Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 72.66
Liaison Megan Litke
Submission Date March 5, 2021

STARS v2.2

American University
PA-8: Affordability and Access

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.65 / 4.00 Courtney Stoner
Sustainability Analyst
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Percentage of need met, on average, for students who were awarded any need-based aid :
71

Percentage of students graduating without student loan debt:
37

Percentage of entering students that are low-income:
14

Graduation/success rate for low-income students:
77

A brief description of notable policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:

Through targeted awarding practices the financial aid office is able to assist low income students and families in defraying the cost of an AU education. Possible help includes federal grants, AU grants, and scholarships such as the Frederick Douglas Scholars Program.

AU also works with financing options of federal loans, alternative credit based loans, and a prepaid tuition plan allowing for advanced payment of tuition locking in the first year tuition rate.

In 2019, AU launched The AU District Scholars Award to enhance access to high quality education and support the Washington, DC community. The AU District Scholars Award will cover full tuition and room and board at the university for deserving students who demonstrate high academic achievement and significant financial need. Ten scholarships will be awarded annually.

https://www.american.edu/media/news/20191218-au-new-district-scholars-program-launched.cfm


A brief description of notable policies or programs to support non-traditional students:

American University is a First-gen Forward Institution. The First-gen Forward designation recognizes institutions of higher education who have demonstrated a commitment to improving experiences and advancing outcomes of first-generation college students. Selected institutions receive professional development, community-building experiences, and a first look at the center’s research and resources.

https://www.american.edu/media/news/20200325-first-gen-designation.cfm


Estimated percentage of students that participate in or directly benefit from the institution’s policies and programs to support low-income and non-traditional students:
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Website URL where information about the institution’s accessibility and affordability initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Financial Aid information does not include WCL

https://www.american.edu/initiatives/collegeaffordability/

https://www.american.edu/ocl/cdi/undocumented-students.cfm

https://www.american.edu/financialaid/freshman-scholarships.cfm

*The data is from FY19, since the demographic information in PRE-5 is from FY19 as well.


The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.