Prospective Students

Find the deadline to apply for need-based financial aid based on your admission round in the table below.

*The 2025-26 FAFSA is expected to open to the general public on or before Dec. 1, 2024. Due to its delayed opening, Early Decision I applicants to the College should submit the FAFSA by Jan. 5, 2025. Find more details under “Guidance for Completing FAFSA and CSS Profile” and "How Grinnell Uses the FAFSA” on the Apply for Aid webpage. 

Grinnell College practices need-blind admission for applicants who are U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens, admitting academically qualified students regardless of financial need. We meet 100% of the demonstrated institutional need of admitted students with work-study, grants, and scholarships.

By the appropriate deadline, complete the following steps to apply for need-based aid from Grinnell:

1. Common Application
   Indicate your intent to apply for need-based financial aid.

2. 2025–26 CSS Profile
   The CSS Profile is available on Oct. 1. Grinnell College’s code is 6252. A fee is charged to submit the CSS Profile, but it is automatically waived for some students. Find answers to FAQs on the College Board’s website.
   
   If your biological/adoptive parents are not married (or are separated) and are living in separate households, each household must complete their own CSS Profile. Your noncustodial parent must create a personal College Board student account to log in and complete a separate CSS Profile online. The College Board provides instructions (PDF) for your noncustodial parent to create their own account. If your noncustodial parent is remarried, your stepparent’s information must be included.
   
   To maintain confidentiality, you and your custodial parent should not share your College Board account password with your noncustodial parent.
   
   If you have no contact with your noncustodial parent, you may complete a request to waive this requirement (PDF). Securely submit the waiver petition and supporting documentation through IDOC or directly to the Office of Financial Aid.

3. Submit Required Documents Through IDOC
   After completing the CSS profile, use the College Board IDOC service to submit a signed and dated copy of your custodial parents’ 2023 federal tax return (including schedules) and W-2(s), as applicable. Instructions are provided on the College Board website immediately after you submit the CSS Profile.

4. Federal Student Aid ID
   Create FSA IDs for you and at least one (custodial) parent. These separate usernames and passwords will be used to complete and sign the FAFSA. Creating and Using the FSA ID (PDF) and the Federal Student Aid website offer additional information. It can take up to three days for an FSA ID to be verified and ready to use, so set it up well in advance of completing the FAFSA. You can set up an FSA ID any time.

5. 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
   The FAFSA is expected to be widely available on or before Dec. 1. Complete the 2025–26 FAFSA to determine your eligibility for all federal and state financial aid, such as the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Loans, and Iowa Tuition Grant. If you are unsure of which parent(s) to report on the FAFSA, consult the instructions within the FAFSA. Grinnell’s school code is 001868.

Attention: These steps are required to apply for Grinnell College-funded financial aid. If you wish to apply only for federally funded financial aid, such as the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, and the Federal Direct Student Loan, only the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required.

What’s next?

Admitted students who have met their application deadline are notified of financial aid eligibility when they receive their admission decision. Grinnell College is committed to using the principles and standards of the College Cost Transparency Initiative in its student financial aid offer.

We encourage all admitted domestic students and those assisting them with paying for college to review Grinnell's financial aid policies and principles (PDF).

Grinnell College has a need-aware admission policy for international students and is committed to meeting 100% of each admitted student’s institutionally-determined financial need with a combination of grants and student employment. The College requires a clear and honest submission of family financial resources to determine an applicant’s aid eligibility.

Applying for Financial Aid

Follow the instructions that are appropriate for you below. Contact us if you have questions.

I Do Not Plan To Apply for Need-Based Financial Aid

Indicate on the Common Application that you do not intend to apply for need-based financial aid.

Grinnell will not consider applications for financial aid from international students after they are admitted to the College. As part of the application for admission, all applicants needing financial assistance are required to accurately and thoroughly complete the financial aid application process.

If you do not apply for financial aid for your first year, you cannot request it in future years. As part of the application for admission, all applicants needing financial assistance are required to complete the CSS Profile or ISAFA thoroughly and accurately.

I Plan To Apply for Need-Based Financial Aid

International applicants applying for need-based financial aid must complete the 2025–26 CSS Profile, which is available on Oct. 1. Find answers to FAQs on the College Board's website.

Note: Grinnell does not provide fee waivers for the CSS profile.

If you cannot complete the CSS Profile, the 2025-26 International Student Application for Financial Assistance (ISAFA) (PDF) may be submitted instead. Upload the completed form to your Grinnell application portal, which is created after you submit your Common Application. We will not accept any forms via email attachments. Please do not send other documents that are not required, including the Certification of Finances.

Your financial aid eligibility is not reevaluated each year, and requests for additional assistance are not accepted.

What’s next?

Admitted students who have met their application deadline are notified of financial aid eligibility when they receive their admission decision.

We encourage all admitted international students and those assisting them with paying for college to review Grinnell's financial aid policies and principles (PDF).

Grinnell College practices need-blind admission for domestic noncitizen applicants (this includes undocumented applicants), admitting academically qualified students regardless of financial need. We meet 100% of the demonstrated institutional need of all admitted students with work-study, grants, and scholarships.

Complete the following steps by the published deadline to apply for need-based financial aid.

1. Common Application
   Indicate your intent to apply for need-based financial aid.

2. 2025–26 CSS Profile
   The CSS Profile is available on Oct. 1. Grinnell College’s code is 6252. A fee is charged to submit the CSS Profile, but it is automatically waived for some students. Find answers to FAQs on the College Board's website.
   
   If your biological/adoptive parents are not married (or are separated) and are living in separate households, each household must complete their own CSS Profile. Your noncustodial parent must create a personal College Board student account to log in and complete a separate CSS Profile online. The College Board provides instructions (PDF) for your noncustodial parent to create their own account. If your noncustodial parent is remarried, your stepparent’s information must be included.
   
   To maintain confidentiality, you and your custodial parent should not share your College Board account password with your noncustodial parent.
   
   If you have no contact with your noncustodial parent, you may complete a request to waive this requirement (PDF). Securely submit the waiver petition and supporting documentation through IDOC or directly to the Office of Financial Aid.

3. Submit Required Documents Through IDOC
   After completing the CSS profile, use the College Board IDOC service to submit a signed and dated copy of your custodial parents’ 2023 federal tax return (including schedules) and W-2(s), as applicable. Instructions are provided on the College Board website immediately after you submit the CSS Profile.

What’s next?

Admitted students who have met their application deadline will receive notification of financial aid eligibility with their admission decision.