How freshman aid changes after year one
Colleges report how much grant aid they give freshmen and all undergraduates. Comparing the two shows whether later-year students, on average, receive smaller grants.
The national picture (2022-23)
How big is the gap?
| Gap per recipient | Colleges |
|---|---|
| Later-year grants higher | 474 |
| $0–999 lower | 361 |
| $1,000–2,999 lower | 529 |
| $3,000–4,999 lower | 201 |
| $5,000+ lower | 167 |
The median college's later-year grant was 7.4% below its freshman grant.
Is it getting bigger?
For 1,711 colleges with data in both years, the gap was larger in 2022-23 than in 2021-22 at 766 and smaller or unchanged at 945.
Why gaps happen
Some reasons are structural, not cuts to one student: continuing students include transfers and part-time students, who often get smaller grants; some scholarships require a minimum GPA or credit load to renew; and family income or the aid formula can change from year to year. Some colleges also offer larger "first-year" packages. The data can't tell these apart, which is why we show it as an average and not a prediction.
What to ask a college
- Which grants in my offer renew automatically, and what are the GPA or credit requirements?
- Is any part of this offer for the first year only?
- How did the average grant for returning students compare with freshmen last year?
This guide describes federal averages. It isn't advice on which college to choose. See the ranking and methodology.
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