Financial Aid at Bowdoin College
Financial Aid at Bowdoin
At Bowdoin, over forty percent of enrolled students receive some amount of grant assistance to help pay for college costs. Grant assistance is money that reduces (or marks down) billed charges on a dollar-for-dollar basis and does not need to be repaid. With the exception of transfer, wait list and international students, admission to Bowdoin is "need blind," that is, students are admitted without regard to their economic need.
Eligibility for Bowdoin financial aid is "need based," determined through analysis of income, asset and tax information submitted on the CSS Profile, federal FAFSA and federal income tax returns. Bowdoin does not offer merit based scholarships or grants of any kind.
Bowdoin meets one-hundred percent of calculated need with grant money from federal, state and institutional sources. If parents need help paying remaining billed charges, students may elect to borrow up to $5500 in low interest, federal Stafford loan money.
Most Bowdoin students work during the summer and work on campus to pay for books, supplies, personal expenses and travel. In most cases, receipt of private merit scholarships from local sources does not affect Bowdoin grant awards.
Grant awards are based on a family's financial capacity to contribute to college costs, as determined by the College. Willingness to contribute does not influence financial aid decisions. Financial aid is intended to supplement family resources to enable students from all economic backgrounds to attend Bowdoin.
Award decisions are determined annually. Awards can increase from year to year because of tuition increases or reductions in income, for example. Awards can also decrease because of higher family incomes or fewer children attending undergraduate college.
Academic, athletic and personal traits weigh heavily in Bowdoin's decision to admit students, but they play no part in the determination of how much grant aid students receive.
Bowdoin's need analysis practices are based on principles of fairness and equal treatment. Families with similar financial circumstances receive similar levels of grant support.
Steve Joyce, Director of Student Aid
"...at Bowdoin we will meet your full calculated need for all four years... all aid at Bowdoin is need-based."
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