FAQ

1. Am I independent? Can I file the FAFSA as an independent student?

For an in-depth explanation federal dependency guidelines, click here.


2. How does Husson treat aid that I get from outside sources (scholarships, tuition assistance)?

Outside scholarships or tuition benefits will reduce the self-help component (loans and work component) of your financial aid package, but will not reduce the family contribution. If all the self-help support in your award is canceled, in some cases, the Husson grant aid may need to be reduced or canceled as well.


3. What if my parents refuse to pay the expected family contribution (EFC)?

Husson believes that the first responsibility to pay for a child's education rests with the parents. Willingness or unwillingness to pay has to remain within the family. Note that your Expected Family Contribution is not your Husson University bill. For information on financing solutions, please contact our office.


4. Why is the loan amount on my bill less than the amount on my financial aid award letter?

Per federal regulations, there may be origination and default fees that are deducted from the amount that a student and/or parent receives in Stafford and PLUS loan funds. The total amount disbursed may be less than the actual amount borrowed. Fees for alternative loans vary - contact your lender for more information.


5. What is Husson University's federal school code?

Our school code is 002043.


6. What is the difference between Subsidized and Unsubsidized William D Ford Direct loans?

The government pays the interest on Subsidized loans while you are in school and during authorized periods of grace and deferment. You are responsible for the interest that accrues on an Unsubsidized loan, which you may opt to pay while in school or defer until you go into repayment. Click here for more information.


7. How many credits must students carry in a semester to be considered full-time?

    • Full-time enrollment is 12 or more credits in a semester.
    • 3/4 time enrollment is 9-11 credits in a semester.
    • 1/2 time enrollment is 6-8 credits in a semester.
    • Full- and half-time status for graduate students varies. Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.


8. How many credits must students take in order to be eligible for financial aid?

Undergraduate students must be at least half-time (6 credits) in order to be eligible for most types of financial aid.


9. Why am I being asked to provide tax documents when I already provided it on the FAFSA?

You might see a note on your Student Aid Report saying you've been selected for verification; or on your award letter we ask for documents that you normally don't have to submit. Verification is the process the Department of Education and Husson uses to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA is accurate.

If you're selected for verification, don't assume you're being accused of doing anything wrong, most people are selected at random. All you need to do is provide the documentation we ask for-and be sure to do so as soon as you can or you won't be able to get financial aid. If you are having difficulty getting a document please contact our office.

If you used the Internal Revenue Service Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT) when filling out your FAFSA, and you have not changed any of the information retrieved, you will not have to verify that information. If you didn't use the IRS DRT and you're selected for verification, log back in at www.fafsa.gov to see whether you can use IRS DRT to fill in the relevant fields on your FAFSA. If not, we will require you to submit a tax transcript as part of the verification process. You can find your tax transcript through the IRS's Get Transcript service at www.irs.gov/transcript.