Hartford Seminary currently offers financial assistance to students based on either need or merit. Hartford Seminary also distributes federal student loans to those students who qualify. Please read below for detailed information about each type of aid we offer.
Hartford Seminary Financial Aid Options
1) Need-based Aid: Limited financial aid is available to matriculated students enrolled in Hartford Seminary Master of Arts, Cooperative Master of Divinity, Islamic Chaplaincy, and Doctor of Ministry degree programs. Eligible students may receive tuition aid up to 60% of annual course tuition.
The deadline for first round consideration for need-based financial aid for the academic year, which begins with the fall semester, is June 1. Financial aid applications received after June 1 will be considered if funds are available. Students who are admitted to degree programs mid-year will be given priority for the remaining funds.
Students are required to reapply for financial aid each year. Students are not guaranteed financial aid even if they received aid the previous year, and must maintain better than a B- grade point average to maintain eligibility.
To apply for need-based financial aid from Hartford Seminary, read these instructions and fill out the form at the links here:
Instructions: http://www.hartsem.edu/student/forms/Finanical_Aid_Instructions.doc
Application: http://www.hartsem.edu/student/forms/Financial_Aid_Application.doc
Students with special financial concerns or with a change in financial circumstances are encouraged to contact the Executive Assistant to the Dean at 860-509-9553 for more information about applying for financial aid.
2) Merit scholarships: Students applying for admission to the Master of Arts degree, including the Cooperative Master of Divinity track and the Islamic Chaplaincy track, may submit an application for a merit-based award. Merit scholarships recognize a student’s academic aptitude and potential. Extracurricular activities, publications and other awards/honors also will be considered when determining a student’s eligibility for a merit award.
Only incoming M.A. program students who have a 3.5 grade point average (or above) or its equivalent at previous academic institutions are eligible for merit awards. Priority consideration will be given to applicants who submit their applications by the 1st of February prior to the start of any given academic year in September. Awards are intended to cover the duration of a student’s study, but will not exceed three years or 48 credit hours (whichever comes first). In order to keep scholarships, students must maintain better than a 3.5 grade point average.
Special Students, Doctor of Ministry students, Ph.D. students, Graduate Certificate Program students, and Auditors are not eligible for merit scholarships.
To apply for a Merit Scholarship read the guidelines and fill out the application at these links:
Guidelines: http://www.hartsem.edu/student/forms/Merit_Scholarship_Guiding_Principles.doc
Application: http://www.hartsem.edu/student/forms/Merit_Scholarship_Application.doc
If any of your questions about Hartford Seminary Financial Aid have not been addressed by the information presented, please contact Vanessa Avery-Wall in the Admissions Office at vaw@hartsem.edu or 860-509-9552.
Federal Stafford Loans and Other Loan Options
Domestic students who are matriculated in a degree program may apply for Federal Stafford Loans through the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. Students in the following degree programs may qualify for federal financial aid: Master of Arts, Islamic Chaplaincy Program, Cooperative Master of Divinity, Doctor of Ministry. Students must be registered for at least 6 credits per semester in order to qualify for federal loans.
Federal Loans are also available for those students registered full-time in the International PhD program. If you are a full-time PhD student and want to apply for federal aid, please note that your loans will be dispersed by the University of Exeter. All federal loan applications for PhD students must be processed through following the University of Exeter’s instructions. Click on this link to learn more and apply: PhD Federal Aid
Special Students and Auditors are not eligible for Federal Loans.
Hartford Seminary is authorized to certify student eligibility for loans under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. These loans are often called “Stafford” loans. Eligibility depends on the student's/applicant's course, its length, their personal financial circumstances and their previous educational borrowing. Federal Direct loans are subsidized by the US Government and are subject to strict regulation.
Hartford Seminary’s Federal School Code School Code (also known as the OPE id) is G01387.
Federal Direct Stafford Loans
The Federal Direct Stafford Loans that Hartford Seminary can originate fall into different categories:
Subsidized Stafford: available to eligible students and on which the interest is paid by the Federal Government during the time the student is studying at least half time, or during a grace or deferment period. This loan is based on financial need as determined by the Department of Education.
Unsubsidized Stafford: available to eligible students and on which interest is charged from the moment the loan is made. This loan is not based on financial need.
