Financial Aid for First-Year Students

Shirk Scholarship
$22,000 per year, are offered to Berks County students who are dedicated to community service, leadership, strength of character and commitment to excellence.

Presidential Scholarship
$20,000 per year. Presidential Scholars generally rank in the top five percent of their graduating class and demonstrate strong leadership skills and a commitment to service.

Dean’s Scholarship
$18,000 per year. Dean’s Scholars have excellent academic records and demonstrate a commitment to school and community.

Keystone Commitment Scholarship
$16,000 per year, are offered to first-year students who have strong and respectable academic records and a home address in Pennsylvania.

Faculty Scholarship
$15,000 per year. Albright Scholars have strong academic records.

Albright College Grants
$8,000 to $10,000 per year. Albright College Grants are awarded to those students with respectable academic records.

13th Street Scholarship
North 13th Street in Reading, Pennsylvania is noted by Ripley’s Believe it or Not as the only place in the United States where a student can go from kindergarten through college by taking classes at schools on the same street. In recognition of this educational phenomenon, the 13th Street Scholarship is awarded to all accepted students who have graduated from Reading High School, Northeast Middle School and 13th & Green and/or 13th & Union Elementary Schools.

Warren L. Davis Scholarship
This prestigious invitation-only scholarship covers full tuition, as well as room and board costs at Albright College. It is awarded to those students who display exceptional academic performance and have a desire to hone their creative and critical thinking skills so they may serve their communities beyond Albright. Students who are invited to apply must submit a prompted essay as well as a character recommendation. Select students will then be invited to campus for a series of interviews, including a meeting with Albright College President Jacquelyn S. Fetrow, Ph.D. ’82.

Endowed Scholarships

Albright College is incredibly fortunate to have a committed group of donors who passionately support our efforts. Thanks to their kindness and generosity, we are able to provide a world of wonderful opportunities for our students.

Legacy Award
If you are a child or grandchild of an Albright College graduate, you are eligible to receive the Legacy Award. Candidates must provide documentation of legacy status in their application prior to an offer of admission.

Talent Award
If you demonstrate outstanding creative talent and a serious commitment toward student leadership, you may be invited to apply for the Albright Talent Award. These renewable grants are awarded based on your portfolio, interview, or audition.

United Methodist Award
In recognition of its affiliation with the United Methodist Church, Albright offers awards to incoming students who are active in their United Methodist Church. Candidates must provide a letter from their pastor clearly stating their active membership in the church. This letter must be received prior to May 1.

Albright College Trustee Grants
Albright College gives Trustee Grants on the basis of financial need. These funds originate from several sources, including funds donated to the college.

Federal Government Grants
Federal Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants are given by the federal government on the basis of financial needs. Both of these programs can change from year to year based on the family’s financial circumstances. The Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant is need-based and is given until the Federal fund has been exhausted.

State Grants
Students who are Pennsylvania residents could be eligible for a Pennsylvania State Grant through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). Typically, the application for the PA State grant is initiated when a student from Pennsylvania submits a valid FAFSA. PHEAA has a strict filing deadline of May 1 prior to the start of each academic year.

Students who are not Pennsylvania residents could be eligible for similar state grant aid programs in their home state. Not all surrounding states allow the student to receive state aid when attending a Pennsylvania institution. For more information about these aid programs, including eligibility requirements and filing deadlines, please contact your high school guidance office or the corresponding state agency that manages the aid programs in your home state.

Children of Fallen Heroes Act
If you believe you qualify for this program, please contact our office directly at 610-921-7515 or finaid@albright.edu.

Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program
Created by Act 16 of 2019, this program seeks to remove barriers in accessing post-secondary education for youth who are or have been in foster care. This will allow eligible foster youth to complete their studies, graduate with less debt, and have the opportunity to build a network of support. To see if you qualify, please read the following:
FosterEd Student Brochure

Veterans Benefits Administration

Please contact the Registrar Office for information.

State, Federal, or Outside Tuition Grant Assistance
All students receiving grant assistance from other institutions and/or states, must notify the Financial Aid Office. Tuition grants received from other institutions for tuition or from states other than Pennsylvania will be used to meet any unmet need in the financial aid package. However, if a need-based grant is awarded by Albright before we are informed of the outside tuition grant award eligibility, the need-based aid from Albright may be subject to change. Albright will allow our academic scholarship awards to be used for charges associated with tuition as well as room and board.

Federal Direct Student Loan
A Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling must be completed to receive Federal Direct Student Loan funds. You may complete these steps online at www.studentaid.gov.

There are two types of Federal Direct Student Loans
A Direct Subsidized Loan is awarded on the basis of financial need. You will not be charged interest before you enter into repayment. The federal government will pay the interest while you are in school at least half-time or during periods of deferment.
A Direct Unsubsidized Loan is not awarded on the basis of need. You will be charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. If you allow the interest to accumulate, it will be added to the principal amount of your loan and additional interest will be based upon the higher amount.
If you are a dependent student whose parents do not qualify for a Federal PLUS Loan, or you are an independent student, you may qualify for an additional Direct Unsubsidized Loan.

What do I need to do if I’m selected for financial verification?
Financial aid applications are randomly selected by the federal FAFSA processor for verification. If you are chosen, you are required to provide documentation including the most recent Federal IRS Tax Transcript, copies of immediate past year W-2 forms, and a completed Federal Verification Worksheet.

In addition, the Albright College Office of Financial Aid may require you to provide proof of citizenship, proof of registration with the Selective Service, copies of Social Security benefit statements, 1099 forms, corporate earnings statements, or other information dealing with your income or assets.

Important Note: the verification process cannot accept signed copies of federal 1040 tax forms. All families selected for verification must request a tax transcript from the IRS or choose to use IRS data retrieval on their FAFSA to meet the verification requirements.

What are my payment options if I take out a student loan?

Federal PLUS Loan
Through this program, parents of dependent undergraduate students may borrow up to the total cost of education, less any financial aid received. Graduate and professional students are also eligible to borrow under this program. Parents of dependent undergraduate students can apply for the Parent PLUS Loan at www.studentloans.gov with their social security number and FSA ID.

Private Student Loans
Before applying for private student loans, undergraduate and graduate students should have filed a FAFSA. Make sure to maximize your federal and state aid options before applying for additional loans. Borrowers and co-signers should review and compare information about interest rates, fees, loan terms, and repayment terms. Interest rates are often determined by the credit history of the borrower and/or co-signer. During the application process, selecting options such as in-school deferment and repayment schedule can directly affect interest rates. For specific questions, please contact the lenders directly.
A list of lenders can be found at ELMSelect.

**New Jersey residents may be eligible for an NJ Class Loan. More information can be viewed at www.hesaa.org/njclass.

Interest Free Monthly Payment Plans
Please visit here for more information on payment plan options offered through our Student Accounts Office.

Does my student status impact my eligibility for financial aid?
When determining your eligibility for Federal, State, and Albright College financial aid, your enrollment status is defined as follows:
Full-Time enrollment status is considered to be three courses per semester (Traditional and Accelerated Degree Programs). Full-time status is required for the awarding of all institutional funds.

Half-Time enrollment status (in both the day and evening programs) is considered to be two courses per semester. At least half-time status is required for some grant programs, federal loan programs, and federal work-study.

Less than Half-Time enrollment status, or one class each semester, may entitle a student to a modest Federal Pell Grant, but other aid programs are not applicable to this status.