Financial Assistance

Undergraduates can obtain information about financial assistance for meeting college costs from the Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS) (new window). Our mission is to make it financially possible for every admitted applicant to attend Georgetown University, ensuring that we recruit, retain, and graduate a talented and diverse learning community.  Our services, policies, and programs are described in brief below. 

All information in this “Financial Assistance” section is subject to change without notice if required by University operational changes.  

Meeting College Costs

The OSFS helps students apply for and obtain need-based financial aid funding from federal, state, private, and institutional grant, scholarship, employment, and loan programs. 

In addition to need-based financial aid, the OSFS helps students use financing options like parent and private loans, external scholarships, employer and veteran benefits, and monthly payment plans to meet college costs.

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Eligibility for Need-Based Financial Aid

At Georgetown most financial aid is awarded based on demonstrated financial need.  With the exception of some athletic scholarships, Georgetown does not offer merit-based scholarships.  More than half of Georgetown’s undergraduates receive some form of financial aid. 

Demonstrating Financial Need:  Financial need is the computed difference between the total average costs of attendance and a calculated expected family contribution/responsibility.  The average costs of attendance expense budget used to determine eligibility for need-based financial aid can be found on the Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS) website (new window).  The expected family contribution/responsibility is calculated from the information aid applicants provide on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (required for all applicants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents), the CSS Profile financial aid application (required for some applicants), and federal tax returns. If the aid applicant will have other resources available to meet college costs, such as state or privately-sponsored grants or scholarships, or tuition benefits from an employer, or benefits from government agencies such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs or Veterans Administration, then these resources must also be considered in determining need for financial aid.

If the average cost of attending Georgetown University is greater than the expected family contribution/responsibility plus other available resources, the applicant may be eligible for need-based financial aid to fund the difference.

Eligibility Rules re: Federal Financial Aid Programs: The basic eligibility criteria are that applicants must demonstrate financial need (for most programs), be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen, and be enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program. Students must be academically engaged in their courses and may only receive federal financial aid for courses that apply towards their program’s completion requirements. More information about federal financial aid eligibility can be found through the U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid website (new window). 

More on Federal Aid Eligibility Rules re: Citizenship:  Most non-U.S. citizens are not eligible to apply for federal financial aid.  This includes students who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, an F1 or F2 student visa, a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, or a G series visa (pertaining to international organizations).  However, non-U.S. citizens with a social security number should still complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), even though they are not eligible for federal student aid programs, because many state agencies and colleges (including Georgetown) use the FAFSA to offer their own aid. By exception, the following types of non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply for federal financial aid: (1) permanent U.S. residents with a Permanent Resident Card (I-551); (2) conditional permanent residents with a Conditional Green Card (I-551C); (3) holders of an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: “Refugee,” “Asylum Granted,” “Parolee” (I-94 confirms that the holder was paroled for a minimum of one year and status has not expired, T-Visa holder (T-1, T-2, T-3, etc.) or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant;” or (4) holders of a valid certification or eligibility letter from the Department of Health and Human Services showing a designation of “Victim of human trafficking.”

Eligibility for Georgetown Institutional Aid: Georgetown is committed to meeting the full demonstrated financial need of all eligible students. To meet that need, the University offers millions of dollars in need-based institutional Georgetown Scholarships to hundreds of undergraduates each year.  However, at the present time due to limited institutional funding, “full need” cannot be met for: Most applicants who are international students, applicants who are neither U.S. citizens nor eligible non-citizens, undergraduates in the School for Continuing Studies (SCS), and for some undergraduates during the summer terms.

Georgetown Athletic Scholarships: These institutional scholarships are awarded by the GU Department of Athletics on the basis of athletic and academic potential.  Many are offered based on demonstrated financial need and participation in a particular sport.  Information about these opportunities can be obtained from the GU Department of Athletics. 

Financial Aid for Study Abroad:  With the exception of Federal Work-Study funds, all forms of financial aid can be applied to the costs of Georgetown-approved and Independent Petition study abroad programs. 

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Applying for Need-Based Financial Aid

Visit the GU Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS) website (new window) for the most current detailed instructions on how to apply for financial aid.  

Students seeking only federal financial aid simply complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Eligible undergraduates seeking Georgetown University Institutional Scholarship aid must typically (with some exceptions) complete both the FAFSA and the CSS Profile form. Additional requirements for some aid applicants are described below.

Fee waivers for the CSS Profile application (new window) are typically available to first-year undergraduate college applicants whose family adjusted gross income is less than $100,000, or if the student qualified for an SAT fee waiver, or if the student is an orphan or ward of the court under the age of 24. 

