Dartmouth admitted about 6% of first-year applicants last cycle (1,699 out of 28,230). Early Decision is a real advantage here: 768 of 3,552 ED applicants got in, roughly 22%. ED is binding, though, so your student should only use it if Dartmouth is the clear first choice and you’re comfortable letting the aid offer arrive after you’ve committed.
The SAT or ACT is required again for students in U.S. high schools, and Dartmouth superscores both. Students apply through the Common App or QuestBridge, and the first-year application fee is $85 (fee waivers are available and won’t hurt the application).
QuestBridge Match (need-based) and King Scholars (international)
Financial Aid Forms
FAFSA & CSS Profile
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Dartmouth (Read This First)
There is no merit money. None. A perfect transcript doesn’t lower the price at Dartmouth. The only thing that does is financial need, so every family who might qualify should apply for aid.
Early Decision aid paperwork is due the same day as the application. The CSS Profile and tax documents (through IDOC) are due November 1 for ED. Regular Decision families have until February 1.
The $125K promise has fine print. The $0 parent contribution applies to families under $125,000 with typical assets, and for divorced families it’s based on both parents’ combined income.
Outside scholarships can’t lower what parents pay. They first replace your student’s work and summer earnings, then cut Dartmouth’s grant. They never reduce the parent contribution.
Two costs sit outside the sticker price. Health insurance ($5,216 unless you show comparable coverage) and a required computer ($1,700 for the basic package). Aid can help with both, so ask.
Some of the best programs have no application. Hanlon, Coulter, and Gerstner Scholars are picked straight from the admissions file, so the application itself is the audition.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? No. Dartmouth College is test-required for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 32-35; SAT: 1440-1550.
Average net price? About $29,519/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
No. It is a private school, so everyone pays the same rate.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Dartmouth College: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Dartmouth College has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly $1,900 to $4,800 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$95,382
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$73,854
Housing & meals (typical)
$21,528
Total billed cost
$95,382
Average federal net price: $29,519 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
Reading This Table at Dartmouth
Dartmouth charges every student the same price, so the in-state and out-of-state columns match. It also runs on three 10-week terms instead of two semesters; the yearly numbers above cover a standard three-term year. Dartmouth’s full official budget for 2026-27 is $98,427 once you add about $1,005 for books and supplies and $2,040 for personal costs. There are no regional discounts like NEBHE because it’s a private college. Every dollar of price relief comes through need-based aid.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Dartmouth
What does a family under $125,000 actually pay?
With typical assets, the parent contribution is $0. Your student still has a share to cover: $1,000 to $3,000 a year from summer or leave-term work, an on-campus job during the year, and part of their own savings. That covers the gap Dartmouth’s scholarship doesn’t.
We earn between $125,000 and $175,000. Is Dartmouth out of reach?
No. Families in that range with typical assets can expect grants that cover full tuition. Above $175,000 there’s still no income cutoff, so families with several kids in college or unusual expenses often qualify too. Run the net price calculator before ruling it out.
Will we have to take out loans?
Not as part of the aid offer. Dartmouth meets 100% of demonstrated need with scholarship, grants, and work, never a required loan. Families can still choose to borrow to cover their own expected share.
Why is the average net price about $29,500 if aid is so generous?
That federal average only includes students who received grants, and it mixes every income level together. A family at $60,000 and a family at $250,000 land in very different places. The net price calculator on Dartmouth’s site gives you a much better number for your own situation.
What costs aren’t in the table?
Health insurance is required: $5,216 for 2026-27 unless your student has comparable coverage. First-year students also need a computer that meets Dartmouth’s specs ($1,700 for the basic package). New students pay a one-time $269 fee and $250 for meals during orientation. Travel to Hanover is on you, though a travel allowance is built into the budget.
Does studying abroad cost more?
Not for families on aid. Dartmouth runs more than 40 off-campus programs, and students on need-based aid pay the same net price for a term abroad as a term in Hanover. Extra costs are covered with more scholarship, though students usually buy their own plane ticket.
Do we have to reapply for aid every year?
Yes. Renewal applications open in the fall and are due April 1. Aid moves with your family’s finances, so a job loss or a second child starting college can raise it.
October 1: CSS Profile and FAFSA open for the coming year.
November 1: Early Decision application and ED aid documents (CSS Profile and IDOC) due.
Mid-December: ED decisions arrive with a tentative aid offer.
January 1: Regular Decision application due.
February 1: RD aid documents due, plus the FAFSA for both ED and RD families.
Late March or early April: RD decisions arrive with aid offers.
Parent rule of thumb: if your student is applying ED, start the CSS Profile in early October. Gathering tax documents takes longer than you think.
Automatic Aid at Dartmouth (It’s All Need-Based)
Dartmouth does not give automatic merit scholarships for GPA or test scores. What it does instead is arguably better for most families: every admitted student who applies for aid is automatically considered for the Dartmouth Scholarship, and Dartmouth promises to cover 100% of demonstrated need with no required loans. There’s no separate scholarship application. The CSS Profile, IDOC, and FAFSA are the application.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Onlyneed based
Dartmouth Need-Based Aid (Full-Need Commitment)
📅 Deadline: 11-01 · 📢 Results: Aid offers released alongside admission decisions and on a rolling basis through summer. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ No extra application beyond the CSS Profile, IDOC, and FAFSA. Need-blind for everyone, including international students.
