State of Ohio Scholarships and Grants

Ohio War Orphan & Severely Disabled Veterans' Children Scholarship Program

This scholarship provides tuition assistance for the children of deceased or severely disabled Ohio veterans who served in the armed forces during a period of declared war or conflict. Applications are available from high school guidance counselors or veterans offices. Students must be Ohio residents, attend full-time, and achieve a 2.0 GPA or higher. The deadline to apply is July 1 of each year.

Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG)

The Ohio College Opportunity Grant assists Ohio resident undergraduate students from low- and moderate-income families. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the state deadline to receive consideration for the grant. The OCOG is awarded to both full-time and part-time students.

Governor's Merit Scholarship (GMS)

The Governor's Merit Scholarship launched on December 4, 2023 and provides up to $5,000/year in financial assistance to Ohio high school seniors who are identified as graduating in the top 5% of their class. The GMS is renewable for up to four years of full-time instruction and may be applied to tuition, fees, and other educational expenses included in the university's Cost of Attendance. Renewal eligibility is based upon the student maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above, completing a minimum of 20 credit hours/year, and demonstrating appropriate progress toward earning a degree.

Students who are attending public or chartered nonpublic high schools do NOT need to apply for the Governor’s Merit Scholarship. Each high school will determine if a student falls within the top 5% of their class, and the student will be notified (by email or U.S. mail) of the offer of a GMS award. Homeschooled students and students enrolled in a dropout recovery high school may qualify for the GMS by completing a college admissions test (ACT or SAT) and submitting an application to Ohio Department of Higher Education via the secure online application portal (meritscholarship.ohio.gov) by April 30 for full consideration.