A guidance counselor or registrar must send a copy of your official transcript via mail, fax, or email (see Contact Information below).

Grinnell College is test optional for students applying for admission and accepts self-reported or unofficial scores for the application process only. All applicants, regardless of application round, must indicate intentions regarding test scores by filling out the “Test Optional Choice Form,” in your personal student portal which you will receive access to after your application is submitted.

Admitted students who asked to have their scores considered, are admitted, and commit to Grinnell College must submit official test scores after May 1. Official test scores can be sent by the College Board and/or ACT. Students may also have a guidance counselor or school registrar send a copy of the scores directly via mail, fax, or email (see Contact Information below). 

Grinnell College does not require the writing sections for either the ACT or SAT. If submitting either score, no need to submit the writing sections. Grinnell does not require SAT II Subject Tests or AP test score results. 

If you would like Grinnell to consider either an ACT or SAT score, and those scores appear on your official transcript (i.e. a transcript sent by a school official) with the date taken and all subsections, then Grinnell will accept scores on the transcript as official.

If submitting an ACT or SAT score, a school counselor/registrar may mail, email or fax score reports to Grinnell and Grinnell will accept the score as official (see Contact Information below).

Please select "Regular Decision" as your admission application type.

If your parents are divorced or separated:

• Each parent must complete a CSS Profile application. It is recommended that the student and custodial parent start the CSS Profile application first. The non-custodial parent will need to create a College Board account before providing their information.
• If you do not have any contact with your non-custodial parent, then you may submit a request to waive the requirement of their financial information. Download the Non-Custodial Parent Waiver Petition.

Submit a signed copy of your parents’ 2023 Federal Income Tax Return with all schedules, attachments, W-2 forms and other earning statements.

Two options for submitting tax return information are available, please choose only one option:

Option #1: Submit to the CollegeBoard’s IDOC service. Upon completion of the CSS Profile you will receive an IDOC ID which will allow you to upload tax documents to the College Board Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC).  Please note that the IDOC service does not become available until November 1, 2024. 

Option #2: Submit tax information directly to Grinnell via our secure file transfer website (see Contact Information below).

Submit as soon as available

The FAFSA will open in the fall. Please complete the FAFSA as soon as it is available and submit it directly to Grinnell.

U.S. Citizens and Eligible Noncitizens only. Students who do not hold US citizenship or US permanent residency, or have DACA protected status, should not fill out the FAFSA and should visit this page for instructions on applying for financial aid.

Finalists who do not match may apply Early Decision II. The deadline for Early Decision II is January 5.

Students must send an email to Patty Amador-Lacson at [email protected] indicating their interest in applying Early Decision. Students must also have their counselor submit official transcripts (updated to reflect final senior year fall grades) and, if they would like to have their ACT or SAT scores considered with their applications, they must indicate that decision via the “Test Optional Choice Form” in the Grinnell College student portal. Students may self-report scores for the application. If students are admitted, and commit to Grinnell College, then they must submit official test score reports (if not previously submitted).

Students should also submit the Early Decision Agreement form (signed by student, counselor, and parent/guardian) by the application deadline. The form can be found on the Common Application website, or contact the Admissions Office for a PDF copy (see Contact Information below).

Finalists who did not rank any colleges may apply Early Decision II to Grinnell. Follow the same instructions as above.

All Finalists who ranked Grinnell for the Match, but did not match to a binding college will automatically have their applications moved into the Regular Decision process. Please submit an updated transcript showing final grades earned in the fall semester and any relevant updates. 

If you no longer wish to be considered, you must contact the Admission Office to withdraw your application (see Contact Information below).

Finalists who ranked Grinnell and submitted all materials (but did not match to a binding college)

Finalists who did not rank Grinnell

Update including final fall semester grades

Optional, students may self-report for purposes of the application 

Optional, students may self-report for purposes of the application 

Finalists who ranked Grinnell and submitted all materials (but did not match to a binding college)

Finalists who did not rank Grinnell

US Citizens and Eligible Noncitizens

Students who do not hold US citizenship or US permanent residency, or have DACA protected status, should not fill out the FAFSA and should visit this page for instructions on applying for financial aid.