Giving to Grinnell

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Empowering the brightest students

“I wanted to make sure that people like me – students coming from Africa – get the opportunity that I had. There is so much need in Africa. It’s important to get some of those students to experience Grinnell. The education they would get here is different. It has a much more global outlook”

—Christina Cutlip ’83

Cutlip created the Gurira Family Scholarship, named in honor of her uncle and aunt, Rogers and Josephine Gurira (pictured with Cutlip, left)

Learn more about the first scholarship recipient

Access Today. Opportunity Tomorrow.

At Grinnell College, we believe cost should never stand between a student and a world-class education. That’s why we dedicate more financial aid — proportionally — than any comparable institution and admit U.S. students without considering their ability to pay. This commitment has launched generations of Grinnellians who lead change across industries, countries, and communities.

Sustaining Access and Excellence

At Grinnell today, 92% of students receive financial aid and 18% are first-generation college students. While our endowment covers much of the financial aid cost, there remains a critical gap. Gifts from donors help ensure we can fund financial aid without sacrificing academic innovation and excellence.

Attracting and Supporting Top Talent

Grinnell seeks extraordinary students — leaders, innovators, and scholars — from all backgrounds. Along with need-based aid, we offer one of the strongest merit scholarship programs among liberal arts colleges, allowing us to compete for the best and brightest students nationwide.

$67,476

Average need-based aid package in 2024-25.

92%

of students receive financial aid of some amount.

$77.2 million

awarded in 2024-25 in the form of institutional financial aid (without loans).

100%

of demonstrated need is met with no required loans, making it possible to graduate debt-free.

Financial Freedom for Grinnellians

Since 2021, Grinnell has met 100% of demonstrated financial need for every enrolled student without the use of student loans. Gifts to financial aid at Grinnell help us replace student loans with grants, easing financial burdens and ensuring that more and more Grinnellians graduate with little to no educational debt.

Your Impact

Every dollar you contribute to financial aid opens a door for a bright student to thrive at Grinnell. Together, we can ensure that no financial barrier holds back a bold thinker, changemaker, or leader.

Make your gift today to empower the next generation of Grinnellians.