early in their university career, with demonstrated financial need. Explicitly prioritizes first-generation Honors students.
One of three named endowed awards inside the BYU Honors Program. BYU Honors does not publish dollar amounts on its scholarships page, so families should apply through the Honors portal and expect to learn the value at award notification. Application deadlines rotate: March 15 for spring/summer, July 31 for fall, October 30 for winter.
AmountAmount not publicly publishedEligibilityBYU Honors Program students who are actively working on their Honors thesis.
Thesis-writing-specific award. Not a new-freshman scholarship, it applies after a student has matriculated, joined Honors, and reached the thesis phase of the Honors requirement.
AmountAmount not publicly publishedEligibilityBYU Honors Program students majoring or minoring in the Marriott School of Business who are working on their Honors thesis.
Double-gated, requires both Honors Program enrollment and a Marriott School major or minor. Useful for business-intent students who are already planning to join BYU Honors.
AmountVaries by college and departmentEligibilityAdmitted BYU students in specific majors. Each college (Marriott School of Business, Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering, Life Sciences, Humanities, and others) maintains its own scholarship portal separate from the new-freshman merit ladder.
Centralized under Scholarship Types on BYU's enrollment site, but each college's portal lives on its own page with its own deadlines and criteria. Worth treating as a second pass after the freshman merit awards are locked in, especially for specialized majors.
Can a non-LDS student attend BYU, and what will it cost?
Yes. Non-LDS students are welcome at BYU but must meet the same Honor Code and ecclesiastical endorsement standards, with endorsement handled through the student's own religious leader and the BYU university chaplain. Non-LDS undergraduate tuition is $13,776/year versus $6,888/year for LDS students, and total 2025-26 on-campus cost of attendance is $29,488 versus $22,600. BYU's named merit awards are denominated as a percentage of LDS tuition, so a non-LDS recipient of the Heritage Scholarship receives the equivalent of full LDS tuition (about $6,888/year at current rates), which offsets roughly half of the non-LDS tuition rate.
What GPA and test scores do I need to win a merit scholarship at BYU?
BYU does not publish hard GPA or test-score cutoffs for the Presidential, Heritage, or University Scholarships, review is holistic across academic performance, program rigor, character, and leadership. For context from the 2024-25 Common Data Set, the middle 50% of enrolled freshmen scored SAT 1290-1440 or ACT 28-32 with an average 3.90 high school GPA. Multi-year awards issued in 2024-25 or later require a 3.70 cumulative BYU GPA to renew; earlier awards require 3.60.
How does the Presidential Scholarship work?
The Presidential Scholarship (Dallin H. Oaks) is BYU's top named freshman merit award, covering 150% of Latter-day Saint tuition for up to 8 semesters. At 2025-26 LDS tuition of $6,888, 150% works out to about $10,332 per year. It requires a separate competitive application with a mandatory essay and is awarded to about 50 recipients per year. Because the award is expressed as a percentage of LDS tuition rather than a fixed dollar amount, its cash value adjusts when BYU changes LDS tuition.
Will an outside scholarship reduce my BYU aid?
BYU does not publicly document an explicit loan-first or grant-first displacement rule for how outside scholarships interact with institutional need-based packaging. What BYU publishes is an application order for outside funds, tuition, class fees, international studies fees, housing, meal plans, textbooks, short-term loans, insurance, in that sequence, with any leftover amount refunded to the student starting the third day of classes. Outside scholarships are also automatically deferred during mission service unless the grantor stipulates otherwise. Families stacking large outside awards should confirm displacement treatment directly with BYU Financial Aid before committing.
What happens to my BYU scholarship when I leave for a mission?
BYU's scholarship eligibility page requires students to submit a deferment request before the end of the semester they last attend, or the scholarship is canceled. Off-campus (outside) scholarship funds are automatically deferred during mission service unless the granting organization stipulates otherwise. The 8-semester scholarship cap applies to fall and winter semesters in residence, so mission service does not count against the eight-semester ceiling when the proper deferment paperwork is on file.
How BYU compares across our verified dataset
44 of 205 verified schools in our dataset use unclear or unpublished displacement.
BYU is in a recognizable cluster (44 schools share this category). That framing matters when comparing peer schools that may publish the policy differently or not at all.
44 of 205 verified schools publish no clear displacement order.
BYU is one of them. The right move is the aid-office email script below, not a guess.
178 of 205 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.
BYU is one of them. The cohort minority (27 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 BYU’s own published materials. Below is the full reference set.
