Information about financial aid (grants, scholarships, loans and work-study) available at Hunter is provided in order to assist you in meeting the costs of enrollment at the School of Social Work. There are two primary sources on financial assistance for students at the School of Social Work: the Hunter College Financial Aid Office (695 Park Avenue, NY, NY 10065) whose website is at: www.hunter.cuny.edu/finaid and the Hunter College School of Social Work Scholarship Office (129 East 79th Street, NY, NY 10065).

Information about current tuition and fee charges is available at www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork. Additional information about the Cost of Attendance is available at www.hunter.cuny.edu/finaid Cost of Attendance/cost of attendance.

The Hunter College Financial Aid Office (695 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10065) is responsible for administering Federal loan programs. To learn about these programs go to: www.hunter.cuny.edu/finaid. The financial aid office website provides detailed about:

Federal Direct Loans (William D. Ford Direct Loan Program)
Federal Perkins Loans
New York State Tuition Assistance (grants)
Federal Work Study

Specific information about financial aid for graduate students is available at: www.hunter.cuny.edu/finaid/graduate.html

Students who want to apply for federal and New York State financial aid can complete applications in one on-line session at www.fafsa.ed.gov. In addition, students who want to request a Federal Direct Loan must request the loan on-line at http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/finaid/dirloan.html

The Scholarship Office of the Hunter College School of Social Work (129 East 79th Street) administers a program of school scholarships (referred to as partial tuition waivers) through the Dorothy and Alfred Silberman Fund. Tuition waivers are awarded on the basis of financial need. To qualify you must be a matriculated student, in any program pathway (2 year, part-time, advanced standing, dual degree) who is enrolled in field work and who is applying for a federal loan or an OYR student in the unusual circumstance of temporary unemployment or assignment to an unpaid field placement. Tuition waivers are generally limited to $500.00 per semester per student.

With your acceptance letter you will receive a Request for Tuition Waiver Application and Survey of Financial Need. Please return the form completed to: Scholarship Office, Hunter College School of Social Work, 129 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10065.

Examples of scholarships other than tuition waivers offered through the Scholarship Office:

Amy Watkins Scholarship. Awarded annually to one incoming student majoring in Community Organization and Planning (CO &P). Applications for this award will be mailed to all incoming students who are majoring in CO &P. The Amy Watkins Scholarship Committee selects the recipient.

Rose Biller Scholarships are sponsored by UJA Federation and available to Jewish students who live in the five boroughs of NYC, Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties. Applications are available on the agency website: www.ujafedny.org.
Applications should be submitted to the Scholarship Office at 129 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10065, not to the agency.

Grants for substitute child care: A limited number of grants may be available to students who demonstrate financial need and who require child care or payment for after school programs. Grants are most often awarded to single parents.

Other awards are available after the first year of matriculation and are based on performance in the program as well as financial need. There are a limited number of stipends provided by agencies in which students are completing their field practicum requirements. The Field Education Office will notify students if they have been awarded a stipend. Most stipends are not available until the second year of the program.

What other sources of scholarship assistance are available?

For information about New York State Regents Professional Opportunity Scholarships go to www.hunter.cuny.edu/finaid/graduate.html or directly to www.highered.nysed.gov/kiap .Click on Scholarships. Applications must be postmarked by May 1, 2007. These scholarships are designated for African-American, Latino/a, Native American, and Native Alaskan applicants based on the under-representation of persons from these groups in the professions, including social work. Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000 and are dependent on level of financial need.

Additional sources of information which school of social work students have found helpful include: www.college-scholarships.com, www.naswfoundation.org/fellowships, www.thepridefoundation.org, and www.ujafedny.org. League of United Latin American Citizens at www.lulac.org, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People at http://www.naacp.org/work/education/eduscholarshipold. Consuelo W. Gosnell Scholarship at http://www.naswfoundation.org/gosnell, Verne LaMarr Lyons Memorial Scholarship at http://www.naswfoundation.org/lyons, UJA Federation of New York at www.ujafedny.org, National Association of Social Workers NYC Chapter at www.naswnyc.org,

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FINANCIAL AID:

Who is eligible to apply for federal direct loans?

Only matriculated students who are registering for six (6) or more credits of graduate course work may apply. Follow the guidelines for application for Federal Direct Loan on the financial aid office website.

What is the first step in applying for financial aid ?

