University of Dayton

You apply each year. But we're always here to help.

Did you know that the first step to applying for financial aid is to be accepted to the University of Dayton? The federal government requires that any student seeking the use of Title IV funds must first be admitted to a degree-seeking program.

Once you have been accepted, our office will be notified so we can begin to prepare your aid for the upcoming year. Use the information provided in this section to receive that aid in a timely manner.

The nuts and bolts of affording your education.

Most types of financial aid awards fall within one of two categories:

Gift aid refers to those awards that do not have to be repaid. Awards of this nature are generally called scholarships or grants. For graduate students this can also includes assistantships and fellowships.

Self-help refers to those awards that require something in return from the student in order to receive the funds. Awards of this nature include student loans and student employment. Loans will require repayment and student employment will require the student to secure a part-time position on campus to receive their paycheck.

Use your budget to manage your costs. Simple, right?

Direct charges for tuition, fees, housing (University-owned) and meal plan rates are set on an annual basis by the University administration. Variable expenses such as books, supplies, and personal spending allowances are set by the Office of Financial Aid and are based on average student expenses and federal guidelines.

The Office of Financial Aid establishes the annual student expense budget (.pdf) which represents the maximum amount of financial aid a student may receive over a standard academic year (fall/spring). Included in the student expense budget are commonly accepted educational expense allowances for items such as tuition, fees, books, supplies and personal spending in accordance with federal regulations.

These annual student expense budgets reflect average cost of attendance figures. If you plan to attend classes during the summer term as well, please contact our office. If you register for more than the budgeted amount or if your projected personal expenses are higher than our estimate, you are encouraged to contact a financial aid counselor to discuss your needs and the possibility of increasing your individual personal expense allowance.