To be considered for federal or institutional aid, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be officially admitted to a degree program
• Be a US citizen or eligible noncitizen*
• Have a valid Social Security number*
• Be registered with the Selective Service, if required*
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress
• Be enrolled for the minimum number of credits specified by each applicable loan or grant program (typically 6 credits per term).
• Not be in default on any federal student loans
• Not be receiving federal aid from another school for the same term
• Not have an outstanding student account balance with the Seminary

*This requirement is waived for qualified international students in consideration of institutional aid

Citizenship status

To be eligible for federal aid, you must be one of the following:

• A US citizen or national (including natives of American Samoa or Swain’s Island)
• A citizen of 1 of the Freely Associated States (the Federated States of Micronesia and the republics of Palau and the Marshall Islands)
• US permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551, or I-551C Permanent Resident Card
• A refugee
• An individual who has been granted asylum
• A Cuban-Haitian entrant
• An individual who has been granted conditional entrance (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980)

You are ineligible for federal student aid if any of the following apply:

• You have a Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence I-171 or I-464
• You have an F-1 or F-2 visa
• You have a J-1 or J-2 exchange visitor or type H visa

The following are acceptable types of documentation to verify your citizenship:

• Your birth certificate showing that you were born in the United States or its territories
• A current or expired US passport
• A certificate of citizenship from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (N-560 or N-561) with the certificate number and date of issue
• A certificate of naturalization from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (N-550 or N-570) with the certification number and date of issue
• The following State Department documents:
  • FS-240 Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the US
  • FS-545 Certificate of Birth-Foreign Service
  • DS-1350 Certificate of Birth

Note: You must provide original documentation to the Financial Aid Office to verify your citizenship. If you are unable to come to our office, you may submit a copy of your citizenship documentation electronically along with a notarized form.

Social Security number

To be eligible for federal aid you must provide a valid Social Security number.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) verifies that the Social Security number you submitted is correct and corresponds with your given name and birth date. If the Social Security number does not match (that is, if the number is not found in the Social Security Administration’s database), the FAFSA is rejected. The Student Aid Report that is generated by the FAFSA indicates the reason for rejection and the action you must take, as follows:

• If the Social Security number has been reported incorrectly on the FAFSA, you must submit a copy of your Social Security card to Financial Aid Office
• If your name and Social Security number match but the date of birth does not, you must make a correction on the FAFSA online.
• If the Social Security number exists in the database but there is a discrepancy regarding your name, you must make a correction on the FAFSA online.

Default status

If you are in default on a federal student loan, you are ineligible for federal funds. If you need more information about your defaulted loan, you may review your federal student loan history through the studentaid.gov. NSLDS is the US Department of Education’s central database for federal student aid information. Once on the website, click on Loan Detail to access the name of the guaranty agency, lender, or servicer and their contact information to assist you in resolving your defaulted loan status.

Selective Service registration

Men ages 18 to 25 are required to register with the Selective Service System. This requirement covers men residing in the United States who are US citizens or noncitizens. Anyone who is required to register must do so to receive federa aid. For information on who must register, see the Selective Service System’s guidelines.

Satisfactory academic progress

Satisfactory academic progress is determined by a review of your academic record at the end of each term. If you are not making satisfactory academic progress, you may become ineligible for federal and institutional financial aid.

The Seminary’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy can be reviewed here – https://oldhartsem.hartfordinternational.edu/admissions/financial-aid/satisfactory-academic-progress/