Applicants receive aid based on their families’ financial need. We do not use income cutoffs when determining whether to award aid. Our financial aid counselors carefully review each family's individual circumstances using the information provided on the Princeton Financial Aid Application. Any student whose family feels unable to afford the full cost of attendance is encouraged to apply for aid.

The following table will give you an idea of how students qualified for aid in the Class of 2012:

Students submit their family's information on the Princeton Financial Aid Application.  Every student application is reviewed individually and many factors other than income are considered.  The chart above shows the average grant awarded by income range.  However, families within each income bracket qualify for a range of grant amounts.

Some families receiving larger-than-average grants have:

• three or more children
• more than one child in college at the same time
• significant expenses such as medical, dental, private school, child care, elder care, or other special concerns

Some families receiving smaller-than-average grants have:

• family assets (other than home and retirement funds) that exceed the average reported level of $100,000
• complex income situations in which the tax return is not an accurate reflection of a family's financial position
• divorced or separated parents, when a contribution from the non-custodial parent is expected

Use the Princeton Financial Aid Estimator for an indication of how much aid you may be eligible to receive.