Roberta B. Willis Need-Merit Scholarship

Connecticut pays up to $5,250 a year for a four-year program, or $4,650 for a two-year program, to residents who pair strong academics with financial need, renewable for up to six consecutive years. The merit test is an either-or: a junior-year class rank in the top 20 percent, or a 1200 SAT or 25 ACT. The need test is a federal Student Aid Index at or below 10,999, which the Office of Higher Education reads off your FAFSA. Filing the FAFSA is not enough on its own, because your high school counselor submits a separate state application, and both must be received by February 15 of senior year, so start once the FAFSA opens on October 1. The award works at Connecticut public and nonprofit private colleges except Yale and Wesleyan, and state funds are limited.

How hard is the Roberta B. Willis Need-Merit Scholarship to win?

This is not a competition. Aid is allocated by a published formula, so meeting the criteria and filing on time is what determines whether the money arrives.

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

• Fewer rivalsOpen only to Connecticut residents
• Fewer rivalsAn official transcript is required

How Solyo estimates this: State programs that allocate by published formula are modelled on qualification and filing, not on competition, because there is no selection committee choosing between applicants. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Roberta B. Willis Need-Merit Scholarship?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

• ✓Must be a resident of Connecticut
• ✓Open to high school seniors and current college students
• ✓Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)

What the application takes

• Transcript required. Request it from the school registrar ahead of the deadline.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is February 15, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around February 15 each year. Applications open October 1, when the FAFSA opens. Ask your counselor in the fall for the state application form; the FAFSA alone will not put you in the running.

FAFSA opens

October 1, 2026

FAFSA and counselor-submitted application due

February 15, 2027

Award appears in your college aid offer

Spring

Common questions about the Roberta B. Willis Need-Merit Scholarship

More state grants & programs

• 802 Opportunity Grant
  Full tuition and the $100 administrative fee at CCV (last-dollar)
• Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program
  Varies by SAI and school type per statutory table (amounts prorated if funding is short)
• Alabama Student Grant Program
  Up to $3,000/yr ($1,500 per semester; actual amount depends on state funding)
• Alaska Education Grant
  $500-$4,000/yr based on need and enrollment level
• Alaska Performance Scholarship
  $3,500-$7,000/yr depending on tier
• Arizona Promise Program
  Full tuition & mandatory fees at Arizona public universities (last-dollar)

Lists this award appears on

• Connecticut Scholarships and State Grants
• No-Essay Scholarships
• Renewable Scholarships (Multi-Year Awards)
• Scholarships With February Deadlines