Current Student FAQ
What type of financial aid is available?
A financial aid "package" usually includes grants, a campus job, and a loan. Student
aid funds come from a variety of sources including Skidmore's own grants, as well
as many federal financial aid programs such as Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational
Opportunity Grants (SEOG), the Federal Work-Study Program and Federal Direct Loans.
A Skidmore financial aid package may also include a state scholarship or a grant from
some other public or private organization.
How do I apply for aid as a current student?
Complete instructions on how to apply along with links to online forms can be found
at the Financial Aid website.
What happens if I did not initially receive financial aid from Skidmore College as
a freshman, but later find out I need to apply?
Those students admitted without Skidmore College grant assistance are normally first
eligible to receive such aid, if need is demonstrated, in their junior year.
How much does it cost to attend Skidmore College?
Please visit the Bursar's website for basic annual costs of attendance.
How is my financial aid need determined?
Skidmore College Grant is awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need. Your
financial need is determined from data you provide on the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS PROFILE application of the College Scholarship Service. After analyzing the information on
PROFILE, the College Scholarship Service will send a report to you, Skidmore College,
and other colleges you list as recipients of the data. Financial need is determined
by subtracting your calculated family contribution from Skidmore's estimated costs
of attendance. If the amount of your family contribution is lower than the total cost
of attending Skidmore, you are considered to have financial need. While colleges expect
you and your family to assume primary responsibility for your education costs, we
will work closely with you to develop a package of aid and/or a financing plan. Whatever
your income, factors such as family size, the number of dependent children attending
college, family assets (including home equity), extraordinary medical expenses, and
any unusual circumstances will be considered. (If your parents are divorced or separated,
this process can be slightly more complex, as we generally require financial data
from both biological- and step-parents.)
Is there a limit to the amount of Skidmore Grant I can receive?
Yes. Skidmore Grant is limited to the student’s demonstrated financial need based
on their family financial circumstances. In addition, a student is limited to a maximum
of 8 semesters/4 years of Skidmore Grant consideration, or the semester when 120 academic
credits have been earned, whichever is sooner.
What happens if my sibling is not enrolled at least half-time in a degree seeking program? Financial Aid understands that a sibling’s plans may change from the time the aid application materials are filed. The number of dependent children attending college is a factor in determining a student’s eligibility for need based financial assistance. The sooner the student/family notifies our office of a change in the sibling’s plans, the better. We will correct the aid application materials and notify you of any aid adjustment in a timely manner.
For many students, Financial Aid will verify a Skidmore sibling’s enrollment by reviewing a national enrollment database. The enrollment data becomes available after the start of the fall semester, when colleges then upload enrollment data to the database.
For students whose sibling’s enrollment cannot be confirmed using the national database, we will follow up with our Skidmore student and request a Sibling Verification Enrollment Form be completed by the sibling’s school.
What are Skidmore College's financial application codes?
Skidmore's PROFILE code is 2815, FAFSA code is 002814, and TAP code (NYS residents only) is 0855.
Does Skidmore College allow graduate students or parents to be counted as family members
in college?
No. Parent contributions for graduate students and parent(s) in college are not considered.
Is consumer debt considered part of the calculation in determining the family contribution?
No. Allowing for consumer debt would give families who owe money an unfair advantage
over families who do not.
What should I do if my family has special circumstances that are not indicated on
the FAFSA and PROFILE?
The Office of Financial Aid recommends sending a letter to the office outlining the
special circumstances that were not able to be indicated on the FAFSA and/or PROFILE.
The letter of special circumstances can be sent to the Office of Financial Aid, Skidmore
College, 815 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866; faxed to the office at 518-580-5752
; or emailed information, in a PDF format, to finaid@skidmore.edu.
What should I do if my parents are divorced, separated, and/or never married?
Skidmore requires information from both parents the first year, and on a case by case
basis for subsequent years, regardless of current marital status. In cases of nonsupport
or unwillingness to pay, Skidmore may still require the information from the parent
who is not required to complete the FAFSA and/or CSS Profile. Students with extenuating
circumstances can contact the Office of Financial Aid.
My parents are separated/divorced/never married. Who should be filling out which
forms?
If your biological (or adoptive) parents were never married to each other or are either
separated or divorced, answer the questions (about parents) for the parent you lived
with the most in the last 12 months. This person is referred to as the custodial parent.
- FAFSA – If your parents are divorced, separated, or never married, and don’t live together, the parent who provided more financial support during the last 12 months is the contributor and must provide their information. If both parents provided an exact equal amount of financial support, or if they don’t support you financially, the parent with the greater income or assets is the contributor and must provide their information.
