Student Financial Aid

The costs of tuition, fees, housing, and food at Baylor are among the most economical of any major private university in the nation.  Baylor represents an affordable, yet superior, private education guided by Christian influences and ideals.

The Student Financial Aid Office provides a comprehensive program that includes merit-based scholarships and need-based scholarships, as well as grants, loans, and work-study (part-time employment) designed to help eligible students meet expenses while enrolled at Baylor University.  Over 90% of full time degree-seeking students receive some form of financial assistance.

Please visit https://onestop.web.baylor.edu/types-aid to see a list of financial aid possibilities and other pertinent information regarding scholarships, grants, work-study (part-time employment) and loans.

Financial Aid Applications

For the criteria and selection process used to award merit scholarships to incoming freshmen and transfers, go to https://admissions.web.baylor.edu/costs-aid/scholarships-aid/merit-based-scholarships. Merit-based scholarships for currently enrolled students are awarded based on the cumulative Baylor grade point average.

Incoming undergraduates who are interested in university need-based grants and scholarships are required to submit the CSS Profile for their first year at Baylor as well as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is required to be evaluated for federal and state need-based aid annually.  In some situations, the CSS Profile may be required after the first year, in which case the Financial Aid Office will contact the student to request it at that time.  These applications are typically available on October 1 for the upcoming academic year.  We strongly encourage you to complete these applications during the fall season in order to give sufficient time for processing and notifications.

Baylor normally receives results of the FAFSA and CSS Profile within three to five business days from the date the form is filed electronically.  If selected for verification, or conflicting information is identified between the applications, students will be notified through their student portal and should have all required documentation submitted as soon as possible after notification.    The deadline for completion of the verification and conflicting information process is April 18 of the application academic year, November 15 if only attending fall, and June 20 if only attending summer.  Applicants must have all steps completed by these dates in order to receive aid for the term in question.

Students interested in pursuing assistance for the summer sessions will be considered automatically once they have filed the FAFSA for the previous academic year and pre-registered for classes.  Due to limited funding, scholarship assistance is not usually available for summer terms.  Students who are graduating early may be eligible to use a portion of their academic scholarship during a summer term.  Summer aid consists of federal grants for those who have eligibility and loans. 

Students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress to be eligible for federal and state aid.  The Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy is available at https://onestop.web.baylor.edu/consumer-information/satisfactory-academic-progress.  In addition, some programs may have specific requirements above these minimum standards.  Students who consider dropping hours should contact the Baylor One Stop prior to dropping the hours to determine the effect on scholarship and financial aid eligibility.  A reduction in hours may result in an adjustment to the aid package and may also affect satisfactory academic progress.  It is the responsibility of the student to notify the Baylor One Stop of any reduction in hours.

Some students may receive financial aid from several sources, which may include state or federal grants, a scholarship, part-time employment and/or loans.  Because many awards in the student financial aid programs are funded by the federal and state government, the Student Financial Aid Office must abide by established laws and guidelines when processing a student’s application.

Complete information on the various types of assistance is available at https://onestop.web.baylor.edu/.