The CSS Profile for noncustodial parents of domestic undergraduate students is also free to submit if their family adjusted gross income is less than $100,000.

Priority Application Deadlines for Georgetown Scholarships:

Late Applicants:  Students who apply for aid after the above priority deadlines may still qualify for federal, state, or private financial aid funds, but cannot be guaranteed consideration for Georgetown University institutional scholarship assistance if they apply after the priority deadline.

Verification of Application Data:  Students are required to validate the data reported on their aid applications so that Georgetown can verify that the student’s aid eligibility determination is accurate. The OSFS website (new window) describes what students must do to validate and verify the data reported on their  financial aid application.  Financial aid offers may be subject to revision based upon data and/or sibling enrollment changes made during the verification process, and Georgetown reserves the right to withhold disbursement of financial aid awards until the verification process is complete.

Unique Requirements/Restrictions for Some Applicants:  

Undergraduates in the School for Continuing Studies: These students may be eligible for loans, federal grants, private scholarships, and other external awards, but are not typically eligible for Georgetown Scholarships. 

Self-Employed Parents/Students & Business and/or Farm Owners:  Applicants for Georgetown’s need-based institutional scholarships must submit copies of parent/student personal, business, and/or farm tax returns via the College Board’s secure online IDOC portal (new window).

Divorced or Separated Parents:

For Federal Financial Aid:  To apply for federal financial aid programs, the student applicant, his/her custodial biological parent, and step-parent (if the custodial parent has remarried) must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA has instructions to help the applicant determine who is the custodial parent if that status is not clear.

For Need-Based Institutional Georgetown Scholarship:  Georgetown University recognizes that planning how to meet educational costs when parents are divorced, separated, or remarried can be complicated. Georgetown believes, however, that parental responsibility for meeting a child’s educational costs does not cease upon divorce, separation, or remarriage. Both biological parents (even when divorced, separated, remarried, or never married) will be asked to provide funds for educational expenses based on their ability to contribute from their reported income and assets.

To apply for Georgetown’s need-based institutional scholarships, the student applicant, his/her custodial biological parent and step-parent (if the custodial parent has remarried) must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Financial Aid Profile Form.  In addition, Georgetown requires that the non-custodial biological parent must complete a separate College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile form. Instructions on how to file the non-custodial parent Profile is available on the College Board’s website (new window). Information on the non-custodial parent’s application will remain separate and confidential from the custodial parent. 

After collecting information from custodial and non-custodial parents (even if remarried), Georgetown determines eligibility for Georgetown scholarship assistance based on the income and assets of either the custodial parent and step-parent or the custodial parent and non-custodial parent (with step-parent information excluded from the need analysis). A contribution towards college expenses will be sought from only two of the three or four (if applicable) parties, but information is collected from all in order to assess parent ability to contribute towards educational expenses.  

The requirement to provide non-custodial parent information will not be waived even if the noncustodial parent refuses to complete the form, or even if a divorce decree states that the noncustodial parent is not responsible for the student’s educational expenses.  

Exceptions:  In a limited number of exceptional circumstances, the criteria listed below are considered to evaluate an aid applicant’s request to waive the Georgetown requirement for non-custodial parent information.

Applicants seeking a waiver of non-custodial parent application information must submit a College Scholarship Service (CSS) request for waiver form (new window). Submission of a request does not guarantee the requirement will be waived. The criteria listed below are considered in evaluating requests for waivers. Independent third party documentation may be requested to support some requests for waivers. The criteria considered in combination in a case-by-case review are:

• Can the non-custodial parent be located by the applicant or custodial parent? If not, documentation of unsuccessful attempts to contact the non-custodial parent is required to support a request for waiver, e.g., copies of court records or requests for assistance from state or local government agencies;
• Is the non-custodial parent completely incapable of making a financial contribution due to lack of income/assets or incarceration? Does the non-custodial parent receive government assistance such as food stamps, welfare, or SSI benefits? Is the non-custodial parent incarcerated? These circumstances might support a waiver based on non-custodial parent’s incapacity to contribute;
• Has the non-custodial parent made child support payments recently and consistently? If not, a statement to that effect and/or documentation of unsuccessful attempts to obtain child support payments is required to support a request for waiver;
• Did the divorce or separation take place so long ago that it is unreasonable to expect a contribution from the non-custodial parent? If the divorce or separation took place more than ten years ago, and if other criteria for waiver are met (such as lack of child support payments or the whereabouts of the non-custodial parent are unknown), then it is more likely that the requirement for non-custodial parent information could be waived.
• Is there a documented case of abuse or a legal order that limits the noncustodial parent’s contact with the student? If so, copies of court documents or other legal orders are required to support a request for a waiver. 

