Princeton University Scholarships (2026–2027)
← Back to college scholarships hub • See New Jersey aid & Grants
Last Updated on October 4, 2026- Tuition, housing, and average family net price
- Automatic merit ranges and qualifier benchmarks
- Flagship and hidden-gem awards
- Honors and stacking strategy
📊 Admissions Snapshot
- Acceptance Rate: ~4%
- Middle 50% ACT: 34-35
- Middle 50% SAT: 1490-1560
- Average GPA: 3.96
Forget the $94,000 sticker for a minute. Princeton publishes what a typical family is asked to pay each year based on income:
| Family income | Typical yearly family share |
|---|---|
| Up to $150,000 | $0 (tuition, housing, food, books, and personal costs covered) |
| $200,000 | About $12,500 |
| $250,000 | About $25,000 (no tuition) |
| $300,000 | About $37,500 |
| $350,000 | About $50,000 |
These are Princeton’s averages for U.S. families with one child in college and less than $175,000 in assets. Your number depends on income and assets, so run Princeton’s net price calculator before you rule anything out.
Comparing multiple schools? Try the Scholarship Tool to search by GPA, test scores, and state →
📌 Princeton University at a Glance
- There is no merit money. None. Every dollar Princeton gives is based on what your family can pay. Great grades and scores help your student get in, not get paid.
- Aid deadlines are not application deadlines. The application is due Nov 1 (early) or Jan 1 (regular), but the financial aid application is due Nov 9 or Feb 1. QuestBridge Match students need their aid paperwork in by Nov 1.
- It’s Princeton’s own form, not the CSS Profile. The card above may say “FAFSA Only,” but you need the Princeton Financial Aid Application (PFAA) plus the FAFSA. Princeton does not use the CSS Profile or IDOC.
- Outside scholarships shrink Princeton’s grant, not your bill. If your student wins a $2,000 local award, Princeton’s grant usually drops by $2,000. Your family share stays the same.
- Testing changes next year. Students applying this fall for fall 2027 are the last test-optional class. Starting with the 2027-28 cycle (fall 2028 entry), SAT or ACT scores are required.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Princeton University is test-optional for admission.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: 34-35; SAT: 1490-1560.
Average net price? About $16,562/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity? No. It is a private school, so everyone pays the same rate.
Princeton Novogratz Bridge Year: Information for Families: https://oip.princeton.edu/our-programs/novogratz-bridge-year/information-families
Princeton IIP: Financial Matters: https://oip.princeton.edu/our-programs/international-internships/financial-matters
Princeton Financial Aid: Study Abroad: https://finaid.princeton.edu/policies-procedures/study-abroad
Princeton OIP: Dean's Fund for Summer Study Abroad: https://oip.princeton.edu/our-programs/study-abroad/financial-matters/summer/deans-fund
Princeton OIP: SAFE: https://oip.princeton.edu/our-programs/office-student-opportunities-and-funding-administration/safe
CollegeScorecard / Admissions: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
💰 Cost of Attendance at Princeton University: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in October 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Princeton University 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 $1,800 to $4,500 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
| Tuition & mandatory fees | $68,454 |
| Housing & meals (typical) | $22,120 |
| Total billed cost | $90,574 |
Average federal net price: $16,562 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.
The table above shows what actually lands on the Princeton bill: tuition ($68,140), fees ($314), housing ($13,010), and food ($9,110), for about $90,574. Princeton’s full 2026-27 cost of attendance is $94,624 because it also counts books and supplies ($1,050) and personal expenses ($3,000), plus travel that can run anywhere from $50 to $5,000 depending on how far away you live. Those extras are never billed, but they are built into your student’s aid budget, which is why low-income students often get help with more than just the bill.
Princeton uses its own formula, not the federal one. For most U.S. families it works out to about 25% of income above $150,000, plus 5% of parent and student assets above $175,000. Everything between that number and the full cost gets covered with grant money you never pay back.
Example: A family earning $200,000 with modest savings: $200,000 minus $150,000 is $50,000. Twenty-five percent of that is $12,500 a year. Princeton covers the rest of the roughly $94,600 budget.
