Financial Aid Eligibility

Students who are not U.S.citizens are subject to different regulations which may require supporting documentation, depending upon the type of financial aid sought. You will be contacted if this applies to you. U.S. citizens may also be required to document their citizenship status.

To be eligible for aid from Hunter and from federal and state government sources, students must be classified either as U.S. citizens or as eligible non-citizens. Students are considered to be eligible non-citizens for financial aid purposes if one of the following conditions applies:

• U.S. permanent resident with an Alien Registration Receipt Card I-551 (“green card”)
• Other eligible non-citizen with an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) showing any one of the following designations: (a) “Refugee,” (b) “Indefinite Parole,” (c) “Humanitarian Parole,” (d) “Asylum Granted,” or (e)”Cuban-Haitian Entrant.”

Undocumented students, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), are not eligible for any federal or state Financial Aid. These students may apply for alternative student loans. DACA students may apply for the DREAM.US Scholarship.

The cost of your education includes more than tuition and fees. When a student’s financial aid eligibility is calculated, a Cost of Attendance Budget is assigned. This budget includes expenses that are incurred by a student and paid to Hunter College, as well as books and supplies purchased online or in a bookstore. It also includes general living expenses, transportation and miscellaneous personal expenses. Students may not receive financial aid that would exceed their cost of attendance.

If you are participating in a Study Abroad program, Consortium Agreement, or have other school-related expenses that you feel is not reflected in your COA, you may be able to increase your COA budget. Please speak to the Office of Financial Aid to find out more information.

To be considered for any type of student aid you must be officially admitted to the City University of New York, matriculated in a degree program, attending as a full-time or part time student and be making satisfactory academic progress toward degree requirements.

Students enrolled in Advanced Certificate Programs, Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Programs and Non-Degree Programs are not eligible for Federal Financial Aid, including Federal Direct Loans. However, these students may apply for alternative student loans and institutional aid, such as Hunter College scholarships.

Financial aid awards are not automatically renewed each year. Students must apply for aid each year to renew their eligibility for all types of assistance (including Hunter College scholarships), continue to demonstrate financial need, make satisfactory academic progress toward degree requirements, and be in good academic standing.

Federal Grants and Scholarships

Hunter College students must satisfy  qualitative and quantitative federal financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards, as defined by the U.S. Department of Education in order to remain eligible for federal financial aid ( §CFR668.34). All students who submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as well as those who receive any type of financial assistance are evaluated for SAP. Financial aid recipients and applicants (upon submission of the FAFSA) who are not found to be in satisfactory academic standing will be notified.

New York State Grants and Scholarships

Students must make Satisfactory Academic Progress towards their degrees, as defined by New York State, in order to continue to receive New York State aid including APTS and TAP. For New York State aid, Satisfactory Academic Progress consists of two elements: academic progress and pursuit of program. Academic progress is a measure of earning credits toward a degree with a specified grade point average. Pursuit of program is a measure of the student’s degree completion. Students will be measured against the Satisfactory Academic Progress standard at the end of each term to determine eligibility for receipt of New York State student financial assistance for the upcoming year. This is a complete review of all semesters with attendance, whether or not any New York State student aid was received.

The maximum time frame that students may receive a Pell or SEOG Grant is equivalent of 12 full-time semesters or 600 percent. Summer Pell awards will apply towards the Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). One full-time semester of an award is equal to 50 percent. Log in to StudentAid.gov with your username and password, then navigate to “My Aid” to view your LEU.

The federal government measures this in the following manner.

If a Grant is disbursed in a semester:

The federal government will confirm that the Social Security number on the FAFSA application matches other data in their files. Students whose records do not match will be required to verify their Social Security number. If you have changed your name, you must notify the Social Security Administration before financial aid can be disbursed.

Students of parents who do not have a Social Security number may be required to submit additional documentation to FAFSA.

It is not necessary to submit copies of your tax returns or any other family financial records or supporting documentation to the Office of Financial Aid unless you are specifically asked for additional information. Unsolicited material will be destroyed without review. If you have unusual financial circumstances that may increase your eligibility for financial aid, contact the Office of Financial Aid after you have received your award letter.

You may also be required to provide appropriate tax records if your application for financial aid is selected by the U.S. Department of Education for income and asset verification. You will be notified if this is necessary. The verification process may result in an adjustment to your financial aid award, and can occur at any time throughout the year. If you do not provide tax documents when requested, your financial aid may be revoked.

Once you register for a course it becomes part of your permanent record. If for any reason you do not attend, you must officially withdraw from the course online at your CUNYfirst Account before the term deadline date recorded in the Academic Calendar. Failure to follow this procedure will result in a grade of “WU” which is equivalent to an “F”.

If you withdraw after the third week of classes, the following applies:

• PELL: Your Pell award is based on your Student Aid Index (SAI), the cost of attendance at Hunter and the number of credits for which you are enrolled. Awards will be adjusted accordingly.
• TAP: If you are originally enrolled for 12 credits and change your enrollment status to less than 12 credits after the end of the refund period, you will be eligible for that portion of your TAP which covers your tuition. However, you will have used up one semester of eligibility.
• SEEK: You must maintain at least 12 credits to be eligible for SEEK. SEEK students may only drop below full-time with the permission of the SEEK department.
• Federal Direct Loans: If you drop below 6 credits you may not be entitled to the funds even if you have an outstanding balance owed to the college. With 6 credits or more you are still eligible for the monies, however, you may go into repayment if you have used your grace period. If you were awarded a Direct Loan you must conduct an Exit Interview.

If you withdraw completely from classes, your aid will be affected as follows:

• PELL, SEOG, ACG, SMART Grants, Federal and Direct Loans: Federal student aid regulations specify that students “earn” their federal financial aid awards according to the number of days they attend classes each semester. The amount of aid that a student may keep is in direct proportion to the length of time the student attends classes during the semester. The college must determine whether a portion of that student’s federal aid must be returned to the U.S. Department of Education or disbursed to the students.
• TAP: If you, withdraw you will forfeit your next TAP payment. If you want to enroll next semester, you must pay for your tuition with funds other than TAP. Students may be eligible for a onetime waiver.
• SEEK: You will become ineligible for any funds as of the date you withdraw.
• Federal Work-Study (FWS): You must stop working the day you withdraw, and will be paid only for the hours worked up to your official withdrawal date.
• Federal Direct Loans: If you drop below 6 credits you will go into immediate repayment unless you have not used up your grace period. An exit interview is required. If you were awarded a Direct Loan you must conduct an Exit Interview.