First-Year Domestic Students
Each year Mount Holyoke admits a carefully selected, diverse group of academically strong and talented students and helps those students manage the cost of a Mount Holyoke education.
Important Information for First-time Applicants
- Be sure to indicate your plan to apply for financial aid on your admission application. No consideration for institutional aid will be given to non-aid applicantsfor the first two semesters of enrollment to non-aid applicants. However, federal aid eligibility can always be processed, even after the deadline.
- Apply on time. Accepted applicants who complete their aid applications after March 1 may not receive their financial aid award with their admission decision and applicants who do not complete a financial aid application prior to the May 1 reply date may not be fully funded. The most important financial aid document is the College Board PROFILE. We will strive to provide at least an estimated award if we have a completed PROFILE in hand by the published deadline.
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 $1,800 to $3,300 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.