Notre Dame announces need-blind admissions, no-loan financial aid
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
In a series of moves it says will make the university more accessible to middle- and low-income students, the University of Notre Dame has announced it is now fully need-blind in its admissions process and it will shift to a no-loan policy for financial aid.
The changes were announced by President Rev. Robert Dowd when was he was inaugurated as Notre Dame’s 18th president on Friday.
Notre Dame was previously “need-blind” for domestic students, but the move to go need-blind for international students as well puts the private, Catholic institution in a group of just nine highly-selective universities in the country that are completely need-blind.
Need-blind admissions is the practice of not looking at a student’s financial situation or ability to pay for school when deciding whether to admit them. Notre Dame says the change is effective immediately.
“We want an undergraduate student body that reflects the rich diversity of the Catholic community in and beyond the United States, which requires a Notre Dame education be both accessible and affordable,” Dowd said in a news release.
The university is also moving away from loans in its financial aid packages and instead offering gift aid or grants to qualifying students instead. Notre Dame notes students may still take out loans from other institutions.
The new policies come as Notre Dame is also joining the Small Town and Rural Students, or STARS, College Network with the goal of increasing applications from students in rural areas.
Notre Dame is also still contesting a federal class-action lawsuit that accuses nearly 20 elite universities of illegally “price-fixing” the cost of tuition by colluding on a methodology to determine financial aid.