Please understand that the tentative financial aid package for Transfer applicants may be estimated and not final. It may change when additional requirements are received, and data is verified. When the financial aid application is complete and verified, an official financial aid package letter will be available online.
Eligibility
Emerson offers several need-based and merit-based financial aid programs. To be considered for merit-based aid, you should have a distinguished academic record, or demonstrate leadership or outstanding potential either in your school or community. To apply for need-based aid, you must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident and you must follow the application steps below.
View our Eligibility Requirements for further information. Financial aid funding is based on several factors including, but not limited to: meeting financial aid deadlines; demonstrated financial need; enrollment status; living arrangements; and satisfactory academic progress.
Transfer Applicants
Financial Aid Deadlines
| Application | Spring 2026 Applicants | Fall 2026 Transfer Applicants | Spring 2027 Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAFSA (Required for federal need-based aid) | November 14, 2025 | April 6, 2026 | November 13, 2026 |
| Supplemental Documents* | December 5, 2025 | May 1, 2026 | December 4, 2026 |
*Only if instructed to complete by the Office of Financial Aid: signed Federal Tax Returns, W-2 forms, Verification Worksheet, etc.
Federal Need-Based Aid
Requires the FAFSA only (unless selected for verification or otherwise requested).
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Form
Our FAFSA school code is 002146.
For students applying for the Spring 2026 term, your 2025-2026 FAFSA must be received and processed by the Federal Processor before the deadline of November 14, 2025.
For students applying for the Fall 2026 term, you may submit this form to the Federal Processing Center beginning October 1, 2025. Your 2026-2027 FAFSA must be received and processed by the Federal Processor before the deadline of April 6, 2026.
For students applying for the Spring 2027 term, you may submit this form to the Federal Processing Center beginning October 1, 2025. Your 2026-2027 FAFSA must be received and processed by the Federal Processor before the deadline of November 13, 2026.
If you receive an initial tentative financial aid package and/or are selected for the Federal verification process, you may be required to submit the remaining documents to complete your file and verify your aid offer. Additional documents may include:
- Signed copies of your parent(s) 2024 federal tax returns, including all schedules and W2's. (*2023 forms will be requested for Spring 2026)
- Signed copies of student's 2024 federal tax returns, including all schedules and W2’s. (*2023 forms will be requested for Spring 2026)
- Any additional documentation requested by the Office of Financial Aid.
Federal Verification Process
The US Department of Education (ED) selects certain FAFSA files for a review process called verification. When this happens, the Office of Financial Aid is required to ensure that the information reported on your FAFSA is accurate.
If your application has been selected, your financial aid document checklist will be updated with a list of documents that need to be submitted to complete this review process. Federal verification is an important part of the financial aid application process. We cannot process your financial aid package until the verification review is complete, so we encourage timely submission of all requested documents.
Emerson’s federal verification deadline is the end of the semester or academic year for which the student is enrolled, whichever is sooner.
Applicants should submit all requested documents through their Admission Portal. If all documents are not received by the first week of classes, students should submit any outstanding documents through their SFS Portal.
Emerson specific forms requested to complete the verification process can be found on our Forms and Instructions page.
Emerson specific forms requested to be completed for the verification process can be found on the Admission Portal.
Document Submission
Financial aid application materials must be uploaded via the uploader tool on the admission portal OR mailed to:
Emerson College
Office of Financial Aid
120 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116
Please do not fax or email documents.