Apply for Aid

U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to allow Pitzer to determine student eligibility for federal aid and state grants (California residents). The FAFSA is available no later than December 1 of each calendar year.

Divorced/Separated Parents

Students with divorced/separated parents only need to report information for one parent on the FAFSA. Report information for the custodial parent, which is the parent that has provided the most financial support to the student in the past 12 months (even if the student does not live with that parent).

The CSS Profile helps us determine your eligibility for need-based scholarships and grants. All domestic applicants must complete the CSS Profile. Pitzer does not offer CSS Profile fee waivers. However, the College Board automatically waives application fees for eligible students.

Divorced/Separated Parents

Both parents are required to complete their own CSS Profile application. One parent will be the custodial and the other will be the noncustodial parent. The custodial parent is the parent that has provided the most financial support to the student in the past 12 months (even if the student does not live with that parent). Students who do not have contact with their noncustodial parent may request a waiver of this requirement. The noncustodial waiver, along with more information about divorced/separated parents, is available on the College Board’s website.

AB540 or undocumented applicants from California must complete the Dream Act application. This allows the California Student Aid Commission the opportunity to review Cal Grant eligibility.

*Undocumented students who are not California residents do not need to complete this application.

International applicants interested in need-based financial aid only need to complete our online Pitzer International Financial Aid Application (PIFAA) form. Please DO NOT complete the CSS Profile or FAFSA. To access the PIFAA, international applicants must log-in to their admission Applicant Status page. These credentials are emailed within 2 days of submitting the Common Application.

Financial Aid “No” Policy

International students who are admitted and indicate “no” to the “Do you intend to pursue need-based financial aid?” question on the Common Application are not eligible to apply for financial aid at any time during their enrollment at Pitzer. Thus, we strongly encourage all international students who require financial assistance (even slightly) to indicate “yes” to the financial aid question on the Common Application during the initial admission application process. 

Indicate your intent when completing the Common Application, be sure to answer "yes" to Pitzer’s question asking if you intend to pursue need-based financial aid. 

Domestic/DACA/Undocumented Students: If you answer "no," you will not be considered for need-based aid for the first two years of attendance.

International Students: If you answer "no" to the financial aid question, you will not be eligible for financial aid during your entire time at Pitzer.

For the 2027-28 academic year, 2025 tax documentation is required from all applicable individuals included in the financial aid application. This may include the custodial parent(s), noncustodial parent, stepparent, student and the student’s spouse. Student tax documentation is required only if the student filed a 2025 tax return.

• Federal Tax Return
• W-2(s) & 1099(s)
• Tax Schedules 1-3 & Schedules A-F (if applicable)
• Tax Statements & Worksheets (if applicable)
• Business Returns: Forms 1065, 1120-S, & 1120 (if applicable)
• Associated K-1 Statements for Forms 1065, 1120-S, & 1120 (if applicable)

How to Submit Documents

All documents must be uploaded directly to College Board’s Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC) system. Students will gain access to IDOC 2 to 5 days after submitting their CSS Profile application.

Please DO NOT email documents containing Personal Identifiable Information (PII). Any documents emailed to us that contain PII will be deleted and not be processed.

For the 2027-28 academic year, submit 2025 income and tax documentation. If you or your parent(s) filed a U.S. federal tax return using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), submit the applicable federal tax documentation. If a U.S. tax return was not filed, submit documentation of 2025 income, such as W-2 forms, wage statements, foreign tax documents, or other official records of earnings.

How to Submit Documents

All documents must be uploaded directly to College Board’s Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC) system. Students will gain access to IDOC 2 to 5 days after submitting their CSS Profile application.

Please DO NOT email documents containing Personal Identifiable Information (PII). Any documents emailed to us that contain PII will be deleted and not be processed.

Prospective international students DO NOT need to submit tax documents during the application process. Tax documents will only be required AFTER admission.

Document Translation Requirements

Tax documents must be translated into English by a third-party professional. We DO NOT accept translations done by students or parents. Income conversion to U.S. dollars is optional; we simply require that documents to be translated into English.

Tax Filer Income Verification 

Parents who file taxes in their country of residence should submit copies of tax documents for the 2025 calendar year. If the tax cycle in your home country is from July to June, submit copies of taxes for the 2026-2027 cycle.

Non-Tax Filers Income Verification  

Parents who earn income but are not required to file taxes should submit copies of 2025 earning statements. Examples of acceptable documents include:

• A letter from the parent's employer outlining income earned in the 2025 calendar year
• Copies of pay stubs from January to December
• If self-employed or a business owner, submit bank statements showing income deposits to verify profits for the 2025 calendar year
• If retired or receiving pensions, submit copies of pension statements and/or bank statements showing pension deposits for the 2025 calendar year.

* Parents who do not have a source of earned income should submit a Non-Filing Statement form, available on our Forms page. 

The Admission deadline is also the Financial Aid deadline. Students must submit all required financial aid materials by the deadline for the application cycle in which they are applying. A financial aid application is considered incomplete until all required materials have been received.

