Swarthmore College - Financial Aid

National College Match Scholarship Package

These numbers reflect estimated billed and non-billed college costs for the 2024-2025 school year. Amounts will change slightly from year to year, but as the cost of college increases, the financial aid award will correspondingly increase. Your official financial aid decision will be included in a letter sent to you directly from Swarthmore and will be available on your online student portal.

Annual Cost

Annual Cost of Attendance

Tuition

$65,058

Housing & Food

$20,308

Academic Supplies

$760

Travel

Varies

Personal Expenses

$1,640

Student Activities Fee

$436

Total

$88,202

How Annual Costs Are Covered

Scholarship/Grant

$85,702

Campus Job Opportunity

$2,500 (estimated)

Student Summer Work Earnings Contribution

Parent Contribution

Student Contribution

25% of student's savings/assets

Student Loan

Total

$88,202

Policy on Outside Funding

Outside scholarships will first replace your work aid expectation followed by your student asset contribution. If your outside scholarship funds exceed the combined total of these two items, then the remaining outside scholarship funds will replace Swarthmore Scholarship dollar for dollar. This practice is done in accordance with federal rules.

Policy on Health Insurance

You may waive participation in the student health insurance program if you are covered under a parental or private plan that provides comparable coverage. If you are not covered under an insurance plan, you will be eligible for a full health insurance discount to cover this charge.

Policy on Travel Allowance

Some transportation costs are included in our estimate for your personal expenses. For students who live in the United States, Swarthmore College considers the travel needs of those residing more than 100 miles away from the College. Your financial aid award may include an allowance for the estimated cost of two round-trip fares between your home and the College.

Policy on Student Contribution

Swarthmore expects that a student will contribute toward their non-billed educational expenses from an offered campus employment opportunity of $2,500. These earnings are paid to the student as they work and earn, and can be used towards their personal expenses such as toiletries, additional academic materials, and travel.

Requirements Associated with Maintaining this Award

You must be enrolled full-time and make satisfactory academic progress in order to continue to receive financial support from the College and/or Federal and State governments.

You must reapply for Swarthmore College, Federal, and state financial aid by March 1 each year.

Policy on Undocumented Students

For undocumented students who are authorized to work in the United States (with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA status), Swarthmore includes a campus job as part of the Financial Aid Award. For undocumented students without DACA status, Swarthmore may include an institutional loan each year to cover the estimated income otherwise earned from the campus job opportunity expectation.

Other Details

The Textbook Affordability Program provides all students with an $800 credit each year to help cover the cost of required course materials.

All students receive a free pass to use SEPTA, the Philadelphia region's public transit system, throughout the academic year. This includes trains, buses, subways, and trolleys to explore the city and local area.