Financial Aid

You can fill out your FAFSA in one of the following three ways:

• Online at the FAFSA web site.
• Complete and mail in a paper application.
• Over the phone with a Department of Education counselor at 1-800-433-3243 (TTY Line for Hearing impaired is 1-800-730-8913)

We recommend that you file your FAFSA online in order to make the process as efficient and timely as possible. In order to complete the FAFSA online, you and your parent (if you are a dependent student) will need to first retrieve your FSA ID.

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 online at the beginning of January.

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.