Tuition Scholarships at University of Notre Dame 2027 (Fully Funded)

If you’re searching for Notre Dame tuition scholarships, you’ve landed in the right place. The University of Notre Dame is one of the very few private universities in the United States that is need-blind for every applicant — domestic or international — and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need without loans. On top of that, its merit and graduate funding tracks mean that a genuinely fully-funded Notre Dame education is realistic for far more families than the sticker price suggests.

This guide breaks down exactly how tuition scholarships at University of Notre Dame work for the 2027 admissions cycle: the need-based Pathways to Notre Dame program, merit awards like the Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program, fully funded PhD and master’s funding, eligibility requirements, deadlines, and a step-by-step application process — plus links to every official Notre Dame page you’ll need.

Quick answer: Notre Dame’s main tuition scholarship route for undergraduates is the need-based Pathways to Notre Dame program, which now covers full tuition for families earning under $150,000 and at least half tuition for families under $200,000, on top of merit programs like the Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program ($100,000 over four years) and full funding for the vast majority of PhD students.

What Are Notre Dame Tuition Scholarships?

Notre Dame tuition scholarships are the combined package of need-based aid, merit awards, and graduate funding that the University of Notre Dame uses to cover part or all of a student’s tuition. Unlike many “fully funded scholarship” listicles that describe a single named award, Notre Dame’s system works more like a layered funding model:

• Need-based aid through Pathways to Notre Dame (undergraduate)
• Merit-based aid through the Notre Dame Scholars’ Program, including Hesburgh-Yusko and Stamps Scholars
• Graduate funding through tuition scholarships, assistantships, and fellowships (PhD and select master’s programs)

Because these tracks stack differently depending on your degree level and financial situation, “getting a Notre Dame tuition scholarship” usually means qualifying for one or more of these tracks rather than winning a single lump-sum prize. That’s exactly why this guide is organized by degree level below.

Notre Dame Cost of Attendance

Before looking at what tuition scholarships at University of Notre Dame actually cover, it helps to know the baseline cost they’re offsetting. For the 2026–2027 academic year, Notre Dame’s official published undergraduate cost of attendance is:

(These figures are published annually by Notre Dame’s Office of Student Accounts and typically rise 3–4% each year — check the linked official page for the current cycle’s numbers.)

The sticker price looks intimidating, but it’s largely irrelevant once Notre Dame tuition scholarships are applied. The university has reported that after grants and scholarships, the average net price for aided students sits closer to $34,000–$35,000 a year — and for many families, it’s now $0.

Pathways to Notre Dame: The Main Need-Based Tuition Scholarship

The centerpiece of Notre Dame’s affordability push is Pathways to Notre Dame, the university’s flagship need-based financial aid initiative. Beginning with the 2026–2027 academic year, Notre Dame significantly expanded this program, and it now applies equally to domestic and international undergraduates. This is the single most important Notre Dame tuition scholarship for the majority of applicants.

Here’s how the income bands break down:

A few things to know about how this Notre Dame tuition scholarship actually works:

• These income levels are not strict cutoffs. They represent minimum guaranteed support for families with “typical” assets relative to their income — families with unusually high assets may receive less, and families slightly above a band can still qualify for meaningful aid.
• Notre Dame’s admissions process is need-blind for all applicants, domestic and international, meaning your ability to pay is never a factor in whether you’re admitted.
• Awards under Pathways are made up of grants, scholarships, and work-study — never loans — for students whose demonstrated need is fully met.
• Students who show additional demonstrated need beyond the minimum guarantee receive extra scholarship funding on top of it.

To be considered for this tuition scholarship, you must submit the CSS Profile (School Code 1841), which opens October 1 each year — more on this in the documents section below.

If your family’s income sits closer to the middle-income bands above, it’s worth comparing this against our Fully Funded Undergraduate Scholarships: 50+ Best Picks guide, which lists other U.S. universities using similar income-based tuition-free models.

Merit-Based Tuition Scholarships at Notre Dame

Separate from need-based Pathways aid, Notre Dame also awards merit-based tuition scholarships through the Notre Dame Scholars’ Program, which includes several named awards:

Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program

Notre Dame’s flagship merit scholarship. It provides:

• $25,000 per year toward tuition, for up to four years — a total of $100,000
• This award is stackable with need-based aid; it does not replace it
• Four fully funded Summer Enrichment Experiences (Wilderness Leadership, Social Justice, Global Inquiry, and Professional Venture)
• Open to domestic and international applicants
• Roughly 100 students are selected for the broader Scholars’ Program each cycle

Notre Dame Stamps Scholarship

A smaller, even more selective award nested within the Scholars’ Program that covers full tuition plus $12,000 in enrichment funding for research, service, or leadership projects.

