Applying for Aid
Borrowing at Boston College
48%
Percent of students who borrowed a Federal student loan
$15,320
Average total Federal loan amount borrowed by students
Class of 2019
$159
Approximate Federal loan monthly payment over a ten-year period
Boston College is committed to providing information in a manner that is accessible to all. If you are in need of a printed copy of the material presented on this web page, please contact the Office of Student Services.
Boston College awards need-based financial aid. You are eligible to apply for need-based aid if you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. We do not offer merit financial aid through this office. Please note Boston College does not participate in IDOC. You must submit all required documents to www.bc.edu/finaidupload.
Please note the following limitations to uploading:
- File size is limited to 5 MB per document. If your document exceeds this size, consider the following:
- Do not use a camera to create images of the documents
- Do not attempt to upload color copies
- Use a lower resolution setting when scanning documents
- Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and .tiff documents are not acceptable. Conversion options are usually available for any file type that is not in an accepted file format.
- Password-protected documents cannot be accepted
If you experience any issues while attempting to upload your documents, please contact the Office of Student Services at 1-800-294-0294 or at studentservices@bc.edu.
Please note that it will take 48–72 hours for your documents to be added to your financial aid file.
During the month of April, accepted students for the Class of 2024 may send documents to studentservices@bc.edu. If submitting electronically, please use .PDF as the formatted file type. W-2’s and tax returns should be sent as two separate PDF’s.
Please write the student’s eagle number on each page submitted.
To apply for federal and/or state aid, you need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), using your FSA ID. Federal aid includes Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Direct Loans, both subsidized and unsubsidized, Nursing loans, and Work-Study. State aid varies by state. Once the FAFSA is completed, you may be selected by the Federal Processor for a process called Verification, which means you will have to provide additional requirements to verify actual tax data. For more information, visit the Verification tab on this page.
Priority Filing Dates
| Form | Early Decision I | Early Decision II | Regular Decision | Transfer | WCAS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAFSA (online) BC FAFSA code: 002128 Must be submitted for all federal and state aid. |
November 1 | January 1 | February 1 November 1 |
September Admission: January Admission: |
September Admission: January Admission: |
| CSS Profile BC Profile code: 3083 Must be submitted for all need-based institutional aid. |
November 1 | January 1 |
November 1 |
September Admission: January Admission: |
Boston College Financial Aid Application: April 15 |
| Signed copy of student's 2018 federal tax return, including all schedules and W-2 statements | November 1 | January 1 | February 1 November 1 |
September Admission: January Admission: |
April 15 |
| Signed copy of your parents' 2018 federal tax return, including all schedules and W-2 statements | November 1 | January 1 | February 1 November 1 |
September Admission: January Admission: |
April 15 |
| Copy of your noncustodial parent's 2018 federal tax return, including all schedules and W-2 statements | November 1 | January 1 | February 1 November 1 |
September Admission: January Admission: |
April 15 |
| Electronic Noncustodial Parent's Statement (Freshmen and Transfers only)** | November 1 | January 1 | February 1 November 1 |
September Admission: January Admission: |
April 15 |
| Copy of 2018 federal business tax returns (1065, 1120, 1120S) with K-1s and all schedules in lieu of the Business/Farm Supplement. | November 1 | January 1 | February 1 November 1 |
September Admission: January Admission: |
April 15 |
| Business Farm Supplement (if applicable) Please submit if you or your parent(s) own any interest in a farm. |
November 1 | January 1 | February 1 November 1 |
September Admission: January Admission: |
April 15 |
Please note that by completing only the FAFSA, Boston College is not able to determine your eligibility for institutional need-based grants. In order to be considered for all institutional need-based aid as well as all federal and state aid, you must complete the FAFSA and the forms listed above, if applicable to your situation.
**You will receive instructions on how to complete this form online when you complete your CSS Profile.
Boston College awards need-based financial aid. You are eligible to apply for need-based aid if you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. We do not offer merit financial aid through this office. You must submit all required documents to www.bc.edu/finaidupload.
