Paying Your Swarthmore Bill

Trees on campus over a sereve walkway

Our Financial Aid Committee carefully considers all of your family’s detailed information from your financial aid application, which is used to determine your family’s ability to contribute to the costs of a Swarthmore education.

Students must pay their College bills to register for classes and housing, and remain in good standing with their student account.

Your Swarthmore bill consists of billed costs, such as tuition (including books), student activity fee, housing, and food (meal plan). Swarthmore neither bills you for nor pays for non-billed costs, such as your supplies, personal expenses, or travel. These out-of-pocket expenses vary from student to student.

Swarthmore bills are issued twice a year via MySwarthmore; fall semester costs are billed in July, and spring semester costs are billed in December. Your bill will show College and federal funds as deductions. Learn more about billing deadlines, payment options, and refunds on the Student Accounts website.
 

Expected Parent Contribution

Parents are expected to contribute toward their child’s college costs. Swarthmore calculates the expected parent contribution based on your family’s financial need, considering factors like:

  • cost of living
  • family size
  • taxes
  • special circumstances (for example: high out-of-pocket medical bills, elder care or child care expenses, or parents repaying their own college loans)

The Swarthmore College Payment Plan provides a flexible, interest-free, monthly payment option for tuition, fees, housing, and food. The program enrollment takes place each semester with three separate plan duration options available. The first installment payment (plus a $35 application fee) is due at the time of enrollment. 

Expected Student Contribution

Students are also expected to contribute toward their college costs. Your expected contribution includes:

  • a summer job earnings contribution
  • a portion of any assets in your name (like a savings account)

Learn more about campus jobs and summer earnings expectations.

Other Resources

Families may pay for their portion of the bill using several other resources, including:

If you receive veterans’ educational benefits, state rehabilitation benefits, or tuition grant money from your parents’ employers, you must report this aid to the Financial Aid Office because it is factored into our need analysis when determining your expected family contribution and may reduce the amount of need-based aid that you receive from Swarthmore.