Self-Supporting (Independent) Students:

For Federal Financial Aid: Students who claim to be self-supporting at the time of their enrollment at Georgetown University may meet the federal definition of financial independence to qualify for federal aid as an independent applicant. The instructions to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) explain the circumstances under which a student may apply for federal financial aid programs without providing parental information. For the 2022–2023 academic year, students who were born before January 1, 1999, or are active duty or veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces, or are wards of the court, or have been in foster care since age 13, or whose parents are deceased, or are an emancipated minor, or are in legal guardianship, or are an unaccompanied youth who is homeless, or are legally married or separated, or have legal dependents other than a spouse may apply for federal financial aid as an independent applicant without providing parental information.

For Need-Based Institutional Georgetown Scholarship:  To be considered for a Georgetown scholarship, most applicants are expected to provide parental income and asset information, even if they meet the requirements for independent status for purposes of federal financial aid eligibility.  

Exceptions:  In a very limited number of exceptional circumstances, Georgetown’s requirement to provide parent information may be waived.  The requirement to provide parent information is typically waived for applicants for Georgetown scholarship aid who are wards of the court, in foster care, are unaccompanied youth who are homeless, or whose parents are deceased. Other exceptions to the general rule that applicants for Georgetown scholarship aid must provide parent information are made on a case-by-case basis using the following criteria:

• Can the applicant document self-support for several years prior to entering college? Students must provide evidence that they were able to financially support themselves, e.g., tax returns showing a level of income that would support the student independent of outside resources;
• Can the applicant provide documentation from independent third parties regarding the complete absence of a parent/student relationship for an extended period of time?
• Is the applicant of an age that would imply independence? Waiving the requirement for parental information becomes more reasonable as the age of the applicant increases, if the other criteria are met.

International Students and Other Non-U.S. Citizens:

Financial assistance is limited for students who are neither U.S. citizens nor eligible non-U.S. citizens. 

For Federal Financial Aid:  Most non-U.S. citizens are not eligible to apply for federal financial aid.  This includes students who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status, an F1 or F2 student visa, a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, or a G series visa (pertaining to international organizations).  However, non-U.S. citizens with a social security number should still complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), even though they are not eligible for federal student aid programs, because many state agencies and colleges (including Georgetown) use the FAFSA to award aid. By exception, the following types of  non-U.S. citizens are eligible to apply for federal financial aid:  (1) permanent U.S. residents with a Permanent Resident Card (I-551); (2) conditional permanent residents with a Conditional Green Card (I-551C); (3) holders of an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: “Refugee,” “Asylum Granted,” “Parolee” (I-94 confirms that the holder was paroled for a minimum of one year and status has not expired, T-Visa holder (T-1, T-2, T-3, etc.) or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant;” or (4) holders of a valid certification or eligibility letter from the Department of Health and Human Services showing a designation of “Victim of human trafficking.”

For Need-Based Institutional Georgetown Scholarship: Georgetown offers a very limited number of need-based scholarships to selected non-School of Continuing Studies (SCS) first-year students with demonstrated financial need who are neither U.S. citizens nor eligible non-U.S. citizens. Prospective students who wish to be considered for one of these awards must indicate their interest in the Georgetown application for undergraduate admission, and must submit a College Scholarship Service (CSS) Financial Aid Profile (new window) form. Instructions to assist international students complete the Profile can be found on the CSS website here (new window).

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Financial Aid Award Revisions

Financial aid awards may be revised for the reasons explained below.

Requesting Additional Aid: Changes in family circumstances (illness, accident, unemployment, business failure) can prompt students to seek additional financial assistance in meeting college costs and Georgetown makes every effort to respond to those needs. Students may be eligible for additional financial aid if there has been a substantive change in family finances that was not reported on the initial financial aid application(s).  Typical examples of such changes include significant reductions in reported income or assets, unreimbursed medical expenses, uninsured losses, unemployment, or a serious illness or death in the family.  Some students may have extraordinary expenses that can be added to the standard educational costs of attendance used to determine need-based financial aid eligibility;  typical examples include documented costs of childcare, or student health insurance premiums.  Students with disabilities may have special expenses related to their health care or living arrangements that can be recognized in calculating their need for assistance.   Undergraduates can request an additional review of financial aid eligibility by completing a “Changes to Reported Information” form, which can be downloaded from the OSFS website (new window).  Students are also encouraged to discuss their concerns with a counselor in the Office of Student Financial Services to explore the options available to meet their changed or special circumstances.

