Financial Aid
If you are admitted to Mathcamp, we will make sure that you are able to attend, regardless of financial circumstances. We are deeply committed to this policy.
Mathcamp 2023 will be FREE for all US and Canadian families with household income under $75,000. We will also offer travel grants for families who cannot afford transportation to and from Burlington.
For families with household income of $75,000 and above, the amount of each scholarship is decided on an individual basis: we take into account household income, the number of adults and children supported by this income, college costs, cost of travel to and from camp, and special circumstances.
International students are also eligible for full and partial scholarships. Since it's an apples-to-oranges comparison for the cost of camp across countries and currencies (and since cost of living, range of household incomes, and so on vary so widely), we do not use a standard formula for determining financial aid amounts, but rather review each family's request individually.
In the past, scholarship amounts have ranged from $500 to the entire camp fee. Here is an approximation of expected family contribution to tuition based on recent past summers:
| If your household income is... | Minimum family contribution is... | And the maximum is... |
|---|---|---|
| $0 to $74,999 | $0 + free travel | $0 |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | $0 + free travel | $750 |
| $100,000 to $139,999 | $500 | $1000 |
| $140,000 to $199,999 | $500 | $5,000 |
| $200,000 and above | May qualify for aid based on circumstances. | |
Please bear in mind that the size of the award depends on each student's individual circumstances, and is based on demonstrated need; the table can only give you a general sense of the amounts.
MFOA Fellowship
Mathcamp is pleased to offer, beginning in 2020, a new scholarship opportunity for low-income students who demonstrate academic readiness for Mathcamp: the Mathematics Foundation of America Fellowship. The Fellowship includes up to three years of full tuition and travel for attending Canada/USA Mathcamp, as well as year-round mentorship and access to online math classes classes throughout high school. It will be awarded to one or more students per year who are passionate about mathematics and would benefit from year-round support. Visit the Fellowship page to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for financial aid?
It's easy. After you start an application for admission to camp, your home page will have a link to begin the financial aid application, which is a short, simple form for a parent or guardian to fill out. If we need more information, we'll ask. All financial aid applications submitted by the deadline receive full consideration for both admission and financial aid. (The application deadline for first-year campers is March 9, 2023.)
Will applying for financial aid affect my chances of being admitted?
No! We adhere to a strict policy under which 100% of admission decisions are made without regard to the student's financial situation. That means that when we are considering your application (Qualifying Quiz, recommendations, statement of interest, and math background), we won't even know whether or not you applied for financial aid. After we have made admissions decisions, we will put together financial aid packages for our admitted students (and let you know right away).
Are international students eligible for financial aid?
Yes! We reserve a substantial portion of our financial aid budget for international students, and award many partial and full scholarships, as well as travel grants, every year. Mathcamp does not take financial need into account at all in our evaluations during the admissions process, including for international students. If you are admitted, we will meet 100% of your financial need (including for international students). Please don't let financial considerations deter you from applying!
Can I receive a full scholarship without applying for the MFOA Fellowship?
Yes! Even if you do not apply for (or are not selected for) the Fellowship, keep in mind that all students can apply for financial aid. We award many full scholarships and travel grants every year: to U.S., Canadian, and international students; to new campers and to returning alumni.
Are alumni eligible for financial aid?
Yes. When we admit you to Mathcamp, we are committing to meeting your full financial need for every summer that you attend as a student.
Where does Mathcamp's scholarship funding come from?
We are grateful to acknowledge support from the AMS Epsilon Fund and from the National Science Foundation grant DMS-1454767, as well as from gifts small and large from individual donors (who are largely Mathcamp alumni and their families!).
Other Sources of Support
We also encourage students to pursue external sources of funding! Here are a few sources to consider.
- Mu Alpha Theta summer grants: Admitted students who are members of their school's Mu Alpha Theta club can apply for Mu Alpha Theta's summer grants. MAT offers up to $2,000 for members to attend summer math programs. Visit Mu Alpha Theta for more information.
- Spirit of Ramanujan awards: The Spirit of Ramanujan Global STEM Talent Search offers grants to talented students world-wide to help empower those outside traditional support networks with grants to support participation in programs like Mathcamp (including both full tuition and travel awards). Learn more at spiritoframanujan.com.
- Davidson Institute: The Davidson Institute has provided financial aid to attend Mathcamp to qualified Davidson Young Scholars. Visit davidsongifted.org for more information.
- Jack Kent Cooke: The Young Scholars program at the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation provides funding for summer programs like Mathcamp from eighth grade through senior year of high school. Visit jkcf.org for more information.
In addition to our need-based aid, Mathcamp offers one small merit scholarship, to the top scorers on the Math Prize for Girls who earn admission to Mathcamp. Qualifying candidates will receive an invitation to apply.
When You Apply
Students will see, on their welcome page on appsys.mathcamp.org, a link to the financial aid application. The financial aid application should be filled out by a parent or guardian; you will have the opportunity to enter a parent's email address (so that they can fill out the form themselves), or you can fill out the form together within the student's account (e.g. if the student is helping to translate between languages). In the financial aid application, we will ask you to provide the following information:
- Annual household income from 2022, and your estimate for 2023
- A list of the household members who are supported by the above income.
- The cost of schooling, if any, for all family members (private school, college, etc.).
- Major assets and liabilities.
- The estimated cost of round-trip travel to Mathcamp for the applicant.
- The portion of the cost of Mathcamp (including the travel you estimated above) your family can afford to pay.
- Any special circumstances that you would like us to consider.
Occasionally, there are cases where we feel the short form doesn't give us enough information about the candidate's financial situation. In that case, we will ask the parent/guardian to fill out a longer form.
