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Swarthmore’s commitment to financial aid and access is at the core of our educational mission. We understand that students are admitted from a variety of economic backgrounds. The College strives to make it possible for all admitted students to attend Swarthmore, regardless of their ability to pay by meeting 100% of institutionally determined financial need for all admitted students. Decisions about financial aid eligibility and admission to the College are made separately for students who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or undocumented/DACA students graduating from a U.S. high school. More than 54 percent of our student body received need-based aid from an overall financial aid budget of more than $57 million during the 2024-2025 academic year. The average aid award for 2024-25 was $71,465, with awards ranging from $1,000 - $91,092.
Although admission and financial aid decisions are made separately, they are made concurrently. A prospective student should apply for Swarthmore’s financial aid and external financial assistance when applying for admission to Swarthmore. Instructions for completing a financial aid application can be found at www.swarthmore.edu/financial-aid. Our financial aid application process is thorough and requires submission of family information as well as income documentation so that the College can base the financial aid decision on a holistic picture of a family’s economic situation. Once a student submits a financial aid application, our Financial Aid Committee carefully considers all of the family’s detailed financial information, which is used to determine the family’s ability to contribute to the costs of a Swarthmore education.
For 2025-2026, the College’s billed charges, which include tuition, room, board, and a student activity fee, will be $90,692. The activity fee covers admission to all social, cultural, and athletic events on campus, as well as printing and laundry. The Financial Aid Office uses the larger figure of $93,172 as an estimated total cost of attendance for the purposes of determining aid; this figure includes $1,695 for personal expenses and $785 for academic supplies. An allowance to cover the cost of travel for domestic students who live more than 100 miles from the College varies. Although Swarthmore financial aid awards are loan-free, families might choose to borrow loans to pay a portion of the educational expenses (see section 5.2).
The College reviews each student’s family financial situation annually, in keeping with our policy of basing financial aid on determined need. Students who would like to be considered for a financial aid award for the next academic year must submit a new financial aid application each year before the posted deadline. Financial Aid eligibility may change from year-to-year. Assistance is available only during a normal-length undergraduate program (eight semesters inclusive of 32 course credits) and only if a student enrolls full-time each semester and makes satisfactory academic progress. These factors also apply in our consideration of a sibling’s undergraduate educational expenses. Swarthmore Scholarship may only be applied toward charges billed by the College for full-time enrollment of three (3.0) courses for each semester of receiving Swarthmore Scholarship. These charges include primarily Tuition, Food, Housing, and the Student Activities Fee. Students who choose other non-Swarthmore options for Food and Housing may not use Swarthmore Scholarship toward paying those expenses. However, the cost of living off campus will be recognized in the calculation of a student’s financial need, and other outside sources of aid may be used to help meet off-campus living expenses once the college bill is satisfied.
U.S. citizens and permanent residents who have not previously received financial aid may become eligible and may apply to receive aid if their financial situations have changed. A student who marries may continue to apply for aid, though parents are still expected to contribute to the student’s education. Financial support for international students is limited and must be requested during the admission application process. New financial aid applications from international students cannot be considered after admission. Answers to most financial aid questions are available at www.swarthmore.edu/financialaid.
5.1 Scholarships
For the academic year 2024-2025, the College will have awarded more than $57 million in Swarthmore Scholarship funds. About one-half of that sum was provided through the generosity of alumni and friends by special gifts and scholarships. Students do not apply for a specific College scholarship. Rather, the College decides who is to receive restricted endowed scholarships or support from general scholarship funds. Although the qualifying criteria for awarding most endowed scholarships remain general, some donors have established explicit guidelines that closely mirror the interests of the individual for whom the scholarship is named. However, financial need is a requirement for all College scholarships except the McCabe Scholarship. Federal Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants are also available to eligible students.
5.2 Loan Funds
Some families use loans to pay for part of their college costs. First-year students may borrow up to $5,500; sophomores may borrow $6,500, and juniors and seniors may borrow up to $7,500. The Federal Direct Stafford Loan is a long-term, low-interest educational loan. Eligibility for a Federal Direct Stafford Loan is determined by the College, using federal guidelines. Parents who wish to borrow might consider the Federal Direct PLUS Loan. Parents may borrow up to the full cost of annual attendance minus any financial aid accepted by their student. Repayment of the PLUS loan may be made over a 10-year period. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the Direct Stafford or Direct PLUS loans. For more information about these loan programs or other financing options, go to our website at www.swarthmore.edu/financial-aid.
5.3 Student Employment
Student employment on the Swarthmore campus is coordinated by the Student Employment Office (SEO). Campus jobs are available in such areas as our libraries, Information Technology Services, the student-run cafe, athletics, the Scott Arboretum, most academic and administrative offices, and many other places on campus. Most students apply for campus positions when they arrive in the fall, but some new job openings are posted for the spring semester. On-campus hourly rates of pay can be found on the student employment website. Students are encouraged to keep a moderate work schedule (no more than about seven or eight hours per week) so that their academic performance remains a top priority. About 1,200 of our 1,620 students choose to work.
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