Merit Scholarship Program
The DECUS Merit Scholarship Program was established by the Compaq Computer Computer Users Society, U.S. Chapter for members and children of members. The annual Merit Scholarship competition is conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), an independent not-for-profit organization whose purposes are to identify and honor academically talented high school students and to award college undergraduate scholarships to the most outstanding of them. NMSC handles the selection of winners and the administration of their awards.

Who Is Eligible? High school students who will be completing or leaving secondary school and entering college in 2001, who are U. S. citizens, and who are members or children of members of DECUS are eligible to compete for this scholarship.

The scholarship winner will be selected by NMSC from among those eligible who qualify as SEMIFINALISTS and then advance to FINALIST standing in the Merit Program. Students would be notified through their high schools, if they achieved this SEMIFINALIST ranking.

If I Am A Semifinalist, What Should I Do? Semifinalists should notify the DECUS office. Semifinalists who qualify as finalists will be informed through their schools. Scholarship winners will be chosen on a competitive basis and without regard to family financial circumstances. In most cases, winners will be notified in March prior to any public announcement.

You may notify the DECUS Office as follows:
Email: information@decus.org
US Mail: DECUS MRO2-1/C16
Compaq Computer Corporation
2 Results Way, Marlborough MA 01752
FAX: 508-467-9153

The information that will be needed is:
    1. Who is the DECUS Member? Name, DECUS ID and Relationship (e.g, Student or Parent)
    2. Who is the candidate? Name, School, Year of Graduation and City/State
    3. Home address, plus phone and Email, if possible.

What Is The Amount Of The Award? Each DECUS Scholarship award is $1,000 per year for up to four years of college undergraduate study or until baccalaureate degree requirements are completed, whichever occurs first.

What Are My Obligations And Responsibilities If I Win? The formal scholarship offer sent to winners by NMSC specifies terms of acceptance and continuation of the award. The DECUS Merit Scholarship winner must enter college in the fall term following selection and must enroll as a full-time undergraduate in a college or university in the United States that holds accredited status with a regional accrediting commission on higher education. The winner must attend such a college during the day, be enrolled in a course of study leading to one of the traditional baccalaureate degrees, and must remain in good academic and disciplinary standing.