Point Loma Nazarene University: merit scholarships by ACT score
Point Loma Nazarene University awards automatic merit aid from a published grid crossing ACT score with GPA. Awards start at an ACT of 24 and reach $26,000 a year. 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
PLNU's rule is "Student must meet any 2 of 3 criteria to qualify" — an unweighted GPA floor, a weighted GPA floor, and an SAT or ACT floor. These bands model the ACT route paired with the unweighted GPA floor, which is two of the three. Two consequences: the ACT floors are not hard floors, because a student who clears BOTH GPA criteria qualifies with no score at all; and a student who clears the weighted GPA floor and the ACT but misses the unweighted floor also qualifies under PLNU's rule and will show as unqualified here. Also note the renewal table demotes rather than ends an award — a President's Gold falling to a 3.20-3.399 becomes a Provost's, $26,000 down to $17,000.
Unweighted, as the school asks for it.
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Example — an ACT 29 with a 3.60 GPA
Dean's Scholarship
$15,000 / year
About $60,000 over four years, if it renews.
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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The published Point Loma Nazarene merit aid grid
Reproduced in full from Point Loma Nazarene University’s own pages for 2027-28 entry. Nothing here is estimated: where the school states a benefit rather than a figure, that is what the table says.
First-time freshman merit scholarships
For freshmen starting PLNU in fall 2027 to spring 2028. Two of the three published criteria qualify a student for a row; the ACT route shown here pairs the score floor with the unweighted GPA floor. Scores may be submitted as late as the June test date and still earn the award.
$26,000
President's Gold Scholarship
ACT 32–36 · ACT 32+ with an unweighted GPA of 3.95+ — two of PLNU's three criteria; a weighted 4.40+ or an SAT 1430+ can substitute for either one
$23,000
President's Green Scholarship
ACT 31–36 · ACT 31+ with an unweighted GPA of 3.90+ — two of PLNU's three criteria; a weighted 4.25+ or an SAT 1400+ can substitute for either one
$20,000
Trustee's Scholarship
ACT 30–36 · ACT 30+ with an unweighted GPA of 3.85+ — two of PLNU's three criteria; a weighted 4.00+ or an SAT 1370+ can substitute for either one
$17,000
Provost's Scholarship
ACT 29–36 · ACT 29+ with an unweighted GPA of 3.70+ — two of PLNU's three criteria; a weighted 3.90+ or an SAT 1340+ can substitute for either one
$15,000
Dean's Scholarship
ACT 27–36 · ACT 27+ with an unweighted GPA of 3.50+ — two of PLNU's three criteria; a weighted 3.75+ or an SAT 1280+ can substitute for either one
$13,000
Bresee Scholarship
ACT 24–36 · ACT 24+ with an unweighted GPA of 3.25+ — two of PLNU's three criteria; a weighted 3.55+ or an SAT 1180+ can substitute for either one
| Award | With a score | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| President's Gold Scholarship | ACT 32–36 · ACT 32+ with an unweighted GPA of 3.95+ — two of PLNU's three criteria; a weighted 4.40+ or an SAT 1430+ can substitute for either one | $26,000 |
| President's Green Scholarship | ACT 31–36 · ACT 31+ with an unweighted GPA of 3.90+ — two of PLNU's three criteria; a weighted 4.25+ or an SAT 1400+ can substitute for either one | $23,000 |
| Trustee's Scholarship | ACT 30–36 · ACT 30+ with an unweighted GPA of 3.85+ — two of PLNU's three criteria; a weighted 4.00+ or an SAT 1370+ can substitute for either one | $20,000 |
| Provost's Scholarship | ACT 29–36 · ACT 29+ with an unweighted GPA of 3.70+ — two of PLNU's three criteria; a weighted 3.90+ or an SAT 1340+ can substitute for either one | $17,000 |
| Dean's Scholarship | ACT 27–36 · ACT 27+ with an unweighted GPA of 3.50+ — two of PLNU's three criteria; a weighted 3.75+ or an SAT 1280+ can substitute for either one | $15,000 |
| Bresee Scholarship | ACT 24–36 · ACT 24+ with an unweighted GPA of 3.25+ — two of PLNU's three criteria; a weighted 3.55+ or an SAT 1180+ can substitute for either one | $13,000 |
Source: Undergraduate Scholarships — 2027-28 First-Time Freshman Merit Award Criteria · verified 2026-10-23
Does Point Loma Nazarene superscore for scholarships?
Yes. Yes, and PLNU superscores the ACT at the subsection level rather than just taking the best composite date — which is the more generous of the two methods. The sentence sits in the admissions score-submission checklist rather than on the scholarship page, and PLNU does not separately restate it for scholarships; but the superscored composite is the composite, and the merit table reads a composite, so sending every sitting is worth doing. PLNU's ACT score code is 0370.
“We super score the 2 SAT sections and the subsections of the ACT to give you the best composite score.”
So the number that matters here is your superscore, not your best single test. Work out your superscore and look that score up in the grid above — it may sit a band higher than the one you have been planning around.
Comparing schools? See which colleges superscore for scholarships — 66 of 501 commit to it, 52 say they do not, and the rest never say.
