General information about Princeton Financial Aid
Questions about the form and the process
Q. Does it hurt my chances of being admitted if I apply for aid?
A. Absolutely not. All applicants, including international students, can be confident that submitting the PFAA will not be a disadvantage in the admission process.
Q. I skipped the original chance to use my CSS/PROFILE data and went on to view the PFAA. Now I want to go back and use my CSS ID number. Why can't I return to that page?
A. Once you open and enter any data on the PFAA, whether you select “save” or not, it is not possible to go back to retrieve PROFILE data.
Q. Why do you want to know things like if my parent is an alumnus or works for a particular employer, or if I have a sibling at Princeton?
A. These questions help us with the administrative details involved in running Princeton's aid program. Your answers do not affect whether you qualify for aid, or how much you receive. The information simply allows us to match resources with eligible students.
Q. How should I answer the question about the amount my parents can afford to pay for my college expenses next year, and will this affect my aid eligibility?
A. This question, "How much do your parents plan to contribute toward your 2024-25 college expenses?" is an opportunity to let us know your best estimate of the amount your parents will actually have available for college next year. It is only an estimate, it is not a commitment, and your answer does not directly figure into your eligibility for aid.
Q. What happens if my PFAA is late?
A. We encourage you to submit your PFAA by the deadline we suggest. This is to ensure that we will have adequate time to review your application before admission decisions are mailed. However there are no penalties for late submission and late applications will receive the same consideration for aid as those received on time.
Q. Should I send in a tax return or any other forms when I submit the PFAA?
A. A copy of your parents' 2022 federal tax return should be submitted at the time you complete the PFAA.
Q. If my parents are divorced and I need to send in the Non-custodial Parent's Form, is the deadline the same as for the PFAA?
A. Generally you should try to make sure the Non-custodial Parent's Form is sent to us as close to the PFAA deadline as possible.
Q. What should I do if my non-custodial parent's information cannot be provided?
A. If your non-custodial parent's information will not be available, be sure to give a complete explanation of the circumstances for our review. In some instances, the requirement for the Non-custodial Parent's Form might be waived at the discretion of the Financial Aid Office.
Q. I thought I submitted my PFAA. Why didn't I get an e-mail confirmation?
A. Log in and check to be sure you actually sent the PFAA to Princeton. If your PFAA has been sent to Princeton, you will see a screen saying so. Please note that saving your application is not the same as sending it.
Q. When will I get an answer about my financial aid eligibility?
A. If you receive an offer of admission, the financial aid decision will be included at the same time. Filing the PFAA does not otherwise result in an answer about your aid eligibility. To receive a preliminary idea of the amount of aid you might receive, use our Financial Aid Estimator.