Please note that new applicants will only be able to upload documents to their BentleyConnect portal after they complete the admission process.
Financial Aid Dates and Deadlines
| Application Type | Application Deadline | Decision Notification Begins |
|---|---|---|
| Early Decision I | November 15 | Late December |
| Early Decision II | January 15 | Early February |
| Regular Decision and Early Deferred | January 15 | Late March |
| Transfer | April 1 | Rolling |
Steps to Apply for Financial Aid
You are eligible to apply for need-based aid if you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Please be sure to complete all of the steps below so we can provide you with an award before the enrollment deposit deadline.
Step 1: Complete the 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Our FAFSA school code is 002124. All applicants for financial aid must complete this form, which will be used to determine your eligibility for federal and state aid. If you do not wish to be considered for Bentley need-based aid, you may complete the FAFSA only. Please let us know if you will not be completing the CSS Profile.
Please note that the Department of Education has indicated that the 2025-2026 FAFSA should be available in full beginning December 1, 2024.
Step 2: Complete the 2025-2026 College Scholarship Service PROFILE. Our CSS code is 3096. Applicants who wish to be considered for Bentley need-based funding must complete this form. Noncustodial parents will need to create their own account and complete their own CSS Profile. Please see these instructions for creating parent accounts.
For additional information about how to complete the CSS Profile, please view this video.
If your parents’ adjusted gross income is less than $50,000, you may be eligible to complete the Bentley University CSS Profile Waiver Request Form. Please note: due to the delay of FAFSA information being made available to schools, we are unable to accept CSS Profile Waiver Requests for Early Decision I applicants at this time.
Step 3: Submit signed copies of 2023 federal tax returns, including all schedules and all W-2 and/or 1099 forms for your parents. Financial documents should be uploaded via BentleyConnect portal. Please note that we do not subscribe to the IDOC upload service, so we are unable to view documents that have been uploaded to the College Scholarship Service site via IDOC. Additionally, for security purpose, we cannot accept documents via email that contain sensitive information such as social security numbers.
Step 4: Review our list of Supplemental Forms to ensure that there are no additional forms that need filing (e.g. for parents who own a business or real estate other than their home). Please note that Supplemental Forms for 2025-2026 will be available soon.
Step 5: Monitor your Financial Aid Checklist regularly through the BentleyConnect Portal as additional documents may be required during our review of your application. Be sure to check your email for additional requests and reach out to the Office of Financial Assistance with any questions about requirements.
Financial Aid Forms and Documents
Required Forms
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) | Apply at studentaid.gov |
| CSS Profile | Apply at cssprofile.collegeboard.org |
| Parent 2023 IRS Tax Returns and W-2 and/or 1099 Statements | Tax returns must be physically signed and include all schedules (Sch 1, 2, 3, C, E, F) |
Forms That May Be Required
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Noncustodial Profile | Required of divorced/separated or single parents. Apply at cssprofile.collegeboard.org |
| 2023 Business Tax Returns or Business/Farm Supplement | Required of those who own a business or are self-employed |
| Clarification of Property Value Form | Required of those who own one or more rental properties or rent out a portion of their primary home |
Non-filers and Foreign Tax Returns
If your parents do not file a federal tax return, please complete Non-Filer Forms, which can be found on the Supplemental Forms section of our website. Please note, if your parents file a foreign tax return, you must submit this along with a translation page. If your parents work in a country where individual taxes are not filed, please provide an income statement from their employer. Contact your counselor for questions on appropriate documentation for non-US tax filers.
Documents should be uploaded using the BentleyConnect portal. Documents may also be faxed to 781-891-2448 or mailed to:
Bentley University Office of Financial Assistance
Rauch 104
175 Forest Street
Waltham, MA 02452
Verification Requirements
The Department of Education randomly selects certain FAFSA records for a process called Federal Verification. If your FAFSA record was selected, there are additional financial aid requirements necessary to confirm your financial aid eligibility. You will know if you have been selected for verification by a message included in your FAFSA confirmation report (the SAR or Student Aid Report).
Your Bentley financial aid requirements may include a signed copy of the Verification Worksheet, available on our Supplemental Forms page, and the use of IRS Direct Data Exchange on your FAFSA or an IRS Tax Return Transcript for both the parent and student. If you are unable to retrieve a Tax Return Transcript from the IRS, we are currently able to accept a signed copy of the 2023 tax return in its place. If the student did not file taxes in 2023, we will need a copy of the Statement for Students Not Filing a 2023 Tax Return, which can be found on the Supplemental Forms page. In the event a parent did not file, we will need verification of nonfiling from the IRS. For all cases of nonfiling; we can no longer accept a Statement for Parent Not Filing a Tax Return. If any additional documents are required, a financial aid counselor will contact students directly.
Please contact your financial aid counselor with any questions about this process.
Guide to Financial Aid
Office of Student Financial Services
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm.
Phone: +1(781)-891-3441; Fax: +1(781)-891-2448
Email: sfs@bentley.edu