Apply for Aid

Ready to begin applying for financial aid at Bowdoin? Here's what you need to know to get started.

The requirements to apply for aid depend on your citizenship status. All 2025-2026 financial aid forms are now available. We recommend completing financial aid application requirements before the published deadline. Missing the deadline to apply may limit your aid eligibility.

Requirements for US Citizens and Eligible Non-Citizens

2025–2026 CSS Profile (code 3089)
2025–2026 FAFSA (code 002038)
2023 US tax documents (if applicable)

Requirements for All Other Applicants

2025–2026 CSS Profile (code 3089)
2023 tax documents

Deadlines and Calendar

Early Decision 1: November 15

Early Decision 2: January 6

Regular Decision: February 1

Transfer: March 1

Continuing Bowdoin Students: February 15

If this is your first time applying for aid at Bowdoin and your parents are divorced, separated, or never married, then each household must submit a CSS Profile and 2023 tax documents (if applicable). Bowdoin may waive a noncustodial parent's participation in extreme circumstances.

You will learn more information about which documents are required once you complete the CSS Profile and access IDOC. Please submit all tax and other documents through IDOC. To determine the status of aid application documents, applicants to the College should check their Bowdoin admissions portal and continuing Bowdoin students should check the "Documents" section of their MyAid portal.

We require the FAFSA and the CSS Profile because we use each form for different purposes. We use the FAFSA to determine US citizens' and eligible non-citizens' eligibility for federal student aid, and we use the CSS Profile to determine each aid applicant's eligibility for financial aid from Bowdoin College.

Federal Policy on Professional Judgment (PJ)

Any applicant or current student may pursue a request for reconsideration of their federal aid eligibility based on special and/or unusual circumstance(s) that impact their ability to pay. Per federal regulations, Professional Judgment (PJ) is a responsibility placed upon Financial Aid Administrators to use on a case-by-case basis and routinely requires documentation to support such requests.

It is best to begin this process by speaking with your student aid counselor regarding questions or concerns, and to gain a better sense of our Request for Review process. Any adjustment of need-based institutional aid requires this request form and documentation.