Aid Basics: Undergraduates

Need-Blind Admissions

Bennington College admits qualified U.S. citizens and permanent residents without reference to their ability to pay college costs. As its resources allow, Bennington awards aid to meet the difference between a family’s resources and the cost of attending the College. The College is not always able to meet a student’s full need, but approximately 80 percent of Bennington students receive some financial aid, whether through a combination of grants, scholarships, work, and loan, or simply student and parent loans.

Need-Based Aid and Merit Awards

Bennington awards two types of financial assistance: need-based aid and merit awards.

• Need-based aid. Students who would like to be considered for need-based financial aid submit an aid application annually, which is used to calculate aid eligibility according to federal and institutional guidelines. Need-based aid awards typically include grants, student loans, and a work allocation.
• Merit awards. The Admissions Committee awards undergraduate merit scholarships based on the strength of a student’s application for admission; they are not contingent on financial need. No separate application is required.

Awards in Subsequent Years

Families may anticipate some annual increase in college costs. Assuming good academic standing, students with merit awards receive the same funding each term without reapplying for aid. Students with need-based aid will continue to receive institutional grant funds that cover about the same percentage of institutional charges as long as they reapply for aid in a timely manner and family circumstances, as reflected on the annual aid application, have not changed significantly.