The typical need-based financial aid that Vanderbilt offers to eligible first-year undergraduates consists of a combination of grants, scholarships, and employment opportunities/expectations.

Grants and scholarships come from various sources including Vanderbilt, federal, state, and private opportunities. These funds are considered “gift” assistance and do not have to be repaid. Employment opportunities offer students a chance to gain valuable work experience in addition to receiving a paycheck for their hours worked.

Loans are not included in financial aid packages based upon our initiative of replacing need-based loans with additional Vanderbilt scholarship and/or grant (gift) assistance. Under certain conditions and based upon individual family circumstances or desires, however, loans from federal and other sources may ultimately be made available to students upon their request to replace any work expectation in the award or to replace some portion of the family’s expected contribution.

---

Our office is available to answer questions or guide you through the steps in applying for need-based financial assistance. The following steps are designed to help guide you through the application process. Please review our Frequently Asked Questions page for the answers to several questions you might have regarding the application process.

Students are advised to pay close attention to the financial aid calendar. This will help students avoid any deadlines that may be crucial for certain Financial Aid offers, as some funds are limited.

Steps in applying for need-based financial assistance for the 2024-2025 academic year:

• Submit the 2025-2026 College Scholarship Service Financial Aid PROFILE CSS PROFILE, school code 1871, to be considered for Vanderbilt need-based scholarships (Available October 1, 2024)
• Submit the 2025-2026 Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), school code 003535, to be considered for federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs (Available TBD)
• Submit copies of your and your parents' 2023 tax information via MyAppVU. Please include all tax forms, all Schedules, and all W2s. Not including the needed tax documents could delay your financial aid package.

Instructions for Submitting Documents to MyAppVU: 

Finish your Financial Aid Checklist by clicking the links next to each item.

If a form asks for Parent info, the student must initiate the form.

• Add your Parent's name, email, and sign the form.
•  Hit "Submit."

After you submit the form, an email will be sent to the parent's email address you provided.

• The parent will set up a Dynamic Forms account and fill out the form.

Check Vanderbilt's website for form submission assistance.

Determining Eligibility

Eligibility for need-based financial assistance is determined by subtracting a family's calculated Student Aid Index (SAI) from Vanderbilt's estimated Cost of Attendance (COA). The difference is called "demonstrated financial need." The SAI is determined by using Vanderbilt's institutional methodology that utilizes the data collected on the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Financial Aid PROFILE.

In addition to completing the College Scholarship Service PROFILE form, we do require that students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for financial aid other than institutional need-based assistance. The FAFSA information allows us to determine a student's potential eligibility for certain federal aid programs and helps us to maximize the overall types and amounts of aid that can then be offered to each applicant.

Note: You may apply for federal financial aid programs only through the FAFSA and elect not to complete the CSS PROFILE. However, the majority of financial assistance we offer is through institutional financial aid programs and the PROFILE application is required to be considered for these funds.

The typical need-based financial aid that Vanderbilt will offer to eligible undergraduate students will consist of a combination of grants, scholarships, and employment opportunities/expectations.

Grants and scholarships may come from various sources including Vanderbilt, federal, state, and private entities. These funds are considered "gift" assistance and do not have to be repaid. Employment opportunities offer students a chance to gain valuable work experience in addition to receiving a paycheck for their hours worked during the academic year.

Loans will not be included in financial aid packages based upon our Opportunity Vanderbilt initiative of replacing need-based loans with need-based scholarship assistance. It is important to note that this initiative to replace need-based undergraduate loans does not make Vanderbilt cost-free.  Under certain conditions and based upon individual family circumstances or desires, however, loans from federal and other sources may ultimately be made available to students upon their request to replace any employment expectation in their award or to replace some portion of their expected family contribution.

Financial aid is only offered for one academic year, so students must re-apply each year as described below. To continue receiving assistance, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward their degree and maintain minimum grade point average standards.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements for Need-Based Financial Aid: This policy is also published in the Vanderbilt University Catalog.

Steps in making an application for financial assistance:

• Submit the College Scholarship Service Financial Aid Profile CSS/PROFILE, school code 1871, to be considered for Vanderbilt need-based scholarships.
• Submit The Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), school code 003535, to be considered for federal, state and institutional financial aid programs. If you received financial aid in the past academic year, you may complete the renewal FAFSA application online.
• Please check your YES Financial Aid Checklist for parent and/or student tax document checklist items, click on the information bubble  to access the submission link.
• Submit the Outside Scholarship Notification Form if you will be receiving a scholarship from a source other than Vanderbilt University.
• View our loan application instructions if you have received your financial aid offer notification letter and have been offered a student loan.

Note: You may apply for federal financial aid programs only through the FAFSA and elect not to complete the CSS PROFILE. However, the majority of financial assistance we offer is through institutional financial aid programs, and the PROFILE application is required to be considered for these funds.

Financial Aid Checklist

Please review the checklist to ensure all steps are completed. The checklist also provides deadlines and additional information which may be helpful in completing your applications.