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Fordham · New York

Fordham Merit Aid

A private Jesuit university in New York City with a tiered merit system running from the Presidential Scholarship (full cost of attendance for roughly 10 students per year) through full-tuition Fordham Scholarships (top 3% of admits), Dean's Scholarships starting at $25,000, and Loyola and Jogues awards from $1,000 to $12,500, all renewable for four years with a 3.0 GPA.

Verified Apr 2026Analyst pt-browser
Merit tiers5See requirements
Mid-50% SAT1340–1470CDS 2024-2025
Last verifiedApr 2026Analyst pt-browser

Who this school is for

Families targeting a research university in New York City where holistic merit review rewards leadership and service alongside academics. Fordham is test-optional for all scholarship tiers, so students who chose not to submit scores are not disadvantaged. The Dean's Scholarship is a hybrid that starts at $25,000 on merit and scales up with demonstrated financial need, making it unusually valuable for middle-income families who file FAFSA and CSS Profile on time.

Tuition / cost of attendance: Approximately $102,720 for 2026-2027. Residential student COA: tuition and fees $70,952, food and housing $26,334, books and supplies $1,692, transportation and miscellaneous $3,742. Commuter COA is $80,134. Source

Institutional merit aid tiers

Every tier below is sourced to the school’s own published financial aid pages. Renewal terms apply only if the student maintains the stated GPA.

Full tuition, mandatory fees, average double room, average meal plan, plus up to $20,000 over four years for academic enrichment

Presidential Scholarship

ApplicationRenewable for four years (8 semesters). Requires 3.0 cumulative GPA, full-time enrollment, satisfactory academic progress, annual FAFSA filing, and compliance with University Code of Conduct.

RequirementsCompetitive selection from the top ~10 admitted students per year, typically in the top 1-2% of their high school class. Based on excellent academic achievement, test scores (if submitted), and personal characteristics. Test-optional: applicants are not required to submit SAT or ACT to be considered. Notification by April 1.

Formerly the Maurice J. and Carolyn Dursi Cunniffe Presidential Scholarship. Actual scholarship amount equals tuition and fees, less Federal Pell Grant, state assistance, other tuition-specific resources, and half the amount of any external non-tuition-specific resources.

Source

Full tuition per year (fees not included)

Fordham Scholarship

ApplicationRenewable for four years (8 semesters). Requires 3.0 cumulative GPA.

RequirementsCompetitive. Typically 3% of admitted students. Based on excellent academic performance in a highly demanding curriculum, exceptional personal characteristics, commitment, leadership, and/or service. Notification at time of admission. Test-optional.

Actual amount equals tuition less Pell, state aid, tuition-specific resources, and half of non-tuition-specific outside resources. Does not cover fees, room, or board.

Source

Starts at $25,000 per year, increases based on demonstrated financial need via FAFSA and/or CSS Profile

Dean's Scholarship

ApplicationRenewable for four years (8 semesters). Requires 3.0 cumulative GPA, full-time enrollment, annual FAFSA filing.

RequirementsCompetitive. Typically 10% of admitted students. Based on strong academic performance in a rigorous curriculum plus exceptional personal characteristics, commitment, leadership, and/or service. Also available to transfer students. Notification at time of admission. Test-optional.

Hybrid merit-need award: the base is merit-driven but the amount scales with financial need documentation. Families who skip CSS Profile or file FAFSA late may receive only the $25,000 floor.

Source

$1,000 to $12,500 per year

Loyola Scholarship

ApplicationRenewable for four years. Requires 3.0 cumulative GPA.

RequirementsFor entering first-year and transfer students showing high academic performance and leadership who did not receive a higher scholarship.

Applied toward tuition.

Source

$1,000 to $10,000 per year

Jogues Scholarship

ApplicationRenewable for four years. Requires 2.75 cumulative GPA (lower threshold than Loyola).

RequirementsEntering first-year students with high academic performance and leadership who did not receive a higher scholarship.

Applied toward tuition.

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Outside scholarship stacking policy

Presidential, Fordham, and Excellence in Theatre scholarships are reduced dollar-for-dollar by tuition-specific outside aid and by half for non-tuition-specific outside aid. Dean's, Loyola, Jogues, and need-based grants are adjusted dollar-for-dollar after outside scholarships fill unmet need, displacing subsidized loans, then work-study, then university grants.