Effective from 1st July 2008 the Federal Stafford Loan Limits for Graduate students are as follows:
Subsidized Stafford: $8,500.00 Annual
Unsubsidized Stafford: $12,000.00 Annual
Total Annual: $20,500.00
The loan limits listed above are not indicative of the Financial Aid Award that students will receive. As mentioned previously, eligibility is based on a variety of factors as determined by the US Department of Education.
How to Apply for Federal Aid
Step 1: Complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) and Hartford Seminary Financial Aid Application (optional)
1. You will need to complete a free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which can be found online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Advice on how to apply can be found at www.studentaid.ed.gov. It is extremely important for you to fill out your FAFSA accurately. Every year up to 30% of applicants are randomly selected for verification by the US Department of Education. The Financial Aid office will notify you in writing if you have been selected, and you will be required to submit your Federal Income Tax Return, W2 Forms, and other documentation before your FAFSA can be processed. Your FAFSA is a legal document, and its content can be checked and verified, so please input your data carefully and accurately.
2. To sign your application, you will need to apply for a pin number. This can also be completed at the www.fafsa.ed.gov site.
The School Code for Hartford Seminary is G01387.
If you have previously applied for a Federal Stafford Loan, you should complete a Renewal FAFSA.
The online application process will work out your borrowing requirements and calculate any expected family contribution (EFC).
3. (optional) If you are interested in applying for Hartford Seminary’s Need-Based or Merit-Based Scholarships and Grants, please complete the corresponding applications. See full details including how to apply above.
Step 2: Inform Financial Aid Office/Submit Documentation
In order for Hartford Seminary to offer a student an accurate Financial Aid package, you must inform the Financial Aid Administrator, Sage Crary, at scrary@hartsem.edu of any outside scholarships or grants that you are receiving for the academic year for which you are submitting your FAFSA. Contacting the Financial Aid Administrator at this juncture is also an opportunity to discuss any concerns that you may have concerning your Financial Aid, and to ensure you receive a Financial Aid Package that best suits your needs.
The Financial Aid office may also contact you by mail or email to request additional documentation if you have been selected for verification, or to reconcile any conflicting information found on your FAFSA application.
Step 3: Electronically Sign and Complete the Master Promissory Note (eMPN)
1. Go to http://www.dlenote.ed.gov
2. Click on “Complete New MPN for Student Loans” on the left hand, blue, navigation bar.
3. Check the box for “Subsidized/Unsubsidized” and then click ‘ok’ and follow the instructions.
Step 4: Complete Entrance Counseling
The US Department of Education requires all Direct Loan Borrowers to complete a loan counseling session before they can receive their loan funds.
1. Go to http://www.dl.ed.gov
2. Click on the “Welcome to Direct Loan Servicing Online, Entrance and Exit Counseling’ Image on the front and center of the webpage.
3. Click on the “Go” button in the box titled “Entrance Counseling” on the left side of the page.
4. Scroll down to the “Stafford Loan” box on the left (there are three boxes) and click on “Tutorial and Quiz (New Session).” At this point you will read the tutorial and complete the quiz by using the right and left navigation arrows on the bottom right hand side of the screen.
Step 5: Origination Process
Once the Seminary has received all the necessary documents required from you, we will begin to process your application. In order to originate your loan, the Seminary must ensure that you and the program you wish to study are eligible for the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program.
Eligible Programs include:
Masters of the Arts Program- any concentration
Cooperative Masters of Divinity
Masters in Islamic Chaplaincy
Graduate Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy
Doctor of Ministry
*Doctor of Philosophy students please click link above (at
beginning of the federal loan section)
Hartford Seminary must also confirm the amount you are eligible to borrow based on several additional criteria as determined by the US Department of Education.
Some of the eligibility criteria include:
~US Citizenship or Permanent Resident Status
~Not in default on any previous Federal Student Loans
~Enrolled in courses at least half-time (minimum of
6 credits in every Fall and Spring Semester)
~Maintain Satisfactory Academic Performance
For more information on student eligibility, please go to www.studentaid.ed.gov or contact the Financial Aid Office at Hartford Seminary.
The student’s Cost of Attendance is used in calculating your Financial Aid package. The Cost of Attendance is the total of:
- Tuition and fees for the relevant program for the relevant mode of attendance, for the relevant academic year, plus an allowance for living, transportation, and books and supplies.
- Other (specific and justifiable additional costs of attending, permissible within the US Federal regulations) can be included in the Cost of Attendance. Examples might include special health or medical costs or special costs arising from disability needs etc. If you have incurred any of these additional costs, you should contact the Hartford Seminary’s Financial Aid Administrator for more information.
