Loans & Additional Aid

Hamilton offers need-based scholarships to students who have filed all required forms by the deadlines and demonstrate financial need.  For the 2004-05 academic year, Hamilton awarded more than $17 million in need-based scholarships.  Beyond these scholarships, families have other resources to help with finances, including:

Loans

• Federal Stafford Loan
  Students may be eligible to borrow under a Federal loan program called the Stafford Loan. The Stafford Loan is a low-interest long-term loan, guaranteed by the Department of Education that is used to go towards the cost of education. It is available to eligible students who are permanent residents and US citizens. Eligibility will be determined by the financial aid office after your family completes a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other necessary financial aid paper work.
• Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)
  Parents may be eligible to borrow under a federal loan program called the Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS). The PLUS loan is a low-interest education loan that allows parents to fund the cost of their child's education. Parents can borrow up to the cost of attendance, minus the student's financial aid.
• Federal Perkins Loan
  These low-interest loans are allocated to colleges to distribute to students with financial need.

Federal Aid

• Federal Work-Study provides campus employment for students with financial need.
• Federal Pell Grants are available to students who have demonstrated the highest calculated need.  Grants typically range from $400 to $4,050 for full-time study.
• Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants are allocated to institutions to distribute among Pell Grant recipients who have demonstrated the highest calculated need.  Grants typically range from $100 to $3,000.

State Aid

• The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) provides New York residents with grants towards tuition.  Current awards range between $500 and $5,000, depending on New York State taxable income.  TAP is currently restricted to those whose family's taxable income is $80,000 or less.
• Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) provides assistance toward tuition, maintenance, books and travel for students from New York State who enroll in this program.
• Students, from states outside New York, should contact their state agencies for information about grants to pursue out-of-state study.

Tuition Payment Plans

While the College does not have a payment plan of its own, families may elect to use the service of TuitionPay Academic Management, which offers interest-free payment plans.