Aid & Affordability
Your Journey, Our Commitment
At Notre Dame, you will have incredible opportunities. You’ll be encouraged to examine the world and the role you will play in it. We make sure you’re supported on this journey. You will work with faculty who are leading scholars in their fields; you’ll conduct research, see the world by studying abroad or serving communities around the globe, and become an ethical leader prepared to face the future confidently. Your undergraduate experience may last just four years, but the value of your Notre Dame education will last a lifetime.
We’re in this together...
Notre Dame is committed to making a world-class education affordable for our students so you can graduate with a degree and peace of mind. To that end, our admissions process is need-blind, which means a student’s financial situation is not considered in the evaluation of their application.
We invest in you.
Notre Dame is one of fewer than 60 schools in the nation that meet 100% of a family’s financial need, as demonstrated through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS Profile.
- $56,000 The median need-based scholarship awarded to incoming first-year students (2023)
- $200+ million Need-based scholarships awarded to undergraduates in the 2023-2024 academic year
Receiving my financial aid package removed a significant amount of stress that comes with being a college student with a single mother. I have been able to focus on my studies and have hopes for a bright future because a quality education has been made affordable for me and my family.
We reduce your need to borrow.
We carefully review every family’s need to borrow.
- $18,246 The average student federal loan debt of Notre Dame graduates (May 2023)
- $6 million Awarded in 2023-2024 by Notre Dame alumni clubs to help reduce need-based borrowing
"Living on one teacher’s salary, my parents can’t afford to help me pay for anything other than books and art supplies, and I don’t have a full-time job or savings, so the scholarships and grants that I receive make it possible for me to attend Notre Dame."
Middle-income families receive financial aid.
We offer financial aid to families of various income levels. Income is only one factor we consider when offering financial aid: we review household size, number of family members in college, assets, and special circumstances.
- 70% of all undergraduates received some type of financial aid
As a Latina, first-generation student and the daughter of a single parent, financial aid was the biggest concern. Notre Dame not only exceeded my expectations of financial assistance, but it also allows me to focus on my studies and get to experience everything ND has to offer.
Student Stories
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Billy Porter '22
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Godsee Joy '20
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Nic Klebusits '20
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Tajae Thompson '22
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Lisa von Werder '20
Understanding the Language of Financial Aid
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Need-blind Admission is a policy of making college admission decisions without reviewing the applicant’s financial circumstances. Notre Dame is need-blind for all U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Notre Dame is need-aware for all international students.
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Family Share is the estimated amount your family will pay toward the cost of attending college. This amount is determined annually on an individual basis, using the information you report on the financial aid applications. The information includes the size of your family, the number of family members attending college, income, assets, and other personal circumstances.
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Demonstrated Need: This is the Cost of Attendance for Notre Dame minus the Student Aid Index (SAI). Notre Dame is one of a limited number of schools in the nation that meet 100 percent of a family’s financial need. We offer a modest amount of work or loans and the remaining need is met with need-based gift aid
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Financial Aid is money that schools and/or federal and state governments give and/or loan you to help pay for college.
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Student Aid Index (SAI): Formerly called the Expected Family Contribution, this is a number that determines each student’s eligibility for certain types of federal student aid. The SAI is determined using the information submitted on the financial aid application(s).