The Cost of Attendance must be reasonable. Students may not receive in Federal Direct Loan funding more than their Cost of Attendance. After the Cost of Attendance is calculated, adjustments are made to reflect the Expected Family Contribution and any other funding received (e.g. grants and scholarships from Step 2) in accordance with the origination rules.
Step 6: Sign and Return the Offer Letter
After your Financial Aid has been calculated, you will receive an offer letter from the Hartford Seminary Financial Aid office detailing your award amounts.
This letter must be signed and returned to Hartford Seminary’s Financial Aid Office in order to proceed. You will be given the option to accept the full amount of financial aid offered, or any portion thereof.
Signed letters can be mailed to:
Financial Aid Office
Attn : Sage Crary
77 Sherman Street
Hartford CT 06105
Step 7: Loan Disbursement
Once the loan(s) have been originated, the US Department of Education will approve the amounts previously agreed upon and release the funds to Hartford Seminary. The Federal Loan proceeds will come in a minimum of two installments per academic year, which traditionally will occur at the beginning of each semester.
If your loans proceeds exceed the amount you owe to Hartford Seminary for that term, the resulting credit balance can be maintained on your student account, with your written authorization. If no authorization is received, the credit balance will be refunded in accordance with the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program guidelines. Refund checks should be picked up in person at the Business Office, and signed for upon receipt. Arrangements for this can be made directly with the Business Office.
Step 8: Exit Counseling
The US Department of Education requires that all student loan borrowers complete an exit counseling session whenever they drop below half-time enrolment status, withdraw, or graduate. This must be completed within the final term of your studies.
1. Go to http://www.dl.ed.gov
2. Click on the “Welcome to Direct Loan Servicing Online, Entrance and Exit Counseling” Image on the front and center of the webpage.
3. Click on the “Go” button in the box titled “Exit Counseling” on the right side of the page.
4. Log In, and complete the “Exit Counseling” quiz and tutorial.
Loan Responsibility
A summary of the responsibilities of a student borrower under the Federal Aid scheme are as follows:
- The loan proceeds must be used immediately and primarily to pay tuition and accommodation fees at Hartford Seminary. If the loan is not used for this purpose it can be recalled by the lender.
- The student must notify FAFSA if any of the following change for a reason other than a change in marital status: dependency status; household size and/ or number of people in the household enrolled in a degree or certificate program. ALL loans have to be repaid to the US Department of Education. (The only exceptions occur if the student never earns any money or dies.)
Use of the Loan Funding
All students with loans under the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program must have used their loan in the first instance for the payment of Hartford Seminary tuition, fees and accommodation. In the event that there is a shortfall for any reason, the funds will be used towards tuition fees first and any University accommodation charges thereafter.
Student Academic Progress and Change of Circumstance
All students who leave their course or change mode of attendance, or fail to make satisfactory academic progress must be reported to the US Department of Education. Students may not take more than 150% of the normal duration to complete their program – they become ineligible for Federal Direct Loan funding in the excess years.
Hartford Seminary has a responsibility to ensure that all students in receipt of William D. Ford Direct Loan funding are making satisfactory academic progress. Where a student falls below the minimum standard of satisfactory academic progress, Federal Direct Loan funding will be suspended.
Return of Title IV Funds
The Seminary is required by federal law to recalculate financial aid eligibility for students who withdraw, or take a leave of absence prior to completing 60% of a payment period or term.
If a student earned less aid than was disbursed, the institution would be required to return a portion of the funds on behalf of the student. This would result in a debit balance owed by the student to the Seminary.
Other Types of Loans
Graduate PLUS Loans: available to eligible students to cover any shortfalls in the cost of tuition fees alone (i.e. not for living expenses). In order to be eligible for the Federal PLUS Loan, you must first apply for the maximum Federal Stafford Loan following the application process outlined below. These loans are available through Hartford Seminary.
Private/Commercial Loans: available through US lenders not funded by the US Government. These loans can supplement your Stafford Loan up to the cost of attendance at Hartford Seminary. These loans are the applicant/student’s responsibility to research and obtain.
If any of your questions about Federal Financial Aid have not been addressed by the information presented, please contact Sage Crary, the federal financial aid administrator, at scrary@hartsem.edu or 860-509-9545.
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