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 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.

• Faculty Scholarship: $16,000 per year. Albright Scholars have strong academic records.

• Connection Scholarship: Awards $16,000 per year to students who demonstrate strong academic achievement and a commitment to building meaningful relationships within their school and community. Connection Scholars value collaboration, engagement, and the power of community both inside and outside the classroom.

• Recognition Scholarship: Awards $16,000 per year to students who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement along with leadership and involvement in their school or community. Recognition Scholars are acknowledged for their dedication, initiative, and positive impact on those around them.

• 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 the president of Albright College.

• 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 based on 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 based on financial needs. Both 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: Under this scholarship, beginning with the 2018-2019 award year, a Pell-eligible student whose parent or guardian died in the line of duty while performing as a public safety officer is eligible to receive a maximum Pell Grant for the award year for which the determination of eligibility is made. To qualify for this scholarship, a student must be Pell-eligible and be less than 24 years of age or enrolled at an institution of higher education at the time of his or her parent’s or guardian’s death. In subsequent award years, the student continues to be eligible for the scholarship, as long as the student has a Pell-eligible SAI and continues to be an eligible student. If you feel you qualify for this program, please contact the Financial Aid Office directly at finaid@albright.edu or 610-921-7515.

• 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: After your acceptance to Albright, you can obtain your educational benefits by applying through the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA). Once you confirm eligibilty for your benefits, provide your Certificate of Eligibilty (or Notice of Basic Eligibilty) to the registrar's office via email to registrar@albright.edu. If you need assistance, contact va@albright.edu.

• 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. [end drop-down list]

Once you complete your FAFSA, you will be notified of which loans you qualify for and how much money you are eligible to borrow.

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

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.

Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loans
Application for this parent loan is a two-step process after the student's FAFSA has been submitted. It requires the biological parent to complete a loan request (credit check) and the Master Promissory Note (MPN). These two steps must be completed before the loan can be certified by Albright College. We recommend submitting this application after July 1 - and applying for a full-year loan rather than one semester, as the loan amount will be split into two equal disbursements.

A parent can apply for this loan by logging into Studentaid.gov, using their own FSA account information. Once logged in, click on 'I'm a parent' and then 'Apply for a Parent PLUS Loan,' and complete all required information for the credit check. Once that is approved, the parent must complete the Master Promissory Note information and submit the loan application. 

All loan funds will be credited to the student's account in two equal disbursements, one for each semester.

Private Student Loans
Educational loans are available through private lenders and are typically in the student's name, with a required credit-worthy co-signer. Review loans like this at Elm Select.

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

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.

Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loans
Application for this parent loan is a two-step process after the student's FAFSA has been submitted. It requires the biological parent to complete a loan request (credit check) and the Master Promissory Note (MPN). These two steps must be completed before the loan can be certified by Albright College. We recommend submitting this application after July 1 - and applying for a full-year loan rather than one semester, as the loan amount will be split into two equal disbursements.

A parent can apply for this loan by logging into Studentaid.gov, using their own FSA account information. Once logged in, click on 'I'm a parent' and then 'Apply for a Parent PLUS Loan,' and complete all required information for the credit check. Once that is approved, the parent must complete the Master Promissory Note information and submit the loan application. 

All loan funds will be credited to the student's account in two equal disbursements, one for each semester.

Before applying for private student loans, undergraduate and graduate students should have filed a FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov. 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 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 Elm Select.

You can find information on Albright payment plan options on the Student Accounts webpage.