HDS - Financial Aid - Key Forms and Processes for Financial Aid Recipients

Financial Aid

Key Forms and Processes for Financial Aid Recipients

If you are a Harvard Divinity School student receiving financial aid, this page provides instructions and information on the forms that you will need to complete and sign.

This page includes:

Excess Cash Release Request
Federal Work-Study Program
Promissory Note E-Signing for Direct Loans
Promissory Note E-Signing for Perkins Loans

Excess Cash Release Request Form (e-Bill Refunds)

If you are borrowing to cover living expenses, you must complete an Excess Cash Release Request Form (PDF; Adobe Reader required) in order to receive a check. These forms can be filled out and submitted at registration. Before a check will be released to you, your financial aid file must be complete, and the HDS Office of Financial Aid must have received any requested documents. (Please note that it takes approximately 10 days to receive a check once you submit the request form.)

Federal Work-Study Program (FWSP)

Academic year (or term-time) work-study for 2009-10 begins on September 2, 2009 and will end on May 15, 2010.

Employers: If you will employ HDS students during the year, they must have a new FWS Referral Card from our office in order to be paid on the academic year FWS payroll.

Students: If you will continue in your current work-study job, or if you will begin a new work-study job, you must complete a new Request for Work-Study Funds Form (PDF; Adobe Reader required). This form may either be completed online and emailed to our office, or you may print and complete it, then return it to our office. (Students working in Andover-Harvard Theological Library or at a field education placement site do not need to complete this form.) We will begin to distribute academic year FWS Referral Cards in mid-September.

We will be able to provide allocations up to $4,000 (pending eligibility) for the 2009-10 academic year.

Promissory Note E-Signing for Direct Loans

To ensure that your Ford Federal Direct Loan(s) will be ready for disbursement, you must electronically sign your Master Promissory Note (eMPN). In order to complete this process, you will need your U.S. Department of Education Personal Identification Number (PIN). Your PIN was sent to you upon completion of your FAFSA, but if you have misplaced it, you may request a new one.

In addition to your PIN, you will need the following information to complete the e-signature process: your permanent address and phone number, your driver's license number and state, your email address, and two references complete with full name, address, zip code, and phone number. One of these references should be a parent or legal guardian. The other should be someone who has known you at least three years. Print a copy of the completed eMPN (and confirmation code number) for your records. We do not need a copy of this page; our office will be notified directly that you have completed this process. Please note that you will need either Microsoft Internet Explorer (5.0 or higher) or Netscape (4.0 or higher) in order to complete the signature process.

Once you have gathered the information listed above, log on to the Direct Loan MPN website, and click on the Complete New MPN icon. If you have questions regarding this signature process, you may contact the Department of Education directly by clicking on the "Contact Us" icon on the main MPN page.

Please complete this process immediately, as loans cannot be disbursed and refunds cannot be issued until this process has been completed.

Perkins Loan Promissory Note E-Signing

To ensure that your Perkins Loan will be ready for disbursement, you must electronically sign your promissory note. In order to complete this process, you will need your U.S. Department of Education Personal Identification Number (PIN). Your PIN was sent to you after you submitted your FAFSA, but if you have misplaced it, you may request a new one.

To e-sign your Perkins promissory note, log on to ECSI's website. You will need to provide your Social Security Number, last name, and date of birth. On the Student Authentication Network page, provide your FAFSA PIN. Most pages require that you accept the terms by checking a box at the bottom of those pages. You must provide complete reference information for yourself, next of kin, and two additional references. Failure to complete all lines accurately will keep this loan from being disbursed to your account. Read the promissory note completely, and electronically sign it at the bottom of the page. The electronic signature includes a check-off box plus your full legal name.

Please complete this process immediately, as loans cannot be disbursed and refunds cannot be issued until this process has been completed.