Current Students
Overview
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The process of applying for financial aid from Harvard is essentially the same for all students, but please read through these instructions and refer to your my.harvard account to see which specific materials we need from your family. You will need to submit your 2022 tax information for the 2024-2025 academic year.
If you applied for financial aid in the previous year, you will automatically be emailed instructions to apply for renewal in February. If you have not applied for aid in the past but would like to do so now, please contact the Griffin Financial Aid Office to let us know.
Deadlines
The deadline to renew your aid is May 1. If you complete your application by the deadline, you will receive your decision notification through my.harvard by July 1. If your application is incomplete at the deadline, we will notify you via your college email account. Once your aid application is complete, the financial aid decision will be released to my.harvard on a rolling basis during the summer. It is the student’s responsibility to keep track of deadlines and respond to requests for missing documents or additional information. The decision process takes time. We urge you to meet our deadlines in order to have aid in place for the fall term.
CSS Profile
All applicants must file the online 2024-2025 CSS Profile via the College Board. Make sure to include Harvard as a recipient using the code 3434. If your parents are married or live together, they will file one CSS Profile. If they are separated or divorced, each parent will need to complete their own CSS Profile.
If you are an international student who is unable to complete the CSS Profile due to unreliable access in your home country, or if you live in a country from which the College Board cannot process payments, you may submit a paper application found here.
IDOC
We require submission of tax and other documents through the College Board IDOC Service. Before you can upload your documents to IDOC, you must have completed and submitted the CSS Profile. Once you file your CSS Profile you will receive communication from the College Board that will guide you through the process. Do not submit supporting documents to our office unless you are specifically instructed to do so. All materials need to be sent through IDOC.
Gather together all of the following that apply, and submit them to IDOC. Please do not send draft or estimated taxes. For the 2024-2025 year, we need the actual 2022 tax return as filed with the government. If your documents are not in English, please be sure to translate them.
- Parents’ 2022 income tax document for both parents: for US students, this is usually the signed 1040 Federal Income Tax Return with all pages and schedules, including W-2 Forms. For many international students, this will be whatever documentation of income your parents submit to their national government. If your parents do not file tax returns, please submit a Tax Non-Filer Statement, and whatever documentation they do have, such as a wage statement, salary certificate, or letter from their employer(s) stating annual income.
- Student’s 2022 income tax document: we may require student tax returns for some students; please check my.harvard to see if we require that you submit this document.
- Business documents: if either of your parents has an interest in a business or farm, submit the business tax return for each business and/or farm. In the US, this refers to the full 2022 1065 Partnership Return, 1120 S Corporate Return, and 1120 Corporate Return, along with K-1 Statements.
- Additional information: if you have any unusual expenses or special circumstances to share, feel free to submit a letter with the rest of your documents.
Frequently Asked Questions
Financial Aid Activity and Demographic Supplement (FAADS)
Every student needs to complete the Financial Aid Activity and Demographic Supplement online. This is a short and easy form to complete. It needs to be completed by the student - parents cannot complete this form on behalf of a student.
FAFSA
The FAFSA is a free form that determines your eligibility for federal aid. Only students who are US Citizens, Permanent Residents, or other eligible non-citizens will file the FAFSA.
File the online 2024-2025 FAFSA. Remember to include Harvard’s code E00468 so that we receive the FAFSA. Our Completing the FAFSA page has tips to help you apply.
Federal Aid Only
If you do not intend to apply for grant aid from the College, but would like us to determine your eligibility for federal funds only (such as Pell Grants, FWSP, or federal loans), you need only to file the FAFSA. Please notify us of your decision to apply only for federal aid by May 1.