👥 ~Institutional policy, not a capped award: every admitted student with demonstrated need receives aid. winners/yr🎓 All UndergradOpen to every admitted first-year who applies for aid, regardless of citizenship. Dartmouth is need-blind for all applicants. Aid is recalculated every year. A noncustodial parent profile is required for divorced or separated families.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Outside scholarships first replace the student's work expectation and leave-term earnings, any health insurance cost Dartmouth isn't already covering, and (for first-years) the computer allowance. Anything beyond that reduces the Dartmouth Scholarship dollar for dollar. Outside money can never be used to lower the parent contribution. All outside awards, including employer tuition benefits, must be reported to the Financial Aid Office.
💡
Strategic Detail
Dartmouth meets 100% of demonstrated need for every admitted student with scholarship, grants, and a modest work expectation, and never includes a required loan. Families earning under $125,000 with typical assets can expect a $0 parent contribution. Families earning $125,000 to $175,000 with typical assets can expect scholarship and grants covering full tuition. There is no income cutoff for applying. Students on aid are expected to contribute $1,000 to $3,000 a year from leave-term or summer earnings plus a share of their own savings. CDS 2025-26: the average need-based scholarship for first-years was $71,873, and 100% of need was met for every aided student.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any admitted student whose family income and assets show need under Dartmouth's institutional methodology. Families under $125,000 with typical assets see a $0 parent contribution, and families up to $175,000 typically see tuition fully covered. Higher-income families with several children in college or unusual expenses can still qualify, which is why Dartmouth tells everyone to apply.
Data last verified Oct 12, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Note: The income guidelines ($0 parent contribution under $125,000, full tuition covered from $125,000 to $175,000) assume typical assets. Big savings, investments, home equity, or a family business can change the result, which is why Dartmouth asks for so much paperwork.
Automatic Aid: FAQs (Dartmouth)
Does Dartmouth give any scholarships for grades or test scores?
No. Dartmouth’s Common Data Set reports no merit-only awards. All Dartmouth Scholarship money is based on need.
Is the Dartmouth Scholarship guaranteed?
If Dartmouth’s formula shows your family has need, yes. Dartmouth meets 100% of demonstrated need for every admitted student, including international students.
Does applying for aid hurt my student’s chances of getting in?
No. Dartmouth is need-blind for every applicant, U.S. and international, so admissions doesn’t consider whether you applied for aid.
What forms do we need?
The CSS Profile, tax documents through IDOC, and the FAFSA. Divorced or separated families also need the noncustodial parent’s information unless Dartmouth grants a waiver.
What is the student expected to pay?
Roughly $1,000 to $3,000 a year from summer or leave-term work, plus a part-time campus job during the year and a share of the student’s own savings.
Does the aid stay the same all four years?
It’s recalculated every year. Families reapply by April 1, and the package moves with your finances. Expect the student work share to rise slightly in later years.
Dartmouth has no competitive merit scholarships of the kind you see at big public universities. No essay contest, no finalist weekend, no “Presidential Scholarship.” The two big full-ride paths below are both built around financial need, and one is only for international students.
✅ What Happens When Your Student Wins an Outside Scholarship?
Outside Money Goes To…
Order
Parent Translation
Student work and summer earnings
First
Your student can work fewer hours or keep their summer money.
Uncovered health insurance
Next
Any part of the $5,216 plan Dartmouth isn’t already paying.
First-year computer
Next (first year only)
Can cover the allowable cost of the required laptop.
Dartmouth Scholarship
Last
Anything left over reduces Dartmouth’s grant dollar for dollar.
Parent contribution
Never
Outside scholarships cannot lower what Dartmouth expects parents to pay.
The honest takeaway: a $2,000 local scholarship is still worth winning, because it gives your student breathing room on work and summer savings. Just don’t expect it to shrink the parent’s bill. Everything you report to Dartmouth, including employer tuition benefits, gets folded in.
Full RideApp Requiredneed based
QuestBridge National College Match
📅 Deadline: Apply through QuestBridge by its fall National College Match deadline. Finalists who rank Dartmouth submit the Dartmouth Writing Supplement, QuestBridge Addendum, CSS Profile, and FAFSA by November 1. · 📢 Results: Match decisions are released in early December by QuestBridge. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
Full four-year, loan-free financial aid package meeting 100% of demonstrated need, plus $0 parent contribution and a scholarship covering the Dartmouth Student Group Health Plan and a computer up to $1,700
✔ Stackable
⚠ Open to any QuestBridge Finalist regardless of citizenship, but students must first qualify through QuestBridge's national low-income, high-achievement process.
