Applying for Aid
WHAT IS THE FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA)?
The FAFSA provides the information needed to estimate your family’s ability to contribute toward your educational costs. If you are applying for any of the federal student aid programs [Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal
You can apply electronically for federal student aid by using FAFSA on the Web. Upon completing the FAFSA, the FAFSA Processing System (FPS) calculates an Student Aid Index (SAI) and matches the information reported on your FAFSA to data contained in numerous federal databases, such as the Social Security Administration. The results of the analysis are forwarded to both you and the schools you have listed on your FAFSA. Applying for admission to a school will not automatically add them to your FAFSA, you must list each school for which you want the information to be sent. Hawai`i Pacific University's school code is 007279.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID?
To maximize aid eligibility and opportunities, we highly recommend students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Active duty service members utilizing Tuition Assistance (TA) benefits are also eligible for Title IV student aid programs, scholarships, fellowships, grants, loans, etc. Service members identified as eligible DoD TA recipients will have their TA benefits applied to their HPU student account prior to the application of their Pell Grant (and other) funds.
Again, we highly encourage all eligible students to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible.
WHEN SHOULD I APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID?
You can file the FAFSA as early as October 1st for the upcoming year. You will be using IRS tax information from two years prior to the academic year for which you are applying (e.g. 2025-26 academic year will require the 2023 tax year data). To assure maximum consideration for all forms of aid, the FAFSA must be processed by the federal processor on or before HPU’s priority deadline of March 1st of the upcoming academic year. Normal processing time is 2 to 4 weeks. During peak times, processing may take up to 8 weeks. Remember, it is your responsibility to pay for your classes — regardless of the status of your financial aid. We encourage you to apply early.
When is my financial aid disbursed?
Financial aid is disbursed on or after the first day of the term and students should plan on having some funding arrangements for the first month of the semester, or until your financial aid funding can be made available to you. All financial aid documents must be received and reviews completed prior to any disbursements being made. Students should allow for at least 2 months processing time and be cognizant of processing deadlines which are usually 3 weeks prior to the end of any semester/term.
Applying for admission to a school based on your academic ability and applying for student aid based on your financial need are two different procedures.
Although financial aid is awarded after the Admissions Office grants acceptance, you should NOT wait to apply for financial aid until you have been admitted to the school. You can complete the FAFSA at any time after October 1st of the year preceding the academic year you are applying for.
WHAT ARE THE STEPS TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID?
Applying for aid
The FAFSA collects financial information about you, your parents, and your family. Income received during two years prior to the academic year for which you are applying for, including untaxed income and benefits, will have to be reported, as will certain expenses. You may also be asked to provide the current value of any assets you or your parents own as well as the amount owed on those assets.
When applying for federal financial aid, you must provide a valid Social Security Number. If you do not have one, you should get one as soon as possible.
Completing the FAFSA may seem complicated, but don’t let that discourage you. Take one question at a time, read the instructions carefully, and consult your high school counselor or our Financial Aid Office if you need help. Be sure you understand what the form is asking. Making errors can cause delays in your application.
In response to filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you will receive a document called the FAFSA Submission Summary. If you filed your FAFSA electronically, you will receive an e-mail with your FAFSA Submission Summary or if you filed a paper FAFSA you might receive your FAFSA Submission Summary in the mail at your home address. The document summarizes the information you provided on the FAFSA. Please make sure to review it and make changes and provide additional information as required. The Financial Aid O
You may receive a letter from our office asking for further information needed to complete your processing, i.e. a student and/or parent federal tax transcripts, verification form, etc. This review process is called verification. The federal government (DOE) selects students for the verification process based on the analysis of the inputted data. Schools are required to request tax forms in order to verify the information you provided on the FAFSA. Respond to our request quickly so we can send your finalized financial aid awards to you in a timely fashion. If selected for verification, you are not eligible for your federal aid until verification has been completed.
As your financial aid application is evaluated within the Financial Aid Office, more information or documents may be requested. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you may be asked to document your status with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, or USCIS (formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service, or INS). If the aid administrator thinks you might have special financial circumstances, he or she may ask for a more detailed explanation.
You will be notified of your financial aid offer by e-mail (at your myHPU email account) and/or by a paper copy in the mail at your home address. You can view your financial aid offer in your myHPU portal by logging in with your username and password. Once you are logged in, click the Financial Aid icon in the Student Quicklaunch box. From the Financial Aid home page, you will be instructed to respond to 2 questions in order to be able to accept and/or decline your Federal Direct loans and/or Federal Work-Study if awarded. Once those questions are answered, make sure you select the year for financial aid offer that you would like to view. This section will also advise you of any additional requirements you must complete. Your financial aid offer is determined by the information you submitted on the FAFSA. If you have a change of status or if you receive additional scholarships, please let us know immediately as it may affect your financial aid.
Please note, you will not be able to accept or decline Plus loans (Grad or Parent). Those loans are based on credit approval. Once the credit application has been submitted at www.studentaid.gov , we will be notified and we will accept or decline the loan on your behalf when the loan is processed.
Some loan programs require additional applications and/or forms before they can be processed and disbursed to your student account. All of them require a Master Promissory Note (MPN), which is a legal document you sign promising you will repay the loan. You can find these requirements on your myHPU Financial Aid portal. If you are offered one of these loans, and you decide to borrow the funds, you will need to complete the necessary forms. For Federal loans, you can complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN), Entrance Counseling (EC) and apply for Federal Plus loans at www.studentaid.gov .
