Colleges That Don’t Make Students Take Out Loans

Are student loans a thing of the past?

Each year, more and more students are graduating from college with thousands of dollars in student debt that they’re responsible for paying back. A 2014 study by The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) found that nearly 69 percent of students graduate with an average student loan debt of $28,950.

However, according to Edvisors, a college finance website, more than 70 schools have adopted “no-loan” policies, where grants replace loans within their financial aid packages. Additionally, other colleges have eliminated loans for those students who are eligible for financial aid. At these schools, the number of students who borrow is much smaller, and college graduates have loan balances that are much lower than the national average of nearly 70 percent (according to TICAS).

While these policies don’t necessarily eliminate loans in their entirety, the financial aid package is based on the school’s estimate of what the family can afford to pay. If a family chooses not to pay the full amount, the student must borrow money to make up the difference. Also, some students borrow to cover costs that aren’t included in their financial aid packages, such as health insurance or laptop computers.

Schools that don’t make students take out loans typically have a smaller number of students who borrow, and the college graduates who do take out loans have balances much smaller than the national average.

According to Kiplinger in May of 2015, these five schools are among the best when you want to graduate with minimal student loans:

Yale University
Students who are eligible for financial aid—families with incomes of as much as $200,000—can utilize Yale’s no-loan program. According to Kiplinger, the total annual cost to attend Yale is $60,850 and the average need-based aid is $44,268. However, the percentage of students with loans is 16 percent.

Vanderbilt University
In 2009, Vanderbilt decided to take on a no-loan policy. All students who are eligible for financial aid are able to use the policy. Almost half of students at the university receive need-based aid, and 87 percent of students take four years to graduate, which minimizes costs. The total annual cost is $60,294, and the average need-based aid is $39,373. The percentage of students with loans is 22 percent.

Davidson College
This liberal arts college provides 100 percent financial aid through grants and campus jobs to the 46 percent of students who receive need-based aid. The average need-based aid is $33,717, and the total yearly cost is $59,146. The percentage of students with loans is 22 percent.

Princeton University
As the first school to employ a no-loan policy back in 2001, Princeton has an average student debt that is very low compared with that of other colleges. The total annual cost to attend Princeton is $59,165, with the average need-based aid reaching $37,183. The percentage of students with loans is 24 percent.

Offering need-based financial aid to over 60 percent of attendees, Harvard also meets all of those students’ demonstrated financial need, all without loans. Families who make between $65,000 and $150,000 annually are generally expected to give a maximum of 10 percent of their income. The average need-based aid is $41,975, and the total yearly cost is $59,607. The percentage of students with loans is 26 percent.

Digging yourself into debt while going to college isn’t necessary. Contact us today to find out what the best steps are for your individual situation.