👥 ~Number of Match offers varies year to year and is set by Dartmouth in coordination with QuestBridge. winners/yrOpen to U.S. and international applicants who qualify as QuestBridge Finalists. Eligibility is determined by QuestBridge (income, achievement, and circumstance thresholds), not by Dartmouth directly.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Matched students start with a $0 parent contribution. Outside scholarships replace the work expectation and summer earnings first, and reduce the Dartmouth Scholarship only after that.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through QuestBridge by their National College Match deadline and rank Dartmouth in your school list. If you become a Finalist and rank Dartmouth, your QuestBridge application is forwarded to Dartmouth and you submit additional required materials (Dartmouth Writing Supplement, QuestBridge Addendum, financial aid documents, transcripts, test scores if applicable) through your Dartmouth Applicant Portal by November 1. Matched students receive a binding admission with full aid.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Matched students receive a four-year, loan-free package covering tuition, housing, meals, and required fees, plus a scholarship for the full cost of the Dartmouth Student Group Health Plan ($5,216 in 2026-27) and up to $1,700 toward the required computer. Aid is renewed each year with continued need. The Match is binding. Finalists who rank Dartmouth but don't match roll into Regular Decision automatically and can opt into Early Decision instead.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: QuestBridge Finalists from low-income families with top grades in a demanding curriculum who rank Dartmouth in the Match. QuestBridge, not Dartmouth, decides who becomes a Finalist.
Full RideAutomaticidentitygeographic
King Scholars Program (International)
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Students are considered through Early Decision (Nov 1) or Regular Decision (Jan 1) admission. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Ride
Full four-year scholarship covering tuition, room, and board, plus health insurance, a first-year laptop, and annual round-trip travel between Dartmouth and the student's home country
✔ Stackable
⚠ International students only (not U.S. citizens or permanent residents), from low-income backgrounds, with a commitment to tackling social issues in their home country.
👥 ~Small cohort each year; Dartmouth does not publish a set number. winners/yrOnly international students (not U.S. citizens or permanent residents) are considered. The Admissions Office selects scholars based on academic excellence, demonstrated leadership, and a documented commitment to addressing social issues such as poverty in the student's home country.
✚
Stacking & Combining
The package is built to cover the full cost of attendance, so outside awards generally won't add to the bottom line.
💡
Strategic Detail
King Scholars attend Dartmouth for four years with full financial aid covering tuition, room, and board, plus health insurance, a new computer in the first year, and funding for one trip home per year. Scholars get pre-orientation support, ongoing academic mentoring, leadership training, the First-Year Summer Enrichment Program, and an international alumni network.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
International students from low-income backgrounds, often first in their family to attend college, with strong academics and a concrete plan to address poverty or another major social issue back home.
Data last verified Oct 12, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Is Dartmouth a QuestBridge partner?
Yes, and it has been for about a decade. Students who match with Dartmouth get a four-year, loan-free package covering tuition, housing, meals, fees, health insurance, and up to $1,700 for a computer, with a $0 parent contribution.
Is a QuestBridge match binding?
Yes. A student who matches with Dartmouth is committing to attend. Finalists who rank Dartmouth but don’t match roll into Regular Decision automatically and can opt into Early Decision instead.
When are QuestBridge materials due to Dartmouth?
Finalists who rank Dartmouth submit the Dartmouth Writing Supplement, the QuestBridge Addendum, the CSS Profile, and the FAFSA by November 1.
Who can get the King Scholarship?
Only international students from low-income backgrounds who are committed to tackling poverty or another social issue back home. There’s no separate application. Dartmouth selects King Scholars from the regular admissions pool.
Does Dartmouth offer National Merit or Stamps freshman scholarships?
No National Merit money. Dartmouth does have a Stamps Scholars program, but students apply for it as sophomores. See the Scholar Programs section below.
🧠 Parent Strategy: The Money Shows Up After Move-In
At Dartmouth, the aid offer is only part of the story. Three campus offices quietly fund a lot of what your student will want to do, and none of it shows up in the award letter:
Financial Aid’s 4E Fund for glasses, co-pays, laptop repairs, interview clothes, grad school fees, and emergency flights home.
SURFD (undergraduate research) for paid research starting freshman year, leave-term research grants, and conference travel.
The Guarini Institute for study abroad, where your aid travels with your student.
Parent translation: send your student the links below before fall term. The families who use these are the ones who know to ask.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
These aren’t automatic. Most need a short application, a faculty mentor, or both. But they stack on top of need-based aid and can turn Dartmouth’s flexible calendar into paid research, travel, and real work experience.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Onlyneed based
Dartmouth 4E Fund
📅 Deadline: Rolling. Apply any time during enrolled terms through DartHub; requests are reviewed weekly with answers in about two weeks. ✓ Renews
$500
✔ Stackable
⚠ For students from lower-income backgrounds who receive Dartmouth aid.
👥 ~No fixed number; funding is limited and requests may be partially funded. winners/yr🎓 All UndergradEnrolled undergraduates from low-income backgrounds receiving Dartmouth financial aid.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Paid on top of the regular aid package. Awards may be taxable for some students.