Please note the following limitations to uploading:
- File size is limited to 5 MB per document. If your document exceeds this size, consider the following:
- Do not use a camera to create images of the documents
- Do not attempt to upload color copies
- Use a lower resolution setting when scanning documents
- Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and .tiff documents are not acceptable. Conversion options are usually available for any file type that is not in an accepted file format.
- Password-protected documents cannot be accepted
If you experience any issues while attempting to upload your documents, please contact the Office of Student Services at 1-800-294-0294 or at studentservices@bc.edu.
Please note that it will take 48–72 hours for your documents to be added to your financial aid file.
If preferred, documents can be mailed to:
Boston College Financial Aid Processing Center
P.O. Box 67486
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
Please write the student’s eagle number on each page submitted.
2020–2021 Financial Aid
- The Financial aid priority filing date is February 1, 2020.
- Financial aid applications completed after the priority filing date may be considered late and will be reviewed as time and funds permit.
- Late applications will be reviewed only after all on-time, completed applications have been reviewed.
- Financial aid award notifications will be released in the Agora Portal in late June. Note: This release date is later than the award notification received as an incoming freshman.
- Please check your financial aid application status online for your specific required documents at www.bc.edu/finaidapp.
To apply for federal and/or state aid, you need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), using your FSA ID. Federal aid includes Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Direct Loans, both subsidized and unsubsidized, Nursing loans, and Work-Study. State aid varies by state. Once the FAFSA is completed, you may be selected by the Federal Processor for a process called Verification, which means you will have to provide additional requirements to verify actual tax data. For more information, visit the Verification tab on this page.
Priority Filing Deadlines
| Form | Current Undergraduates | WCAS |
|---|---|---|
| FAFSA (online) or paper FAFSA (pdf) BC FAFSA code: 002128 Must be submitted for all federal and state aid. |
February 1 | February 1 |
| Boston College Financial Aid Application (PDF) Must be submitted for all need-based institutional aid. |
February 1 | February 1 |
| Signed copy of student's 2018 federal tax return, including all schedules and W-2 statements | February 1 | February 1 |
| Signed copy of your parents' 2018 federal tax return, including all schedules and W-2 statements | February 1 | February 1 |
| Copy of your noncustodial parent's 2018 federal tax return, including all schedules and W-2 statements | February 1 | February 1 |
| Noncustodial Parent Statement (Current Undergraduates only) | February 1 | February 1 |
| Copy of 2018 federal business tax returns (1065, 1120, 1120S) with K-1s and all schedules in lieu of the Business/Farm Supplement. | February 1 | February 1 |
| Business Farm Supplement (if applicable) Please submit if you or your parent(s) own any interest in a farm. |
February 1 | February 1 |
Please note that by completing only the FAFSA, Boston College is not able to determine your eligibility for institutional need-based grants. In order to be considered for all institutional need-based aid as well as all federal and state aid, you must complete the FAFSA and the forms listed above, if applicable to your situation.
Financial aid awards are released in the Agora Portal according to the following schedule:
| Application | Award Notification |
|---|---|
| Early Decision I | Mid-December |
| Early Decision II | Mid-February |
| Regular Decision | Late March |
| Transfer | Rolling |
| WCAS | Rolling |
| Current Undergraduates | Late June |
Students can access their financial aid application and financial aid award information online. You are encouraged to monitor your financial aid status online before contacting Student Services. The following financial aid information is available online:
- Financial aid application document status
- Financial aid award status
- View your financial aid award
- Adjust your financial aid award
- Report outside scholarships
- Financial aid award history
- Log into www.bc.edu/myservices.
- Scroll down to the "Student Financial Services" tab.
- Click on "Financial Aid Award Notification."
- Enter your financial aid access key.
- Select the Academic Year Period in the drop down menu.
- Your financial aid award details will then appear which includes residential status, cost of attendance, scheduled graduation term, and award file status.
If you have any questions, you may contact the Office of Student Services at (800) 294-0294, studentservices@bc.edu, or visit our location in Lyons Hall.
- Log into www.bc.edu/myservices.
- Scroll down to the "Student Financial Services" tab.
