Understanding Notre Dame Scholarships: Requirements and Opportunities

The University of Notre Dame is known for its commitment to providing an exceptional education, regardless of a family’s financial circumstances. This commitment is reflected in the various scholarship opportunities and financial aid programs available to students. This article delves into the requirements, amounts, and key policies surrounding Notre Dame scholarships, offering a comprehensive overview for prospective and current students.

Notre Dame's Commitment to Financial Aid

Notre Dame's dedication to accessibility is evident in its comprehensive financial aid programs. They aim to meet the full demonstrated financial need of admitted students. "Financial aid was a huge factor in choosing Notre Dame," as one student noted. The university emphasizes a seamless financial aid process, offering one-on-one consultations to help families understand their financial aid offers.

Estimating the Cost and Financial Aid Support

To understand the financial aid landscape at Notre Dame, it's crucial to consider the cost of attendance. For the 2025-2026 academic year, the average cost of attendance includes $67,607 for tuition and fees and $18,438 for room and meals, totaling $86,045 in direct costs. The best way to get a sense of how much you’ll actually pay for your education is to apply for financial aid.

Types of Financial Aid at Notre Dame

Notre Dame offers a variety of financial aid options, including scholarships, grants, and work-study programs. These programs are designed to make education affordable and accessible for students from diverse backgrounds.

National College Match Scholarship Package

QuestBridge supports high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds on their path to a top college like Notre Dame.

Read also: Enrollment at Notre Dame

University Scholarships and Grants

Notre Dame offers its own institutional scholarships and grants. All applicants for admission are automatically reviewed for an award. University scholarship consideration is given for a maximum of eight semesters (10 semesters for the architecture program and approved five-year engineering program). Institutional Scholarships and Grants have requirements that a student must have in order to keep their award from year to year. If the requirements are not met, a student's aid could be placed on probation or terminated.

Federal and State Aid

The Federal Pell Grant is a need-based grant offered to eligible undergraduate students. The SEOG assists students demonstrating exceptional financial need in accordance with guidelines and funding allocations established by the Department of Education and the Office of Financial Aid. Residents from states including Indiana and Vermont may be eligible for scholarship/grant assistance from their home state scholarship/grant programs.

Outside Funding

Many private organizations provide scholarships to Notre Dame students. Students can find scholarship information by contacting civic, professional, religious, and other community organizations. Valuable resources for scholarship searches include College Board's Scholarship Search, FinAid, and BestColleges. Since Notre Dame meets your full demonstrated financial need, any external funds not listed in the initial Financial Aid Offer may require adjustments to your financial aid package. If needed, a revised Financial Aid Offer will be sent to reflect the additional assistance and any adjustments.

Club Scholarships

Approximately 150 Notre Dame clubs offer scholarships from their respective geographic areas. All applicants for financial aid are considered for club scholarships. Students will be advised by participating clubs if any additional steps (e.g., interview, essay) might be required by the local club.

Scholarships for Artistic Talents

Students with artistic talents may submit a portfolio. Winner receives $3,000. Students will need to exhibit a dedication to service and will be using NDMU housing.

Read also: Ethical Leadership at Notre Dame

Maintaining Scholarship Eligibility

Students are eligible to receive scholarship assistance for a maximum of 8 full-time semesters of attendance (10 semesters for the architecture program and combination five-year engineering program with the College of Arts and Letters). Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress and meet university academic regulations.

Key Policies Affecting Financial Aid

Several policies at Notre Dame can influence the amount of financial aid a student receives. Understanding these policies is essential for effective financial planning.

Policy on Outside Funding

Outside funding will first reduce work. Your Notre Dame Scholarship will only be reduced if the total of all scholarships and grants, from all sources, exceeds your annual cost of attendance.

Policy on Health Insurance

The Cost of Attendance above does not include the University Student health plan. If you are not covered by a parental plan, the University Scholarship will be increased to pay for the amount of health insurance.

Policy on Travel Allowance

Because of the national enrollment at Notre Dame, the transportation allowance will generally range from a minimum of $500 to about $1,000, with $750 representing the approximate midpoint. Money for travel cannot be advanced prior to the start of the semester so students need to plan for their travel expenses.

Policy on Student Contribution

Notre Dame offers students the opportunity to work on campus during the academic year. The $1,000 Federal Work-Study requirement is approximately three hours per week.

Partnerships with Other Institutions

Notre Dame High School has partnerships with colleges and universities. As a part of this partnership, students who maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 will be guaranteed admissions to CatholicU. Students who meet the Early Action and Regular Decision deadlines will receive their admission and scholarship decisions promptly, allowing them to plan their futures confidently. CatholicU will award a minimum academic scholarship of $20,000 annually, totaling at least $80,000 over four years.

As a part of this partnership, Holy Family will guarantee admission and a four-year renewable scholarship to graduates of Notre Dame who enroll full-time at HFU within one year of high school graduation. To qualify the student must have a 2.50 GPA.

As a part of this partnership, Mount St. Mary's University will guarantee admission and a four-year renewable scholarship to Notre Dame graduates based on students who meet the eligibility criteria. Students need a minimum GPA of 3.00 (85%), and while standardized test scores will be considered, they are not mandatory. The scholarship will range between $26,000 and $33,000 per year, totaling $104,000 to $132,000 over four years.

As a part of this partnership, St. Joe's offers a direct admissions program, allowing all Notre Dame students the remarkable opportunity to secure guaranteed admission to St. Joseph's University.

As a part of this partnership, Stockton University will guarantee admission to Notre Dame graduates who earn a minimum GPA of 3.0 or better at the end of junior year. The University will provide priority consideration for institutional scholarships to students who meet eligibility requirements for the Direct Admissions Program. These scholarships are renewable for up to 4 years of undergraduate coursework, provided the student remains a full-time student and maintains at least a Stockton GPA of 3.0 as defined by the University. Students are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores as part of the scholarship review process.

As part of this partnership, The University of Scranton guarantees admission for all Notre Dame graduates with a 3.00 GPA or higher.

Additional Considerations

Tax Implications

Scholarships and grants that exceed a certain amount may be subject to taxation by the Internal Revenue Service (federal and state). If the student's scholarships and grants exceed tuition, fees, and the cost of books for the calendar year, the excess may be taxable income. Please note that loans are not counted in this calculation. The Office of Financial Aid is not in a position to advise you on this matter.

Notre Dame Preparatory School (NDP)

We understand that Catholic education is an investment for our families. Providing students access to a world-class educational experience at Notre Dame Prep, regardless of financial means, is a priority for us no matter the circumstances. David A. David A. The NDP Board of Trustees sets tuition each January based on delivering the school’s mission and an exceptional student experience. NDP has made several reforms in recent years in the areas of tuition, enrollment, and scholarships. “Since 2016, Gateway awards have increased by 150 percent. Notre Dame selects recipients based on academic achievement, participation in activities, and leadership roles. The awards are renewable for four years or eight semesters, as long as the student is enrolled full time. Scholarships for transfer students are limited to six semesters.

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