💡
Strategic Detail
Endowment-funded help for the costs that a financial aid package doesn't cover: eyeglasses, medical co-pays and deductibles, computer repair, graduate school application fees, interview clothes, visa costs for off-campus programs, conferences, and emergency flights home. Many requests are capped at $500. High-need first-years automatically get a gift card for winter clothing with no application. It cannot pay for costs already in the cost of attendance, personal devices, or leave-term expenses.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Lower-income students on aid who ask. The biggest mistake is not knowing the fund exists.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only
Study Abroad Aid (Dartmouth Off-Campus Programs)
📅 Deadline: No separate aid application. Program application deadlines are set by the Guarini Institute for each off-campus program. ✓ Renews
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
The family contribution stays the same as an on-campus term. Students usually buy their own plane ticket and sometimes meals, so part of the family contribution goes toward those instead of tuition. Exchange programs are funded the same way; transfer terms at other schools are not.
💡
Strategic Detail
Dartmouth runs more than 40 off-campus programs, and over half of students take part in at least one. Students on need-based aid pay the same net price for a term abroad as a term in Hanover. Costs above a normal campus term are covered with extra Dartmouth Scholarship, and the work expectation is replaced with scholarship for full-term programs.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any student receiving Dartmouth need-based aid who enrolls in an approved Dartmouth off-campus program or official exchange.
App Requiredmajor
Dartmouth ERAS (Early Research Access in the Sciences)
📅 Deadline: Fall term of first year only, through an interview and matching process. Dates are posted on the SURFD ERAS timeline page. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ First-year students only, in the sciences. Must be eligible to work in the U.S.
👥 ~Competitive; number of matches depends on faculty projects. winners/yrFirst-year students only. Not combinable with another Dartmouth-funded research program the same year.
✚
Stacking & Combining
ERAS hours count toward the work-study expectation in the aid package, so the student gets research experience while earning the money they were already expected to earn.
💡
Strategic Detail
Program staff match first-year students with science faculty for part-time paid research in winter and spring terms, 6 to 10 hours a week and up to 100 hours a term. Pay is hourly at the student minimum wage ($16.25 an hour on the current SURFD page). No research experience is expected, and students without prior research access are especially encouraged.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Curious first-years in the sciences, including students who never had lab access in high school.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
URAD Research Assistantships
📅 Deadline: Due by 5pm one week before the last day of classes in the term before the research term. Four cycles a year; current dates are posted on the SURFD deadlines page. ✓ Renews
$1,700
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Number of assistantships per term depends on program funding. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Research stipends sit on top of the aid package and are not designed to reduce the Dartmouth Scholarship.
📄
How to Apply
Students with a faculty research placement submit a URAD application before each term’s deadline to receive assistantship funding for about 100 hours of research.
Selection criteria: Selection is based on the quality of the research experience, student preparation, and available funding.
✎ Essays
💡
Strategic Detail
Students who line up a faculty research mentor can apply for a URAD assistantship for part-time research the following term, about 100 hours. The stipend is $1,700, paid after the research is completed. Faculty endorsements are due one week after the student deadline.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Mostly sophomores and juniors who have already found a faculty mentor willing to take them on.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Leave Term Research Grants
📅 Deadline: Due by 5pm in the middle of the term before the research term. Four cycles a year; faculty recommendations are due one week later. Current dates are on the SURFD deadlines page. Non-Renewable
$6,500
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Funding levels and number of awards each term depend on available UGAR resources. winners/yr🎓 All Undergrad
✚
Stacking & Combining
Grant funding for leave-term research does not reduce the student's aid package for on-campus terms.
📄
How to Apply
Submit an UGAR application outlining a faculty-mentored research project, including proposal and budget, by the relevant term deadline for a leave-term research grant.
Selection criteria: Reviewers consider project quality, feasibility, intellectual merit, and strength of faculty mentorship.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Dartmouth's D-Plan gives students off-terms during the year, and this grant pays them to spend one doing full-time research with a Dartmouth faculty mentor. Awards go up to $6,500. Late applications are not accepted.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with a clear, faculty-backed project and a realistic plan for a full-time research term.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
SURFD Conference Travel Grants
📅 Deadline: Two deadlines every term: Friday of week 5 and the last day of classes, by 5pm. Funding arrives 2 to 3 weeks after notification. Non-Renewable
$1,000
✔ Stackable
🎓 All UndergradResearch must be faculty-mentored at Dartmouth. Maximum two grants per student.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Covers conference costs only and does not affect the aid package.
💡
Strategic Detail
Pays $1,000 toward registration, travel, and lodging when a student presents research done with a Dartmouth faculty member at a national or international conference. Students can receive up to two over their undergraduate years. The student must be listed as a presenter; class projects and on-campus conferences don't qualify.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students already doing faculty research who get a talk or poster accepted.
Full TuitionApp Required
Army ROTC Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Three national board rounds for high school seniors, running from fall through early March. Applications open in June after junior year. Check goarmy.com for current round dates. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Full Tuition
Army ROTC scholarship covering tuition and fees or room and board, plus a $420 monthly stipend and $1,200 a year for books
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Number of awards is determined nationally by the U.S. Army each year. winners/yr
✚
Stacking & Combining
Dartmouth treats ROTC money like any outside scholarship: it first replaces the work expectation and summer earnings, then reduces the Dartmouth Scholarship. It cannot lower the parent contribution, so for students already receiving large need-based grants the net savings can be small.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the national Army ROTC scholarship application, including academic records, fitness assessment, and interview, by the posted board deadlines and enroll in Army ROTC while attending Dartmouth.
