What types of assistance will be used to meet the demonstrated financial need?
The typical need-based financial aid award that Vanderbilt offers to eligible undergraduate students now consists of a combination of grants, scholarships, and employment opportunities/expectations. Grants and scholarships come from various sources including Vanderbilt, federal, state, and private entities. These funds are considered “gift” assistance and do not have to be repaid. Employment opportunities offer students a chance to gain valuable work experience in addition to receiving a paycheck for their hours worked during the academic year. Loans are no longer included in financial aid packages based upon our new initiative of replacing need-based loans with grant assistance. Under certain conditions and based upon individual family circumstances or desires, however, loans from federal and other sources may ultimately be made available to students upon their request to replace any employment expectation in their award or to replace some portion of their family’s expected contributi
