The financial aid application process and required documentation are different for domestic and international students. 

For the purposes of admissions and financial aid, Swarthmore considers you a domestic student if at least one of the following is true:

• You are a U.S. citizen, U.S. dual citizen, or a U.S. Permanent Resident in possession of a valid Green Card*
• You are eligible to complete and submit a valid FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
• You are undocumented or in the Asylee/Refugee status application process, and you reside in the U.S., and are graduating from a U.S. high school.

* Individuals currently applying for permanent residency but who do not possess a Green Card at the time of application are not considered a domestic student.

If you don’t fall in any of the above categories, you are considered an international student.

Learn more about:

• Required materials - simplified
• Required materials - detailed
• Deadlines
• Divorced or separated parents
• Parents involved in a business or partnership
• Veterans
   

Required materials - simplified

VERY IMPORTANT TIP:  Monitor your financial aid checklist via the Admissions application status portal (prospective students) or MySwarthmore (current students).  Do not rely upon the checklist on IDOC; it will not be as accurate as your checklist on Swarthmore's portals.

• Swarthmore Financial Aid Certification Form [PDF]
• CSS Profile
  • Swarthmore's College Board code: 2821
• Upload to IDOC:  U.S. Federal Income Tax Returns - this includes personal returns, corporate returns, and/or partnership returns with all schedules and pages - the entire return as filed to the IRS. Also upload all W-2 statements and 1099 forms.
• FAFSA: This is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid from the United States federal government, including Federal Direct and Parent PLUS loans.
  • Swarthmore's FAFSA code: 003370
• Additional forms, documentation, or written explanations may be required if requested by the Financial Aid Office (see detail below).

Students who are U.S. citizens (or dual citizens) and wish to apply only for federal loans (including Federal Direct loans and Parent PLUS loans) may file only the FAFSA. The CSS Profile form will not be required.

Required materials - detailed

• Swarthmore Financial Aid Certification Form [PDF]
  • Required for all students, this form must be uploaded to the IDOC service.
• CSS Profile: This is the application for institutional financial aid from Swarthmore College. You must submit the CSS Profile before using the IDOC service. Visit the College Board website for helpful tips and instructions on creating a parent account.
  • Swarthmore's College Board code: 2821
• Federal Tax returns:
  • For Parents: Upload all pages of the 2024 federal income tax return, as well as all W-2s and 1099 statements via the IDOC service.  We need you to upload your entire 2024 federal income tax return to IDOC; whatever you submitted to the IRS must be uploaded.  IDOC will separate and organize your submission accordingly. Also upload all W-2 statements and 1099 forms.
  • For Students: Upload only the 2024 federal income tax return via the IDOC service. W-2s are not required if you filed a federal income tax return. See below if you did not file a federal income tax return.
• FAFSA: This is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid from the United States federal government, including Federal Direct and Parent PLUS loans.
  • Swarthmore's FAFSA code: 003370
  • You may view a short, helpful video for completing the FAFSA.
• Federal Verification Documentation: Swarthmore is required by the federal government to verify students for federal financial aid eligibility. To complete Federal Verification, students are required to upload the following documents via the IDOC service.
  • Federal Verification Worksheet (Dependent Students)[PDF]
    • The verification worksheet must be completed after the FAFSA has been submitted.
  • Federal Verification Worksheet (Independent Students)[PDF]
    • The verification worksheet must be completed after the FAFSA has been submitted.
  • Federal Verification Student Non-Tax Filer statement[PDF]
    • This form is only required if you the student did not file a 2024 federal income tax return.
    • If the student worked, but was not required to file a 2024 federal income tax return, upload to IDOC the student's 2024 W-2 forms from all employers along with this form. 

Students who are U.S. citizens (or dual citizens) and wish to apply only for federal loans (including Federal Direct loans and Parent PLUS loans) may file only the FAFSA. The CSS Profile form will not be required.

Deadlines

If you submit your application for admission and/or your application for financial aid (CSS Profile) close to the Jan. 4 deadline, there may a delay in processing your information. During this time, you may be unable to view your financial aid checklist. Please account for this delay before contacting the College. For your convenience, a two-week grace period for your CSS Profile submission and supporting documentation is automatically factored into the Jan. 4 deadline.

Please be sure that your application submission is entirely complete.  It is recommended that both before and after you submit your application that you review your submission to be sure that all relevant income information has been provided, e.g., a complete US federal income tax return with all schedules, W-2s, 1099s, etc.  Any information that you provide on the CSS Profile and FAFSA should derive from actual and legitimate documentation.  Lastly, you should keep a readily accessible copy of your entire aid application submission for your reference.

Divorced or separated parents

If your parents are divorced or separated at the time of your financial aid application, or were never married, additional information is required in your financial aid application. Both households must submit the following information individually:

• CSS Profile form: Both parents (regardless of marital status) must submit the CSS Profile. The CSS Profile provides separate forms for each parent to complete and submit; parents are identified as “Parent A” and “Parent B.” Read instructions for how to create a parent account [PDF].
• 2024 Federal Tax Return: Submit all pages and schedules, as well as all W-2 and 1099 statements used to file tax returns. This information should be submitted from all parents (biological and any stepparents) via IDOC. 

Parents involved in a business or partnership

Students whose parents and/or stepparents (if applicable) have any interest or involvement in a partnership or corporation must submit additional documentation with their financial aid application. These documents are required (as applicable) from custodial parents, noncustodial parents, and stepparents who have any interest or involvement in a partnership or corporation.

• 2024 corporate and/or partnership federal income tax return(s)
  • Form 1065 - U.S. Partnership Tax Return - upload all pages and schedules to IDOC
  • Form 1120S - U.S. Corporate Tax Return - upload all pages and schedules to IDOC
  • Form 1120 - U.S. Corporate Tax Return - upload all pages and schedules to IDOC
• All Schedule K-1 forms
• Schedule E (both pages 1 and 2) from the U.S. federal income tax return (Form 1040)

Veterans

Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits are processed through the Registrar’s Office. Please review detailed instructions about how to apply for these benefits.