Selection criteria: Selection is based on academic record, leadership and extracurricular involvement, physical fitness, and officer potential.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Dartmouth offers Army ROTC on campus. Army ROTC scholarships cover either tuition and fees or room and board, plus $420 a month during the school year and $1,200 a year for books. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, have at least a 2.50 unweighted GPA, take the SAT or ACT, and pass a fitness assessment. The service obligation is eight years, and students can leave the program after freshman year with no obligation.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: U.S. citizens with strong academics, leadership, and fitness who genuinely want to serve as Army officers.
Data last verified Oct 12, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
What is the Dartmouth 4E Fund?
Extra money from Dartmouth’s endowment for lower-income students on aid, covering the costs a financial aid package misses. Many requests are capped around $500, applications go through DartHub, and answers usually come within two weeks. High-need first-years get a winter clothing gift card automatically.
Can a first-year really get paid to do research?
Yes. Dartmouth ERAS matches first-years with science faculty for paid part-time research in winter and spring, and those hours count toward the work-study expectation. No prior research experience is needed.
What’s a “leave term,” and why does it matter for money?
Dartmouth’s D-Plan lets students take terms off during the school year. Leave Term Research Grants pay up to $6,500 for a full-time research term, which can be worth more than a typical summer job.
Does an Army ROTC scholarship save us money at Dartmouth?
It depends on your aid. ROTC pays tuition and fees or room and board, plus $420 a month and $1,200 a year for books. Dartmouth treats it as an outside scholarship, so it replaces student work first and then reduces Dartmouth’s grant. It never lowers the parent contribution. Families with little or no need see the biggest savings.
Does study abroad cost families on aid extra?
No. Your family contribution stays the same as a campus term, and Dartmouth adds scholarship to cover the higher program cost. Plan on buying the plane ticket yourself.
Dartmouth doesn’t have an Honors College. Instead, it runs a set of small scholar programs and fellowships through its Scholars Programs, Undergraduate Research, and Fellowships office (SURFD). They come with real money for research, internships, and travel, plus a faculty mentor and a small cohort. They fall into two lanes, and knowing which lane matters a lot for how your student approaches the application.
Lane
Programs
How Students Get In
Picked at admission
Hanlon, Coulter, Gerstner
No separate application. Dartmouth chooses scholars from the admissions file.
Apply once you’re there
Stamps, Mellon Mays, E.E. Just, Presidential Scholars, Senior Fellowship
Mostly sophomore-year applications that need a faculty mentor lined up first.
Scholar Programs & Fellowships
Automatichonors
Hanlon Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Scholars are selected through Dartmouth admissions (Early Decision Nov 1 or Regular Decision Jan 1). · 📢 Results: Scholars are named at the time of admission. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$20,000
✔ Stackable
⚠ Selected through regular Dartmouth admissions with no separate application. Dartmouth reads every application for it.
👥 ~Approximately 8 new scholars per entering class. winners/yrSelection is need-blind. Open to any matriculated undergraduate; primary selection happens at admission. The upper-class campus selection cycle has closed and no future cycles are anticipated.
✚
Stacking & Combining
All scholars who demonstrate financial need also receive Dartmouth scholarship support for all four years. Gentes experiential learning grants supplement (rather than reduce) Dartmouth aid and other research funding, subject to cost-of-attendance limits. Cohort programming is available to all Hanlon Scholars whether or not they receive financial aid.
💡
Strategic Detail
Named for President Emeritus Philip J. Hanlon '77 and funded by $32 million in alumni gifts. Each Hanlon Scholar is eligible for up to $20,000 total across their four undergraduate years through Gentes Experiential Learning Grants (named for Gail Gentes, Hanlon's wife), with the potential to apply for additional funding. Grants fund research, internships, conferences, leadership training, supplies, and creative or entrepreneurial ventures. The program supports a cohort of 24 active scholars at any given time, with roughly 8 new scholars per entering class selected pre-matriculation through the admissions process.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Academically distinguished applicants who can demonstrate a real commitment to creating positive change, through service, activism, leadership, or entrepreneurial work, and who show the resourcefulness and creative thinking to follow through. Selection happens during admissions review based on the same materials any applicant submits, so this is rewarded character and trajectory, not a separate essay tournament.
Automatichonorsmajor
Coulter Scholars Program (STEM)
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Scholars are selected through Dartmouth admissions (Early Decision Nov 1 or Regular Decision Jan 1). · 📢 Results: Scholars are named at the time of admission. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Picked from the admissions pool for STEM-bound students, with preference for groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM. No separate application.
👥 ~Approximately 4 new scholars per entering class (16 active total). winners/yrSelection is need-blind and open to all matriculated undergraduates planning to major in a STEM field. Scholars must declare a STEM major and maintain academic progress. The upper-class campus selection cycle has closed.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Coulter stipends stack with Dartmouth need-based aid and other UGAR research grants up to cost-of-attendance limits. The Penny and Jim Coulter Scholars Enrichment Endowment Fund provides annual stipends during sophomore, junior, and senior years (plus a fifth year for BE Engineering students).
