Financial Aid
Our Promise
We believe a W&L education should be affordable for all admitted students. Our financial aid evaluation is not just a set of numbers plugged into a formula. We review each application and treat each family according to its circumstances. All First-Year applicants, including domestic, international and undocumented students, are eligible and encouraged to apply for need-based financial aid.
W&L also offers competitive merit-based full-ride scholarships through the Johnson Scholarship Program and additional full-tuition scholarships on the basis of geography or special interest.
- 100% — W&L meets the full demonstrated financial need of every admitted applicant entirely through grants and student employment, without loans.
- $0 in tuition — Undergraduate students with a total family income below $125,000 and assets typical for their income will receive a minimum grant equal to full tuition.
- $60 million in aid awarded annually. Our top-25 endowment among all U.S. colleges and universities allows us to provide need-based financial aid to the greatest number of students across the broadest range of incomes.
- 57% of the entering first-year class received some form of financial aid, with an average aid award of $64,265.
- ~44 members of the first-year class will win a prestigious Johnson Scholarship — an $80,000 per year value.
Access & Affordability
Students with the intellect to excel and the selflessness to care should have the opportunity to lead.
Making Ends Meet
Merit Scholarships
The Johnson Scholarship Program awards full tuition, room and board scholarships each year to up to 44 exceptionally qualified students regardless of their family's circumstances. Each Johnson Scholar also receives financial support for summer opportunities such as internships, research and independent projects. In addition to the Johnson Scholarship, each year W&L offers several additional scholarships for which incoming first-year students may apply.
Our No-Loan Commitment
We award institutional, federal and state grants plus $2,000 in student employment to meet your individually demonstrated need. No loan will be offered to meet any part of your demonstrated need. Federal loans for students and parents may be offered as an option to cover the family's contribution.
Graduate Debt-Free
Our generous grant packages meet the demonstrated need of our aid applicants, and only a fraction of our families choose to take out optional loans to cover the family contribution. Over the past five years, an average of 67 percent of our undergraduate students graduated debt-free.
The W&L Promise
Any admitted undergraduate from a family with income below $125,000 and assets typical for their income will receive a grant equal to or greater than full tuition. Many will receive additional grant assistance to cover room, board, and other educational expenses.
QuestBridge
QuestBridge is an organization that connects the nation's brightest students from low-income backgrounds with leading institutions of higher education.
Veterans and Yellow Ribbon
W&L is a strong supporter of veterans and VA educational programs, including Yellow Ribbon and tuition assistance. Students interested in participating in the Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) may do so through a partnership with neighboring Virginia Military Institute. Two-, three-, and four-year ROTC scholarships may be available. Currently, scholarships cover tuition and fees plus a significant stipend.
Award Stories
At first glance, a private college education may seem out of reach. We encourage you to look closer.
