Macalester College

Yes. Macalester meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted international students, including both freshmen and transfers. If you get accepted and you've applied for financial aid and your family can't pay, your full calculated need is covered. Note that the package is not loan-free — it combines institutional grants with a modest student loan and a campus work-study job.

No — Macalester is need-aware for international applicants. Because the pool of international aid dollars is finite, competition for it is intense, and requesting a full ride heavily increases the selectivity of your application. Once admitted, though, Macalester covers 100% of your demonstrated need.

No. Unlike some all-grant schools, Macalester's full need-met package includes a modest student loan and a campus work-study job alongside institutional grants. It covers 100% of your demonstrated need, but you should expect a small loan balance to repay after graduation.

No. Macalester is permanently test-optional. SAT and ACT scores are not required — submit them only if you feel they strengthen your application.

No. An English proficiency test is completely optional at Macalester. The college does not strictly require TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo — submit a score only if you feel it enhances your profile.

Instead of paying the CSS Profile fee, international applicants can submit the free ISAFA (International Student Application for Financial Assistance) — a form downloadable from Macalester's financial aid page that carries equal weight to the CSS Profile. If you use the CSS Profile, Macalester's school code is 6390. You'll also complete a Macalester Financial Declaration Form, accessible in your portal after you submit your application.

Around 26% for freshman applicants, making Macalester one of the more accessible full-need schools — though the rate runs lower for internationals requesting near-total funding. Transfer acceptance runs roughly 17–29%.

Yes. Macalester accepts international transfer students with full funding under its 100%-met-need policy. The catch is that the international transfer aid budget is small, so heavy-aid transfer admission is fiercely competitive. You'll need the Common App for Transfer, all college transcripts, a final high school transcript or proof of graduation, a Transfer College/Registrar's Report, one academic evaluation from a college professor or instructor, the CSS Profile or free ISAFA (filed by the March 15 transfer deadline), and the Macalester Financial Declaration Form. The transfer application fee is $0.

The Common Application with Macalester's supplemental essays, official secondary school transcripts, the School Report and counselor recommendation, one teacher evaluation, and — if applying for aid — the CSS Profile (code 6390) or the free ISAFA, plus the Macalester Financial Declaration Form (available in your portal after you submit). English proficiency scores are optional, and there is no application fee.