- Click on "Financial Aid Award Notification."
- Select the Academic Year Period in the drop down menu.
- Your financial aid award details will then appear which includes residential status, cost of attendance, scheduled graduation term, and award file status.
If you have any questions, you may contact the Office of Student Services at (800) 294-0294, studentservices@bc.edu, or visit our location Lyons Hall.
Students can access their financial aid application and financial aid award information online. You are encouraged to monitor your financial aid status online before contacting Student Services. The following financial aid information is available online:
- Financial aid application document status
- Financial aid award status
- View your financial aid award
- Adjust your financial aid award
- Report outside scholarships
- Financial aid award history
To check the status of your financial aid application you will need to do the following steps:
- Go to www.bc.edu/finaidapp.
- Enter your Eagle ID and date of birth (mm/dd/yyyy).
- Click Submit.
- Select the award year to view the status of your financial aid documents.
** If you are an admitted student, you can also follow these steps:
- Log into www.bc.edu/myservices.
- Scroll down to the "Student Financial Services" tab.
- Click on "Application Status."
- Select the award year to view the status of your financial aid documents.
If you have any questions, you may contact the Office of Student Services at (800) 294-0294, studentservices@bc.edu, or visit our location in Lyons Hall.
To check the status of your financial aid application you will need to do the following steps:
- Log into www.bc.edu/myservices.
- Scroll down to the "Student Financial Services" tab.
- Click on "Application Status."
- Select the award year to view the status of your financial aid documents.
If you have any questions, you may contact the Office of Student Services at (800) 294-0294, studentservices@bc.edu, or visit our location Lyons Hall.
Verification is the process used to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA is accurate. If you are selected for federal verification by the Department of Education, this will be indicated on your Student Aid Reported (SAR), which will be e-mailed to you after submission of your 2020–2021 FAFSA. If your FAFSA was selected for verification, students and parents can complete this process by providing the following information:
- Tax account information transferred from the IRS using the FAFSA IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) and/or a tax return transcript from the IRS continues to be acceptable documentation; however, a signed copy of the 2018 federal tax return is also acceptable to fulfill verification requirements. For more information, visit the IRS Verification Process dropdown below.
- If you have not and are not required to file a 2018 federal tax return, you will need to provide an IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter along with copies of your W-2 forms from all employers that paid wages in 2018, and an Income Tax Non-Filer Verification form. The IRS Verification of Non-Filing letter is required of parents (of dependent students) who did not file a tax return as well as independent students and/or their spouse who did not file a tax return. Dependent students who did not file a tax return are not required to submit an IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter. For more information, visit the IRS Verification Process dropdown below.
- Additional documentation may be required for some to verify:
- SNAP Benefits
- Child Support Paid
- Untaxed Income
- High School Completion Status
- Identity/Statement of Educational Purpose
Please note: Copies of your federal tax returns, along with all schedules and W-2 forms, still must be submitted directly to the Boston College Financial Aid Processing Center as part of the standard financial aid application process, even if your FAFSA was not selected for verification.
Boston College Financial Aid Processing Center
124 Heritage Avenue Suite #14
Portsmouth, NH 03801
IRS Data Retrival Tool
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) allows students and parents to electronically transfer their IRS tax return information into the FAFSA. The IRS DRT, if successfully matched, is one method used to complete the FAFSA Verification process.
We strongly encourage you to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool during the initial filing of your FAFSA. Families must actively choose to utilize the IRS DRT by clicking “Link to IRS” on the FAFSA. If they choose to do so, they will be transferred to the Internal Revenue Service web site. There, the FAFSA Central Processing System (CPS) will conduct a data match with the IRS. In order to enhance the security and privacy of personal data transferred into the FAFSA from the IRS, the 2020–2021 IRS DRT will encrypt the student applicant and parent transferred tax data and hide it from view on both the IRS DRT website and on the FAFSA web pages. The words “Transferred from the IRS” will display in the data entry fields throughout the FAFSA form and on the Student Aid Report (SAR).
Eligibility
You and your parents are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool if you:
- Filed your 2018 federal tax return with the IRS.
