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

No. 'There is no internal application needed' — every admitted student is automatically considered based on the GPA and ACT/SAT presented at acceptance. The two top tiers (University and Presidential) do require a short essay on why Dillard is the right fit, and those awards are limited and first-come.

What are the merit award amounts and cutoffs?

University Scholarship = full tuition + room & board (3.8 GPA / 27 ACT / 1220 SAT); Presidential = full tuition (3.67-3.799 GPA / 25 ACT / 1200 SAT); Dean's = $10,000 (3.0-3.599 GPA / 21 ACT / 1060 SAT, or 3.6+ GPA test-optional); Merit = $8,000 (2.75+ GPA / 19 ACT / 990 SAT, or 3.25-3.59 GPA test-optional); DU Grant I = $6,000 (2.5+ GPA / 18 ACT / 960 SAT, or 3.0-3.249 GPA test-optional).

What GPA do I need to keep my scholarship?

Renewal GPAs per Dillard's Scholarship/Grant Agreement: University 3.5, Presidential 3.2, Dean's 3.00, Merit 2.75, DU Grant 2.5 — measured cumulatively at the end of each spring term, and you must earn at least 24 semester hours each academic year. Awards last up to eight semesters (summers excluded).

Dillard· Renewal Rules

Keeping Dillard’s Merit Aid for Four Years

What the financial-aid office actually requires after freshman year: minimum GPA, credit-hour pace, and the cliffs that quietly downgrade families mid-degree.

Verified Jun 20268 days ago· CC

At a glance

Renewable tiers: 5 of 5
One-time tiers: 0
Tiers with published renewal terms: 5
Renewal risk profile: moderate

Renewal risk profile

Dillard's renewal bar is achievable for steady students but isn't generous. Most awards require a cumulative GPA in the 3.0–3.4 band plus full-time enrollment. Audit the strictest tier on this school's list before assuming the four-year value is locked in.

University Scholarship: 3.5 GPA
Presidential Scholarship: 3.2 GPA
Dean's Scholarship: 3.0 GPA
Merit Scholarship: 2.75 GPA
DU Grant I: 2.5 GPA

Renewal terms by tier

University Scholarship
Full Tuition Room & Board
Entry requirements: 3.8 GPA or higher GPA · 1220 SAT · 27 ACT
To keep it: Scholarship/Grant Agreement lists University Scholarship renewal as 3.5 GPA / 24 hrs.: 'University Scholarship (3.5/24 hrs.)' — maintain that cumulative GPA at the end of each spring term and earn at least 24 semester hours per year. Supports up to eight semesters.
Source: https://www.dillard.edu/financial-aid/institutional-scholarships/
Presidential Scholarship
Full Tuition
Entry requirements: 3.67 - 3.799 GPA GPA · 1200 SAT · 25 ACT
To keep it: Scholarship/Grant Agreement lists Presidential renewal as 3.2 GPA / 24 hrs.: 'Presidential Scholarship (3.2/24 hrs.)' — maintain that cumulative GPA at the end of each spring term and earn at least 24 semester hours per year. Supports up to eight semesters.
Source: https://www.dillard.edu/financial-aid/institutional-scholarships/
Dean's Scholarship
$10,000
Entry requirements: 3.0 - 3.599 GPA (with scores) or 3.6 GPA or higher (test-optional) GPA · 1060 SAT · 21 ACT
To keep it: Per-page renewal differs by path: the grid says students admitted without ACT/SAT must 'Maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher while enrolled at DU'; the Scholarship/Grant Agreement lists Dean's renewal as 3.00 GPA / 24 hrs.: 'Dean's Scholarship (3.00/24 hrs.)'. Earn at least 24 semester hours per year. Supports up to eight semesters.
Source: https://www.dillard.edu/financial-aid/institutional-scholarships/
Merit Scholarship
$8,000
Entry requirements: 2.75 GPA or higher (with scores) or 3.25 - 3.59 GPA (test-optional) GPA · 990 SAT · 19 ACT
To keep it: Per-page renewal differs by path: the grid says the test-optional path must 'Maintain a 2.75 GPA or higher while enrolled at DU'; the Scholarship/Grant Agreement lists Merit renewal as 2.75 GPA / 24 hrs.: 'Merit Scholarship (2.75/24 hrs.)'. Earn at least 24 semester hours per year. Supports up to eight semesters.
Source: https://www.dillard.edu/financial-aid/institutional-scholarships/
DU Grant I
$6,000
Entry requirements: 2.5 GPA or higher (with scores) or 3.0 - 3.249 GPA (test-optional) GPA · 960 SAT · 18 ACT
To keep it: Per-page renewal differs by path: the grid says the test-optional path must 'Maintain a 2.5 GPA or higher while enrolled at DU'; the Scholarship/Grant Agreement lists DU Grant renewal as 2.5 GPA / 24 hrs.: 'DU Grant (2.5/24 hrs.)'. Earn at least 24 semester hours per year. Supports up to eight semesters.
Source: https://www.dillard.edu/financial-aid/institutional-scholarships/

How families lose this aid

Assuming a test-optional applicant can win the University or Presidential Scholarship.
The published grid lists 'W/O ACT/SAT Scores: Not Available' for both top-tier awards. Without an ACT/SAT score, the best automatic award is the Dean's Scholarship ($10,000) at a 3.6+ GPA — full tuition and full-tuition-room-and-board require submitted scores.

Renewal questions families ask

Do I have to apply separately for Dillard's merit scholarships?: No. 'There is no internal application needed' — every admitted student is automatically considered based on the GPA and ACT/SAT presented at acceptance. The two top tiers (University and Presidential) do require a short essay on why Dillard is the right fit, and those awards are limited and first-come.
What are the merit award amounts and cutoffs?: University Scholarship = full tuition + room & board (3.8 GPA / 27 ACT / 1220 SAT); Presidential = full tuition (3.67-3.799 GPA / 25 ACT / 1200 SAT); Dean's = $10,000 (3.0-3.599 GPA / 21 ACT / 1060 SAT, or 3.6+ GPA test-optional); Merit = $8,000 (2.75+ GPA / 19 ACT / 990 SAT, or 3.25-3.59 GPA test-optional); DU Grant I = $6,000 (2.5+ GPA / 18 ACT / 960 SAT, or 3.0-3.249 GPA test-optional).
What GPA do I need to keep my scholarship?: Renewal GPAs per Dillard's Scholarship/Grant Agreement: University 3.5, Presidential 3.2, Dean's 3.00, Merit 2.75, DU Grant 2.5 — measured cumulatively at the end of each spring term, and you must earn at least 24 semester hours each academic year. Awards last up to eight semesters (summers excluded).

Rules that bite at Dillard

The renewal trip wires we'd flag in a custom playbook, derived from Dillard's own tier rules and not generic advice.

renewalUniversity Scholarship: renewal floor that quietly knocks awards out
Scholarship/Grant Agreement lists University Scholarship renewal as 3.5 GPA / 24 hrs.: 'University Scholarship (3.5/24 hrs.)' — maintain that cumulative GPA at the end of each spring term and earn at least 24 semester hours per year. Supports up to eight semesters. A single rough term can end a four-year award here without warning if the GPA floor isn't met cumulatively.

How Dillard compares across our verified dataset

69 of 751 verified schools publish a top renewal tier requiring 3.5+ GPA or major-GPA gating.
Dillard is one of them. Calibrate year-one academic load against the renewal floor, not just freshman survival.
669 of 751 verified schools publish at least one four-year renewable merit award.
Dillard is one of them. The cohort minority (82 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 renewal claim is checked against Dillard’s own published materials.