Changes in Enrollment Status:  Students who change their enrollment status from full time to part time in any semester, or students who withdraw from the University prior to the end of a semester will typically become eligible for less financial aid than students enrolled full time for an entire academic year. Students considering making a change in their enrollment status should contact the Office of Student Financial Services to determine what impact an enrollment change will have on their eligibility for financial assistance.

Receipt of External Scholarships & Benefits:  Students must report their outside scholarships, tuition, veterans, and other educational benefits to the GU Office of Student Financial Services through Georgetown’s MyAccess (new window) student services portal by going to the “Award Information” then to the “Resources/Additional Information” tabs.  Under federal law and University policy these resources must be considered in determining need-based financial aid eligibility.

Students who receive need-based financial aid from Georgetown and also receive outside-sponsored scholarships or outside-sponsored tuition benefits may (where possible) use their external awards to reduce the expected family contribution, (but only in cases where the expected GU family contribution is higher than the minimum expected Federal family contribution), and/or to reduce or eliminate their Federal Work-Study employment, and/or to reduce or eliminate their student loan, before any adjustment is made in their Georgetown Scholarship award.  If the total amount of a student’s outside scholarships exceeds the amount of adjustments that can be made to the expected family contribution, and/or work, and/or loan, then the outside scholarship may reduce the student’s eligibility for Georgetown Scholarship. Under federal law and Georgetown University policies, no student may receive more financial aid than meets his/her demonstrated financial need.  

Federal Pell Grants and Georgetown University Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) benefits are used to meet a student’s need for Georgetown University Scholarship aid; Pell and TAP awards will replace/reduce Georgetown scholarships 100% on a dollar-for-dollar basis.

The OSFS works closely with the GU Veterans Office to connect student veterans with the resources they need to successfully transition from combat to classroom to career.  Students should contact the veterans office to determine if they qualify for veterans educational benefits.  Once eligibility for Veterans Administration (VA) funding has been determined, students must report the VA benefit to the OSFS to determine how it may impact eligibility for other components of the student’s need-based financial aid. 

Under NCAA rules, student-athletes must report all external awards and the criteria under which the student-athlete was considered for the award, e.g. athletic talent, academic merit, and/or financial need.  If athletic participation is any component of the external award criteria or selection process the external award will count against the student-athlete’s NCAA team limits, so the student-athlete’s ability to accept the external award will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Department of Athletics in consultation with the OSFS.

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Student Responsibility for Monitoring GU E-mail & MyAccess

The GU Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS) helps students and their families determine what aid they might be eligible to receive from dozens of college financial aid and financing programs, and by managing award disbursements that are in compliance with each sponsor’s rules and regulations. The OSFS expects students to be active partners in that process and to take personal responsibility for monitoring the progress of the financial aid applications and award disbursements that are managed on their behalf by the OSFS.

The OSFS typically emails official notices about the processing of aid and financing applications and disbursements to student’s official Georgetown University email addresses.  Students are expected to monitor their GU email, including their SPAM folders, and must take prompt action when appropriate in response to notices sent by the GU OSFS.

Students are also expected to monitor their financial aid applications, financial aid disbursements, and University billing statements on a regular basis via Georgetown’s MyAccess (new window) student services portal. They can login to their accounts using their NETID and password to view whether a required form or document is missing from their financial aid record, learn how to take appropriate corrective action to resolve the issue quickly, accept or reject any aid offered, monitor that all of their financial aid awards have been paid to their student billing account, and view their current student billing account balance.

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Financial Aid Award Renewals

Annual Application & Need Analysis Requirement:  Students are required to complete a new financial aid application each year and their eligibility for need-based financial aid is reviewed annually. This is necessary because the costs to attend college change each year, applicants’ financial circumstances may change from year to year, and the sources of financial aid program funding may change. 

Maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP):  Federal regulations require that, in order to be eligible for assistance from any Federal Higher Education Act Title IV student aid program (Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, Federal Work-Study, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan, Federal PLUS Loan) a student must be making “satisfactory academic progress” toward the completion of a degree or eligible certificate program.  This requirement also applies to a student’s eligibility for Georgetown scholarship and Georgetown Loan.

Please note that these standards do not replace or supersede Georgetown’s academic regulations or individual schools’ regulations and procedures regarding progress towards graduation. Georgetown’s student financial aid SAP policies for undergraduate students are similar, but not identical, to the university’s official Academic Regulations published elsewhere in this Undergraduate Bulletin. Students should review and comply with both sets of policies and ask for clarification as needed. Questions regarding the student financial aid SAP policy should be directed to the Office of Student Financial Services; questions regarding the university’s academic regulations should be directed to a student’s academic Dean’s office.

