Financial Aid FAQ
Questions:
► Eligibility
Is the ability of my family to pay for Notre Dame considered in the admissions process?
Does Notre Dame meet the financial need of admitted students?
What percent of Notre Dame students receive financial aid?
Will I receive the same financial aid award for all four years?
Who should I contact if my circumstances change after I submit my financial aid applications?
► Scholarships and Grants
Does Notre Dame offer merit scholarships?
What is the average need-based scholarship awarded to freshmen?
Will an outside scholarship affect my financial aid award?
► Applying for Financial Aid
What financial aid applications do I need to submit to apply for financial aid at Notre Dame?
What are the priority filing deadlines for Notre Dame financial aid applicants?
Does Notre Dame need any other documents for financial aid?
Does Notre Dame participate in the College Board IDOC service?
If my parents are separated or divorced, do they both need to submit financial information?
When can I expect to hear about my award?
Answers:
► Eligibility
Is the ability of my family to pay for Notre Dame considered in the admissions process?
No, your family’s ability to pay is not considered in the admissions process. Notre Dame is need-blind in admissions for first-year and transfer applicants; financial need is considered for international applicants.
Does Notre Dame meet the financial need of admitted students?
Yes, Notre Dame prepares a financial aid award which meets the financial need as determined by our evaluation of the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE application using the Institutional Methodology formula. Our Net Price Calculator tool may be helpful in understanding your financing options.
What percent of Notre Dame students receive financial aid?
Over 45 percent of all undergraduates receive some form of gift aid from the University (excludes athletic aid and educational benefit programs). Approximately 75 percent of all undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid.
Will I receive the same financial aid award for all four years?
The total dollar amount of financial aid awards is based on demonstrated financial need. Significant changes in family circumstances, such as, but not limited to, an increase or decrease in parents’ or student’s income, assets, family size, number of family members attending college, may affect eligibility for financial aid. If the family’s circumstances do not change significantly over the four years, the financial aid package should be comparable each year.
Who should I contact if my circumstances change after I submit my financial aid applications?
If you have already applied for financial aid and received a financial aid award, you should complete and submit a Special Circumstances Form with the required documentation to the Office of Financial Aid.
► Scholarships and Grants
Does Notre Dame offer merit scholarships?
The Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program is a comprehensive merit-based scholarship and Program that seeks to attract, encourage, and equip extraordinary students who will have a transformational effect on the Notre Dame community, the Church, and the world. The Program cultivates visionary leaders in the image of Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, C.S.C., the former President of the University, an eminent educator, and a tireless advocate of social justice.
A total of 25 admitted students will be named Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars. The Hesburgh-Yusko Scholar will receive a $25,000 merit scholarship to be awarded annually for up to four years of undergraduate study for a total award of $100,000. In addition, Scholars participate in four fully funded Summer Enrichment Experiences beginning the summer prior to their first year.
To learn more about this program and the application process visit: http://hesburgh-yusko.org/
What is the average need-based scholarship awarded to freshmen?
Of the freshmen who enrolled in the fall of 2011 and demonstrated financial need, the average amount of University Scholarship awarded was approximately $26,500.
Will an outside scholarship affect my financial aid award?
The receipt of any scholarship, grant, or loan not listed on the original Award Letter must be reported to the Office of Financial Aid as soon as the student is notified of the award. The receipt of funds not listed on the Award Letter may result in an adjustment to the financial aid award.
As a guide, if a student receives aid beyond that which is listed on the Award Letter, the financial aid award may be adjusted by reducing or eliminating the Federal Perkins Loan (if applicable), Federal Work-Study and Federal Direct Subsidized Loan. Depending on the amount of the outside scholarship, it is possible that scholarships from Notre Dame (e.g., University Scholarship, Provost’s Scholarship, etc.) may be reduced or eliminated.
► Applying for Financial Aid
What financial aid applications do I need to submit to apply for financial aid at Notre Dame?
All students applying for financial aid are required to complete the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
What are the priority filing deadlines for Notre Dame financial aid applicants?
Freshmen applicants must complete the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15.
Does Notre Dame need any other documents for financial aid?
In addition to the FAFSA and PROFILE, parents and students must submit signed copies of federal income tax returns (including schedules), W-2 wage statements, and any other documents through the College Board IDOC service.
Does Notre Dame participate in the College Board IDOC service?
Notre Dame uses the College Board IDOC service. Applicants who complete the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE will receive an instructional e-mail in early February from the College Board on how to submit the required documents to the College Board. The priority deadline for submission of documents to IDOC is March 1.
If my parents are separated or divorced, do they both need to submit financial information?
Yes. Notre Dame’s policy for determining financial need is based upon the principle that both parents have a responsibility to contribute to the cost of education. We therefore need financial information from both the custodial and the non-custodial parent. Upon completion of the CSS/PROFILE, the student will receive an email from the College Board that is to be shared by the student with the noncustodial parent. The email will explain the requirement for the noncustodial parent to complete the CSS Noncustodial PROFILE application.
When can I expect to hear about my award?
The Office of Financial Aid begins mailing Financial Aid Award Letters in late March to admitted freshmen who meet the February 15 financial aid priority deadline for filing the FAFSA and PROFILE and who submit their IDOC packet to College Board by March 1.
