Financial Aid Office

Summer Hours

The Financial Aid Office is open Monday through Thursday from 8am to 12pm and 1pm to 4:30pm (Central Time). On Fridays, the office is open from 8am to 12:30pm.

New Students

Congratulations on your decision to attend Macalester! Please log in to your New Student Portal to view a list of any financial aid checklist items that you need to complete. The New Student Portal will provide instructions for accepting or declining loans, applying for on-campus jobs, and completing any required financial aid documents.

The Student Accounts office produces fall semester billing statements in mid-July, with payment due in mid-August. Our bill estimating worksheets can help you determine how much you will owe. Please note that if you plan on enrolling in a payment plan, one of the plan options begins in June.

Current Students

Students who completed their financial aid application by May 15 will receive notification of their financial aid eligibility in early June. If you have not yet completed your financial aid application for 2025-2026, please do so as soon as possible. We will continue to award financial aid throughout the summer as applications are completed.

Check the Money Matters tab of 1600grand to view a list of any outstanding items or documents. You can also review instructions for renewing your aid as a current student.

Communication From Our Office

In an effort to conserve resources, we will limit the number of paper financial aid eligibility notifications sent from our office. Students will receive initial eligibility notifications in the mail and electronically. Subsequent notifications will be electronic only. Paper notifications are sent to the permanent address on file with the Registrar.

If you would prefer to receive paper notifications (sent to your SPO during the academic year), please send an email to [email protected].

2024-2025 Key Facts and Figures

89% of Macalester students receive a grant or scholarship from Macalester.

The average need-based financial aid package totals $65,189

The average financial aid package includes the following:

Grants/scholarships: 86%
Loans: 9%
Student Employment: 5%

More financial aid facts and figures are available on our Macalester Financial Aid In Brief page.

Merit Scholarship Opportunities

More than half of Macalester students are recipients of a merit-based scholarship (many of those students also receive need-based financial aid). All applicants for admission are considered for Macalester’s merit scholarships; no additional scholarship application is required. Merit scholarship awards range from $8,000 to $100,000 over four years. More information about Macalester’s Merit Scholarships.