Undergraduate Financial Aid
Boston College remains committed to admitting students solely on the basis of their academic and personal accomplishments, and without regard to financial need. Boston College makes every effort to supplement family resources for students who require financial assistance. All Boston College grants and scholarships awarded by the Office of Student Services are awarded on the basis of institutional need. Boston College is committed to meeting the full demonstrated institutional need of every student applying for financial aid.
We know that applying for financial aid can be a confusing and lengthy process. We hope that the resources provided on this site will give you and your family the tools and information necessary to help make a Boston College education possible. The financial aid staff is committed to working with you as you navigate this process.
All financial aid awarded by Student Services at Boston College is need-based.聽
What is need-based aid?
Need-based aid assumes that the parents and the student are responsible for the cost of education to the extent of their abilities and that financial aid will be used to supplement the effort of the family. It also assumes that need can be calculated with uniformity and equity, meaning that income and assets are defined in the same way for everyone and all allowances are nondiscretionary in nature.聽
Boston College is committed to providing information in a manner that is accessible to all. If you are in need of a printed copy of the material presented on this web page, please contact the聽Office of Student Services.
How Aid Eligibility Is Determined
Boston College uses two separate aid formulas to determine eligibility for financial assistance.
Federal Methodology
Federal Methodology is used to determine a student鈥檚 eligibility for all federal and state aid, including the Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans. Eligibility is determined from the data provided on the Free Application of Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Boston College does not use the federal聽Student Aid Index (SAI) determined by the FAFSA to award institutional need-based grants/scholarships.
Institutional Methodology
Institutional Methodology is used by Boston College, as well as many other private universities, to determine a family鈥檚 eligibility for university funds. Boston College is committed to providing funds to meet the full demonstrated institutional need of every student applying for financial aid on time. The institutional expected family contribution is determined by the data provided on the Profile form (through College Scholarship Services) and appropriate tax documents. Eligibility for need-based institutional aid requires that the student be fully eligible for federal and state aid. The Profile is not required to determine eligibility for federal and state aid.
Financial aid awards for future years will be based on the application materials for that year. In general, the family contribution will not change dramatically unless there is a change in income, family size, number of children enrolled in undergraduate education, assets, or other application figures used in the analysis of a family's financial strength.