Notre Dame Merit Scholarships 2027: Stamps Full Tuition

University of Notre Dame Merit Scholarships 2027 in the USA: Full-Tuition Stamps Scholars and Need-Blind Admission for International Students — No Separate Application

If you are an international student aiming for undergraduate study in the United States in Fall 2027, the University of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, Indiana, offers two routes to funding at once: competitive merit scholarships, including the full-tuition Stamps Scholars Program, and need-blind admission with a promise to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need. You are automatically considered for the merit awards when you apply for admission — there is no separate scholarship form.

Key deadline: apply by Regular Decision on 4 January 2027. The University of Notre Dame's Office of Undergraduate Admissions states that the application deadline is 1 November for Restrictive Early Action or 4 January for Regular Decision. Restrictive Early Action on 1 November 2026 has now passed, so Regular Decision is the route still open. One caution: the university's financial aid office lists 1 January 2027 as its priority date for the admission application, so the safe move is to submit by 1 January 2027 and satisfy both dates. If you are seeking need-based aid, the CSS Profile is due by 15 January 2027.

What the merit scholarships offer

According to the University of Notre Dame's Office of Financial Aid, the university offers a limited number of merit scholarships to admitted first-year students. Recipients demonstrate exceptional accomplishment, leadership, commitment to service and intellectual promise, and financial need is not a factor unless otherwise noted. All international students are considered for merit scholarships, and most awards do not require a separate application.

The flagship award is the Notre Dame Stamps Scholars Program, the university's most generous merit package:

• Value: An annual scholarship covering tuition and fees, plus the estimated cost of books, personal expenses and transportation, for up to four years of full-time undergraduate study (five years for Architecture or approved dual-degree programmes)
• Enrichment fund: A $12,000 enrichment fund for study abroad, unpaid internships and research, leadership training, conference fees, travel and similar approved projects, including a funded Outward Bound wilderness leadership expedition
• Selection: The Office of Admissions identifies candidates from among the highest-achieving applicants in both the Restrictive Early Action and Regular Decision pools. All applicants are considered — no additional application is necessary — and Regular Decision candidates being considered are notified of any next steps in early March

Other merit awards sit under the university's Undergraduate Scholars Programs, including the Scott Scholars Program, which offers merit-based scholarships and enrichment funding, and the Transformational Leaders Program for some of the university's highest-potential undergraduates. The Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program, by contrast, will end with the graduation of the Class of 2028, so do not count on it for Fall 2027 entry.

Note that the Stamps award covers tuition, fees, books, personal expenses and transportation — it does not cover housing and food on its own. That gap is where Notre Dame's need-based aid matters, as explained below.

Need-blind admission and full demonstrated need

This is the part that sets Notre Dame apart from most US universities. The university states that admission decisions for undergraduate international applicants are need-blind — your ability to pay is not considered when your application is evaluated. Its Pathways to Notre Dame programme then meets 100% of every admitted student's demonstrated financial need, for domestic and international students alike, with no loans included in aid offers.

From 2026–27, the programme also publishes minimum income-based commitments for families with typical assets:

• Most families with income up to $60,000: tuition, fees, housing and food covered
• Income up to $150,000: full tuition covered
• Income up to $200,000: half tuition covered

These are minimum levels of support, not hard cut-offs — families above the thresholds can still qualify for aid based on their individual circumstances, and students who demonstrate need beyond the minimum receive additional scholarship to meet it. To be considered for need-based aid as an international student, you must complete the CSS Profile (school code 1841).

Who is eligible?

The merit scholarships and need-based aid are open to international first-year applicants to the University of Notre Dame. The university is test-optional through the 2026–27 admissions cycle, so ACT or SAT scores are not required — although you may self-report them, and a standardised testing requirement returns for applicants seeking Fall 2028 entry. Predicted scores for the IB Diploma, A levels (3+ required) or French Baccalaureate are accepted in place of SAT/ACT results for students studying outside the US.

English proficiency testing is required if your first language is not English or your secondary education was not primarily in English. The university strongly recommends a TOEFL iBT score of 100 (minimum 25 in Speaking), IELTS 7.5 overall, or Duolingo English Test 125. Scores of 650+ on SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, or 26+ on ACT English or Reading, can waive the English test.

There is an $85 application fee, with automatic fee waivers available through the Common Application or Coalition Application. You apply through the Common Application or the Coalition Application on Scoir, including the Notre Dame Writing Supplement, official high school transcripts, a teacher evaluation in a core academic subject, and English proficiency results sent directly from the testing agency.

Key dates for Fall 2027 entry

• Restrictive Early Action application deadline: 1 November 2026 — has passed
• Regular Decision application deadline: 4 January 2027 (admissions office); financial aid office priority date 1 January 2027 — aim for 1 January to be safe
• CSS Profile for need-based aid (Regular Decision): 15 January 2027
• Regular Decision notifications: by late March 2027; admitted students confirm by 1 May 2027
• Stamps Scholarship next steps (Regular Decision candidates): notified in early March 2027

How to apply

1. Apply for undergraduate admission to the University of Notre Dame through the Common Application or Coalition Application on Scoir by 4 January 2027 (aim for 1 January 2027), including the Notre Dame Writing Supplement, transcripts, a teacher evaluation and English proficiency evidence. There is no separate merit scholarship application.
2. Complete the CSS Profile (school code 1841) by 15 January 2027 if you want to be considered for need-based financial aid, including the Pathways income-based commitments.
3. Watch for next steps in early March 2027 if you are being considered for the Stamps Scholarship, and expect your admission decision by late March 2027.

Why this one is worth noting

Notre Dame is one of the very few US universities that is need-blind for international applicants and meets their full demonstrated need without loans — so even if you do not win a Stamps Scholarship, an offer of admission comes with a financial aid package designed to make attendance affordable. The merit route is also unusually simple: a single strong admission application puts you in the running for the full-tuition Stamps award and the other Undergraduate Scholars Programs, with no extra essays or nomination. The trade-off is selectivity — merit awards go to a limited number of admitted first-year students, and Restrictive Early Action has already closed, so Regular Decision applicants should submit early and complete the CSS Profile on time.

Official links

• University of Notre Dame — Stamps Scholars Program
• University of Notre Dame — International applicants: application information and deadlines
• University of Notre Dame — Financial aid for international undergraduate students
• University of Notre Dame — Pathways to Notre Dame (need-based aid commitments)
• University of Notre Dame — Undergraduate Scholars Programs

Details verified against the University of Notre Dame's official pages on 5 November 2026. Award values, deadlines and requirements can change, so always confirm them on the official pages before you apply.