Comparison of Financial Aid Application Processes for T14 Schools (2023)
We’ve compiled data on financial aid application processes for T14 schools. Please note that this information may have errors or be out of date, so you should double-check with the schools.
To see a general summary of this information in table form, please see here.
Table of Contents (USNWR Rank/School)
- Yale University (CT)
- Stanford University (CA)
- University of Chicago (IL)
- Columbia University (NY)
- Harvard University (MA)
- University of Pennsylvania
- New York University
- University of Virginia
- University of California—Berkeley
- University of Michigan
- Duke University (NC)
- Northwestern University (IL)
- Cornell University (NY)
- Georgetown (DC)
Yale University (CT)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Need-based aid only.
Application process for merit aid: N/A
Application process for need-based aid Fill out the FAFSA [if a US citizen seeking loans], as well as Yale’s institutional application, the FAAST.
Is parental information required? Parental information is not required for the FAFSA, but is required for the FAAST, unless student is 29 or older.
Deadline: Fill out the FAFSA ASAP. Priority deadline is March 15 for aid, but those admitted close to or after that date will not be penalized. All documents should be in by May 15 in order to finalize aid award.
Stanford University (CA)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Need-based aid only.
Application process for merit aid: N/A
Application process for need-based aid: Fill out the FAFSA and the CSS profile.
Is parental information required? Parental information is not required for the FAFSA, but is required for the CSS profile, unless student is 29 or older.
Deadline: Fill both forms out as soon as possible after January 1 of the year you will matriculate.
University of Chicago (IL)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Both.
Application process for merit aid: Students are automatically considered for merit-based aid by the office of admissions.
Application process for need-based aid Fill out the FAFSA and the UChicago Need Application.
Is parental information required? Yes.
Deadline: The priority deadline for need-based aid is March 1, or two weeks after the date of admission.
Columbia University (NY)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Both.
Application process for merit aid: Students are automatically considered for merit-based aid by the office of admissions.
Application process for need-based aid Fill out the FAFSA, CSS Profile, the Columbia Law School Financial Aid Application, and submit your prior year tax returns.
Is parental information required? Parental information is not required for the FAFSA, but is required for the CSS profile and the institutional aid application.
Deadline: February 15 for the publicly-available forms, even if not admitted. Fill out the Columbia Law School Financial Aid Application immediately after admission (if admitted later than 2/15).
Harvard University (MA)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Need-based aid only.
Application process for merit aid: N/A
Application process for need-based aid Fill out the FAFSA, and if applying for grants, submit the Student Application Form.
Is parental information required? Parental information is not required for the FAFSA, but is required for the Student Application Form, unless student is 29 or older.
Deadline: Submit prior to April, as this is when provisional aid eligibility begins to be released to admitted students.
University of Pennsylvania (PA)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Both.
Application process for merit aid: Students are automatically considered for merit-based aid by the office of admissions.
Application process for need-based aid Fill out the FAFSA and the CSS profile.
Is parental information required? Parental information is not required for the FAFSA, but is required for the CSS profile.
Deadline: March 1, if admitted prior to this. May 1, if admitted post-3/1.
New York University (NY)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Both.
Application process for merit aid: Admitted students must fill out the NYU Institutional Aid Application.
Application process for need-based aid: Fill out the FAFSA and NYU Institutional Aid Application.
Is parental information required? Parental information is not required for the FAFSA, but is required for the institutional aid application (if only filling out for merit aid, no parental info required).
Deadline: March 1, if admitted prior to this. If you complete the online application, you should receive a provisional award letter within approximately two weeks from when you submitted the application.
University of Virginia (VA)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Both.
Application process for merit aid: Students are automatically considered for merit-based aid by the office of admissions.
Application process for need-based aid: Fill out the FAFSA.
Is parental information required? Parental information is required for the FAFSA if unmarried and 30 or younger.
Deadline: February 10, if admitted prior to this. Can expect to receive a financial aid award by early March.
Berkeley (CA)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Both.
