Dayton Merit Aid

1. Thinking the $33,000 Trustees' Merit Scholarship is automatic at a specific GPA or test-score cutoff.+

   Dayton publishes the four-tier dollar ranges but does not publish a stat-banded ladder. The tier you receive is decided holistically inside the admission review against GPA, test scores (if submitted), and academic rigor. Do not assume 'X test score = Trustees' tier' — there is no published threshold.

2. Confusing Dayton's 'net tuition guarantee' with the merit scholarship itself.+

   The merit scholarship is the dollar amount of the award. The net-tuition guarantee is a separate four-year promise that whatever discounted tuition you are offered at admission will not increase across your eight semesters. Housing, meals, and fees are not locked — only tuition is.

3. Banking on stacking an outside scholarship on top of a Trustees' or President's award without calling Flyer Student Services first.+

   Dayton's public site documents only the reporting requirement (notify via the Porches portal) and is silent on whether outside scholarships displace institutional merit aid. Top-tier merit awards can already cover a large share of tuition, so an outside award may displace institutional aid rather than add to it. Ask the office directly before counting on the dollars.

Strong students looking for a mid-sized Catholic university where merit aid is awarded automatically at admission and the offered tuition price will not change year over year. Particularly attractive to out-of-state families who do not want to chase competitive scholarship applications.

Tuition / cost of attendance: Approximately $72,365 for 2025-2026. Residential first-year cost of attendance for 2025-26. Tuition alone is $50,610 and is the same for all majors and all states (UD is a private institution with no out-of-state surcharge). 2026-27 tuition rises to $51,910 with a published COA of $74,940. Source

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.

Dayton requires students to report outside scholarships through the Porches student portal but does not publish a displacement formula. Families cannot tell from the public site whether an outside award will offset institutional merit aid, loans, or work-study — call Flyer Student Services before banking on stacking on top of a Trustees' or President's award.

The University of Dayton's public 'External Scholarships' resource page covers how to find and vet third-party awards and tells students to notify the university via the Porches portal, but it does not state whether outside scholarships reduce institutional aid, reduce loans first, or only fill unmet need. The displacement rule is decided case-by-case by Flyer Student Services (fss@udayton.edu, 937-229-4141).

Source

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

  No. Dayton says explicitly that 'you will automatically be considered for a merit scholarship as part of the admission process.' All four tiers — Chaminade, Deans', President's, and Trustees' — are awarded inside the admission decision based on GPA, test scores (if submitted), and academic rigor.

• What GPA or ACT/SAT score do I need for the Trustees' Merit Scholarship?

  Dayton does not publish stat cutoffs. The merit page lists the four tiers and their dollar ranges, but only says that awards are 'based on a variety of criteria including GPA, test scores (if submitted) and academic rigor.' The decision is holistic, not formulaic.

• Is the merit scholarship locked for four years?

  Yes — both at the award level and at the tuition level. Dayton's merit scholarships are 'renewable for all four years, or eight semesters,' as long as you 'meet academic requirements each year,' and the net tuition produced by your award is guaranteed not to increase. Housing, food, and fees are not part of that guarantee.

• Will an outside scholarship reduce my Dayton merit award?

  Dayton requires that you report outside scholarships through the Porches portal, but the public site does not publish a displacement rule. That means the effect of an outside award on your institutional aid, loans, or work-study is decided case-by-case by Flyer Student Services. Call (937-229-4141) or email fss@udayton.edu before counting on stacking.

• What's the actual published 2025-26 price?

  Tuition is $50,610. Total cost of attendance for a residential first-year student is $72,365. Tuition is the same for all majors and all states. For 2026-27, Dayton lists tuition at $51,910 and COA at $74,940.