What does “need-blind” mean?
Need-blind universities evaluate your application without considering your financial situation. The admissions selection is focused purely on academics, extracurriculars, and overall merit. In contrast, need-aware universities do factor in your financial needs, which could impact your admission chances—especially if you're an international student needing substantial aid. However, you can still get accepted and receive full aid at need-aware schools! Stanford, for example, is need-aware, but there are plenty of inspiring stories of students getting full financial aid.
Need-blind doesn’t mean “free”
A need-blind admissions policy does not automatically imply a full scholarship. In fact, the term scholarship is not the most accurate here. What is typically offered is need-based financial aid, under which universities commit to meeting 100% of a student’s demonstrated financial need, calculated as:
Demonstrated Financial Need = Total Cost of Attendance (COA) – Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
Below is a list of 10 U.S. universities that are need-blind and meet 100% of demonstrated financial need for international students.
Harvard University
“Harvard has a need-blind application process for all students, domestic and international. This means that students will not be disadvantaged in the undergraduate admissions process due to their financial need or in other words, applying for financial aid will have no impact on your admissions decision. In addition to that, Harvard promises to meet 100% demonstrated need for all admitted students, including foreign students!”
Princeton University
“Princeton admission is need-blind — there is no disadvantage in the admission process for financial aid applicants. This ensures a continued and growing enrollment of a diverse group of students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. If offered admission, Princeton will meet 100% of your demonstrated financial need with grant aid. Princeton is one of a handful of universities that applies the same financial aid policy to international students.”
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
“We are one of only nine colleges in the U.S. that is need blind and full need. Need blind means that we don’t consider your ability to pay for college in the admissions process; full need means we are committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need with our aid. for all of our undergraduate students, domestic and international. About six out of every 10 students receive MIT need-based aid. The median annual price paid by an undergraduate who received an MIT Scholarship was $10,268 for the 2024–2025 academic year.”
Yale University
“Yale is committed to an admissions policy that does not consider a student’s ability to pay, and a financial aid policy that meets the full need of all students with no loans required. These two principles: need-blind admissions and need-based financial aid, ensure that a Yale education is affordable for everyone, regardless of family background, citizenship, or immigration status.”
Amherst College
“Amherst College follows a need-blind admission policy for all students—domestic and international. This means Amherst will admit international students without regard to their level of financial need or request for financial aid. In addition, Amherst meets 100% of calculated financial need for all international students who are admitted to the college and apply for need-based financial aid.”
Dartmouth College - since 2022
“Dartmouth guarantees to meet 100% of the demonstrated need of all admitted students who apply for aid, regardless of citizenship…Dartmouth has extended their need-blind admissions policy to all applicants, regardless of citizenship, beginning with the Class of 2026.”
Bowdoin College - since 2022
“Bowdoin's admissions process is need-blind for all students, including international students. If admitted, Bowdoin meets a family's full calculated need. Qualifying for no-loan student aid is available to everyone—including those who reside outside of the United States.”
Washington & Lee University - since 2024
“Washington and Lee University provides both need-based and merit-based assistance to international students in each entering class. W&L is need-blind in its admissions decisions, and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need without loans for every admitted student. Awards range from several thousand dollars to the full annual cost of attendance.”
Brown University - since 2025
“Brown meets the full demonstrated financial need of all applicants. U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States, undocumented, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and international students who are applying to enter in the fall of 2025 will be considered on a need-blind basis and the University will meet 100% of their demonstrated financial need.”
University of Notre Dame - since 2025
“Notre Dame is committed to providing an exceptional education regardless of a family’s financial circumstances. We offer financial aid that meets 100% of every student’s demonstrated financial need regardless of background, socioeconomic status, or the ability to pay for college. The University of Notre Dame admission decisions for undergraduate international applicants are need-blind.”