💡
Strategic Detail
Funded by a $25 million investment from Penny and Jim Coulter '82 as part of Dartmouth's STEM diversity initiative. Each Coulter Scholar is eligible for a minimum of $5,000 per year starting sophomore year through senior year (and into a fifth year for BE Engineering degree recipients), with the potential to apply for additional funding. Stipends fund research, internships, conferences, and professional development. The program supports a cohort of 16 active scholars.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Academically promising STEM-bound students with a demonstrated curiosity for science, engineering, or math. Selection preference goes to students from groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM, applicants with strong academic promise in those fields, and students whose scholarship and goals align with the program's mission of growing STEM leadership.
Automaticneed basedmajor
Louis V. Gerstner Jr. Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: No separate application. Scholars are selected through Dartmouth admissions (Early Decision Nov 1 or Regular Decision Jan 1). ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$15,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Only for U.S. residents who are first-generation college students with high financial need and a STEM focus. Chosen from the admissions file, with no separate essay.
👥 ~Small cohort of Scholars selected from each entering class. winners/yrU.S. residents who will be first in their family to attend college, have high financial need, and show strong promise in STEM. Selected before enrollment through the admissions process.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Gerstner grants sit on top of the student's full need-based aid package rather than replacing it.
💡
Strategic Detail
Created in 2020 by former IBM CEO Louis Gerstner '63 and renewed in 2024 with a $6 million gift. The program supports a cohort of 18 scholars. Each is eligible for up to $15,000 a year in experiential learning grants in sophomore, junior, and senior years for research, conferences, or leave-term internships, contingent on approved plans and academic progress.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: First-generation, high-need applicants with standout STEM records and leadership potential. Dartmouth picks them from the regular application.
App Required⚠ Upperclassmen Onlyhonors
Stamps Scholars Program
📅 Deadline: February 15 by 11:59pm of sophomore winter term. ✓ Renews (2 yrs)
$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Small cohort selected each cycle (typically around 10 new Scholars per year, with about 20 active scholars across both year cohorts). winners/yr🎓 UpperclassmenSophomore standing (completed 3–6 terms by the end of winter); transfer students should contact the Scholars Programs team to confirm eligibility. Major declaration must be complete or in progress. Faculty mentor must be secured and have agreed to the full two-year commitment before you submit.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stamps funding supplements other aid rather than replacing it. Students may apply to Stamps, Mellon Mays, and E.E. Just but can participate in only one.
📄
How to Apply
Apply in winter of sophomore year through the Student Research Funding App. You'll need a major declaration complete or in progress, a faculty mentor secured before applying, a written proposal (background, proposed work, timeline/D-plan, use of funding), an unofficial transcript, and your resume, uploaded as a single PDF. Funding for the second year depends on first-year progress and a refreshed plan.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Stamps Scholars receive up to $10,000 per year for two years (junior and senior years) to fund active-learning experiences that enhance academic and professional development, things like fieldwork travel, equipment, conference attendance, summer immersion, or material costs for a creative project. Dartmouth's program is part of the national Stamps Scholars network across roughly 40 partner institutions.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Academically engaged, intellectually curious sophomores who can articulate an ambitious but realistic two-year plan, research, creative project, or interdisciplinary exploration, and who've already done the legwork of securing a faculty mentor willing to commit to the full two-year arc.
App Required⚠ Sophomore Onlymajorhonors
Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF)
📅 Deadline: February 15 annually. ✓ Renews (2 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ For future PhD students in the humanities or humanistic social sciences. Not for pre-med, pre-law, or other professional tracks; F-1 visa holders are not eligible.
👥 ~About 5 Mellon Mays Fellows plus 3 Associate Fellows per year (8 total per cohort). winners/yr🎓 SophomoreSophomore standing (exceptions by request), a major in the humanities or humanistic social sciences, and a commitment to pursuing a PhD. F-1 visa holders are not eligible. Students headed to medical, law, or other professional school are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Fellowship funding stacks with Dartmouth need-based aid.
📄
How to Apply
Apply by February 15 of sophomore year through Dartmouth's MMUF Canvas site. Application includes coursework reflection, your plans for a major in humanities or humanistic social sciences, and a personal essay on how your life experiences and academic aspirations contribute to MMUF's goals. Faculty references are evaluated. The Dartmouth program coordinator (Professor Michelle Warren, comparative literature) and associate coordinator review applications.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
A two-year fellowship that prepares students for PhD programs and careers as professors, with research support, mentoring, and a cohort of fellow scholars. Applications are due February 15 of sophomore year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Sophomores in the humanities or humanistic social sciences who are seriously planning on a PhD and an academic career.
App Required⚠ Sophomore Onlymajorhonors
E.E. Just Undergraduate Fellowship (STEM)
📅 Deadline: Applications open in early December and close in late February of sophomore year. Reference requests are due two weeks before the deadline. ✓ Renews (2 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Built for STEM sophomores planning a PhD who can secure a Dartmouth faculty research mentor and commit to active participation in the E.E. Just Community throughout junior and senior years.
