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MeritPlaybook / Take-home research

Northwest Nazarene
Decision sheet

Idaho · Research checked 2026-07-02 · School research, not an aid offer

The starting point

NNU posts a published Fall-2026 automatic Merit Scholarship grid worth $14,000-$22,000/year off a single high-school GPA (test scores are optional and only break the top $22,000 tier), and the award renews on a low NNU cumulative GPA of just 2.5.

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 6 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.

NNU Merit Scholarship (Fall 2026 automatic grid)

$14,000-$22,000 per year · Published range

Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.

GPA: 3.0-4.0+ high-school GPA bands (see excerpt); students admitted below 3.0 still qualify — see counselor · SAT: 1100 SAT needed only for the top $22,000 tier · ACT: 22 ACT needed only for the top $22,000 tier

Eligibility: NNU is test-optional; only the top 4.0+ tier names a test score. Automatic on completing the NNU Application for Admission and Financial Aid; must be applied to tuition costs

Renewal: Merit Scholarships are renewable as long as the student is academically eligible; the financial-aid page states renewal is based on maintaining an NNU cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.

Other terms: Award is set by high-school GPA. Test scores are NOT required for the $14,000-$20,000 tiers; only the top $22,000 tier lists '4.0+ and 1100 SAT or 22 ACT'. Bands: 4.0+ and 1100 SAT or 22 ACT = $22,000; 3.8+ = $20,000; 3.7-3.79 = $18,000; 3.5-3.69 = $17,000; 3.3-3.49 = $15,000; 3.0-3.29 = $14,000. Students below 3.0 still qualify for a merit scholarship per the page note.

https://nnu.edu/admissions-aid/financial-aid/

Christian Education Partner Scholarship

$4,000 per year (on campus) / $2,000 per year (off campus) · Published award terms

Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.

GPA: Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher

Eligibility: Must have attended a mission partner Christian high school

Renewal: On-campus award is described as $4,000 'for up to four years.'

Other terms: Awarded automatically to eligible students from a mission partner Christian high school. The amount depends on housing: $4,000/year living on campus, $2,000/year living off campus.

https://catalog.nnu.edu/tuition-scholarships

Transfer Merit Scholarship

$9,000-$18,000 per year · Published range

Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.

GPA: 3.5+ = $18,000; 2.5-3.49 = $16,000; 2.49 and below = $9,000 (cumulative GPA from all colleges attended)

Eligibility: Full-time transfer students; must be applied to tuition costs

Renewal: Renewable as long as the student is academically eligible (general NNU merit renewal: maintain an NNU cumulative GPA of at least 2.5).

Other terms: For transfer (not first-year) students; based on cumulative college GPA. Included as a merit tier for completeness; bands are $9,000-$18,000.

https://nnu.edu/admissions-aid/undergraduate-admissions/transfer-students/

Ask before you decide

  1. Which entering-year policy and residency category apply to us? What are the admission and scholarship deadlines?
  2. What grades and credits are required to renew, and for how many terms?
  3. How would other school awards or outside scholarships change the offer?

Recorded stacking policy: NNU does not publish an outside-scholarship displacement policy on its financial-aid pages. The NNU Matching Scholarships page directs students to present a copy of each outside award so it 'can be included as part of the student's overall financial aid offer,' and NNU itself matches church gifts — implying outside church awards add value rather than reduce institutional aid. Whether a private/outside scholarship reduces NNU institutional merit or only need-based/self-help aid is NOT stated, so displacement is unclear.

Our unanswered questions / Family notes

Keep the sources with the decision

Full research, award details and source context: https://meritplaybook.com/colleges/northwest-nazarene-university/merit-aid

The research date is not a guarantee that a policy still applies. Confirm current amounts, deadlines and conditions with the school before making a financial decision.