A Simplified Guide to QuestBridge and Which Colleges Use it

QuestBridge is a nonprofit organization in the United States that matches high-achieving students from low-income households with leading colleges and universities. Its primary program, the National College Match, helps students gain admission and full scholarships to top-tier schools. If you’re from a low-income household, here’s how you can take advantage of Questbridge.

What is the QuestBridge National College Match?

QuestBridge is a nonprofit organization that hosts the National College Match program. High school seniors with high grades from low-income households are invited to complete the National College Match application.

Those who are named Finalists and go to a school through the program can be eligible to receive a full four-year scholarship to their college. This award covers tuition, fees, housing, food, books, supplies, and travel expenses.

By completing the QuestBridge application, you’re essentially applying for all of the colleges that participate in the program with no application fees. Students should understand their options and how it works before applying.

How Does it Work?

Students who complete the QuestBridge application may be named a Finalist a few weeks after they submit their information. At this point, a Finalist can select 15 schools that match them and rank them based on their preferences. The Finalist then has to submit any additional materials requested by the schools they selected.

Colleges then review the application submissions of the Finalists. Finalists who ranked colleges will receive notification about their matches, or acceptance, to their selected school, on December 1. If multiple schools accept you, you’ll receive a match with the college ranked the highest on your list.

However, keep in mind that by selecting these schools, you are essentially applying through Early Decision. If you select them and they accept you, you’re committed to attending your match school the following fall. The only exception to this is MIT.

If this commitment sounds scary to you, you should know that Finalists don’t have to rank colleges at this time. QuestBridge Regular Decision allows you to apply using the regular decision form in November and complete specific college applications by that school’s regular decision deadline. You can expect to hear back in the spring. Even if you’re accepted, you’re not obligated to attend.

For Finalists who ranked colleges but didn’t receive a match on Match Day, they’re also welcome to apply to additional schools through the QuestBridge Regular Decision.

If a school accepts you through the QuestBridge program, whether you ranked colleges or not, you’ll receive The Match Scholarship, which is a full four-year scholarship

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How Can You Apply to QuestBridge?

In order to have enough time to complete your QuestBridge application, QuestBridge recommends starting during the summer before your senior year. Students need to create a QuestBridge account to get started. These are some things you’ll need to know before you apply:

Important Dates

The QuestBridge application is usually due towards the end of September. For 2024, the deadline is September 26. You can always find an up-to-date deadline on QuestBridge’s website.

Applicants will be notified if they were selected as a Finalist in October and students can choose to rank colleges that interest them. Match Day happens on December 1.

Finalists who choose not to rank colleges need to complete their QuestBridge Regular Decision Application starting in November and before Match Day. They then have to complete the college’s regular decision application by the college’s regular decision deadline. Students can expect to hear back in the spring.

Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible for the QuestBridge program students must:

Be a high school senior
Be currently attending a high school in the United States or be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident living abroad
Plan to attend college the year after high school graduation

Academic, financial, and personal quality qualifications are not written in stone and there is some wiggle room. QuestBridge’s website states that Finalists usually:

Have earned primarily A’s
Had a high school schedule with academic rigor
Rank in the top 5% to 10% of their class
Come from a household with demonstrated financial need (For example, less than $65,000 for a household of four)
Have minimal assets
Qualified for school meal assistance
Demonstrate specific personal qualities, such as resilience, integrity, and motivation
Are first-generation students

ACT/SAT scores are not required, but students that do submit them tend to have a 1280 to 1470 on the SAT and a 27 to 33 on the ACT.

Required Application Materials

In order to submit your QuestBridge application you will need to submit details about your academics, extracurriculars, and finances. You’ll also be asked to complete a writing section and submit:

Two teacher recommendations
High school transcript
School report from the high school counselor

Students can also submit their School Profile and any standardized test results they have.

If a student is selected as a Finalist, they will have to submit additional application materials for every college they rank or select to apply to under regular decision.

Which Schools Use QuestBridge?

As of this writing, QuestBridge partners with 52 colleges, including:

If you’re a high achieving student from a low-income household, QuestBridge can help make education at some of the top schools in the country more affordable. It does require a little early planning, but a little effort now can turn into hundreds of dollars thanks to their generous scholarship.

Have you missed the QuestBridge scholarship deadline? Worried you won’t be named a finalist? Don’t think you qualify? There are thousands of scholarships out there for students from any background. Use our Scholarship Search tool to start finding some today!