Financial Aid

Prior to completing a FAFSA, you must first establish an FSA User ID, which you can establish at the FSA User ID website. If you have received an FSA User ID before you do not need to obtain another one. If you are a dependent student, your parent must also establish an FSA user ID so they can electronically sign your FAFSA.

You can complete your FAFSA online at the Federal Student Aid website. If you need assistance in completing your FAFSA, or require a paper application, please call the Department of Education at 1-800-433-3243 and a counselor will assist you. If you are hearing impaired and require assistance please call the TTY line at 1-800-730-8913).

The FAFSA application is specific to the academic year, so make sure you are completing the correct version of the application. New FAFSA applications become available every year on October 1st.

You will need to provide Harrisburg University’s Federal School Code in order for your FAFSA to be received and processed by the University. HU’s school code is 039483. If you attended another university or already completed a FAFSA but did not originally list Harrisburg University’s school code, you will need to update your application with our school code.

You will also need to sign your FAFSA in order for the Department of Education to process it and send the information to Harrisburg University. If you are a dependent student, then one of the parents listed on your FAFSA will also need to sign the application. If you are completing the form online, you and your parent can sign the FAFSA electronically using your FSA ID.

The Department of Education typically takes 3 to 5 business days to fully process your FAFSA. Once your FAFSA is fully processed, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) that will indicate any issues with your application and potential next steps. Your Student Aid Report will also include your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as calculated by the Department of Education.

Your EFC is the amount of your educational costs the government has determined you and your family can afford to pay either out-of-pocket or through various financing options. Your EFC is listed as a numerical value on your Student Aid Report and is transmitted to all of the schools listed on your application along with the rest of your FAFSA data. We use your EFC to determine the amount of your financial need and eligibility for need-based federal and institutional financial aid. The information that is reported on your SAR is also sent to the schools you listed on your FAFSA. We typically receive your FAFSA data at the same time you receive your SAR.