The Federal SAP standards for undergraduate students require the following components:

1. Qualitative Standard: Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 at the end of their sophomore year, and at the end of each semester thereafter.
2. Quantitative Standard: Students must complete at least two-thirds of courses attempted. At Georgetown, standard undergraduate enrollment is 12–15 credits per semester. Transfer credits and AP credits that have been accepted as part of the degree program will count as both attempted and completed hours toward degree completion. Incompletes (until resolution), withdrawals after the add/drop period, and failing grades all count as attempted but not completed credit hours.
3. Maximum Time Frame for Degree Completion: Students must be completing credits at a rate which would enable them to complete the bachelor’s degree in a maximum time frame of 150% of a normal time frame to complete the degree. Undergraduates are expected to graduate in four years after completing a minimum of 120 credits. Therefore, undergraduates must complete their degree in 6 years or 12 semesters in order to meet the Federal SAP standards.

Satisfactory academic progress of financial aid recipients must be tracked from the first date of enrollment regardless of whether or not financial aid was received. Additionally, transfer credits and repeated courses must be counted as attempted courses and must also count toward the maximum time frame to complete a degree.

Satisfactory academic progress is reviewed at the end of each semester, including the summer session. If students meet the SAP standards, they remain eligible for federal and university financial aid. Otherwise, they may be placed in either a “Financial Aid Warning” status, or a “Financial Aid Ineligible” status.

SAP Status—Financial Aid Warning: Students who do not meet the SAP standards will be given a “Financial Aid Warning” for their next semester of enrollment. The “Financial Aid Warning” is only provided for the next semester after the student fails to meet SAP. Students will be notified via their GU email address of this status within a month of the end of the semester. Students are not required to take any action during this warning semester.

SAP Status—Financial Aid Ineligible: Students who fail to meet the SAP standards at the end of the “Financial Aid Warning” semester and do not have an approved appeal will enter a “Financial Aid Ineligible” status. Students in this status are not eligible for Federal Title IV financial aid or university aid. In some cases, financial aid may have disbursed prior to the notification of “Financial Aid Ineligible” status. When this situation occurs, the financial aid will be cancelled and removed from the student’s Georgetown billing account.

SAP Appeal Process: Students have the right to appeal any decision of ineligibility to continue to receive financial assistance. The appeal may not be based upon financial need for the assistance or lack of knowledge that financial aid was in jeopardy. An appeal would normally be based upon some unusual situation, condition, or other mitigating circumstances which prevented the student from passing courses or which necessitated that a student withdraw from classes. Examples of possible situations include documented serious illness, severe injury, or death of a family member. Additionally, an explanation of what has changed that will allow the student to meet SAP standards in the next evaluation must be provided. Appeals can only be approved if the Georgetown Special Circumstances Reconsideration Committee determines that the student will be able to meet minimum SAP standards after the next payment period or that the student has agreed to follow an academic plan established by the student’s Dean’s Office that, if followed, will ensure that the student can meet minimum SAP standards by a specific future point in time. Students will be notified via their GU email account regarding the results of the SAP appeal.

SAP Status—Financial Aid Probation: Students whose SAP appeals are approved and are not on an academic plan (see below) will be notified via email that they will receive financial aid on a conditional basis for one semester. If they fail to enroll after an appeal has been approved, they will be placed on “Financial Aid Ineligible” status and must submit a new SAP appeal. The GU Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS) will review each student’s record at the end of their probationary semester to determine whether they are meeting the minimum SAP requirements. Students who fail to meet SAP after their probationary semester will revert to an aid ineligible status. They may submit another appeal if there was a different event or set of circumstances that contributed towards failing to meet SAP.

SAP Status–Academic Plan:  Students whose need more than one semester to meet the overall SAP standards are required to have an approved academic plan from their Dean in order for their SAP appeal to be approved by the GU Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS). The conditions of the academic plan will be outlined in a letter emailed to the student at the GU email address of record.

Academic plans may determine what classes the student may need to take, limit the amount of credits taken per term, require a certain GPA or pace at the end of each semester, etc. The main goal of the academic plan is to ensure that the student is able to meet the SAP requirement at a specified point in time.