There is no separate application for these merit tuition scholarships. Every student who submits a complete application by the Restrictive Early Action (November 1) or Regular Decision (January 1) deadline is automatically considered. Because of this, your regular admissions essays and activities list function as your scholarship application — there’s no extra form to fill out.

Fully Funded Graduate & PhD Tuition Scholarships at Notre Dame

Graduate applicants have access to some of the strongest tuition scholarships at University of Notre Dame on offer — particularly at the doctoral level. According to the Graduate School, 94% of Notre Dame’s doctoral students receive multi-year fellowships or assistantships that include a full tuition scholarship plus a living stipend.

Standard 2026–2027 doctoral stipends (12-month basis) look like this:

All of these come bundled with a full tuition scholarship and, in most departments, health insurance coverage — meaning a Notre Dame PhD is, for the majority of admitted students, genuinely fully funded with no separate scholarship application required beyond the standard admissions process.

Master’s-level funding varies far more by program. Some (like certain MFA and MA tracks in the humanities) come with a full tuition waiver and stipend, while professional master’s programs (MBA, some engineering master’s) typically don’t include tuition coverage by default, though merit-based scholarships are occasionally available. Always check funding details directly with your specific department, since this is where Notre Dame’s graduate tuition scholarships differ the most from program to program.

Already exploring postdoctoral or fellowship-level funding at Notre Dame? Read our full breakdown of the Notre Dame Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship and the Kellogg Fellowship in USA, both fully funded and both hosted at Notre Dame.

Who Is Eligible for Notre Dame Tuition Scholarships?

Eligibility depends on which track you’re applying through, but here’s the general breakdown:

For need-based Pathways aid (undergraduate):

• Admission to Notre Dame as a first-year or transfer student (domestic or international)
• Completion of the CSS Profile and any requested supporting documents
• Demonstrated financial need based on family income and assets

For merit scholarships (Hesburgh-Yusko / Scholars’ Program):

• A complete application submitted by the REA or RD deadline
• No minimum GPA or class rank is published — Notre Dame evaluates applicants within the context of their own school system, since it receives applications from over 100 countries
• Strong evidence of leadership, service, and exceptional academic rigor
• International applicants are explicitly eligible; you must also meet Notre Dame’s English proficiency requirements if applicable

For graduate/PhD tuition scholarships:

• Admission to a Notre Dame graduate program
• Most departments automatically consider all admitted PhD applicants for assistantships and fellowships — no separate scholarship application in most cases
• GRE requirements vary by program; TOEFL/IELTS is required for applicants whose language of instruction was not English

How to Apply for Tuition Scholarships at University of Notre Dame

Here’s the step-by-step process most applicants will follow:

1. Apply for admission through the Common Application by the Restrictive Early Action (Nov 1) or Regular Decision (Jan 1) deadline. This single application automatically puts you in consideration for merit-based tuition scholarships.
2. Submit the CSS Profile (opens October 1, School Code 1841) if you want to be considered for need-based Pathways aid. Do this regardless of whether you think you’ll qualify — Notre Dame’s income bands are not always intuitive.
3. Upload requested documents through IDOC (College Board’s Institutional Documentation Service) once your CSS Profile is processed — usually tax returns, non-filer statements, or an employer-issued salary letter for international families without formal tax documents.
4. Wait for your admission decision, which will include your financial aid offer if your file is complete.
5. Check InsideND under “My Financial Aid” for real-time status updates once you’re admitted.
6. For graduate applicants, apply directly to your program; most departments automatically evaluate you for assistantships, fellowships, and tuition scholarships as part of the admissions review — no extra form needed.

Notre Dame Tuition Scholarship Deadlines

Because these dates repeat on a near-identical annual cycle, this table rarely needs more than a one-line edit each year — see the maintenance note at the bottom of this article.

Documents You’ll Need (CSS Profile & IDOC)

To be considered for a need-based Notre Dame tuition scholarship, gather these ahead of time:

• Parent and student U.S. or foreign tax returns (or a Non-Filer Statement if not applicable)
• An official employer letter showing annual salary, for families without a formal tax return
• Proof of any additional untaxed income or benefits
• Your completed CSS Profile confirmation
• Any program-specific documents requested through IDOC after your Profile is submitted

International families should start early — collecting notarized or translated financial documents often takes longer than U.S. tax forms.

