Financial Aid
International students are a vital part of the St. Olaf community and the Financial Aid Office is committed to helping students reach their academic goals. Scholarships, on-campus work-study, and loans are awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence and economic need. Degree-seeking students are also automatically considered for international scholarships. Scholarships for our international students ranged from $5,000 to $73,390. International students are not eligible to fill out the FAFSA (or receive Federal Title IV funds), but will be eligible for institutional funding from St. Olaf. While most financial assistance for international students is based on financial need, applicants are welcome to apply for merit scholarships.
St. Olaf has international students from all over the world and typically has around 300 international students enrolled. Around 60% of these students attended a United World College.
For international students that did not attend a United World College
- These students can receive up to 100% of tuition in St. Olaf institutional need based grants + merit scholarships. This would leave some work study and loan funds available to cover room and board — but they will not cover all of those costs. There would be somewhere around $8,000 – $12,000 in costs for room and board that are not covered by any sort of financial aid.
- These students can receive up to 100% of the comprehensive fee (tuition, housing and meal plan) between St. Olaf + funding from the Davis Foundation.
To apply for need based financial aid, applicants must complete either the CSS Profile form or the 2025 – 26 International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA).
International Student Grant
- International Student Grants are awarded based upon your financial need. It is money you do not have to repay to St. Olaf and will be awarded in subsequent years as long as you are making progress towards your academic studies. The amount of your grant may increase slightly based upon the subsequent year’s tuition or comprehensive fee but will not change dramatically.
International Student Employment
- International Student Employment funds provide students with the opportunity to work on campus for a certain number of hours per week. As an international student on an F-1 visa, you can work only on-campus and up to a maximum of 20 hours per week during the academic year and up to 40 hours per week during breaks.
- A typical Student Employment award is about $3,500 per year. You would need to work approximately 7-9 hours per week, based on a wage rate of $11.50 – $15.00 per hour (pay rate varies depending on the position worked), to earn a work award of $3,500.
- Most students work in areas such as dining services, libraries on campus, computer labs, within the athletic department or various administrative or academic departments.
- The money you earn is typically used to pay the comprehensive fee or your personal expenses.
International Student Loan
- International Student Loans are offered to international students to help them meet their educational expenses. This is a loan that must be repaid.
- The maximum loan amount is $4,000 per year with a cap at $16,000 over four years. The typical repayment period is five years.
- The annual interest rate is 5.0% and begins accruing upon disbursement to your student account.
- Students may make payments at any time towards the loan balance, but mandatory payments begin six months after graduation or after you cease at least half-time attendance.
For questions regarding international student financial assistance or international admissions, please e-mail Jenny Howenstine at howensti@stolaf.edu.
Financial Aid Dates and Deadlines for Students Applying for Fall 2025 Enrollment
| Financial Aid Deadline | Early Decision 1 | Early Action | Early Decision 2 | Regular Decision |
| Complete and Submit the CSS Profile OR International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA) |
November 1 | November 1 | January 15 | January 15 |
| Financial Aid Award Notification | December 10 | January 17 | February 8 | April 1 |
If you are an American living overseas or have dual citizenship with the United States, please refer to the Domestic Prospective Student Financial Aid Application Process.
Planning Your Expenditures
There are many costs to keep in mind while contemplating studying abroad. The Tuition and Expenses page outlines the basic costs of attending St. Olaf for an academic year. Actual costs for subsequent years will be higher.
Travel
You should also keep in mind the costs of travel to your home and back, travel within the United States, phone bills, and summer activities.
Health Insurance
Health insurance is important while living in the United States and quality medical coverage is a must. All international students are enrolled in a group insurance plan negotiated by St. Olaf. The cost of this medical plan varies year-to-year, but students can expect to pay $500/semester (or $1,000 for the year). Health Insurance is billed to students through SIS. Vision and dental care are not included. International students wanting coverage for vision and dental care while in the U.S. should purchase their own independent plan.
Other Sources of Aid
1. Your government
Often the best source of aid for international students is their country of origin. Check with your local government agencies to see if they have educational funding budgets. These programs often require you to return to your home country and work in some faculty there. Contact the cultural section of your embassy or your ministry of education for more information (there are many awards which require you to be nominated by your government).
2. International organizations
There may be a few private scholarships for international students. Many of these scholarships require that you apply from within your home country, and you may not be eligible if you are already living in the United States.
3. The U.S. government
International students are not eligible for U.S. government loan plans, grants, or work-study programs. However in a few cases (depending on your country of origin) the U.S. government may offer some financial assistance. You should check with the U.S. State Department to see if there are any programs at this time.