Aid offer Criteria
Financial aid funds are limited. To guarantee fairness in awarding institutional funds, Sewanee considers two factors when allocating institutional need-based aid:
- A student must have need-based aid eligibility, computed on the basis of family financial information submitted on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS Profile.
- Priority consideration is given to first year students with a complete, and actionable, application on file by their admission deadline. Current students receive priority consideration with a complete and actionable application by January 1.
AID OFFER Timeline
INFORMATION CURRENT AS OF September 20, 2024
Early Decision 1:
Admitted students with an actionable 2025-2026 CSS Profile® submitted to Sewanee by December 1 will receive a digital financial aid offer delivered via email by December 20. Paper copies will be mailed to the student’s primary residence shortly thereafter.
Admitted students who would like to apply for need-based aid, but have not submitted the 2025-2026 CSS Profile® as of December 1, should submit it as soon as possible. Reviews are completed on a rolling basis in the order applications are received, with digital financial aid offers processed weekly beginning in January.
It is important to remember need-based aid also requires submission of the 2025-2026 FAFSA currently scheduled for release on December 1. Submitting the FAFSA allows the financial aid office to confirm any estimated federal and state funding you may qualify to receive.
Early Action and Early Decision II:
Admitted students with an actionable 2025-2026 CSS Profile® and FAFSA submitted to Sewanee by February 1 will receive a digital financial aid offer delivered via email by March 1. Paper copies will be mailed to the student’s primary residence shortly thereafter.
Admitted students who would like to apply for need-based aid, but have not submitted the 2025-2026 CSS Profile® and FAFSA as of February 1, should submit those as soon as possible. Reviews are completed on a rolling basis in the order applications are received, with digital financial aid offers processed weekly after March 1.
Regular Decision:
Admitted students with an actionable 2025-2026 CSS Profile® and FAFSA submitted to Sewanee by March 1 will receive a digital financial aid offer delivered via email by April 1. Paper copies will be mailed to the student’s primary residence shortly thereafter.
*Need-based aid applications (CSS Profile and FAFSA) submitted after March 1 will be reviewed on a first come first served basis.
Financial Aid availability
It is important to understand that the responsibility for financing the cost of a higher education must be primarily assumed by students and/or their families to the extent of their ability. To this end, aid programs administered by the Office of Financial Aid are awarded on the basis of calculated need-based eligibility. Need-based awards are considered to supplement, not replace, the expected family contribution.
To be considered for need-based aid, first-year, first-time financial aid applicants must submit both the FAFSA and the CSS Profile. More information may be found at the following websites: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS Profile.
Additional Information
Federal Student Aid
Students wishing to apply for only federal student aid funds must submit the FAFSA. Sewanee's school code for FAFSA is 003534.
Institutional Need-Based Aid
First-time need-based aid applicants must submit the CSS Profile. The Profile opens October 1 each year. Sewanee's school code for the Profile is 1842. Sewanee does not subscribe to the Profile's IDOC service nor are we able to provide CSS Profile fee waivers.
Tuition Exchange
The University participates in both the national Tuition Exchange (TE) Program, involving schools throughout the United States, and in the Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) tuition exchange program, involving most ACS member schools. These undergraduate programs provide the opportunity for dependent children of University employees to receive tuition scholarships at other participating institutions. Being awarded TE and ACS is competitive and not guaranteed. Prospective students who have this benefit are reviewed during the application process beginning with Early Decision. Each year Sewanee receives admission applications from 40 students who have this benefit and there are 6 spaces. Admissible students are selected and a waitlist is created for remaining spots until all 6 spaces are filled.
