Frequently Asked Questions & Helpful Links
Helpful Links
FAFSA
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(school code: 002728)
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Federal Student Aid ID
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Estimate your eligibility for Federal Student Aid
College Board
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Online financial aid application (school code: 2286)
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General information for financing college
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College Board’s Scholarship Search
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Parent loan debt, college costs and more
Student Loans
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Apply, Master Promissory Note, Entrance Counseling
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Federal Student Loan Borrowing History
U.S. Department of Education’s Student Loan Information
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Federal Direct Consolidation Loans
Loans Federal Direct Loan Consolidation Program
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Estimate your Federal Student Loan payments
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U.S. Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid
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Federal Student Aid Ombudsman Group
Assists with Federal Student Loan disputes
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One-Time Student Loan Debt Relief
Information about the Biden administration's Student Debt Relief Plan, announced in August of 2022.
Parent Loans
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Federal Direct Parent Loan (PLUS)
Apply, Promissory Note
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Parent Loan Repayment Calculator
Repayment Calculator
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Free information from the U.S. Department of Education on preparing for and funding education beyond high school
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One-Time Student Loan Debt Relief
Information about the Biden administration's Student Debt Relief Plan, announced in August of 2022.
Other Important Links
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Register online
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Request tax return and tax account transcripts
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IRS resources for students
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Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
For New York State residents (school code: 0270)
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Convert to U.S. dollars
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Cumulative indebtedness, Student Loan default rate, graduation and retention rates, college comparison tool
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Terms related to Federal Student Aid
FAQs
Hamilton discontinued offering merit scholarships with the class that entered in the Fall of 2008. At that time, we decided that the primary focus and top priority of our financial aid program was to need-based aid. This decision allows us to continue honoring our long-standing commitment to meet the full demonstrated financial need of all students we admit as well as make Hamilton accessible to talented students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Most Hamilton students would qualify for merit scholarships at many other colleges. They choose Hamilton because they recognize that an education here is well worth the investment. As a result, you'll be learning and living with other strong students who also appreciate the value of a Hamilton education and are committed to joining this enduring community of scholars.
Hamilton may include a single subsidized federal student loan in financial aid awards, along with scholarship and work-study. Domestic students are offered a federal student loan, Canadian students are offered a campus-based loan. The maximum loan a first-year student would be offered is $3,500. Some students may be eligible to borrow an additional $2,000 of unsubsidized federal student loans, but this will not be offered as part of a financial aid award.
In recent years, the average total student indebtedness for Hamilton graduates has ranged from $17,500 to $20,500, and Hamilton’s current default rate is 0%. According to the Institute for College Access & Success, the current national student loan debt average is $28,400. The national default rate is 7.3%.
Hamilton College does not offer pre-reads. It is highly recommended that families use our net price calculator for an estimate of their expected family contribution (EFC). Please note that the actual EFC generated by the Hamilton College Financial Aid Office may be different than that provided via the net price calculator.
Since Hamilton meets the full demonstrated financial need, a student who applies Early Decision will receive the same financial aid award that they would have received had they applied Regular Decision.
The decision to apply Early Decision may only be answered by each individual family. Our net price calculator may give you a broad assessment of what your financial aid package could look like and might be helpful to your family in determining whether or not you can make this commitment. Early Decision is designed for students and families who have done their research, know that Hamilton is their top choice and have been thoughtful in considering their college options (academically, socially, financially and otherwise).
While Early Decision at Hamilton is binding (meaning that, if admitted, all other admission applications will be withdrawn), we will release admitted students from this agreement if they determine Hamilton is not affordable for their families. In such cases, however, given that the financial aid package will not change at the point of Regular Decision, these students are withdrawn from Hamilton's admitted pool and do not have the option to consider Hamilton in the spring.
In the case of divorced, separated or parents whom never married, we expect the parents will share responsibility for financing their child's education. Required application materials for both households will be found on the student's personalized financial aid checklist.
A waiver of the non-custodial contribution may be granted if a letter from a guidance counselor, principal, member of the clergy, or attorney attests to the fact that the non-custodial parent has not been in the student's life for a number of years.
Resident Advisors receive the "Resident Advisor Benefit," which is equal to their room charge. The Resident Advisor Benefit will be treated as an outside scholarship, which reduces the awarded work-study and student loan portion of the financial aid award.
Eligible students with demonstrated financial need can have their financial aid “travel” with them as they participate in Hamilton (New York City, Washington, D.C., China, France, Spain, and India) and other approved off-campus study programs. For more information, please refer to our Off-Campus Study page.
In August 2022, the Biden administration announced a Student Debt Relief Plan that includes one-time student loan debt relief targeted to low- and middle-income families. The U.S. Department of Education has created a website with additional details about this initiative, including instructions for applying for debt relief.
Please refer to this National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) "Dates to Know" chart for important dates regarding the Student Debt Relief Plan.

Application Codes
FAFSA: 002728
College Board CSS Profile: 2286
NYS Residents Tuition Assistance Program (TAP): 0270
Contact
Office of Financial Aid