- Have a valid social security number.
- Have a Federal Student Aid ID
You and your parents are not eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool if:
- Your marital status changed after December 31, 2018.
- You filed taxes married filing separately.
- You filed an amended tax return.
- You filed a foreign tax return.
- You filed a tax return using a Tax Number (TIN).
- The home address on the FAFSA does not match the address on the tax return.
IRS Tax Return Transcript
If your FAFSA is selected for Verification and you and/or your parents are not eligible or choose not to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on your FAFSA, the US Department of Education requires our office to collect a certified Tax Return Transcript processed by the IRS. Please make sure to request a Tax Return Transcript (DO NOT request a Tax Account Transcript, Record of Account Transcript, or Wage and Income Transcript).
Please note, that parents who are married but filing separately must submit two separate IRS Tax Return Transcripts. Transcripts are not required for those filing a foreign or Puerto Rican tax return.
New: If you are unable to obtain an IRS tax return transcript, you may submit a signed tax return to fulfill the requirement.
Online Request for Tax Return Transcript
- Go to www.irs.gov/transcript.
- Select “Get Transcript Online” or “Get Transcript by Mail."
- You will need to create an account by providing your name, e-mail address, SSN, and answering some security questions. Please make sure you use the address currently on file with the IRS. Typically, this will be the address that was listed on the latest tax return filed.
- Select “Higher Education/Student Aid” as your reason for requesting the Tax Return Transcript, which will provide you with a free transcript.
- Select the tax year for your Tax Return Transcript (i.e., “2018” for Academic year 2020–2021).
Telephone Request for Tax Return Transcript
- Call the IRS at 1-800-908-9946 (7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.).
- Tax filers must follow prompts to enter their Social Security Number and the numbers of their street address. Generally, these will be the numbers of the street address that was listed on the latest tax return filed. However, if an address change has been completed through the U.S. Postal Service, the IRS may have the updated address on file.
- Select "Option 2" to request an IRS Tax Return Transcript, and then enter tax year (i.e., “2018” for Academic year 2020–2021).
- If successfully validated, tax filers can expect to receive a paper IRS Tax Return Transcript at the address that was used in their telephone request within 5 to 10 days from the time the IRS receives the request. Note: The IRS cannot send IRS Tax Return Transcripts requested by telephone directly to a third party.
Paper Request for Tax Return Transcript
- Complete Form 4506-T (Request for Transcript of Tax Return).
- Mail or fax the completed IRS Form 4506-T to the appropriate address or fax number provided on page 2.
- You can expect your Tax Return Transcript to be mailed within 5 to 10 days from the IRS.
IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter
If your FAFSA is selected for Verification and you have not and are not required to file a 2018 federal tax return, you will need to provide an IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter along with copies of your W-2 forms from all employers that paid wages in 2018 and an Income Tax Non-Filer Verification form.
The IRS Verification of Non-Filing letter is required from:
- Parents (of dependent students) who did not file a tax return.
- Independent students and/or their spouse who did not file a tax return.
Dependent students who did not file a tax return are not required to submit an IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter.
The IRS Verification of Non-Filing letter can be requested from the IRS in one of three ways:
- Online request at www.irs.gov/transcript. Select “Get Transcript Online” or “Get Transcript by Mail.”
- Telephone request by calling the IRS at 800-908-9946 (7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m).
- Paper request by mailing IRS form 4506-T (make sure to check box 7).
If you have questions about the IRS Tax Return Transcript or IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter process, please review the IRS Get Transcript Frequently Asked Questions or call the IRS Tax Help line for individuals at 800-829-1040.
Boston College believes that the primary responsibility for educational expenses lies with the student and the family. Therefore, both biological parents must submit financial information in order to establish a student’s eligibility for financial aid.
For exact details on what you need to submit, visit www.bc.edu/finaidapp.
If the whereabouts of your noncustodial parent are unknown, or if there are extenuating circumstances regarding your situation, please complete the Noncustodial Parent Waiver Petition. Please provide supporting documentation from a third party. Requests without supporting documentation will not be reviewed. Refusal of your noncustodial parent to provide information or support does not constitute a waiver.
