| 1. Can I get financial aid even though I am receiving veteran's education benefits? |
| Yes, if you qualify. |
| 2. How do I know if I qualify? |
| You need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FA) and HACC's Financial Aid Application. All veterans are encouraged to complete and submit these applications each academic year. The FA may be completed at www.fafsa.ed.gov. |
| 3. What types of financial aid might I qualify for? |
| PELL Grant, PHEAA State Grant, Federal Stafford Loan, and others. |
| 4. How will I know if I will receive financial aid? |
| After you submit the FA, by paper or on the web, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR will contain all the information you filled out on the FA. If you have any corrections that need to be made, make the corrections on the SAR and return it to the address indicated. If you completed the FA on-line, the corrections can be made on-line. If you did not complete Items 46 and 47, you can complete them at this time. The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) will notify you separately about State Grant eligibility. The HACC Office of Financial Aid Services will send you a Financial Aid Award letter for the upcoming academic year. These letters are mailed out in late June or early July. |
| 5. I received my SAR, a letter from PHEAA, and a letter from HACC and I don't understand my financial aid or my award amount. What do I do? |
| Contact the HACC Office of Financial Aid Services immediately. |
| 6. What happens to my financial aid if I have a change in enrollment or my VA benefits or I receive additional funds? |
| If you change enrollment, receive additional funding, or incur a change in the type and/or amount of VA benefits, your financial aid award may be adjusted and funds may need to be returned. You should notify the Office of Financial Aid Services of any of these changes. |
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FINANCIAL AID
|
| 1. What do I need to apply for Financial Aid at HACC? |
| You need to complete the following forms: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FA). |
| 2. When should I apply? |
| As soon as you have completed your federal income tax return. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FA) for the upcoming year is available every January. |
| 3. When is the deadline for Financial Aid at HACC? |
| To be considered for State aid, you must submit the FA by April 1st. The FA must be received by May 1st to be considered for institutional aid. To make sure that you do not miss the state or HACC deadlines, submit the FA by April 1st. The FA must be completed as soon as possible but before the end of the academic year. |
| 4. Do I have to be full-time to qualify for Financial Aid? |
| No. If eligible, you may qualify for aid with only one class. However, to receive a PHEAA Grant or a Federal Stafford Loan, you must be enrolled in an eligible program for at least 6 credits. |
| 5. I know I don’t qualify for aid. Should I still complete the FA? |
| Yes. You still might qualify. Remember, your family’s size, income, and number in college are all taken into consideration when figuring eligibility. And even if you don’t qualify for grants, you still need to have the FA completed for certain scholarships, work-study, and to apply for a Federal Stafford Loan. |
| 6. Where and when can I look for scholarships? |
| Scholarships for the upcoming year are usually available starting in January. It is important to start looking as early as you can. Check local newspapers, libraries, local businesses/organizations and the Internet. Do not participate in any scholarship searches that you are required to pay a fee. You can get the same information for free from Free Internet searches and the HACC Office of Financial Aid Services. |
| 7. How do I apply for a Stafford Loan? |
| Check the appropriate block on the FA application. If you have already completed the FA and did not indicate that you were interested in a loan, contact the Office of Financial Aid Services. |
| 8. When will I find out about how much financial aid I will be receiving from HACC? |
| After you complete the FA, either by paper or on the web, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR contains all the information you filled out on the FA. If you have any corrections that need to be made, make the corrections on the SAR and return it to the address indicated. If you completed the FA on-line, the corrections can be made on-line. PHEAA will notify you separately about your State grant eligibility. HACC mails out award letters for the upcoming year in June or early July. |
| **Please make sure you have completed HACC’s Financial Aid Application. |
Office of Financial Aid Services
717-780-2330 or 1-800-222-4222 ext. 2330 |
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