Need-Based Aid

For most families, no matter how long you've planned and saved, there can be a gap between the cost of a quality education and your ability to pay for it.  The Doane financial aid staff understands this and works very closely with you and your family to coordinate funding from federal, state and college resources to help close that gap.

You do not have to do this alone.  More than 96% of Doane students receive some form of financial assistance.  In fact, for the over 74% who qualify for need-based aid, the average award is almost $19,000.  At that rate, the cost of attending Doane may very well be less than attending a state-supported institution. 

Need-based awards typically include a combination of grant, work-study and low-interest student loan and range from partial assistance to the full cost attendance.  To determine your need level, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  Click here for more info on the FAFSA.

• Grants, can be funded by the federal government, the state, or Doane College.  Click here for more info on all types of grants.

• Our student employment program provides students with the opportunity to work on campus to earn money toward tuition, books, or other expenses.  With a wide variety of positions available, students gain valuable work experience.  And studies consistently show that students who work a reasonable number of hours do better academically than those who don't work at all.

• Student loans provide the final piece of the financial aid package.  Students are encouraged to borrow only what they need and to seek outside scholarships and save summer earnings in order to reduce overall indebtedness.  The Financial Aid Office works closely with students to achieve this goal and to ensure that our students will be able to repay their loans upon graduation.  Doane's Stafford Loan default rate of 1.4 percent is evidence of our success.  Better yet, there are many loan forgiveness options available to graduates who pursue certain careers, such as social work, education, medicine and nursing, and who choose to serve in under-serviced areas of the country.  Some volunteer service opportunities, such as Americorps, also have loan forgiveness programs.  For more information about loans, click here.