If the student has been approved for an academic plan, their SAP status will be considered as “Financial Aid Probation”. The GU Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS) will review each student’s record at the end of their probationary semesters to determine whether they are meeting the minimum SAP requirements. Failure to meet the conditions of the academic plan will result in the student being ineligible for federal and institutional financial aid for the next semester.  This includes students who fail to enroll after an appeal has been granted or who do not follow the approved academic plan. The student may appeal again with a revised academic plan to have their financial aid eligibility reinstated.

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Financial Aid Program Descriptions

The programs offered by Georgetown University to help students meet college costs are briefly described below. Visit the Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS) website (new window) for the most current detailed information about these financial aid programs, who is eligible, and how to apply for them.

Need-Based Georgetown Institutional Scholarships:  Each year Georgetown University awards millions of dollars in need-based scholarships to several hundreds of eligible undergraduates. Individual awards range in value from $1,000 to more than $70,000 per year, depending on the student’s financial need.  

A portion of the scholarship assistance Georgetown awards to eligible undergraduates is funded by the generous gifts of University benefactors. Without this support from alumni and friends of the University, Georgetown would not be able to continue to meet the full financial need of all our aid applicants.  Named scholarships are offered to students who are eligible for Georgetown scholarship assistance who meet the additional selection preferences specified by the donors. A complete list of the named funds that have been donated to the University to support scholarships for undergraduates can be found on the OSFS website (new window).  Applicants are considered for these scholarships when they complete the standard Georgetown financial aid applications for need-based aid.  There is no additional application process (beyond the applications required to apply for need-based financial aid) for these named Georgetown Scholarships because they are awarded solely based on demonstrated financial need.

Many of our donors take a personal interest in the students who receive named scholarships funded by their gifts. Students selected for some of the named scholarships listed on our website may be asked to write a letter of appreciation to the donor of the scholarship fund, or to attend events to acknowledge the generosity of the donor. Students are strongly encouraged to participate in these activities in support of continued fundraising for the University’s financial aid programs.

Federal & State Grants:  Federal Pell Grants are awarded by the U.S. Department of Education to students determined to have significant financial need.  The amount of each individual grant award depends on the student’s financial eligibility and enrollment status.   Students apply for the Federal Pell Grant by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Georgetown receives a small allocation of Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) funds from the U.S. Department of Education each year. These funds are awarded to students with the greatest financial need, most of whom will also be Federal Pell Grant recipients. FSEOG funds are used in conjunction with Georgetown University Scholarship funds to meet the need for undergraduate scholarship assistance.  Students residing in certain states that offer portable funding may be eligible to receive state grants for study at Georgetown University. Most states provide information about application procedures and deadlines to high school guidance offices, and further information is available from each state’s education agency.

ROTC Scholarships:  Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) scholarships are available for up to four years of undergraduate study at Georgetown University. The Army ROTC program is based at Georgetown University, and students may participate in the Air Force and Navy programs through the Washington Consortium of Universities (new window).

External Outside Scholarships: Many philanthropic organizations and others offer scholarships for college study. To learn more about these opportunities, visit the GU Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS) website (new window) which has a page with links to several free scholarship online search engines.

Tuition Benefits:  Many employers offer to pay all or part of the college tuition of their employees and their dependents. Typically, the organization’s personnel or human resources office can provide information about tuition benefits for employees and their dependents.  Georgetown provides tuition benefits to eligible University employees for various types of educational expenses. Applications and further information are available from the GU Office of Faculty & Staff Benefits (new window).

Military Educational Benefits:  The Georgetown University Veterans Office website (new window) describes the wide range of resources available to members of the military  pursuing higher education, including Military Education Benefits and the Yellow Ribbon Program.  Further information is available from the Georgetown University Veterans Office.

Student Employment & Federal Work-Study:  Currently enrolled students who wish to work part-time during the academic year or full-time during the summer can obtain employment through the Georgetown University Student Employment Office (new window) (SEO).  Georgetown participates in the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program, which ensures employment opportunities for eligible students by providing a federal subsidy to the earnings paid to program participants by their employers. Many Federal Work-Study jobs offer opportunities for  earning funds to pay educational costs while doing work related to a student’s academic interests and/or community service: students are employed to help solve problems related to health care, literacy training, education, welfare, social services, transportation, public safety, crime prevention and control, and community improvement.  Georgetown also offers an Employment Referral Service (ERS) for currently enrolled students seeking on and off-campus employment who are not eligible for need-based Federal Work-Study funding.  For more information visit the GU Student Employment Office (SEO) website (new window).

Federal Direct Student Loans:  The subsidized Federal Direct Loan Program is available for undergraduates only; interest on the loan is paid by the federal government and repayment is deferred as long as the student remains in school on at least a half-time basis. Unsubsidized Direct Loans are also available for students who are not eligible for the need-based federal interest subsidy. Visit the OSFS website (new window) for information about current program rules and interest rates.

