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Whether you are planning to apply to Hunter College or are already a Hunter student, you should apply for financial aid by completing the FAFSA every year. The FAFSA becomes available on October 15 prior to the next academic year.
Hunter’s priority deadline for filing your FAFSA application is April 1, but don’t wait until then. By filing your FAFSA sooner, you will find out about your eligibility sooner, and get a clearer picture of your financial resources.
To be considered for any financial aid, you must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you are a resident of New York State, you must also complete the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application. Review the steps below to learn how to apply for financial aid.
Collect your parents’ and (if applicable) your income tax returns, Social Security numbers, W-2 form(s), and other records of income and assets. Tax information can be estimated and corrected later if a tax return has not yet been completed.
Get free information and assistance from a school counselor, the Office of Financial Aid, or the U.S. Department of Education at www.studentaid.ed.gov or call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).
Here’s a list of general information you will need to complete a FAFSA:
Students and parents should get a federal student aid FSA ID and keep it in a safe place. Your FSA ID is the username and password you select when you create an FSA account online.
With your FSA ID, you can “sign” your FAFSA electronically and complete the federal student aid process completely online. Also you can make corrections to your application once it is filed and access your information online. If you are under 24 years old, it is likely you and one of your parents will each need an FSA ID.
You can create an FSA account and your FSA ID at www.fsaid.ed.gov. You will use the same FSA ID to reapply, and to access your student aid records each year.
Get an FSA IDThe FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the application for federal student assistance. You can apply before you have been admitted to CUNY starting October 1st prior to the academic year you plan to attend. Apply online by going to www.fafsa.gov. Hunter College’s FAFSA code is 002689.
For free help in completing your FAFSA or to obtain a paper FAFSA you can call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1800-4-FED-AID (1800-433-3243). For federal student financial aid information online you can go to www.studentaid.ed.gov
Note: To fill out and submit your FAFSA is FREE. Any websites and services that charge a fee are not associated with the federal government. You do not have to pay anyone for assistance and there are many free resources for help, such as the college you plan on attending, and the Federal Student Aid Information Center at (800) 433-3243.
The TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) application is for New York State residents to apply for NY State financial aid. Once you complete your FAFSA online, you will be taken to a Confirmation Page. Click on the link to apply for New York State-based financial aid and you will be directed to the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) website in order to fill out your TAP application.
If you miss the link when you file your FAFSA, you will receive an email from HESC after your FAFSA is processed, with information on how to complete your TAP application.
Hunter College’s TAP Code is 1413.
Priority Application Deadline: April 1
A few days after you complete the FAFSA you will receive an email from ‘Federal Student Aid’ with a link to your Student Aid Report (SAR). Your SAR contains a summary of your FAFSA information and a calculation of your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) – the number used to determine your federal student aid eligibility.
Review your SAR to see if any additional information or corrections may be needed. You may need to provide additional information before your Expected Family Contribution can be calculated. You may also access your SAR at www.fafsa.gov with your FSA ID.
The U.S. Department of Education selects a certain number of applicants for a verification process. If you have been selected, tax filers will need to submit Tax Return Transcript(s) or a complete signed copy of a preparer’s Federal Income Tax Return (Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ) that was submitted to the IRS and other documents to your school’s financial aid office to verify the data you supplied on your FAFSA.
Being selected for verification does not necessarily mean that you made an error in filling out your FAFSA but in order to receive financial aid that you have been awarded, you will have to submit IRS Tax Return Transcript(s) and other documents requested by your school’s financial aid office.
To order a Tax Return Transcript, go to www.irs.gov, and click on Get Transcript of Your Tax Records and follow the steps or call the IRS at 1-800-908-9946.
Instead of ordering a Tax Transcript you can import your tax information into your FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov by using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
IRS Data Retrieval Tool
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool allows you and your parents to access the IRS tax return information needed to complete the FAFSA. Students and parents may transfer the data directly into their FAFSA. It’s available 1-2 weeks after you file your income tax return electronically. If you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, it is highly recommended that you use the tool for several reasons:
Once your FAFSA is complete and you demonstrate financial need, Hunter College will send you an award notice indicating the financial aid programs for which you qualify. If you are not eligible for need based financial aid, you can contact the Office of Financial Aid to find out other options to finance your education.