University of Dayton Merit Scholarships for International Students

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What It Covers

Here are the benefits and what the merit scholarships at UD typically provide for international undergraduate students:

  • Tuition Reduction: Merit scholarships can reduce the tuition cost significantly—up to US$33,000 per year for first-year international students.
  • Renewable for Duration of Study: For first-year scholars, the merit scholarships are renewable for all four years (eight semesters), provided you meet certain academic renewal criteria.
  • Textbook Scholarship: There is also a textbook scholarship to help cover cost of course materials over four years.
  • Automatic Consideration: You don’t need to submit a separate scholarship application—when you apply for admission to UD as a full-time undergraduate, you are automatically considered for merit scholarships.

Note: The merit scholarships do not cover full tuition for all students. UD explicitly states that they “does not offer full tuition scholarships” for international students. The merit award is generous, but you will often still need to budget for remaining tuition, living costs, personal expenses, etc.

Eligibility

To qualify for UD’s merit scholarships as an international student, you generally must meet these criteria:

  1. Undergraduate Admission
    You must be a full-time, degree-seeking student (first-year or transfer).
  2. Strong Academic Record
    Scholarships are awarded based on academic merit: GPA, academic rigor, possibly class rank or equivalent. UD is test-optional, meaning you do not have to submit standardized test scores (SAT/ACT), but doing so (or resubmitting) may help if they strengthen your profile.
  3. Required Documents
    As part of the admission process you’ll need to provide:
    1. Official (secondary) school transcripts (with translations if not in English)
    1. Proof of English proficiency if your native language is not English (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.), unless waived or you do an intensive English program.
  4. Meeting Renewal Conditions
    Once awarded, you must maintain certain academic performance to keep the scholarship renewable each year. For example, staying full-time, maintaining a minimum GPA, completing a sufficient proportion of your courses each semester.
  5. Application & Admissions Deadlines
    To be considered for merit aid, you must apply for admission by the deadlines for your intended term (Fall, Spring, etc.), and submit all required documents. Missing deadlines can mean missing scholarship consideration.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even with eligibility, many students lose out because of some of the following avoidable errors:

  • Assuming Scholarship Covers Everything
    Believing that the merit scholarship will cover all costs (tuition + housing + meals + travel etc.) is risky. As noted, full tuition is not guaranteed for all, and other costs are typically not fully covered.
  • Late or Incomplete Applications
    Missing transcripts, late English tests, missing financial documents—or simply submitting after the application deadline—can disqualify or severely reduce your chances.
  • Weak English Proficiency or Delayed Proof
    If English proficiency (or its equivalent) is not proved by required deadlines, or if translations / certified copies of transcripts are missing, that delays or impacts evaluation.
  • Not Paying Attention to Renewal Conditions
    Once you receive the merit scholarship, you need to maintain required academic standards to keep it for subsequent years. Falling below the required GPA or failing too many courses can lead to loss or reduction of the scholarship.
  • Overrelying on Test Scores or Underemphasizing Other Parts
    Since UD is test-optional, not submitting test scores won’t eliminate you; however, you must ensure that other parts of your application (grades, rigor, essays, recommendations) are strong. If you do submit test scores, make sure they’re good; but don’t assume they alone will carry the application.

Relatable Examples

Here are some example scenarios of how different students might do, what to expect, and how to plan:

  • Example 1: Maria from Peru
    Maria has excellent high school grades, strong classroom involvement (clubs, volunteer work). She applies for Fall; her transcripts are in Spanish so she ensures they are translated and certified. She does not submit test scores because they are optional. She ends up getting a Trustees’ Merit Scholarship of ~$33,000/year. She budgeted for living expenses using savings + a part-time on-campus job.
  • Example 2: Ahmed from Egypt
    Ahmed misses the deadline for submitting English proficiency test results by the deadline. His application is admitted but the merit scholarship is awarded lower tier due to incomplete documentation. He learns the importance of completeness in documentation.
  • Example 3: Li from China
    Li submits everything early, including transcripts, English test, essays, etc., but her GPA is good but not outstanding. She receives a mid-level merit scholarship (for example ~$21,000–23,000/year). She uses this as leverage to apply for external scholarships / find ways to offset the remainder of costs.

These examples show that you can still do very well even if you don’t get the top award—as long as you apply early, meet requirements, and plan for living and other expenses beyond tuition.

How to Apply

Here’s how to go about applying for University of Dayton merit scholarships as an international undergraduate student:

  1. Check Program & Deadlines
    Decide whether you’re applying for Fall or Spring term. Check the UD international undergraduate admission page to confirm deadlines and required materials. (udayton.edu)
  2. Collect Required Documents
    1. Secondary school transcripts (with translations if needed)
    1. English proficiency test scores (if needed)
    1. Passport or identity documents
    1. Financial documents showing proof of ability to fund first year (even with scholarship) – required especially for visa process.
  3. Submit Application for Admission
    Use either the University of Dayton’s own application or the Common Application. There is no application fee for international students.
  4. Automatic Scholarship Consideration
    When you apply for admission, you are automatically considered for merit scholarships—no extra step is needed. Make sure all your academic info is correctly submitted so the review can be complete.
  5. Submit Any Optional/Additional Materials
    If available and if it strengthens your profile: strong essays, leadership experiences, recommendation letters. If submitting test scores, ensure they are sent by required deadline (if applicable).
  6. Wait for Decision & Plan Finances
    Once you receive your admission and scholarship decision, review what the merit award covers. Plan how to cover other costs (housing, meals, books, visa, transportation, living expenses).

Deadline(s)

Here are the key deadlines for international students applying to University of Dayton, including for scholarship consideration:

TermApplication Deadline for International Students
Fall Term (August-December)May 1
Spring Term (January-April)November 1
  • Note: Summer term may have different or case-by-case deadlines; worth checking in your particular year and program.
  • Also, even though scholarship is considered automatically, all required documents (transcripts, English proficiency, etc.) must be submitted by the admission deadline for your intended term to ensure full consideration.

Final Thoughts

The University of Dayton Merit Scholarships offer a strong opportunity for international students to reduce the cost of U.S. undergraduate education—sometimes by tens of thousands of dollars/year. While full tuition may not be available to all, the up-to-~US$33,000/year merit award can make a substantial difference.

A few key points to remember:

  • Start Early: Getting transcripts, translations, English tests, and financial documents ready ahead of deadlines is essential.
  • Be Complete & Accurate: Incomplete applications or missing documentation are a major reason worthy applicants don’t get as much aid.
  • Balance Costs: Even with merit scholarships, there will be other expenses (housing, meals, healthcare, travel, etc.). Plan for those.
  • Maintain Performance: Once awarded, you’ll need to keep up the academic standard and meet renewal criteria so scholarship continues.
  • Don’t Underestimate Your Profile: Strong grades + academic rigor + leadership/activities + well-written essays can help push you into the higher merit award tiers.

If you’re considering University of Dayton, the merit scholarships are well-worth exploring. They don’t solve everything, but they remove a big part of the financial burden, potentially making UD a much more affordable and accessible option.

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