Financial Aid Requirements Due:

• Early Decision I: November 15
• Early Decision II: January 10
• Regular Decision: January 10
• Fall Transfer: April 1
• New Resources: April 1
• Spring Transfer: October 10

Returning students can log-in to their Pitzer Hub to view their financial aid checklist and keep track of all requirements due for 2027-28 school year. 

• March 2
  Submit ALL financial aid requirements (FAFSA, CSS Profile, tax forms). You'll receive your financial aid offer once all materials are reviewed and processed.  
• June 27
  Last day to submit all financial aid documents in order for aid to appear on the first bill for fall 
• July 1
  Last day to submit ALL required documents. No aid will be awarded or adjusted after this deadline.
• July 31
  Last day to submit financial aid documents to qualify for work-study.

Pitzer offers financial assistance to transfer students through our need-based programs. Merit-based aid is not available for transfer students.

Need-Based Aid

The financial aid application progress for transfer applicants is similar to that of first-year students. However, there are two key differences. A transfer student will receive slightly higher student loan based on their grade-level as determined by the Office of the Registrar at the time of admission. For example, a transfer student who enters Pitzer as a second-year will receive a student loan of $4,500 to correspond to their sophomore status.

Pro-rated Semesters of Aid

Transfer students receive Pitzer financial assistance for a pro-rated amount of semesters based on the courses approved for transfer at the time of admission. Pitzer will fund institutional aid for up to 8 semesters minus any semesters approved at the time of transfer. For example, a student who transfers 8 courses worth of work (equivalent to two full-time semesters), will receive institutional aid for up to 6 semesters. Visit Satisfactory Academic Progress on the Policies section of our website.

Pitzer offers financial assistance to New Resource students through our need-based programs. Merit-based aid is not available for New Resource students.

Need-Based Aid

New Resource Students (NRS) receive a combination of a subsidized loan, federal and/or state grants, and a Pitzer Grant to help cover the cost of tuition and fees. Pitzer Grant eligibility is based on financial need and may not fully cover tuition and fees for all students. Pitzer aid is not available to assist with housing, food, books, or personal expenses. However, students may qualify for additional support through the subsidized and unsubsidized loan programs. In addition, NRS are not eligible for work-study, however, on-campus employment is open to all students.

Similar to first-year students, NRS applicants submit the FAFSA, CSS Profile and tax documents for themselves and their spouse (if applicable). We use the information from those documents to determine a contribution and review your eligibility for Pitzer scholarship, federal and state grants, and federal loans.

Federal Pell Grant & Direct Loan Eligibility

NRS applicants who have previously borrowed or received Federal Pell Grant funds at other intuitions are encouraged to visit the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) to review their remaining Federal Direct Loan and Federal Pell Grant eligibility. These funds have maximum lifetime limits that may impact our ability to award additional aid from these programs.

Pro-rated Aid Eligibility

All students admitted into the NRS program receive Pitzer financial assistance for a pro-rated amount of time based on the courses approved for transfer at the time of admission. Pitzer will fund institutional aid for up to 32 courses minus any courses approved for transfer. For example, a student who transfers 8 courses worth of work (equivalent to two full-time semesters), will receive institutional aid for up to 24 courses to complete their Pitzer degree. Visit Satisfactory Academic Progress section of our website.

Use your Social Security Number on all online applications (FAFSA, CSS Profile, Common Application). Carefully verify that your SSN is entered correctly and consistently on each application. An incorrect or mismatched SSN may prevent us from matching your financial aid information to your admission record and may delay the processing of your financial aid application.

 Applicants: Log into your admission applicant status page to add or update your SSN.

Students with divorced or separated parents need to complete two CSS Profile applications: one for the custodial parent and one for the noncustodial parent. The custodial parent is the parent who has provided the most financial support to you in the past 12 months, even if you do not live with that parent.

Students who do not have contact with their noncustodial parent, can request a waiver for this requirement. The waiver and more information about divorced or separated parents can be found on the College Board’s website.

We understand that we ask for a lot of information, so we want to help you stay organized. The best way to ensure you have everything submitted is to regularly check your portals. The Admission Applicant Status Page shows any submitted and missing documents. This page is updated weekly on Friday afternoons and is available starting December 1. You can access this page only after submitting your Common Application. Do not upload financial aid documents here; they will not be processed. 

Our office sends missing document notices and follow-up form requests to students via email. We rarely email parents. We understand students and parents often work together on the financial aid process. Students should forward relevant information to their parents. Occasionally, we may email parents directly for specific income or asset questions. To ensure we contact the right people, report active and frequently checked email addresses on your FAFSA, CSS Profile, and Common Application. Timely replies to our emails are crucial for our review. Add financial_aid@pitzer.edu to your email safe sender list to avoid our emails going to junk or spam folders.

Use IDOC for uploading documents. All students who submit a CSS Profile gain access to IDOC 2-5 business days after submission. IDOC allows for secure document uploads. While IDOC displays a required items list, this list includes general requirements for most students. For specific document requirements, please check your Pitzer Hub or Applicant Status Page.