Nursing Student Loans:  Georgetown offers these loans to undergraduate Nursing majors who demonstrate exceptional financial need. No interest accrues while the borrower remains in school on at least a half-time basis.  Visit the OSFS website  (new window)for information about current program rules and interest rates.

Federal Direct Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS):  Under this federally sponsored program, each year parents may borrow an amount up to the full cost of attendance at Georgetown minus all other financial aid the student is receiving.  Visit the OSFS website (new window) for information about current program rules and interest rates.

Private Education Loans:  Private education loans are offered by many lending institutions to assist students and their families with meeting college expenses. Students considering a private education loan program should carefully consider the terms and conditions of the loan.  The maximum amount a student may borrow per academic period is the total cost of attendance minus all financial aid received. It is recommended that borrowers utilize their potential federal student and parent loan eligibility prior to exploring private education loans.  Visit the OSFS website (new window) for information about current program rules and interest rates.

GU Monthly Payment Plans:  Through Georgetown University’s monthly payment plans, all or a portion of the cost of attendance may be paid in monthly scheduled installments.  Visit the GU Office of Revenue and Receivables website (new window) for more information about Georgetown’s monthly payment plans.

Tuition Insurance:  The A.W.G. Dewar Company offers students the opportunity to insure their payments to the University for billable charges. This significantly extends the University’s refund policies for insured students who withdraw from the University. Participation in this program is optional. Further information about the costs of this optional insurance and coverage under the plan can be obtained by visiting the Dewar Company website (new window).

Georgetown University Emergency Loans & Advances on Anticipated Refunds of Credit Balances:  To assist currently enrolled Georgetown students meet unanticipated expenses in exceptional circumstances, the GU Office of Revenue and Receivables administers these programs in consultation with the OSFS. Typically, only one loan or advance is allowed per semester.  Approved disbursements are charged directly to the student’s billing account record, and if they are not repaid or are not reimbursed by future aid disbursements then they are subject to the service charges imposed on outstanding balances due to the University. Applications and additional information may be obtained from the GU Office of Revenue and Receivables (new window).

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Financial Aid & GU Billing Accounts

Billing Statements:  Students who indicate an intention to enroll at Georgetown by paying an enrollment deposit or pre-registering for classes will be billed by the GU Office of Revenue and Receivables (new window), typically in June for the fall semester and November for the spring semester. Electronic copies of the student bill are periodically posted online. Upon the issuance of a new bill, an email is sent as a notification that a new bill is accessible via Georgetown’s MyAccess (new window) student services portal. Each student’s bill will include actual tuition charges and required fees, as well as any other known charges such as housing and meal plans for students living on campus and credits for financial aid funds eligible for disbursement to the student.

Financial Aid Notices & Budgeting Costs and Aid:  Students who apply for financial aid receive a financial aid eligibility notice from the GU Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS). All students can also view their financial aid notices online using their Georgetown NETID and password to login to their Georgetown MyAccess (new window) account. A financial aid eligibility notice is not a billing statement. The financial aid notice reports the financial assistance a student is eligible to receive for the academic terms indicated based on the average costs of education at Georgetown and the expected contribution/responsibility from the student and his/her family toward all of those expenses.  Students should use the information in the financial aid notice to plan how they will pay the amount owed to the University as reflected in the billing statement they receive from the University Office of Revenue and Receivables (direct expenses), and other educational expenses not included in the University’s bill, e.g., rent for non-University housing, costs for food if not enrolled in full University meal plan, books, supplies, personal expenses (indirect expenses).

Financial Aid Credited to Billing Account: With the exception of Federal Work-Study employment earnings that are paid by payroll check, enrolled students who have accepted their offer of financial aid and completed all requirements for the disbursement of the aid offered will have their aid credited to their student billing account statement.

“Memoed” or Estimated Credits for Pending Aid: Credits for pending undisbursed financial aid offers will be included on the bill as “memo items” to indicate that additional actions on the part of either the student or the sponsor of the aid are required before the funds can actually be disbursed to the student’s billing account.

“Memoed” estimated financial aid items on the bill may temporarily reduce the amount the student must pay by each semester’s payment deadline, but they cannot be credited in full to the student’s billing account until all requirements for disbursement have been met.   Memoed aid may be canceled if the requirements for disbursement are not met, and any resulting balance due to the University must be paid by the student by the payment deadline.  

