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Financial Aid Application Overview

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Welcome to the HLS Financial Aid Application Process! We hope that our step-by-step approach will help you understand what is required when, and why. The timeline for the entire application process covers much of the calendar year, with various steps along the way.

Things to Consider Before You Apply

Things to Consider Before You Apply

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Below you’ll find a brief overview of the steps to apply so that you can anticipate what’s next. We will email you regularly throughout the process to keep you posted on your application status and will always let you know when you can take action on the next step.

Overview of the Step-by-Step Application Process

Overview of the Step-by-Step Application Process

Step 1: Completing Your Preliminary Application
Step 2: Reviewing and Understanding Your Award
Step 3: Understanding and Applying for Your Loans
Step 4: Financial Clearance and Cash Advance Check
Step 5: Finalizing Your Financial Aid Award

Step 1: Completing Your Preliminary Application

In this step you will submit the Student Application form, which will then create a personalized list of required documents for you to complete. Once all of your documents are received, we can begin reviewing your application to determine a provisional award offer.

Step 2: Reviewing and Understanding Your Award

Once we complete our review of your application, you will receive email notification (on a rolling basis for admitted students and in July for returning students) of your provisional award. We use the word provisional because HLS financial aid awards are not final until the fall review process concludes in October of each academic year. When you receive your provisional award notification, review the information we provide and contact us with any questions.

Step 3: Understanding and Applying for Your Loans

This step will help you understand the various loan options available to you in order to secure the funding you need. We will outline both the details of the loans you were offered as part of your aid package, and your options for additional loan funding should you need to borrow up to the total of your student budget.

Step 4: Financial Clearance and Cash Advance Check

You will receive email notice of your fall semester charges in July from Harvard University’s central Student Accounts Office. Make sure that your provisional financial aid award is sufficient to cover your fall balance. If it’s not, you should plan to make an e-payment or apply for a supplemental education loan. If your anticipated financial aid credits exceed the total of your fall charges, you will be eligible for a fall cash advance check that can be used for living expenses. Eligible students will receive this check during the fall registration period.

Step 5: Finalizing Your Financial Aid Award

Financial aid awards are always provisional until the completion of our fall award review process in September and October of each academic year. In late August/early September we will send you a reminder of everything you will need to do to finalize your award, including:

  • Submitting any remaining documentation still listed as outstanding in “Application Requirements” in the SFS Self Service Portal
  • Completing the Student Application Update Form in the SFS Self Service Portal
  • E-signing master promissory notes for any federal and institutional loans you may have
  • Completing an online financial aid entrance counseling session for any federal loans you may have

After receiving all of this final documentation, we will review your file again, and notify you of your final aid package. Grant recipients should expect to receive their final award notification no later than November 1 of each academic year.