Outside Scholarship Policy

The following policy will take effect for the 2025-2026 academic year. Here is a link to the current policy in effect through the end of the 2024-2025 academic year.

You must notify the Financial Aid Office if you receive scholarships or other sources of financial aid from non-Macalester sources. Macalester’s policy on the treatment of outside scholarships and awards is detailed below. Please note that outside awards do not affect merit-based scholarships from Macalester (DeWitt Wallace Distinguished Scholarships, Catharine Lealtad Scholarships, Macalester College National Merit Scholarships, and Charles J. Turck Presidential Honor Scholarships)*.

1. The first $10,000 you receive in outside scholarships will not impact your need-based grants from Macalester.
2. If you receive more than $10,000 in outside scholarships, half of the amount exceeding $10,000 will replace need-based grants from Macalester.
3. After making the adjustment above, we will recalculate your Federal Subsidized Direct Loan eligibility (if applicable) based on your FAFSA results. In some cases, your loan eligibility and/or student employment eligibility will be reduced if your total financial aid exceeds your cost of attendance.
4. See additional policy details below.

*ACM TREP and ACTC DTAP are exceptions to this statement. Merit scholarships from Macalester may not exceed $1,000 if the student receives one of these benefits.

Example

An example of how an outside scholarship would affect an existing financial aid package is shown below.

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Why do non-Macalester scholarships affect financial aid from Macalester?

Macalester provides financial aid packages that meet 100% of every admitted student’s demonstrated financial need. Our commitment to financial aid is significant, and over ninety percent of the grants and scholarships delivered to our students come from our own funds. Most of the financial aid from Macalester is made possible by gifts from alumni and friends of the College.

But Macalester’s financial aid budget is finite. We would not be able to provide full financial aid packages to all admitted students if we could not count on the help of outside scholarships, Federal Pell Grants, and state grants as part of meeting the needs of all students. Our aid program is built on the premise that all of these types of financial aid will work together to support our students.

At the same time, we recognize that students who win outside scholarships have often made extra effort to obtain them. For this reason, our policy allows most students to receive outside scholarships without affecting their need-based grants from Macalester.

Additional Policy Details

• Total financial aid will be capped at the total cost of attendance.
• Need-based grant, entitlements, and benefits from federal, state, or other sources (including tuition benefits from student/parent employer) will replace need-based Macalester College grants and/or scholarships dollar for dollar (e.g., a $1,000 state grant will replace $1,000 of Macalester College Grant).
• Post-911 GI Bill, Yellow Ribbon Program, and other Veterans Administration educational benefits will be considered resources for the purpose of determining eligibility for financial aid from Macalester. Your self-help will be reduced first. After that, your need-based aid from Macalester will be reduced. It is important to note that Macalester provides a matching grant for students eligible to participate in the Yellow Ribbon program. Matching grants may impact non-need-based scholarships from Macalester. Additionally, matching grants may be prorated based on your remaining VA eligibility. More information about VA Benefits and billing.
• Financial aid from federal, state, and other sources will be adjusted in response to receipt of outside scholarships and awards in accordance to eligibility rules established by the Department of Education or other program administering body. For instance, scholarships from outside sources may affect the availability of subsidy for Federal Stafford Loan purposes.
• After the adjustments described above, Macalester will calculate the maximum available Federal Direct Loan based on Federal Student Aid regulations. Notices of financial aid eligibility will include the maximum available Federal Direct Loan unless all or a portion of the Federal Direct Loan has been declined. If a Federal Direct Loan was accepted prior to outside scholarship adjustments, Macalester will maintain the total accepted loan amount regardless of subsidy (as permitted by Federal Student Aid regulations).
• Outside scholarships are regulated by NCAA Division III rules (bylaw 15.2.3.5). Outside scholarships may consider high school athletic participation but are subject to these restrictions:
  • Must be awarded to a student initially enrolling in college (not to continuing students);
  • Renewal criteria may not be based on athletics;
  • Awards must be available for use at any institution;
  • Award donors may have no direct connection to Macalester;
  • Award programs must be established and continuing (not created for one-time award).

    Students may not accept awards that do not comply with these rules. Awarding agencies may be asked to certify compliance.

• Search for Outside Scholarships