Brief: Vanderbilt Merit Scholarships Close Dec 1

The scholarships office at Vanderbilt University has announced that applications for the Ingram Scholars Program and the Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholarship, for first-year students entering in fall 2027, both close December 1, 2026. The scholarship application can be completed only after the admission application has been submitted, so Irvine seniors who plan to compete need to submit the admission application more than a month ahead of the January 1, 2027 Regular Decision deadline.

Who Is Affected by the Vanderbilt Merit Scholarship Deadline

Vanderbilt merit scholarships are open to all first-year applicants; international students are eligible, and transfer students are not. The scholarship deadline is the same for all three decision plans, December 1, so students who already applied Early Decision I must also submit the scholarship application by that date. The key points published by the university are as follows:

The university’s FAQ page states that beginning with students applying for fall 2027, the Chancellor’s Scholarship is no longer offered, and the total number of signature scholarship awards remains the same.

What to Do Now About Vanderbilt Merit Scholarships

Submit the admission application first. After a student applies through the Common App, Coalition, or QuestBridge, the admissions office sends an email within two to three business days explaining how to create a MyAppVU account; scholarship applications are selected and uploaded under the Scholarship tab of that account. Under this process, the admission application needs to be submitted by late November at the latest to leave time to upload the scholarship essays by December 1.

Write the scholarship essays separately. Scholarship essays are uploaded as a PDF or Word file, and no corrections are accepted after submission. Topic selection and revision are supported through the EDUBUS College Essay Bootcamp.

Early Decision applicants should know the order of results. The university states that applying Early Decision is neither an advantage nor a disadvantage in scholarship selection, but scholarship results are not released until late March, so students admitted Early Decision must commit without knowing whether they will receive an award. Families can first estimate the cost without a scholarship using a net price calculator.

Test scores are optional. The university states that students who apply for merit scholarships by December 1 are considered whether or not SAT or ACT scores are submitted.

Early Decision I and the testing policy are covered in the October brief Vanderbilt ED Nov. 1; Tests Required Fall 2029, and overall college list and scholarship planning is available through EDUBUS University Admissions Planning.

Sources

• Vanderbilt University Scholarships: Merit Scholarship Opportunities (accessed November 10, 2026)
• Vanderbilt University Scholarships: Application for Merit Scholarships (accessed November 10, 2026)
• Vanderbilt University Scholarships: Frequently Asked Questions (accessed November 10, 2026)
• Vanderbilt University Undergraduate Admissions: Apply (Dates and Deadlines) (accessed November 10, 2026)