Cost Calculator AI
Education & SchoolMerit Awards

Scholarship Calculator

Tally institutional merit scholarships, athletic awards, and private grants to calculate net family cost and scholarship coverage percentage.

Gross College Expenses

Annual Scholarship Awards

Calculation Results

Net Price After Scholarships

Net Family Cost = (Tuition + Room & Board) − (Institutional Merit Aid + Athletic/Dept Awards + Private Grants)
  • Consolidates all recurring and one-time scholarship sources into a single funding summary.
  • Calculates the percentage share of college expenses covered by non-repayable gift aid.
  • Projects total four-year scholarship funding and remaining family contribution.
  • Clarifies how much gap funding is required from savings, earnings, or student loans.

Step-by-Step Worked Example

Scenario: Student receiving $8,000/year institutional merit and $2,000/year private foundation scholarship.

Calculation Steps:

  1. Total Annual College Cost: $22,000 + $11,000 = $33,000/year.
  2. Total Annual Scholarships: $8,000 + $2,000 = $10,000/year (30.3% coverage).
  3. Annual Net Family Cost: $33,000 − $10,000 = $23,000/year.
  4. Four-Year Totals: $132,000 total cost − $40,000 total scholarships = $92,000 net family cost.
Result: Total scholarships provide $10,000/year ($40,000 over 4 years), covering 30.3% of college expenses and lowering annual family cost from $33,000 to $23,000.

How to Use This Calculator

  1. 1Enter published university tuition, room, and board expenses.
  2. 2Input renewable institutional merit, talent, or departmental awards.
  3. 3Add outside community foundation and private scholarships.

Assumptions & Limitations

  • Renewable scholarships require meeting annual minimum GPA requirements (typically 3.0+).
  • Assumes outside scholarships do not trigger institutional financial aid displacement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is scholarship displacement?

Scholarship displacement occurs when a college reduces its own need-based grant aid after a student wins an outside private scholarship, rather than lowering loans or family contribution.

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