Fordham's outside aid policy distinguishes between tuition-specific and non-tuition-specific outside scholarships. For Presidential, Fordham Scholarship, and Excellence in Theatre holders, tuition-specific outside awards reduce the Fordham scholarship dollar-for-dollar, while non-tuition-specific outside awards reduce it by only half (the student keeps the other half for living expenses). For all other scholarships and grants (Dean's, Loyola, Jogues, need-based), outside aid first fills any remaining unmet need; if no unmet need exists, outside scholarships displace in order: Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, then College Work Study, then University Grants. Total tuition-specific aid from all sources may not exceed Fordham's tuition charges. Students must report all outside awards on the Outside Aid Disclosure Form.

Source

Common Data Set snapshot

From the Fordham Common Data Set 2024-2025:

SAT mid-50%1340–147025th / 75th percentile
ACT mid-50%30–3325th / 75th percentile

Source: Common Data Set

Lesser-known scholarships at Fordham

Named awards that don’t always surface on the main financial aid page. Each one has its own eligibility rules.

Amount$15,000 per yearEligibilityCommuter students whose permanent residence is in New York City or surrounding areas. Cannot be combined with Presidential, Theatre, or Fordham Scholarship (student receives the higher award).

Renewable for four years. Requires 2.0 GPA. This is $60,000 over four years that many families overlook because it requires commuting rather than living on campus.

Source

AmountFull cost of attendance (tuition, room, board, fees)EligibilityAn incoming student near the top of their class with demonstrated financial need.

One of the few awards at Fordham that covers full COA, not just tuition. Renewable for four years with 3.0 GPA.

Source

Amount$1,000 to $10,000 per year based on financial needEligibilityEntering Fordham College at Rose Hill first-year students, U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens, strong academic performance, declared STEM major interest, financial need. First year funded by NSF, years 2-4 by Fordham.

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Common mistakes at Fordham

  1. The Dean's Scholarship starts at $25,000 based on merit but can increase significantly based on demonstrated financial need from FAFSA and CSS Profile. Families who skip filing or file late receive only the $25,000 floor and leave money on the table.

  2. For Presidential and Fordham Scholarship holders, non-tuition-specific outside awards reduce the Fordham scholarship by only half (the student keeps the other half). But for Dean's, Loyola, and Jogues holders with no unmet need, outside scholarships displace university grants dollar-for-dollar. The net benefit of an outside scholarship depends entirely on which Fordham tier the student holds.

  3. The Fordham Scholarship covers full tuition only (no fees, no room, no board). The Presidential covers tuition, fees, room, board, plus enrichment funds. At a $102,720 total COA, full tuition of roughly $67,000 still leaves over $35,000 in room, board, fees, and living expenses uncovered.

Fordham merit aid FAQ

  • Does Fordham require SAT or ACT scores for merit scholarship consideration?

    No. Fordham is test-optional for all scholarship tiers, including the Presidential Scholarship. Their published policy states applicants are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores to be considered. Strong test scores, if submitted, are considered as part of holistic review, but students who choose not to submit are not disadvantaged in scholarship selection.

  • What GPA does my student need to keep a Fordham merit scholarship?

    Presidential, Fordham, Dean's, and Loyola scholarships require a 3.0 cumulative GPA. The Jogues Scholarship requires a 2.75 GPA. The UPS Foundation Scholarship requires a 2.0 GPA. All merit scholarships also require full-time enrollment, annual FAFSA filing, and compliance with the University Code of Conduct. Falling below the threshold results in nonrenewal.

  • Will outside scholarships reduce my student's Fordham merit award?

    It depends on the tier. Presidential and Fordham Scholarship holders see their award reduced dollar-for-dollar by tuition-specific outside aid but only by half for non-tuition-specific outside aid, keeping the other half for living expenses. Dean's, Loyola, and Jogues holders have outside scholarships fill unmet need first; if no unmet need exists, outside awards displace subsidized loans, then work-study, then university grants dollar-for-dollar.

  • How many students receive merit scholarships at Fordham?

    About 10 students per year receive the Presidential Scholarship, roughly 3% of admitted students receive the full-tuition Fordham Scholarship, and about 10% receive the Dean's Scholarship. Loyola and Jogues awards go to a broader group of high-performing students. Based on historical CDS data, approximately 25% of first-year students with no financial need have received some form of institutional non-need-based merit aid.

  • Is the Dean's Scholarship purely merit-based or does financial need matter?

    Both. The base award starts at $25,000 on academic merit, but the amount can increase above $25,000 based on demonstrated financial need from the FAFSA and CSS Profile. Filing both forms fully and on time is critical to maximizing this award. This makes the Dean's Scholarship unusually valuable for middle-income families compared to fixed-amount merit awards at other schools.