St. Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Canton, New York, awards International Scholarships worth US$5,000 a year up to full tuition, and it does not ask international applicants for the CSS Profile or the ISFAA form at all. The whole aid case rests on one document: the Certificate of Finance, filed with the admission application.
The catch is competition. St. Lawrence says outright that aid for international students is very competitive, so the decision to ask for aid is part of the application strategy rather than an afterthought. Everything below comes from the university’s own financial aid pages.
St. Lawrence University international aid at a glance
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York – International Scholarships (merit) and need-based aid |
| Last date to apply | 1 February 2027 for Early Decision 2 and for Certificate of Finance processing; 1 March 2027 for Regular Decision |
| Official website | stlawu.edu – Financial Aid for International Students |
What international students can receive
St. Lawrence awards merit scholarships to international applicants under the name International Scholarships, and the published range runs from US$5,000 a year to full tuition. Need-based aid also exists for international students, but the university states that both routes are very competitive.
- International Scholarships – US$5,000 a year to full tuition, awarded on academic achievement
- Need-based aid – available, assessed from the Certificate of Finance and supporting documents
- Campus employment – a small number of student jobs are reserved for international students and appear in the award letter
- No CSS Profile and no ISFAA – St. Lawrence explicitly does not require either form
The university is a Davis United World College partner and commits to meeting 100% of the demonstrated need of matriculated UWC students, without travel assistance. That full-need pledge is specific to UWC scholars – it is not a general promise to every international applicant, so plan on the merit range plus whatever need-based grant your file supports.
Cost of attendance for 2026-27
St. Lawrence publishes a single comprehensive figure for the year – tuition, room and board, the student activities fee and class dues, and the rows below add up to the printed total.
| Tuition | US$69,460 |
| Room and board | US$18,030 |
| Student activities fee | US$465 |
| Class dues | US$10 |
| Total | US$87,965 |
A single room raises the room rate above the published figure, and class dues rise to US$15 a semester for seniors. Books, travel and personal spending are not in the total. Against this cost, an International Scholarship at the top of the range covers tuition completely, leaving room, board and fees to fund.
The Affordability Compass is not open to international students
St. Lawrence advertises an Affordability Compass that removes tuition entirely for families earning US$75,000 or less, caps costs around US$30,000 to US$45,000 for higher income bands, and is a strong selling point on the university’s site. Read the eligibility line before counting on it: “Starting in Fall 2026, U.S. citizens and permanent residents entering as first-year or transfer students who complete the FAFSA will be considered for the Affordability Compass.”
Indian applicants are therefore outside that programme. For them the funding routes are the International Scholarships, need-based aid assessed through the Certificate of Finance, and the Davis UWC pledge if they are UWC graduates.
How to apply for financial aid
The aid request has to be visible from the start. St. Lawrence asks applicants to indicate on the Common Application that they want financial aid, and to file the Certificate of Finance with the application itself.
- Tick the financial aid box on the Common Application (or the St. Lawrence application) before you submit
- Complete the International Student Certificate of Finance – the initial copy needs no bank signature
- Send the Common Application, the Certificate of Finance and any supporting documents together, as one package
- Watch for the final Certificate of Finance request later in the process, when bank verification is asked for
- Do not file the CSS Profile or the ISFAA – neither is required here
The Certificate of Finance processing deadline for first-year students is 1 February. Applications that arrive after that date are considered only as funding allows.
Application deadlines for 2027 entry
| Early Decision 1 | 2 November 2026 – binding |
| Early Action | 1 December 2026 – non-binding |
| Early Decision 2 | 1 February 2027 – binding, and the Certificate of Finance deadline |
| Regular Decision | 1 March 2027 |
St. Lawrence is SAT and ACT optional for every applicant. If your native language is not English and you do not attend an English-speaking school, TOEFL or IELTS scores are required as proof of English proficiency; the university’s institutional code for both the SAT and the TOEFL is 2805, and the ACT code is 2896. The checklist also asks for your high school transcript, a counselor recommendation and a teacher recommendation.
Country-specific awards that do not apply to Indian applicants
St. Lawrence runs several named awards that are tied to a country or a region, and it is worth knowing which ones are closed to you so you do not budget around them.
- Canadian Scholars Program – US$25,000 to US$50,000 a year, priority to students at Canadian high schools
- Kenya Scholarship – two full scholarships a year covering tuition, fees, room and board, deadline 1 February
- Augsbury/North Country Scholarship – up to US$35,000 a year for students at participating North Country and Canadian high schools
None of these three is open to applicants from India. The route for Indian students is the general International Scholarship, assessed on the same application.
Frequently asked questions
International Scholarships range from US$5,000 a year to full tuition, and need-based aid is also available. St. Lawrence states that both are very competitive.
No. The university states that it does not require the CSS Profile or the ISFAA form; international applicants file the Certificate of Finance instead.
The Certificate of Finance processing deadline for first-year students is 1 February, and the Regular Decision admission deadline is 1 March 2027. Late files are considered only as funding allows.
No. The Affordability Compass requires US citizenship or permanent residency and a FAFSA filing, so international applicants are assessed for the International Scholarship and need-based aid instead.
No, the university is SAT and ACT optional for all applicants. TOEFL or IELTS scores are required if your native language is not English and you are not attending an English-speaking school.
Yes, but only a small number of student employment opportunities are available to international students, and the award appears in the financial aid letter.
Official links
- St. Lawrence University – Financial Aid for International Students
- St. Lawrence University – Tuition and Fees
- St. Lawrence University – International Applicants
- St. Lawrence University – Affordability Compass
Related reading: USA scholarships
International scholarships
Study abroad scholarships
Related scholarship posts: Union College financial aid for international students, Whitman College financial aid for international students, Colgate University financial aid for international students.