Application process for merit aid: Submit the Supplemental Gift Aid Application after admission.
Application process for need-based aid: Fill out the FAFSA and the Supplemental Gift Aid Application.
Is parental information required? Parental information is not required for the FAFSA; students will receive additional information about the SGA when admitted.
Deadline: By March, if admitted prior to this.
University of Michigan (MA)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Both.
Application process for merit aid: Students are automatically considered for merit-based aid by the office of admissions.
Application process for need-based aid: Fill out the FAFSA.
Is parental information required? No.
Deadline: June 1.
Duke University (NC)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Both.
Application process for merit aid: In order to receive your official letter of admission, you must fill out the Duke Law Scholarship Form and schedule a scholarship interview.
Application process for need-based aid: Fill out the Duke Law Scholarship form and the FAFSA.
Is parental information required? Parental information is not required for the FAFSA; students will receive additional information about the Scholarship Form when admitted.
Deadline: Priority deadline April 1.
Northwestern University (IL)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Both.
Application process for merit aid: May involve any of the three forms listed below.
Application process for need-based aid: Per the website: applying for financial aid as an admitted student may involve submitting the FAFSA, University Aid Application, and Scholarship & Grant Supplemental Application, depending on whether you are applying for scholarships, loans, or both.
Is parental information required? Students will receive additional information when admitted.
Deadline: Deadline will be indicated on the email upon admittance.
Cornell University (NY)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Both.
Application process for merit aid: Submit the Cornell Law School Scholarship Application Form.
Application process for need-based aid: Cornell Law Scholarship Application Form, FAFSA (if applying for loans), CSS Profile, and submit past year tax returns.
Is parental information required? Parental information is required for all need-based aid, unless you have not been claimed on your tax forms for the past six consecutive calendar years (since 2015).
Deadline: March 15.
Georgetown University (DC)
Policies for aid here.
Offers merit or need-based aid? Both.
Application process for merit aid: Students are automatically considered for merit-based aid by the office of admissions.
Application process for need-based aid: FAFSA and CSS Profile, as well as the Yellow Application on the admitted students portal.
Is parental information required? Parental information is not required for the FAFSA, but is required for the CSS profile.
Deadline: Priority deadline March 31.
| School | Offers Merit Aid? | Parental Info FAFSA? | Additional Institutional App? | Institutional app necessary for merit aid? | Parental Info Institutional Aid? | App Available? | Deadline | Tuition (2022-3) | Full Cost of Attendance (2022-3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| a Yale | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Now (FAFSA) and after admission | 5/15/2023 | 69,100 | 96,681 |
| b Stanford | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Now (FAFSA/CSS Profile) | 66,924 | 111,753 | |
| c UChicago | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Now (FAFSA) | 3/1/2023 | 73,185 | 108,063 |
| d Columbia | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Now (FAFSA/CSS and after admission) | 2/15/2023 | 75,572 | 108,845 |
| e Harvard | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Now (FAFSA) and in February, for admitted students | 70,430 | 107,000 | |
| f UPenn | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Now (CSS and FAFSA) | 3/1/2023 | 67,550 | 100,772 |
| g NYU | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Now (FAFSA) and mid/late Jan for admitted students | 3/1/23 | 73,216 | 109,290 |
| h UVA | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Now (FAFSA) | 2/10/2023 | 71,500 | 92,936 |
| i Berkeley | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | After admittance | 67,816 | 108,596 | |
| j Michigan | Yes | No | No | No | No | Now (FAFSA) | 6/1/2023 | 69,386 | 92,456 |
| k Duke | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Now (FAFSA) and after admittance | 4/1/2023 | 71,100 | 99,679 |
| l Northwestern | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | After admittance | 71,432 | 104,564 | |
| m Cornell | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Now (CSS/FAFSA) and after admittance | 3/15/2023 | 74,098 | 97,703 |
| n Georgetown | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Now (CSS/FAFSA) and after admittance | 3/15/2023 | 71,996 | 103,400 |
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