Applying for Financial Aid
At Carnegie Mellon, we award financial aid to the incoming class solely on the basis of demonstrated financial need. Regular Decision applicants who have submitted all required financial documents should receive a financial aid offer shortly after they receive their decision letter.* The financial aid offer will be available via the Where Am I in the Process? portal.
If you haven't submitted your required financial aid documents, please do so as soon as possible. The Office of Admission won't be able to finalize your financial aid offer until we've received all required documents.
*Fall 2024 Admitted Students & Families: Delays caused by FAFSA Simplification have impacted the timeline for when financial aid offers will be available. Please stay tuned to our FAFSA Updates webpage(opens in new window) for the latest updates and expected timeline.
Applying for financial aid is free of cost for those unable to pay the CSS Profile fee. Please contact the Office of Admission, and we'll be happy to provide you with a CSS Profile Fee Waiver code.
Carnegie Mellon students have the right to request changes to their financial aid based on Special Financial Circumstances (i.e., recent unemployment, changes to income, assets) or based on Unusual Circumstances that may qualify a student for a change in dependency status.
More information about these processes can be found on this page. Students can submit a special or unusual circumstance request directly via their My Student Aid portal. If you have any questions about this process, please contact the Office of Admission at 412.268.2082 or @email.
Questions? We're Here to Help
Review Our Aid Resources
If you have general questions or this is your first time going through the financial aid process, our Applying for Aid page is a great starting point.
Financial Aid Counseling Sessions
A virtual Financial Aid Counseling Session will allow you to connect with an admission counselor and ask your financial aid questions. These sessions last approximately 20-30 minutes, and you are welcome to have family or friends join the session with you.