What is need-blind admission?
Need-blind admission is a term used by universities in the United States. Need-blind universities don’t consider students’ financial circumstances in the admissions process. It means that you will NOT be disadvantaged if you are not able to pay for your education.
Need blind + full financial aid
Just because the university is need-blind, doesn’t automatically mean that it provides full financial aid. If you are not able to pay, you need to make sure the university meets 100% of demonstrated financial need, in other words, provides a full-ride scholarship.
Need-blind universities with full financial aid 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.”
MIT
“MIT practices need-blind admissions, which means applicants will not be disadvantaged in the admissions process because of their financial need. We are one of only seven schools in the U.S. that is need-blind and meets full need for all students, foreign and domestic.”
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.”
Dartmouth College - since 2022
“Dartmouth becomes one of only six institutions of U.S. higher education—joining Harvard, Princeton, Yale, MIT, and Amherst—to offer need-blind admissions to all undergraduate applicants while meeting 100% of demonstrated need regardless of citizenship.
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 demonstrated financial need for all international students who are admitted to the college and apply for need-based financial aid.
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. Bowdoin meets all admitted international students' full demonstrated need with a small on-campus work expectation and scholarships.
Brown University - will be by 2025
International students are eligible to apply for University financial aid. We meet full demonstrated need for students who are admitted provided they apply for financial aid at the time they apply for admission.
Brown will be need-blind for international students beginning with the Class of 2029.
