Financial Aid Office

New Students

Congratulations on your decision to attend Macalester! Stay tuned for information about your New Student Portal, which you will be able to access in late May. The New Student Portal will provide instructions for accepting or declining loans you have been offered, applying for on-campus jobs, and completing any required financial aid documents.

Current Students

If you have not yet completed your financial aid application for next year, please try to do so by May 15. Students who complete their aid application by this date will receive notification of their financial aid eligibility in mid-June.

You can still complete your application after May 15, but your financial aid letter may be delayed. Please 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 financialaid@macalester.edu.

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.