Macalester Scholarships for International Students 2027

Macalester College is accepting international first-year applications for fall 2027, with need-based financial aid and automatic consideration for the Charles J. Turck Presidential Honor Scholarship worth up to US$40,000 per year. International need-based funding is highly competitive, and applicants must request aid during admission because Macalester will not add institutional aid after admission or after enrolment.

Illustrative college scene for Macalester Financial Aid 2027, showing up to $40,000 per year and November and January deadlines — Illustrative campus scene created for ScholarshipHubNow; not a photograph of Macalester College.

Quick answer

Study level: Undergraduate first-year admission
Eligible applicants: International students applying through the Common Application
Merit funding: Charles J. Turck Scholarship, up to US$40,000 per year
Need-based aid: Available but extremely competitive
Admission deadlines: November 1, 2026; January 1, 2027; or January 15, 2027
SAT/ACT: Optional
English test: Optional, but recommended in specified circumstances
Application fee: Not stated on the current official international application page

What funding does Macalester offer international students?

Macalester provides two main forms of institutional support for international first-year students.

1. Charles J. Turck Presidential Honor Scholarship

This merit award is offered to a limited number of international applicants who show exceptional academic potential. The scholarship can be worth up to US$40,000 per year. Every international applicant is considered automatically, so there is no separate scholarship application.

2. Need-based financial aid

Macalester maintains a financial-aid fund for qualified international students. Awards are based on demonstrated financial need, and the college describes competition for this funding as extremely keen. Applicants seeking aid must submit both required financial forms by the applicable deadline.

A need-based package may include campus employment. Macalester says qualifying international students are typically offered about nine hours of work per week, with first-year earnings of approximately US$3,600 after taxes. An institutional international-student loan may also be offered for part of the educational cost.

Important: The official page does not describe international aid as an automatic full scholarship. Do not assume that every admitted applicant will receive full-cost funding.

Macalester admission deadlines for fall 2027

Application round	Admission deadline	Financial-aid deadline
Early Decision I	November 1, 2026	November 10, 2026
Early Action	November 1, 2026	November 10, 2026
Early Decision II	January 1, 2027	January 8, 2027
Regular Decision	January 15, 2027	January 22, 2027

Macalester’s published pages give calendar dates but do not state a cutoff time or time zone. Applicants should submit early and follow any timestamp displayed in the Common Application or applicant portal.

Who can apply?

This guide covers international first-year applicants—students who are not U.S. citizens and are applying to begin an undergraduate degree. Macalester requires international first-year applications through the Common Application.

Admission and financial aid are selective. Applicants who require need-based support must declare that need during the admission process. Macalester says aid cannot be awarded after an admission offer or later during the student’s studies.

Required application documents

The official international checklist includes:

Completed Common Application
Official secondary-school transcript and applicable external exam results
Predicted or anticipated final examination results when available
One recommendation from a counsellor or school official
One recommendation from a teacher in a primary academic subject
Senior-year or in-progress grades according to the application round
Early Decision Agreement for Early Decision applicants
Financial documentation for students who will study on a non-immigrant visa

Financial-aid forms

International applicants requesting need-based financial aid must submit both:

CSS Profile or the 2027–2028 International Student Application for Financial Assistance (ISAFA). Macalester does not provide CSS Profile fee waivers to international applicants, but applicants who cannot afford the CSS fee may use the free ISAFA instead.
Macalester Financial Declaration Form. This becomes available in the applicant portal after Macalester receives the Common Application.

Applicants who are not requesting aid must instead complete the Financial Obligations Agreement in the portal. Macalester says it will not consider the application until the relevant financial forms are complete.

Testing and English proficiency

SAT or ACT

Macalester is test-optional. Applicants who do not submit SAT or ACT results receive equal consideration for admission and scholarship opportunities. Submitted scores may be self-reported through the Common Application or applicant portal.

English proficiency

English-proficiency evidence is optional, but Macalester recommends it for international applicants whose first language is not English and who have spent fewer than two years in a primarily English-taught secondary curriculum. Accepted evidence can include TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, InitialView or Vericant.

The current official page does not publish mandatory minimum scores. Applicants should not invent or rely on unofficial score cutoffs.

How to apply

Choose your application round. Early Decision is binding, while Early Action and Regular Decision are non-binding.
Complete the Common Application. Include accurate academic, activity and personal information.
Request school documents. Arrange the official transcript, counsellor recommendation and teacher recommendation early.
Declare your financial-aid intention. International applicants must request institutional aid during the admission process.
Submit the two financial forms. Use either the CSS Profile or free ISAFA, plus the Macalester Financial Declaration Form.
Add optional evidence where useful. This may include SAT/ACT scores, English testing, an additional recommendation, a third-party interview or an art portfolio.
Monitor the applicant portal. Confirm that every required academic and financial item has been received.

APPLY NOW ON THE OFFICIAL MACALESTER PAGE

Frequently asked questions

Is Macalester financial aid fully funded?

Macalester offers competitive need-based aid and a merit scholarship worth up to US$40,000 per year. Its international-aid page does not promise an automatic full-cost award for every admitted student.

Do international students need a separate merit-scholarship application?

No. Every international applicant is automatically considered for the Charles J. Turck Presidential Honor Scholarship.

Can I request financial aid after admission?

No. Macalester states that international students must request aid during the admission process and cannot apply for institutional aid after enrolment.

Does Macalester require the CSS Profile?

Applicants may submit either the CSS Profile or the free 2027–2028 ISAFA. The Macalester Financial Declaration Form is also required.

Are SAT, ACT or English tests compulsory?

SAT and ACT scores are optional. English-proficiency evidence is also optional, although Macalester recommends it for certain applicants and may later request additional evidence.