First-Year Students

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Each year Mount Holyoke admits a carefully selected, diverse group of academically strong and talented students. The College is prepared to help these students and their families manage the cost of a Mount Holyoke education.

While Mount Holyoke expects families to assume the primary financial responsibility for their daughter's education and to contribute to the maximum level of their ability, we have a long tradition of meeting the full need, as determined by the College, of all admitted students.

Required application forms and instructions
Required application forms and instructions for International Students  

• Accepted applicants who complete their aid applications after March 1 may not receive their financial aid award with their admission decision. Applications completed after acceptances are mailed may not receive a financial aid decision prior to the May 1 reply date.
• We strongly encourage families to file all financial aid documents by the priority filing dates. While financial aid is not compromised by filing late in the first year, filing deadlines must be met in subsequent years in order to avoid late penalties, including loss of state grant funding that will not be replaced by institutional grants or loan increases.
• A student who desires consideration for institutional need-based grant aid in the first year at Mount Holyoke must indicate her plan to apply for financial aid with her admission application. No consideration for institutional aid will be given after admission decisions are mailed. If a student declares her intent to apply for aid after a decision has been rendered, her application will be processed for federal aid eligibility only. Students will not be eligible to apply for institutional need-based grant aid until the following academic year.

Financial Aid Eligibility 
Financial aid eligibility is the difference between the estimated student budget (tuition, room and board, fees, books and personal expenses, travel expenses) and the expected family contribution (FC), which includes both parent and student contributions.

	Student Budget
-	Family Contribution
	Financial Aid Eligibility

Determining the Family Contribution (FC)
The family contribution is comprised of a parental contribution and a student contribution. Mount Holyoke uses standard federal and institutional formulas to determine the family contribution.

When calculating the parental contribution, the College considers such factors as total parent income (including taxable and untaxed income), parental assets, number of dependents in the household, and number of dependent children attending undergraduate institutions.

The student contribution is determined from an assessment of student income and assets, including trusts.  A minimum student contribution from summer earnings is expected from each student. This contribution ranges from $1,600 to $3,000 depending on the student's year in college.  In addition, students are expected to contribute 25% of the value of their assets each year toward the family contribution.