👥 ~Small cohort; size not publicly published. winners/yr🎓 SophomoreMust be a Dartmouth sophomore majoring in a STEM discipline, planning to apply to a PhD program in STEM after graduation, and committed to the E.E. Just Community's mission. Research mentor must be a Dartmouth faculty member (College, Geisel, Thayer, or Tuck). International students should review tax implications, stipends may be subject to up to 14% withholding without a tax treaty.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stipends stack with Dartmouth need-based aid. Fellows aren't eligible for separate UGAR Leave Term Grants for the same research (the EEJUF already funds that), but they can pursue other complementary funding. Selected fellows are also expected to participate in E.E. Just programming (weekly Jam Sessions, Dartmouth Adventures in STEM pre-orientation leadership), so this is a meaningful time commitment.
📄
How to Apply
Apply in sophomore year through the E.E. Just Program (applications open early December through late February). You'll need to identify a Dartmouth faculty research mentor in advance, develop a research proposal in close consultation with that mentor, and submit two faculty references, one from your proposed research mentor and one general reference who knows you well academically. Submit the reference request form at least two weeks before the application deadline.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
The E.E. Just Undergraduate Fellowship is a two-year fellowship spanning sophomore summer through senior year. Fellows are eligible each year for funding to support up to one term of full-time research (40 hours/week) during a leave term, plus up to three terms of part-time research (8–10 hours/week) during residence terms. Fellows also receive professional development funding for conferences and other career-building activities, 24-hour card access to the E.E. Just Space in Wilder 113, and structured mentorship from an E.E. Just Faculty Fellow. Fellows submit quarterly reports on their research.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
STEM sophomores planning on a PhD who already have a faculty research mentor and a proposal developed with that mentor. This is not a fellowship students apply to cold.
App Required⚠ Junior Onlyhonors
James O. Freedman Presidential Scholars
📅 Deadline: Eligible sophomores are notified in winter. Applications open the first day of spring term and close in early May. Late applications are not accepted. Non-Renewable
$1,700
✔ Stackable
⚠ Invitation-only based on GPA. If Dartmouth emails you in winter of sophomore year saying you're eligible, you can apply for a paid two-term research role with a faculty mentor during junior year. No email, no application.
👥 ~Limited cohort each year, capped by available faculty research slots and program budget. winners/yr🎓 JuniorEligibility is determined by Dartmouth based on cumulative GPA at the end of sophomore winter. If you don't receive an email notifying you of your eligibility, you can't apply. Faculty mentors must hold tenure-line, research-track, or lecturer/senior lecturer appointments at Dartmouth.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stipends are paid as research fellowship payments at the end of each completed term (lump sum, not hourly wages). You can't receive both a Presidential Scholars stipend and additional wages for the same research, but the stipend stacks normally with Dartmouth need-based aid and other UGAR programs in different terms.
📄
How to Apply
Eligibility is GPA-based and Dartmouth notifies eligible students directly in the winter of sophomore year. If you receive the eligibility email, apply in spring term of sophomore year through the UGAR application portal with a faculty mentor in place and a research plan for two terms during your junior year. Faculty endorsement is required and due one week after the student application deadline.
✎ Essays💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
The program is named for former Dartmouth President James O. Freedman and pairs eligible juniors with faculty for two terms of part-time research (7–12 hours/week, roughly 100 hours total per term). The stipend is $1,700 per term ($3,400 total across the two terms), paid as a lump sum at the end of each term contingent on completion. Both terms must occur during junior year R-terms.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Sophomores with strong academic records (Dartmouth uses an internal GPA cutoff to determine eligibility) who can identify a faculty mentor willing to bring them onto a research project for two terms of junior year. Selection emphasizes the quality of the proposed research and the fit between student interest and faculty project.
App Required⚠ Senior Onlyhonors
Senior Fellowship
📅 Deadline: Interest form by week 6 of winter term junior year; full application due April 15 of junior spring for a fall start. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
👥 ~Highly selective; the Committee on Senior Fellowships approves a small number each year based on the strength of proposals. winners/yr🎓 SeniorMust be a Dartmouth AB-degree-seeking undergraduate. Faculty primary advisor must be Dartmouth faculty eligible to direct independent work in their department or program. Some departments restrict faculty participation in Senior Fellowships, so check with your department early. Students in Scholars Programs (Stamps, Hanlon, Coulter, Gerstner) can apply.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Senior Fellowship funding stacks with Dartmouth need-based aid. Dartmouth funds may not be used for personal profit from the project.
📄
How to Apply
Submit the Senior Fellowship interest form by the 6th week of winter term junior year (one term before the application term). UGAR will contact you to set up an initial meeting. Then submit the full application by April 15 of spring term junior year (two terms before fellowship start). The application includes a detailed written proposal addressing project outcome, advisors, your background and preparation, justification (why a fellowship instead of existing courses), and major plans. Faculty recommendations are due the third week of the application term. The Committee on Senior Fellowships evaluates and selects.
