The actual amount of financial aid you are awarded is based on the amount of funding, endowments, and number of students attending Penn State.
Step 3: Compare Your Student Aid
Not every college has sufficient student aid funds to meet every applicant's financial need.
Penn State is not typically able to meet the difference between the expected family contribution and the cost of attendance for all students. As a result, there may be a difference in the amount of financial need and what you and your family actually contribute, which many Penn State students and families offset with educaitonal loans.
- Most Penn State students and their families rely heavily on educational loans to finance their degrees. Reliance on educational loans as a primary source of aid is a common trend at colleges and universities across the country. At Penn State, 80 percent of all undergraduate students who apply for student aid receive federal student loans as their primary means of student aid.
- Review Penn State's current first-year undergraduate student costs to find out what costs will apply to your financial situation. Then, compare with the Early Aid Estimate or your Student Aid Award Notification.