A typical example of a financial aid disbursement requirement that must be met before memoed aid can be paid to a student is the requirement that federal student loan borrowers must complete “entrance” counseling; until the student borrower completes “entrance” counseling the loan funds will appear on the billing account as a “memo”; after the requirement is completed the loan proceeds will actually be disbursed to the student’s billing account. 

Another example of a disbursement requirement is the federal government’s requirement that students must officially “accept” their financial aid award offers before payments can be disbursed to their student billing accounts. 

Federal Work-Study earnings are not credited to student’s billing accounts, but instead are paid directly to students by payroll check for actual hours worked.

Fall semester memoed credits for undisbursed aid will be removed from the bill on October 1st; Spring semester memoed credits for undisbursed aid will be removed from the bill on March 1st. Any resulting payable amounts due to the University (including amounts due that were previously covered by a memoed credit for undisbursed aid) must be paid in full at that time or will be subject to service charges.  Financial aid recipients may consult with their financial aid counselors in the GU Office of Student Financial Services if they need advice on how to manage an outstanding balance due.

Student Employment Earnings Are Not Credited to Bill:  Student employment earnings (including those subsidized through the Federal Work-Study program) are paid directly to the student in a bi-weekly paycheck as they are earned.  While these earnings must be used to meet educational expenses, they are not credited to student’s University billing accounts but are paid directly to students by payroll check for hours worked.  Many students use their earnings to pay for non-billed educational expenses like books and supplies or personal education-related expenses.   Expected future earnings from student employment will not appear as credits against the balance due on the University’s billing statement and students may not subtract these expected resources when computing the amount that must be paid to the GU Office of Revenue and Receivables by the announced payment due dates. 

External Grants, Scholarships, and Benefits: Enrolled students who have reported their outside-sponsored grants, scholarships, and benefits to the Office of Student Financial Services will receive an actual or estimated credit on their bills for any payments received or reported. Some outside-sponsored payments may appear on a student’s billing statement as “estimated” if the sponsor has not yet sent the payment to Georgetown, pending confirmation of enrollment or grades.

Third Party Billings:  If all or a portion of a student’s bill will be paid by an outside third party that requires a bill before it will pay (e.g., a government agency, embassy, or corporation), then students must present authorization to bill to the GU Office of Revenue and Receivables (new window). If the documentation presented includes proper authorization to bill, the Office of Revenue and Receivables will send an invoice to the third party to collect the appropriate payment on behalf of the student.

Late Financial Aid Applications and Payment Deadlines: Students who fail to submit a timely and complete financial aid application well before the student billing account payment deadlines may be subject to a non-payment fee and/or service charges on the balance due to the University, even if they are later found to be eligible for financial aid after the payment deadlines.  A financial aid award that is less than the student or family expected, or a pending request for additional financial aid due to special circumstances typically does not excuse the student from making payment in full by the payment due date.

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Financial Aid & The IRS

U.S. Citizens—Taxable Aid:  Under current law some forms of financial aid may be considered taxable by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The amount of a student’s total scholarships/fellowships that exceed the cost of tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment is generally considered by the IRS to be taxable income. Information about what to report to the IRS and how to report it can be found on the IRS website and in the IRS tax topic#421 (new window).

Disbursements under the Federal Work-Study Program are earned income and as such are subject to federal, state, and local tax withholding. Students employed at Georgetown University will receive a W-2 form documenting all earnings at Georgetown (including Federal Work-Study Program earnings) and any taxes withheld, and students must report those earnings as income on federal, state, and local tax returns where appropriate. Students should consult their tax advisors for further information.

U.S. Citizens—Tax Benefits for Education:  U.S. tax benefits may be available to help eligible families save for, or pay, education costs. The annual IRS Publication 970: Tax Benefits for Education (new window) describes the most current benefits available, including tax credits to reduce the amount of taxes paid, and deductions for certain eligible education expenses. Students should consult their tax advisors for further information.

Requirements for Payments Made to Students Who Are Non-U.S. Citizens:  The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires special tax treatment and reporting of payments made to non-U.S. citizens. Students who are not citizens of the United States and who receive financial assistance, scholarships, fellowships, tuition waivers, or compensation for services performed are subject to the IRS withholding and/or reporting requirements.  Students should consult their tax advisors for further information.  Questions about Georgetown University payments made to non-U.S. citizens may be directed to the Georgetown University Tax Department (new window) at taxdepartment@georgetown.edu.  The GU Tax Department does not provide personal income tax advice; it is responsible for setting up Non Resident Aliens (NRA) in the Georgetown payroll and accounts payable systems to allow for applicable treaty benefits and ensure proper withholding and tax reporting. 

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