Step 1: Graduate Student Financial Aid Application
The Graduate Student Financial Aid Application (PDF) is required of all graduate students requesting financial aid. This form replaces the College Scholarship Service Profile form which is no longer required for renewal applications. The deadline is April 15.
Step 2: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Renewal FAFSA
This application is required in order to receive federal and New York state financial assistance. It must be completed and sent to the processing center. The Student Aid Report generated as a result of filing the FAFSA must be received in the Financial Aid Office by April 15. The HWS code for FAFSA is 002731.
We strongly recommend filing electronically to shorten the time it takes for schools to receive your information. It also lessens the chance of errors on your application, since the program is designed to question answers that do not comply with logic built into the program.
Returning students who have filed FAFSA forms electronically in previous years have already received a PIN number from the federal processor. This is your electronic signature. If a student has misplaced or lost his or her PIN number, he or she may go to www.pin.ed.gov to obtain it. Returning students who have never filed electronically may also obtain a PIN number at that address.
Once you have your PIN numbers you may file your FAFSA electronically at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Step 3: Federal Income Tax Return(s) and W2s
Signed copies of your prior year federal income tax return(s) and W2s including schedules A, C, and E (if applicable) are due in the Office of Financial Aid Services and Student Employment by April 15. New York State residents must also include copies of the students prior year state income tax returns.
If you will not file a tax return check the appropriate non-filing statement on the Graduate Student Application. If you are filing an extension for your income tax return, signed copies of the IRS Application for Extension must be submitted by the April 15th deadline. Also if you need a copy of your tax return from the IRS, visit their Web site.
New York State (NYS) TAP Application
NYS residents with a New York State net taxable family income of $80,000 or less may qualify for a TAP grant ranging from $500-$5,000. All NYS residents listing a NYS school on the FAFSA have two ways to apply for the TAP.
If you file your FAFSA on the web, you will also be able to file your TAP Application online. Please do so to speed the entire application process.
If you do not file online, a pre-printed ETA is automatically generated by completing the paper FAFSA or paper Renewal FAFSA and listing Hobart and William Smith in step 6. ETAs are mailed to the permanent address.
You must make any necessary corrections, provide all required signatures and send to New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (NYSHESC).
An estimate of your TAP eligibility will be included in the offer of financial assistance from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. NYSHESC will send a copy of the award certificate to the home address with instructions to forward a copy to the school.
If you have any questions regarding the financial aid process, please contact the Office of Financial Aid Services and Student Employment at:
Phone: (315) 781-3315
Fax: (315) 781-4048
Email: finaid@hws.edu