UVM Financial Aid

About University of Vermont

University of Vermont, or UVM, is one of the oldest colleges in the United States, founded originally as a private university in 1791. If you don't really care about old stuff, you'll still be interested in the fact that UVM later became a public university, and is one of the original eight Public Ivies. In its relatively long history, UVM has demonstrated a sense of progressiveness and equality. UVM's founding charter declared that the University would not discriminate on the basis of religion; nor did UVM discriminate based on sex or race, for UVM was the first school to admit female and African American undergraduates to Phi Beta Kappa, the national honors society (in 1875 and 1877, respectively).

Even if you're not a history nerd, you have to admit that that's all pretty cool (at least important). UVM's pretty awesome nowadays too: it's one of the best public institutions in the country, and has a beautiful home in the city of Burlington, tucked up in the Green Mountains. Its sports teams are known as the Catamounts, which is a cooler name for cougars - which you have to admit, is pretty awesome/fierce. Environmental activism is big at UVM: in 2007, UVM achieved an environmental first for colleges when their new student center became the first college building in the US to receive LEED Gold certification.  In 2009, the Sierra Club gave the school an A+ on their environmental report card for colleges - the only college awarded the distinction. While these are all great reasons about why UVM is awesome, there's one big, unfortunate drawback to UVM: it's the most expensive school for in-state students in terms of the total Cost of Attendance.

Budgeting and UVM Financial Aid

There are 'hidden' costs of attending any college that come up after tuition, room and board, fees, textbooks, and travel expenses have been addressed. Perhaps it's the cost of a pizza on a weekend night, or of concessions at a basketball game, or spending a few dollars on Winter Carnival. Wherever you may spend some extra money, just be sure to factor in personal expenses to your budget, especially if you're receiving UVM Financial Aid – you can't afford to spend a dollar more than you account for.

Applying for UVM Financial Aid

While UVM may be expensive for in-state students, the UVM Financial Aid office is quick to provide financial aid to eligible students. 92% of undergrads receive financial aid through the UVM financial aid program. The process is pretty standard: UVM only requires the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), but before you submit your application, be sure to talk to the UVM financial aid office. Ask about any 'free money' awards you could receive, such as scholarships and university grants, as well as if you'll need loans to cover the cost of attending UVM. Once you submit your FAFSA, you're all set - you will receive a financial aid package with your tuition bill.

Students who need student loans to augment their UVM financial aid awards should be sure to exhaust federal loan options before turning to private student loans. To find the student loan that best fits with your UVM financial aid package, check out our student loam comparison tool at the top of this page.