St. Edward’s is founded on the idea that everyone deserves an equal opportunity for a quality Holy Cross education no matter their background. Nearly 145 years later, that idea is still at the heart of what we do on the hilltop day to day.

1.

We join our peers in supporting efforts to increase Federal Pell Grant funding. The Federal Pell Grant provides need-based grants for students. 

Each year, the Pell program makes higher education possible for nearly 7 million low- and moderate-income students (typically less than $40,000 per year).

2.

We offer a personalized approach to financing students’ educational goals. Individual counselors work with students throughout their time at St. Edward’s and beyond.

3.

Financial aid counselors work to keep students receiving the same amount of institutional funds annually, so they can have greater stability year to year. We offer generous academic scholarships to our first-year students — up to $28,000 a year.

success coach and student

4.

Our financial aid counselors volunteer with the Austin Chamber of Commerce, hosting FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) nights and workshops with local high schools. 

5.

Our financial aid counselors host webinars with current students on the subject of student debt alleviation, among other topics of financial wellness. Financial literacy is an important part of the university's LiveWellSEU initiative. 

6.

We support first-generation students— as exemplified by First-Gen Scholars Week and the First Generation Scholars student group.

7.

In 2022, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of CAMP, a federal program for migrant students. St. Edward’s has the longest running CAMP programs and the only one that offers support, mentorship and resources for all four years of college. 

students sitting on steps on campus building

8.

As soon as students apply to St. Edward’s, they become plugged into a caring community with resources that bolster their academic achievements, physical and mental health and financial wellbeing. Whether it’s student success coaches, our Live Well SEU initiatives, financial aid counselors or Hilltopper emergency resources, we are a tight-knit community focused on uplifting and supporting our students to ensure their success.

9.

We provide helpful financial aid tools for the college search that show how to determine the affordability of colleges by comparing the “sticker price” versus the “net price” for each school. Very often, St. Edward’s is much more affordable than students and their parents realize. They can see their real bottom line for college in just minutes by viewing our "How to Calculate Scholarships and Tuition" video (seen on this page) and using our Net Price Calculator

NPC is an estimate. The official aid offer is sent by St. Edward's Student Financial Services office based on their Admission to the university.

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*The Student Aid Index (SAI) replaced the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) starting with the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Congress enacted this change in December 2020 as part of FAFSA simplification through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.