The OP needs to check with each college. There are some colleges that require the financial aid forms even for pure merit. My kids graduated from BU in 2007, and SCU in 2010.
DS received a music performance award from BU…totally merit based, and based in his audition. We didn’t qualify for need based aid. At the time, BU required that the financial aid forms be completed for freshman year.
DD got a small merit award from SCU. We had two kids in college so maybe she qualified for a small amount of need based aid. We completed the forms for her also…required.
We did the FFSA for both kids so they could access the federally funded Direct Loans for all four years of undergrad.