Princeton is private, so there’s no in-state discount and regional programs like the Academic Common Market or WUE don’t apply. A family in New Jersey and a family in Texas start from the same number. The only thing that changes your price is your family’s finances.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Princeton University
Why does the federal net price look different from Princeton’s own numbers?
The federal net price in the yellow box is based on past years of data for first-year students who got grant aid, so it lags behind. Princeton reports that for 2026-27, aid recipients pay an average of about $7,574 toward tuition, fees, housing, and food after an average grant of roughly $83,000. Both are averages. Your family’s number comes from the net price calculator.
Will my student have to take out loans?
No. Princeton dropped loans from aid packages back in 2001 and replaced them with grants. Princeton says 89% of recent seniors graduated debt-free. Loans are still available if a family chooses to borrow its share. The Princeton Parent Loan was 6.80% fixed and the federal Parent PLUS loan was 9.07% for 2026-27, but nobody is required to borrow to cover need.
Do we have to reapply for aid every year?
Yes. Families submit the Princeton Financial Aid Application each year. Princeton meets full demonstrated need every year, but the dollar amount can move if your income, assets, or household changes, or as costs go up.
We live in New Jersey. Does that change anything?
Tuition is the same. New Jersey residents may see a state Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) in their package, but Princeton counts it as part of the aid, not on top of it. Your total doesn’t go up. File the FAFSA on time so the state award doesn’t fall through.
Is there help buying a laptop?
Students on need-based aid can ask to raise their budget by up to $3,500, one time, for a computer and accessories. In most cases that increase is covered with an optional loan. The exception: if an outside scholarship already reduced your Princeton grant that year, you can use the reduced grant money toward the computer instead.
What about health insurance?
Students who aren’t covered by a family health plan must buy Princeton’s Student Health Plan. If that’s your situation, ask the aid office how it fits into your student’s budget before you sign up.
https://admission.princeton.edu/cost-aid
https://admission.princeton.edu/cost-aid/fees-payment-options
https://rotc.princeton.edu/financial-aid
https://finaid.princeton.edu/policies-procedures/computer-purchases
https://finaid.princeton.edu/how-aid-works/types-aid
📅 Princeton Aid Timeline (Simple Version)
- Oct 1: The Princeton Financial Aid Application (PFAA) and the FAFSA open for the coming year.
- Nov 1: QuestBridge Match finalists who rank Princeton must have the PFAA and tax documents in.
- Nov 9: Aid deadline for single-choice early action (PFAA, parents’ 2025 tax return and W-2s, FAFSA, noncustodial parent form if it applies).
- Feb 1: Aid deadline for regular decision (same paperwork).
- Mid-December / late March: Your aid offer arrives at the same time as the admission decision.
Parent rule of thumb: start gathering tax returns and W-2s the week your student hits “submit.” A missing document is the most common reason an aid offer shows up late.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Princeton (Short Answer: None)
This institution does not offer designated Automatic Merit scholarships at this time.
Why this matters: At a lot of schools, a high-stat student from a family earning $200,000 might win a big merit award. At Princeton that same student pays based on family finances, which for that income is typically about $12,500 a year. For many families that still beats the merit offer somewhere else, but you only find out by running the numbers.
Automatic Aid: FAQs (Princeton University)
Does Princeton give any merit scholarships?
No. All Princeton aid is need-based. Strong academics matter for admission, not for the size of the aid package.
If we qualify for need-based aid, is it guaranteed?
Yes, for admitted students. Princeton meets 100% of demonstrated need with grant aid, and its most recent Common Data Set shows every student with need had that need fully met.
Does applying for financial aid hurt my student’s chances?
No. Princeton admission is need-blind, which means asking for aid is not held against your student in the admission decision.
Does Princeton superscore the SAT or ACT?
Partly. Princeton lets students use SAT Score Choice, but it won’t mix scores from the paper and digital SAT. For the ACT, Princeton uses only the highest single composite score.
Are test scores required?
Not for students applying this fall for fall 2027; they are the last test-optional class. Starting with the 2027-28 cycle (fall 2028 entry), every applicant must submit the SAT or ACT. If your student is a junior now, plan on testing.
