How Aid Works

How much Assistance will I Personally Receive?

We can't give you an exact figure until you have completed and submitted all your financial aid forms but we can show you an estimate if you have your financial details handy.

Visit our Net Price Calculator to gain more information about your costs, or, complete our quick cost estimators for a speedy idea of what you may expect. 

Dartmouth guarantees that you will receive all of the assistance you are determined to need.

What is "Need?"

Cost of Education − Family Contribution = "Need"

Cost of Education includes direct and indirect expenses. Direct expenses are tuition, fees, food, and housing. Indirect expenses are travel costs, books, supplies, laundry, etc. Although students do not receive a bill from Campus Billing for these expenses, we do consider an average amount per student when determining aid eligibility.

Family Contribution consists of a parent and student contribution. Students who receive assistance are expected to contribute a minimum amount annually. This comes from leave term earnings, which ranges from $1,000-$3,000 per year, and a percentage of their student assets.

Dartmouth meets this "Need" with a combination of work and scholarships.

Each university calculates a total amount of financial aid available to you for their school. Based on their costs and the information you provide, financial aid officers calculate your need and the amount you are eligible to receive. You will then be given a list of available assistance known as your "Financial Aid Offer." Your demonstrated need will be met with a combination of student employment, and scholarship or grants. Offers can include federal funds, and institutional sources. 

Zero Parent Contribution for Families with Annual Income up to $125,000

To ensure that students from low- to middle-income backgrounds can afford a Dartmouth undergraduate education, students from families with a total annual income below $125,000 USD with typical assets can expect a financial aid package without the expectation of a parent contribution. 

A qualifying student will be expected to meet the cost of attending Dartmouth via a student contribution from summer (or leave-term) earnings, a part-time, on-campus job during the school year and/or from personal savings.

Families with Income Above $125,000

A family earning between $125,000 and $175,000 USD with typical assets can expect a scholarship and/or grants that cover the full cost of tuition per year.

 

There is no income cut off for scholarship consideration at Dartmouth.

Dartmouth’s financial aid staff evaluates each aid application for aid on an individual, annual basis, and it is College policy to meet the full, demonstrated need for all students, regardless of citizenship or entry round.

For all undergraduates, Dartmouth meets 100% of demonstrated need without a required student loan.

Regardless of income level, any student who qualifies for need-based financial aid will receive an aid package that never includes a required student loan. All demonstrated need will be met with scholarship or grant funding as well as student employment. However, a student and/or parent may choose a loan to finance the calculated family contribution or additional expenses such as health insurance or a computer. Any such loan is at the discretion of the family.

A family that does not qualify for need-based aid may explore financial assistance options such as parent loans, private alternative loans, and financing options.