Point Loma Nazarene scholarship deadlines
| Entry term | Due |
|---|---|
| Early Action (fall) — notifications mailed November through the end of December | November 15 |
| Qualify for a President's Scholarship by this date to be considered for the University Honors Scholarship | February 1 |
| Fall general admissions deadline | February 15 |
| Spring priority deadline | October 1 |
| Last ACT sitting PLNU will still read for a Provost's, Trustee's or President's award | The June test date |
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 Point Loma Nazarene 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.
- Undergraduate Scholarships — 2027-28 First-Time Freshman Merit Award Criteriaverified 2026-10-23
- Undergraduate Admissions Checklists and Deadlines — score submission, superscoring and deadlinesverified 2026-10-23
- The rule is any TWO of three criteria, not all three and not any one. An unweighted GPA floor, a weighted GPA floor and an SAT/ACT floor are published per row, and a student needs two of them — so a high enough pair of GPAs qualifies with no test score at all.
- Score timing is unusually forgiving. PLNU says a student "can submit SAT/ACT scores through their last offering (June) and final high school transcripts and still receive the award for which they qualify", so a spring retake still moves the money for the coming autumn.
- Falling short on renewal demotes rather than cancels. A President's Gold holder who finishes with a 3.20-3.399 keeps a Provost's — $26,000 becomes $17,000 — and below 3.20 receives nothing. Once lost it cannot be regained.
- Renewal needs 12 or more units every semester, continuously, and is capped at eight semesters from an initial two-year award. The GPA check lands at the end of the third semester of year two, not at the end of year one.
- The University Honors Scholarship is competitive and is awarded only in February. It needs no separate application, but a student must have qualified for a President's Scholarship by February 1 to be considered, so a June ACT retake cannot reach it even though it can reach the President's award itself.
- The transfer grid is a different and much lower table keyed to weighted GPA alone with no score criterion — $8,000 at 3.0-3.29, $11,000 at 3.3-3.59 and $14,000 at 3.6 or higher. It applies only after 16 or more units elsewhere; a student transferring with fewer than 16 units is read against the freshman table above instead, which is usually the better deal.
- PLNU superscores the ACT by subsection, so a student who sat it three times can be read on their best English, best Math, best Reading and best Science.
- California's Cal Grant and the Middle Class Scholarship are state of California money, not PLNU's, and are awarded by the California Student Aid Commission on need and residency. They are excluded from this table deliberately and should be expected on top of the merit award, not instead of it.
- PLNU publishes its range as "$13,000-$26,000 per year", which matches the table exactly — unlike most schools quoting a range, there is no unpublished top.
- Admission itself is holistic and PLNU says there is no numeric formula for it. So clearing a row of this table says what the scholarship will be worth if admitted; it says nothing about being admitted.
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 Point Loma Nazarene University.
Frequently asked questions
What ACT score do you need for a scholarship at Point Loma Nazarene?
Automatic merit aid at Point Loma Nazarene University starts at an ACT composite of 24, alongside the published GPA minimum, and reaches $26,000 a year 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 Point Loma Nazarene test-optional?
Optional, and PLNU goes further than most: it states outright that admission runs on no formula at all. The score is the one criterion a student can choose whether to hand over, and it cannot hurt the admission decision. For merit aid the answer is different: optional but valuable. Because the rule is any two of three, a student with strong weighted and unweighted GPAs needs no score — but a student who clears only one GPA floor needs the ACT to make up the second criterion, and that is where a score is worth up to $26,000 a year. A 24 is the lowest ACT that appears anywhere on the table. Being admitted without a score and qualifying for money without a score are two separate questions.
How much is a 30 on the ACT worth at Point Loma Nazarene?
On Point Loma Nazarene's published grid for 2027-28 entry, an ACT of 30 with a 3.6 GPA qualifies for Dean's Scholarship at $15,000 a year, about $60,000 over four years if it renews.
How much is one more ACT point worth at Point Loma Nazarene?
The most valuable single point on Point Loma Nazarene's published grid is 29 to 30, at a 3.85 GPA: it moves the award by $3,000 a year, or $12,000 across a four-year degree. The same point is worth less at other GPAs, and most points move nothing at all — the grid steps rather than slopes, which is why the only score worth aiming at is the next threshold.
Does Point Loma Nazarene superscore the ACT for scholarships?
Yes. Yes, and PLNU superscores the ACT at the subsection level rather than just taking the best composite date — which is the more generous of the two methods. The sentence sits in the admissions score-submission checklist rather than on the scholarship page, and PLNU does not separately restate it for scholarships; but the superscored composite is the composite, and the merit table reads a composite, so sending every sitting is worth doing. PLNU's ACT score code is 0370. We super score the 2 SAT sections and the subsections of the ACT to give you the best composite score.
When are Point Loma Nazarene scholarship deadlines?
Early Action (fall) — notifications mailed November through the end of December: November 15. Qualify for a President's Scholarship by this date to be considered for the University Honors Scholarship: February 1. Fall general admissions deadline: February 15. Spring priority deadline: October 1. Last ACT sitting PLNU will still read for a Provost's, Trustee's or President's award: The June test date. 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 Point Loma Nazarene scholarship data current?
Every figure on this page was read from Point Loma Nazarene University's own published pages and last verified on 2026-10-23. 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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