Can international students get the same aid?
Princeton applies the same financial aid policy to international students. One catch: the net price calculator is only built for families in the U.S. and Canada, so families elsewhere should contact the aid office for an estimate.
https://finaid.princeton.edu/apply-aid-prospective-students
https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/first-year-application-dates-deadlines
https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/standardized-testing
https://admission.princeton.edu/cost-aid
https://ir.princeton.edu/other-university-data/common-data-set
🏆 Flagship Scholarships (Competitive Scholarships)
- Princeton has partnered with QuestBridge since 2006 and has matched with hundreds of students.
- A Match with Princeton is binding. If your student matches, they withdraw every other application.
- The financial aid application and tax documents are due Nov 1. Princeton can’t match with a student whose aid file isn’t complete.
- Students who rank Princeton but don’t match anywhere binding are automatically considered in regular decision. Princeton actually admits more QuestBridge finalists through regular decision than through the Match.
- All QuestBridge finalists get an application fee waiver.
✅ Can You Stack Aid at Princeton?
| Aid Type | How It Fits | Parent Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Princeton University Grant | The base | Fills the gap between the full cost and your family share. Never paid back. |
| Federal Pell / New Jersey TAG | Counted inside the package | These lower the Princeton grant by the same amount. Your total aid doesn’t change, but file the FAFSA so the money isn’t missing. |
| Outside Scholarships | Replaces grant | Reduces Princeton grant dollar for dollar. Your family share stays the same. |
| ROTC | Replaces grant first | Any need above the ROTC award is still covered by Princeton grant. |
| Program Funding (Bridge Year, IIP, Dean’s Fund, SAFE) | Separate | Pays for a specific experience and doesn’t touch the regular grant. Covered in Hidden Gems below. |
| Athletic Scholarships | Not offered | Ivy League schools don’t give athletic scholarships. Recruited athletes get the same need-based aid as everyone else. |
If your student is the kind of kid who would win a big competitive scholarship somewhere else, Princeton won’t add a bonus on top. What it does instead is promise to cover whatever your family can’t, every year, without loans. For middle-income families, that promise is often worth more than a one-time merit award.
This institution does not offer designated Competitive scholarships at this time.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
Why doesn’t Princeton have flagship scholarships?
Princeton puts all of its aid money into need-based grants for every admitted student who needs help. There’s no separate pool set aside for merit awards.
Is the QuestBridge Match binding?
Yes. If your student matches with Princeton, they must withdraw all other applications. That’s why QuestBridge families should run the net price calculator first and be sure Princeton is the top choice.
What if my student is a QuestBridge finalist but doesn’t match?
If they ranked Princeton and didn’t match with any binding school, Princeton reviews them in regular decision using the same standards. If admitted, they get Princeton’s regular need-based aid.
Will top test scores earn extra money?
No. Scores can help with admission, but Princeton’s aid is based only on family finances.
Does Princeton offer National Merit scholarships?
No. Princeton doesn’t sponsor National Merit awards. If your student wins one from a company or other outside sponsor, Princeton treats it like any outside scholarship: it reduces the Princeton grant, not your family share.
What if our finances change after we get the offer?
Princeton has a change-in-circumstances review for things like job loss or big medical bills. Contact the aid office with documentation as soon as it happens.
https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/questbridge
https://finaid.princeton.edu/policies-procedures/outside-scholarships-third-party-funding
https://finaid.princeton.edu/how-aid-works/types-aid
https://rotc.princeton.edu/financial-aid
Honors College at Princeton? Not Exactly.
Princeton doesn’t have an honors college, and there’s nothing separate to apply to. At big public universities, the honors college is how a top student gets small classes, close faculty attention, and research money. At Princeton, that is the regular experience, and every student gets it.
- Small classes: Princeton reports about 8 students for every faculty member.
- The senior thesis: The signature requirement for most majors, an original research project done one-on-one with a faculty adviser.
- Funded research: Students can request money for thesis research, travel, and conferences through SAFE.
Honors Scholarships & Fellowships
This institution does not offer designated Honors College scholarships at this time.
