Francis Marion University: merit scholarships by ACT score and class rank
Francis Marion University awards automatic merit aid from a published grid crossing ACT score with GPA. Awards start at an ACT of 22. Because the bands are steps rather than a slope, one point is worth nothing inside a band and the whole step at the edge of one.
Enter a score and a GPA below to see which band it actually lands in, what that band pays, and exactly how many points the next one needs.
Read this first
The $1,000 is a stated minimum and Francis Marion awards merit in rounds, with higher amounts in earlier rounds — so the real figure depends on when a student applied and is not published. The award also requires a class rank in the top 40%, which a lookup cannot check, and is limited to South Carolina first-time freshmen. The page does not say whether the amount is annual or a total, and publishes no renewal condition. An older Francis Marion brochure asked for a 24 rather than a 22.
Unweighted, as the school asks for it.
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Example — an ACT 29 with a 3.60 GPA
Academic Distinction Award
A minimum of $1,000 in merit-based aid, with more in earlier rounds
There is no higher band to reach at this GPA — more points would not change the award here. They may still matter for admission, for honours programmes, or at other schools on the list.
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Is Francis Marion test-optional?
For admission, largely yes. Optional to get in, and required for the award — the gap that recurs across this dataset.
For money, no. A 22 is below the national average and is the published threshold. Without a score the award cannot be reached, even though admission needs none. A family that reads “test-optional” and skips the ACT can be admitted and still walk away from every dollar on the grid below.
“Submission of ACT and SAT scores are optional.”
The published Francis Marion merit aid grid
Reproduced in full from Francis Marion University’s own pages for the current cycle. Nothing here is estimated: where the school states a benefit rather than a figure, that is what the table says.
South Carolina first-time freshmen
Automatically awarded on meeting the criteria, with the amount set by which round the application fell into.
A minimum of $1,000 in merit-based aid, with more in earlier rounds
Academic Distinction Award
ACT 22–36 · 3.00+ cumulative with a 22 or better and a top 40% class rank
| Award | With a score | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Distinction Award | ACT 22–36 · 3.00+ cumulative with a 22 or better and a top 40% class rank | A minimum of $1,000 in merit-based aid, with more in earlier rounds |
Source: Financial assistance — scholarships · verified 2026-10-25
Does Francis Marion superscore for scholarships?
Not stated. With a single 22 threshold carrying the award, a student near it should ask directly.
With nothing published, plan for the stricter reading: look up your best single sitting in the grid above, work out your superscore as well, and ask Francis Marion’s financial aid office which one they read before you count on the higher band.
Comparing schools? See which colleges superscore for scholarships — 66 of 501 commit to it, 52 say they do not, and the rest never say.
Francis Marion scholarship deadlines
| Entry term | Due |
|---|---|
| None published — awarded in rounds, earlier rounds pay more | Apply early |
Scores take roughly two to four weeks to arrive, and official reports sent to schools can take longer, so the last useful test date is several weeks before the printed deadline. Check which test dates still make it.
Where these numbers came from
Every figure on this page was read from Francis Marion University’s own published pages, linked below with the date we last confirmed them. We do not estimate a missing band or interpolate a value.
- A 22 with a 3.0 and a top-40% rank guarantees a minimum of $1,000.
- Francis Marion awards merit in rounds, with higher amounts in earlier rounds — so applying early is worth more than the score.
- The $1,000 is a floor, and the real amount is not published.
- A 22 is below the national average, and an older brochure asked for a 24.
- The top-40% rank condition cannot be checked by a lookup, so the award shown assumes it is met.
- South Carolina first-time freshmen only.
- A score is required for the award and optional for admission.
- Francis Marion publishes no renewal condition.
- The Presidential Scholar award covering full in-state tuition, fees, room and board appears only in search results and an older brochure, so it is not a band here.
Check before you rely on it. Grids change by entry year and schools update them without notice. This page is a reproduction with a date on it, not a guarantee, and it is not financial aid advice. ClutchACT is not affiliated with Francis Marion University.
Frequently asked questions
What ACT score do you need for a scholarship at Francis Marion?
Automatic merit aid at Francis Marion University starts at an ACT composite of 22, alongside the published GPA minimum, and reaches a minimum of $1,000 in merit-based aid, with more in earlier rounds at the top. The bands are steps rather than a slope, so the only score that matters is the next threshold above where you are now.
Is Francis Marion test-optional?
Optional to get in, and required for the award — the gap that recurs across this dataset. For merit aid the answer is different: a 22 is below the national average and is the published threshold. Without a score the award cannot be reached, even though admission needs none. Being admitted without a score and qualifying for money without a score are two separate questions.
Does Francis Marion superscore the ACT for scholarships?
Not stated. With a single 22 threshold carrying the award, a student near it should ask directly.
When are Francis Marion scholarship deadlines?
None published — awarded in rounds, earlier rounds pay more: Apply early. The application and the official score report are both due by that date, and ACT scores take roughly two to four weeks to arrive — so the last useful test date is several weeks earlier than the deadline suggests.
Is this Francis Marion scholarship data current?
Every figure on this page was read from Francis Marion University's own published pages and last verified on 2026-10-25. The sources are linked at the bottom of the page with that date. Grids change by entry year, so check the source before relying on a figure for a decision.
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What to do next
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