If you believe you may need financial assistance, you should complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online: www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Note: To expedite the application process, exercise your option to electronically sign the FAFSA. To do so, apply for a PIN number at: www.pin.ed.gov before completing the FAFSA form
.
What is the maximum amount of financial aid I can receive from all sources ?

The maximum amount of financial aid that Hunter College students may receive form all sources is the amount of their cost of attendance, as defined by the City University of New York (CUNY). Cost of attendance information is available on the Office of Financial Aid web site at: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/finaid/Cost_of_Attendance/cost_of_attendance.html. Look at the sample graduate student expense budgets detailed there. Give special attention to the tuition costs for students in the MSW program.

The amount of financial aid you may receive is also dependent on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) which is calculated using the information you supply on the FAFSA, and on the amount of financial assistance you receive from all sources, including tuition waivers, the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and all other grants and scholarship assistance

Note: The sample graduate student expense budget may be unrealistic for graduate students living in the five boroughs of New York City. However, this is the basis upon which the amount of your federal loan and all other aid is determined by Hunter College. Please also review the estimated student budget which will be sent to all students who request a tuition waiver application.

How much can I borrow from the Federal Direct Loan Program?

Information on borrowing limits for the Federal Direct Loan Program is available on the Office of Financial Aid web site at: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/finaid/dirloanamounts.html. The amount you can borrow cannot exceed your cost of attendance less all other financial aid you are receiving.

How much is available from financial aid programs other the Federal Direct Loan Program?

Federal Perkins Loans: Awards for Hunter College graduate students in 2003-04 ranged from $2,000 to $4,000 and are based on financial need. Federal Perkins Loans must be repaid to Hunter College. Hunter receives limited funds for Federal Perkins loans; it is recommended that you apply (by filing a FAFSA form) as early as possible.

Federal Work Study: Awards for Hunter College graduate students in 2003-04 ranged from $1,000 to 2,250 and are based on financial need. Most on-campus jobs pay less than $10.00 per hour and are available generally during normal business hours; this is not always convenient for a school of social work student.

Note: If you are awarded federal work study and do not accept it, you may be able to increase the amount you are requesting in Federal Direct Loan funds.

Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). This is a grant program for New York State residents and does not need to be paid back. Graduate student awards range from $75.00 to $550.00.

When should I complete the Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note?

Complete your application for a Direct Loan electronic Master Promissory Note (MPN)as soon as you submit your request for the Federal Direct Loan to the Office of Financial Aid. Information on how to complete the electronic MPN is available on the Office of Financial Aid web site at http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/finaid/directloanmpn/directloanmpn.html.

Note: Disbursement of funds will be delayed if the MPN has not been completed and signed.

When will my Federal Direct Loan request be processed by the Office of Financial Aid?

Your loan request will not be processed until you register for classes (July) so do not anticipate any action on your loan until after registration. However, once you submit your Federal Direct Loan Request, if you are missing any of the required documentation, you will be so notified. The information you supply on the FAFSA must be complete and correct before your loan request can be processed.

When should I expect to receive the funds from my loan?

Federal Direct Loan funds are not disbursed until after classes begin each semester. The schedule of disbursements is available in the OASIS (Room N217, 695 Park Avenue) as well as on the Office of Financial Aid web site at http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/finaid/forms.html.

There are two ways of receiving your loan disbursement:

1. Direct deposit of your funds into your bank account (faster delivery of funds). To do this you will need an authorization form which is available on the website: http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/finaid/forms.html; or

2. A check from the College. Hunter College disburses loan funds in the form of a check after the Bursar’s Office has deducted tuition and fees. For a schedule of disbursement dates go to the Office of Financial Aid’s disbursement schedule on the Financial Aid Office website. There is no disbursement of funds until after the first day of classes. Loans are disbursed once each semester.

If I have questions about federal loan programs who can I contact?

Contact the Director of Financial Aid at Hunter College via e-mail: faohc@hunter.cuny.edu. E-mail is answered within two business days.

This information is current at time of posting. Costs and awards are subject to change.

Students at the School of Social Work have collaborated in the preparation of this information, particularly in providing the notes that will help new financial aid applicants expedite the process.

The Board of Student Representatives (BSR) is eager to provide further assistance at any time throughout this process. If you would like to consult with current students at the school, you may contact the Hunter College School of Social Work Board of Student Representatives (BSR) by sending an e-mail message to: hunterbsr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. You will receive a reply to your message with instructions on how to access the list serve, which is where you can post any questions you may have.