- College Board’s CSS Profile – If your parents are not living together, the parent who provides more financial support should complete the CSS Profile. The financial aid office may require additional information from the other parent on a case by case basis.
My parents do not want to pay for college; can I apply for financial aid as an independent student?
Skidmore does not offer financial assistance to students who declare themselves independent
of their parents, nor are we able to offer assistance if parents decide that they
no longer wish to support a student at Skidmore College.
When will I be notified of my financial aid for next year?
We begin notifying students of their award status after June 1st and continue notifications
throughout the summer.
Will my financial aid change from year to year?
If family circumstances remain relatively unchanged, you can expect a comparable aid
package that meets your demonstrated need in your upperclass years assuming you meet our published priority deadline. The upperclass award will reflect yearly changes in costs, family circumstances,
income, private scholarship, and number of children attending college. Work-study
awards, student loan amounts, and student summer earnings will increase each year
after the initial aid award. You must update your financial aid records by filing
renewal applications every year. Your aid is not contingent upon maintaining a target
grade-point average, other than to meet Skidmore standards for minimum satisfactory
academic progress.
| Work-study awards are generally: | Student loans are generally: |
| Sophomores $2,600-$4,000 | Sophomores $6,500 |
| Juniors $2,600-$4,000 | Juniors $7,500 |
| Seniors $2,600-$4,000 | Seniors $7,500 |
If I receive outside scholarships, how do they affect my financial aid?
Skidmore College allows a student to receive the full benefit of an outside scholarship
and will reduce a student's loan and/or workstudy and/or family contribution by the
full amount of the outside scholarship. A student's total aid package cannot exceed
a student's cost of attendance in a given year. When all grants and scholarships exceed
the cost of attendance, the Skidmore grant will be reduced.
How does financial aid work when a student studies abroad?
Study-abroad programs at Skidmore fall into one of two categories. The program may
be a Skidmore-administered program or an outside approved program. For listings, visit
the Office of Off-Campus Study and Exchanges. Students participating in either type of program will be charged the Skidmore comprehensive
fee (equal to tuition and room and board room at the apartment rate). Students may
use all financial aid, except workstudy for both. Adjustments will also be made to
a student's cost of attendance to assist with additional indirect costs such as airfare.
If students want to meet with an FAO representative, they can certainly do so.
If I do not qualify for federal work-study, can I still get a job on campus?
Yes, there are many part-time jobs available on campus that are not limited to students
on financial aid.
How do I apply for a Federal Direct PLUS loan?
Complete instructions on how to apply can be found on our website under Loan Information.
Why is the Federal Direct PLUS loan amount on my student bill less than the amount
my parents borrowed?
There is a small origination fee that is deducted from the amount that a student receives in loan funds. Therefore, the total amount
disbursed is less than the actual amount borrowed.
How do I apply for a Federal Direct Student loan?
Complete instructions on how to apply can be found on our website under Loan Information.
Why is the Federal Direct Loan amount on my student bill less than the amount on my
financial aid award letter?
There is a small origination fee that is deducted from the amount that a student receives in loan funds. Therefore, the total amount
disbursed is less than the actual amount borrowed.
What happens if I choose to live in a single, in an apartment, or off campus?
Generally, your financial aid is based on occupancy in a standard, double room along
with the Unlimited Meal Plan. If you live in a single room, you will be charged a
premium* that will not be covered with additional grant aid.
If you live in an on-campus apartment, you will be charged a higher room rate* that
will not be covered with additional grant aid. Normally students living in an apartment
setting sign up for a reduced meal plan or possibly no meal plan since kitchen facilities
are provided within the apartments. Hence the additional cost for the apartment is
often offset by the reduced cost of a lesser meal plan or in many cases, no meal plan.
If you live off campus, the Financial Aid Office will use a reduced room and board
component in your cost of attendance when determining your aid eligibility. Instead
of these costs being direct -- that is, being charged by the College -- they are now
indirect costs to you, which the Office of Financial Aid will continue to consider.
*For more detailed information on the costs associated with room choices and meal
choices, see Cost of Attendance.
Is there financial aid for summer courses?
Skidmore grant assistance is not available for summer study. Matriculated Skidmore
students who receive federal Pell Grant funding may be eligible for summer Pell Grant
funding.
Students are encouraged to meet with a financial aid representative to learn more about their
available options.
The Office of the Dean of Special Programs oversees Skidmore College's summer term. Visit their website for details on sessions,
courses, procedures/forms, and costs.
When is the tuition bill due?
The fall semester bill is due August 15 and the spring semester bill is due December
15.