Tips to Strengthen Your Application

• Apply CSS Profile even if you’re unsure you’ll qualify. Because Pathways income bands aren’t hard cutoffs, students just above a threshold can still land significant aid.
• Treat your admissions essay as your scholarship essay. Since Hesburgh-Yusko and Scholars’ Program consideration happens automatically, your regular application materials are doing double duty.
• Highlight sustained leadership, not just titles. Notre Dame’s merit reviewers are looking for depth of impact in service and leadership roles, not just a long list of clubs.
• Don’t wait on IDOC documents. Aid processing timelines slow down significantly when requested tax documents or affidavits arrive late.
• Contact the Office of Financial Aid directly if your family’s situation is unusual (self-employment, multiple currencies, non-standard income) — they evaluate these case by case.

More Fully Funded Scholarships Worth Exploring

If Notre Dame isn’t a perfect fit, or you want to compare offers before you commit, these guides on LicensureHub cover other strong fully funded routes:

• Fully Funded Undergraduate Scholarships: 50+ Best Picks
• Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships: 70+ Best Options 2027
• University of Miami Stamps Scholarship 2027 | Fully Funded
• Notre Dame Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship | Fully Funded Guide (2027)
• Kellogg Fellowship in USA | Fully Funded Guide 2027
• Fully Funded Scholarships Without IELTS: 20+ Best Options
• 60 Fully Funded Scholarships for International Students

And since LicensureHub hasn’t published dedicated guides on these specific Notre Dame programs yet, here are direct, authoritative links straight to Notre Dame’s own pages so you’re never left guessing:

• Notre Dame Office of Financial Aid — official Pathways to Notre Dame details and the CSS Profile process
• Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program — full program details, eligibility, and scholar stories
• Notre Dame Scholars’ Program (Stamps & merit awards) — full list of merit scholarship tracks
• Notre Dame Graduate School Funding & Awards — official PhD and master’s stipend tables
• Notre Dame Undergraduate Admissions – International Applicants — need-blind policy and international FAQs
• Official Pathways to Notre Dame Announcement — Notre Dame News, March 2026

What People Also Ask

Is Notre Dame tuition free for low-income students?
Yes. Beginning in the 2026–2027 academic year, most students from families earning under $60,000 a year receive need-based aid covering tuition, fees, housing, and food, through the Pathways to Notre Dame program.

Does Notre Dame offer full scholarships to international students?
Yes. Notre Dame is need-blind and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for international undergraduates, and international students are also eligible for merit awards like the Hesburgh-Yusko Scholars Program.

Is Notre Dame need-blind for international applicants?
Yes. Notre Dame’s undergraduate admissions process does not consider a family’s ability to pay when evaluating international applications.

How much is Notre Dame tuition after financial aid?
Sticker-price cost of attendance for 2026–2027 is about $91,986, but the average net price for aided students has historically landed closer to $34,000–$35,000, and many middle- and low-income families now pay $0–half tuition under Pathways.

What GPA do you need for a Notre Dame tuition scholarship?
Notre Dame doesn’t publish a minimum GPA. Merit scholarship reviewers evaluate applicants within the context of their own school’s grading system and curriculum rigor rather than a fixed cutoff.

Do you need to apply separately for the Hesburgh-Yusko Scholarship?
No. Every applicant who submits a complete application by the REA or RD deadline is automatically considered — there’s no extra scholarship form.

Are Notre Dame PhD programs fully funded?
Most are. About 94% of doctoral students receive multi-year fellowships or assistantships that include a full tuition scholarship and an annual stipend.

What documents do I need for Notre Dame need-based aid?
The CSS Profile, plus supporting tax returns, non-filer statements, or an employer salary letter submitted through IDOC.

Related Posts

• Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships: 70+ Best Options 2027
• Fully Funded Undergraduate Scholarships: 50+ Best Picks
• Notre Dame Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellowship | Fully Funded Guide (2027)
• Kellogg Fellowship in USA | Fully Funded Guide 2027
• University of Miami Stamps Scholarship 2027 | Fully Funded
• Teaching and Research Assistantships at University of Chicago 2026
• Graduate Assistantships at University of Wyoming 2026
• 60 Fully Funded Scholarships for International Students

Final Thoughts

Notre Dame tuition scholarships aren’t a single prize you either win or lose — they’re a layered system of need-based Pathways aid, merit awards like Hesburgh-Yusko, and near-universal PhD funding, and most applicants qualify for at least one layer of it. The single biggest mistake applicants make is assuming the sticker price applies to them and skipping the CSS Profile entirely. Submit it, apply by your deadline, and let Notre Dame’s aid office tell you the real number — not the published one.