Please note that Boston College will also accept the Noncustodial PROFILE Waiver Request made available to incoming students by the College Board.
All information is kept strictly confidential, unless a signed release is provided authorizing the sharing of information between all parties.
A student is considered federally independent if he/she is:
- 24 years old
- married
- serving on active duty in the US Armed Forces
- a veteran
- a parent with dependents
- an emancipated minor
- homeless
- assigned a legal guardian before the age of 18
For institutional aid purposes, all undergraduates at Boston College are considered dependent. We will only consider students independent in extreme circumstances. The student should submit a letter appealing dependency status to the Office of Student Services. The appeal letter should outline the student's relationship with his/her parents. We also require a letter from a third-party (counselor, teacher, social worker, lawyer for example) in support of the claim.
Financial aid for Boston College's summer sessions is limited. Federal Direct Loans, Pell Grants, and private educational loans are the only sources of funding available for summer enrollment.
To be considered for any Federal financial aid, all students must be at least half-time (6 credits) in a degree program and must have completed Boston College's financial aid application process.
Federal Pell Grants are awarded to students demonstrating substantial financial eligibility, based on information submitted on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students who were enrolled full time for both fall and spring semester and received their maximum Pell award during the academic year are eligible for an additional Pell Grant in the summer. Eligible students "shall" be awarded up to one and one-half Federal Pell Grants (i.e., 150 percent of the student's scheduled award) during a single award year. The student must be enrolled on at least a half-time basis in the payment period during which the additional Pell Grant funds are received. All Pell Grant funds received must be counted towards the student's overall lifetime eligibility limits. Please contact your financial aid advisor for additional details. Other Federal and state grants are generally not available for summer enrollment. For more information on Federal Pell Grants, visit the Types of Financial Aid web page.
A student interested in Summer Work-Study should complete the Summer Work-Study Application.
- A student may be eligible to borrow the Federal Direct Loan for the summer term if the student did not borrow all of his/her annual loan limit during the prior academic year or will not be borrowing the annual loan limit for the coming academic year due to attendance for only one semester. In addition, a student is eligible to borrow if the summer term is the student's final enrollment period. Students must also be enrolled at least half-time (six credit hours) over the course of both summer sessions to be eligible. For more information on Federal Direct Loans, visit the Types of Financial Aid web page.
- Federal Direct PLUS
- Private Educational Loans
Boston College is committed to providing information in a manner that is accessible to all. If you are in need of a printed copy of the material presented on this web page, please contact the Office of Student Services.
Our goal is to accurately determine your family’s ability to contribute toward your education and to provide the most appropriate need-based financial aid package; taking into consideration all application materials provided to the financial aid office. You may request a secondary review of your financial aid package at any time due to a change in your family’s circumstances. Information presented in your appeal should be either new information or information that has changed significantly from your initial application materials.
Please submit a detailed letter of explanation regarding your special circumstances, along with the Financial Aid Appeal Form and all other applicable documentation listed on the appeal form, as it pertains to your specific circumstances. Additional documentation may include (but is not limited to): tax returns, paystubs, termination letter, severance letter, death certificate, medical bills, receipts, and information about unemployment compensation, Social Security and/or disability benefits.
Special Circumstances do include the following:
- Loss of employment
- Extraordinary unreimbursed medical expenses
- One-time income received (from capital gain or distribution, etc.)
- Death of parent
Special Circumstances do not include the following:
- Student or parent(s) who does not wish to borrow to cover educational expenses
- Parent(s) refusal to contribute to educational expenses
- Parent(s) payment of student loans for older sibling
- Expenses such as credit card debt, wedding expenses, sports, enrichment activities, etc.
Financial Aid Appeals are reviewed within ten business days by a committee. Additional processing time may be needed if more information is required. If additional financial aid is offered, the student will receive a revised Financial Aid Award Letter. If additional financial aid is not offered, the student and/or parent(s) will receive notification of the appeal denial or postponement (if applicable).