✎ Essays🎤 Interview💌 Letters of Rec
💡
Strategic Detail
Senior Fellows spend senior year on an independent project in place of a traditional major, and the project title appears on the transcript. Outputs can be a thesis, film, musical work, art portfolio, or other major project. Each faculty advisor can supervise only one Senior Fellow per year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Juniors with the academic background, faculty support, and intellectual maturity to propose a year-long independent project too ambitious or unusual to fit any existing major or honors thesis. Successful applicants have already built strong relationships with faculty willing to commit substantial time as advisors, and their proposals make a compelling case for why no combination of existing courses could accomplish the same intellectual work.
Data last verified Oct 12, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
*Hanlon and Coulter both closed their on-campus application cycles for current students. New scholars now come only through admissions.
Mentor First, Application Second: Stamps, Mellon Mays, E.E. Just, and the Senior Fellowship all expect a faculty mentor to be on board before your student applies. The students who win these started building relationships with professors in their first year. Paid first-year research through Dartmouth ERAS is one of the easiest ways to get that started.
Departmental Honors (Beyond Scholar Programs)
Honors theses run through each academic department, not a central office. Thesis research funding now comes from the department too.
Student-designed majors are available for students whose interests don’t fit an existing major.
Senior Fellowship lets a small number of students replace a traditional major with a year-long independent project.
Scholar Programs: FAQs (Dartmouth)
Is there an Honors College or honors program to apply to?
No. Dartmouth uses scholar programs, fellowships, and departmental honors instead of an Honors College.
How does my student become a Hanlon, Coulter, or Gerstner Scholar?
By applying to Dartmouth. There’s no separate form. Hanlon looks for students committed to making positive change and comes with up to $20,000 over four years. Coulter is for STEM-bound students, with at least $5,000 a year starting sophomore year. Gerstner is for first-generation, high-need STEM students, with up to $15,000 a year.
Can my student apply to more than one fellowship?
They can apply to Stamps, Mellon Mays, and E.E. Just in the same year but can take part in only one. Students in any of those can still apply for a Senior Fellowship.
How does the Presidential Scholars program work?
It’s invitation-only. Sophomores with strong GPAs get an email in winter saying they’re eligible, then apply in spring for two terms of paid research with a professor during junior year, at $1,700 per term.
Do these programs reduce our financial aid?
No. These programs are built to add to need-based aid, not replace it. Scholars who have need keep their full aid package.
Dartmouth is the smallest school in the Ivy League, with about 4,700 undergraduates in Hanover, New Hampshire. What makes it different is how much faculty attention undergrads get. The student-to-faculty ratio is under 8 to 1, 98% of first-years come back for sophomore year, and about 95% graduate within six years. It’s a liberal arts college at heart that happens to sit next to a medical school, an engineering school, and a business school.
The D-Plan:
Dartmouth runs on four 10-week terms a year, and students choose which terms to take off. Most spend the summer after sophomore year on campus, which frees up a fall or spring “leave term” when internships and research spots are much less crowded. Combined with more than 40 off-campus programs and research money for leave terms, the calendar is one of Dartmouth’s biggest practical advantages.
Economics and Government: Consistently the two most popular majors, and a big reason Dartmouth grads show up in finance, consulting, law, and public service.
Computer Science: One of the largest majors, with paid research open to students as early as freshman year.
Engineering: Students can earn a liberal arts degree in engineering sciences and add a professional Bachelor of Engineering through Thayer School of Engineering.
Biology and Pre-Health: A top-five major, with Geisel School of Medicine on campus for research connections.
Native American and Indigenous Studies: A long-standing department, and Dartmouth just launched a Tribal Sovereignty Institute in 2026.
🔗 Official Dartmouth College Links
Use Dartmouth’s official resources below to check admissions details, aid policies, costs, and deadlines. Always rely on these pages for final dates and award terms.
Here’s the kitchen-table version of Dartmouth: it won’t pay your student for being smart, but it will pay for almost everything if your family needs it. Under $125,000 with typical assets, parents pay nothing. Up to $175,000, tuition is typically covered. Nobody gets handed a loan as part of the offer.
The catch is that all of this depends on paperwork. If your student is applying Early Decision, the CSS Profile and tax documents are due November 1, right alongside the application. Once your student is there, the smartest move is learning where the extra money lives: the 4E Fund, paid research through SURFD, and study abroad that costs the same as staying in Hanover. A small school with a flexible calendar and deep pockets rewards the families who know to ask.
Your kid did everything right. That does not mean the money follows.
Most families build a college list first and think about scholarships second, which is backwards. This free four-part series shows you where the money actually comes from, and how to build a list around it.
After the series, about once a month, sometimes twice during application season. No drip funnels, no affiliate pitches, and we never sell your information. Unsubscribe anytime.
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Written by Leo Dimilo
I started CollegeReadyParent while working through college costs for my own kid, and quickly figured out that the number a school advertises and the number a family actually pays are two very different things. Since then I’ve gone school by school pulling apart award letters, scholarship pages, and cost sheets to find what families are supposed to just know. This site is the version of that research I wish someone had handed me. More about Leo →
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