FAQs

Yes. Our policy of meeting financial need in full for admitted students applies to all admitted students, regardless of citizenship.

Yes. Just enter your financial information into the Princeton financial aid estimator to get an estimate of how much aid you may be qualified to receive. The Princeton financial aid estimator is completely confidential and in no way affects your application for admission or financial aid.

Aid students who receive approval from the Office of International Programs for a semester or year abroad will be eligible for funding based on the cost of the program and amount of their family contribution. Princeton-sponsored summer programs are not included since they have their own funds to support student costs.

Yes. For each year of attendance at Princeton, students must submit a new financial aid application.

When awarding aid, we require parental financial information for all students, with very few exceptions.

No. All financial aid awards are based solely on need. 

Loans are available, and some students request an optional education loan to cover expenses not included in the standard student budget or to help cover all or a portion of the family expectation. 

Regular decision applicants should apply for financial aid by Feb. 1 of the year you plan to enter college. Transfer applicants should apply by March 9. Early action applicants should apply by Nov. 9

Financial aid is awarded based on need only. We use the information you supply on your financial aid application and supporting documents to determine how much support we will provide.

Our Student Employment site is continuously updated with available jobs, making it easy for students to find employment opportunities both on and off campus.

Yes. Princeton requires both parents to provide financial information in most cases. Please review the Family and Household Status page for more information. 

The cost of attendance at Princeton includes tuition, room, board, books and personal expenses. Review the most current cost of attendance.

Since Princeton meets students’ full need with grant aid, outside scholarships from private sources reduce Princeton grant dollar-for-dollar to make room for the outside scholarship in the award. Students can then use the amount of reduced scholarship toward the one-time purchase of a personal computer up to a preset amount by the Financial Aid Office. 

If your parents are unemployed and filed taxes, they should submit their most recent tax return. If your parents did not file a return, you should submit all documentation of that year’s income, along with a parent non-filer statement. Please visit the Income Documentation page to download the nonfiler statement.

Princeton’s federal school code for the FAFSA is 002627.

Federal Work-Study is a form of federal aid that pays student wages.

No. There is no disadvantage whatsoever in the admission process for financial aid applicants. Princeton has a need-blind admission policy, ensuring equality of opportunity for students who cannot afford the full cost of attendance. This policy covers all admission applicants, including international students. 

In 2001, Princeton eliminated student loans from financial aid awards, replacing them with grants that do not need to be repaid. Since then, no Princeton student has been required to borrow as part of a basic aid package. 

It is our policy to meet every student’s full demonstrated need each year. Award amounts may vary from year to year, based on changes in a family's financial circumstances and Princeton's cost of attendance.