Financial Aid

The mission of the Office of Financial Aid is to reduce the financial barriers to a Lehigh education for those families whose resources alone would make it impossible to meet the cost of attendance.  

Our aid program is designed to measure the difference between our costs and the amount of money your family can be expected to contribute towards those costs. That difference is called “financial need” and represents financial aid eligibility. The majority of Lehigh’s funds are awarded on the basis of financial need. Students must file on time and meet academic progress requirements to be eligible for consideration.

The basic components of financial aid consist of gift aid (grants and scholarships) and self help (employment and loan assistance). Gift aid is generally not repayable. The majority are awarded on the basis of “need” and are renewable on the basis of continuing “need”, satisfactory academic progress criteria and on time filing. Employment provides money for books and personal expenses, and is paid through biweekly payroll checks based on hours worked. Loans are repayable funds from one or more sources, repayable after the student ceases to be enrolled on at least a halftime basis.

Additional sources of aid include, but are not limited to: state agencies, employers, and various clubs, churches, religious and fraternal organizations, and foundations. High school guidance counselors are able to provide information about local aid programs.

For more detailed information, please visit the financial aid office website at www.lehigh.edu/financialaid.