Available Scholarships at Dartmouth College
As of 2010-2011, the cost of attending Dartmouth College is a total of US$55,386. This includes tuition, fees, room and board, books, and miscellaneous charges. First year students have additional board and fees of US$338, bringing their total cost of education to US$55,724.
Many deserving students may not be able to afford this. However, Dartmouth College accepts students based on their merit and performance. The ability of a potential student to pay for his or her education is not a consideration for acceptance. This is why Dartmouth College is committed to helping undergraduate students meet their needs during their four year stay at the college. The Financial Aid office is there to assist students in financing their education.
Getting financial aid
Dartmouth College offers financial aid in the form of grants, work-study programs, loans, financing options, and scholarships. The financial aid packages given are based on the student’s need, not on academic performance, athletic talent, or other merits.
The financial need of each student is determined using the following information:
- Parent contribution based on the College Scholarship Service’s PROFILE and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Student contribution based upon the student’s personal savings and earnings, if any
- Estimated student budget
The difference between the combined parent and student contribution and the estimated student budget is the student’s financial need. This difference is what the Financial Aid office aims to help each student with. Using the different programs of the Financial Aid office, Dartmouth College comes up with a financial aid package to enable students to complete their education.
Dartmouth scholarships
After work-study programs, student loans, and grants have been used to meet a student’s financial need, Dartmouth scholarships are used to meet any remaining amount. These scholarships are based on a student’s need. Each scholarship is good for 12 terms at Dartmouth College. A student may be given US$1,000 up to US$40,000, depending on his or her financial situation.
Endowed scholars
A student who has shown outstanding academic aptitude at the time of admission and who also has financial need is given the status of Endowed Scholar. This entitles the student to a scholarship throughout his or her undergraduate stay as long as there is continued financial need as well as an acceptable academic performance. Students need not apply separately for these scholarships.
While academic merit will certainly help a student get more financial aid, prospective applicants are assured that all accepted students already meet Dartmouth College’s stringent academic standards. The main consideration in receiving a scholarship or any other form of financial aid from Dartmouth is a student’s demonstrated financial need.