National College Match: How It Works

Pathway to a Top College with a Full Four-Year Scholarship

The National College Match is a college admission and scholarship process through which high-achieving, low-income students can be admitted early with full four-year scholarships to QuestBridge college partners.

View all dates and deadlines for the 2023 National College Match. Learn more about the process and timeline for high school seniors below.

*Ranking Colleges

Being able to rank colleges is what makes the National College Match so unique. By ranking colleges, students could be “matched”— or admitted early with a Match Scholarship — to the college that appears highest on their list that also wants to match with them. Learn more about ranking colleges.

**Options Following the Match

Finalists who do not match can check their admission opportunities for the colleges they ranked. Learn more about options following the Match for each school.

***QuestBridge Regular Decision

Finalists who do not match or who choose not to rank colleges have the opportunity to apply to our college partners through QuestBridge Regular Decision. Learn more about QuestBridge Regular Decision.

Early Application Policy

Applicants who rank colleges cannot apply to other colleges through Early Decision, Early Action, or Single-Choice Early Action (also known as Restrictive Early Action). Read the full Early Application Policy.

Process FAQs

How does the National College Match work?

Is this an application for college admission or a scholarship application?

How is applying to the National College Match different from applying Early Decision to a QuestBridge college partner?

What happens if I am not matched with any of the colleges that I ranked?