- Thesis and research funding: Requested through SAFE, with deadlines set by each fund.
- International internships: IIP pays living costs, plus airfare for students on most aid.
- Summer language and study: The Dean’s Fund covers students on aid.
- National fellowships: Princeton’s Office of International Programs advises students applying for major postgraduate fellowships.
Honors at Princeton: FAQs
Is there an honors college my student should apply to?
No. Every admitted Princeton student is in the same academic program. There’s no second application.
Are there honors scholarships?
No. Like everything else at Princeton, aid is based on need, not on academic standing.
Who pays for senior thesis research?
Students can apply for research and travel funding through SAFE. If a student combines an international internship with thesis research, Princeton adjusts the internship award so the two don’t overlap.
Does my student need to be an “honors type” to do research?
No. The senior thesis is built into most majors, so research is part of the plan for nearly everyone, not a perk for a select few.
https://ir.princeton.edu/other-university-data/common-data-set
https://oip.princeton.edu/our-programs/office-student-opportunities-and-funding-administration/safe
https://oip.princeton.edu/our-programs/international-internships/financial-matters
⭐ College Specialty
Princeton is a little different from the other big-name research universities: it has no medical school, no law school, and no business school. That means faculty time, lab space, and research money point mostly at undergraduates. For families, it translates into a college where your student can be working with a well-known professor on real research by junior year.
Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA): One of the most respected public policy programs in the country. Students work on real policy problems, in government and nonprofit settings and around the world, and it sends a steady stream of graduates into public service.
- Economics and the Social Sciences: The biggest slice of Princeton degrees (about one in five), with economics leading the way.
- Engineering and Computer Science: Together they account for roughly a third of degrees, a much bigger share than many families expect from a liberal arts-style Ivy.
- Mathematics: A small major by headcount but one of the most famous math departments anywhere.
- Physics: Princeton manages the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, a national lab focused on fusion energy, which gives physics students a front-row seat to big research.
- Life Sciences: Neuroscience and molecular biology are standouts, and many pre-health students end up here.
🔗 Official Princeton University Links
Use Princeton’s official pages below to double-check deadlines, aid rules, costs, and data. If anything here ever conflicts with Princeton’s site, go with Princeton.
-
Application Dates & Deadlines:
https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/first-year-application-dates-deadlines -
Standardized Testing Policy:
https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/standardized-testing -
Cost & Aid Overview:
https://admission.princeton.edu/cost-aid -
Tuition, Fees & Student Budget:
https://admission.princeton.edu/cost-aid/fees-payment-options -
Net Price Calculator:
https://admission.princeton.edu/cost-aid/net-price-calculator -
Apply for Financial Aid (PFAA + FAFSA):
https://finaid.princeton.edu/apply-aid-prospective-students -
Outside Scholarship Policy:
https://finaid.princeton.edu/policies-procedures/outside-scholarships-third-party-funding -
QuestBridge at Princeton:
https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/questbridge -
Novogratz Bridge Year:
https://oip.princeton.edu/our-programs/novogratz-bridge-year -
Princeton ROTC:
https://rotc.princeton.edu/ -
Common Data Set (Institutional Data):
https://ir.princeton.edu/other-university-data/common-data-set
✅ Wrapping It Up
Princeton flips the usual scholarship game on its head. There’s nothing to chase: no merit tiers, no competitive full rides, no score cutoffs. Instead there’s a promise. If your student gets in, Princeton covers whatever your family can’t pay, every year, without loans. For most families earning up to $150,000 that means paying nothing at all, and up to $250,000 it typically means paying no tuition.
The work for parents isn’t hunting for scholarships. It’s getting the paperwork right and on time: the Princeton Financial Aid Application and FAFSA by Nov 9 or Feb 1, not the CSS Profile, and every year after that. Then, once your student is on campus, help them find the “second budget”: Bridge Year, funded internships abroad, summer study money, and thesis research grants. That’s where Princeton goes from affordable to life-changing.
If you’re a middle-income family who assumed a school like this was out of reach, run the net price calculator before you cross it off. You might find it’s the cheapest option on your list.
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.Your kid did everything right. That does not mean the money follows.
