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.

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 Award." Your demonstrated need will be met with a combination of student employment, and scholarship or grants. Awards can include federal funds, and institutional sources. 

Zero Parent Contribution and No Loans for Families with Annual Income Below $125,000

To ensure that students from low- to middle-income backgrounds can afford a Dartmouth undergraduate education, those students whose families have a total annual income below $125,000 can expect to receive a financial aid package that includes no responsibility for a parent contribution, provided their assets are typical for this income range.

Those students will still be expected to contribute to the cost of their Dartmouth education by drawing on their summer (or leave-term) earnings, their part-time work during the school year, and/or their own savings. Students’ full need will be met without the inclusion of a student loan, but loans will be available upon request.

Families with Income Above $125,000

There is no income cut off for scholarship consideration at Dartmouth. We take an individual look at all applications, and families earning over $125,000 per year do receive scholarship assistance.

Families not eligible for need-based aid can still find help through parent loans, private alternative loans, and financing options.

There is No Expectation that you Borrow a Student Loan

Dartmouth is committed to making a world-class education affordable to all families.

Regardless of income level, students who receive need-based financial aid from Dartmouth will have no expectation that they borrow a student loan. A student's demonstrated need will be met with student employment and scholarship or grant funding.

Students and parents may still decide to borrow loan to help with the calculated family contribution or additional expenses such as health insurance or a computer.