Office of First-Generation Support and Engagement

Paying for College

FAFSA

What is FAFSA?
FAFSA stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This is a form that current and prospective college students can fill out to apply for financial aid from the federal government. To complete and submit a FAFSA, visit the FAFSA website. The FAFSA is completely free to apply. Once a student completes the FAFSA, they are presented with the FAFSA Submission Summary, which displays all financial aid eligibility.

Types of Federal Aid
The federal government offers a few different types of financial aid. The Student Aid Report (Response a student gets when they file the FAFSA) will let a student know which aid they are eligible for. Below are the most common forms of aid:

  • Pell Grant: These grants are provided to students whose families are unable to contribute significantly to a student's education. These grants do not need to be repaid.
  • Direct Loan: As long as a student is enrolled in at least part-time studies, they do not need to pay principal payments on this loan. These loans do need to be repaid, and they also have interest rates.
    • Subsidized Direct Loan: The federal government pays the interest rate on this loan, as long as the student is attending school.
    • Unsubsidized Direct Loan: The federal government is not involved in the repayment of the interest rate on this loan. The student is fully responsible for repaying all interest that accumulates while they are attending school.
  • Federal Work-Study: This program allow students to work on campus part time. You can earn money to help pay your daily expenses. These funds do not get paid toward your tuition bill. You receive a paycheck.

How to Complete the FAFSA
There are one of three ways in which you can complete your FAFSA. You can either submit it online, by mail, or by phone. When you complete your FAFSA, you will be asked for Hofstra University’s federal code. Hofstra’s code is 002732.

When to Submit Your FAFSA
Directly from the Student Financial Services page: "Hofstra University recommends that you file your application by November 15 of your senior year of high school." For other answers to Frequently Asked Questions, please see Hofstra’s Financial Aid FAFSA page.
Office of Student Employment
Financial Aid

 

Jobs on Campus

One way students can finance their college education is to secure on-campus employment. Many students find on-campus jobs easier to maintain because they do not have to leave campus to participate in them, and because on-campus employers are often more sensitive to the needs of students. These jobs often allow students to work on their schoolwork once their job tasks are completed.

There are two types of undergraduate student employment on campus. The first one is a work-study position. Work-study jobs are available only to students who are determined by Student Financial Services to be Federal Work-Study eligible. In such cases, the students are awarded a specific dollar amount as part of their financial aid package, and they may work on campus in eligible work-study jobs, until they reach biweekly compensation equal to the amount awarded. Funds for this type of job come directly from the federal government. To find out if you are work-study eligible, check your financial aid package via your my.hofstra.edu portal, or reach out to your financial aid counselor.

The second type of campus job is one that is paid directly out of Hofstra's departmental budgets. For this job, the work schedule is dependent on the department hiring the student employee and their budgetary concerns. To see what jobs are currently available, check out the Student Jobs link on the my.hofstra.edu portal's landing page on the left-hand side.

Student Leadership Opportunities

Welcome Week Leaders/Coordinators

Each summer, a group of Hofstra students lead first-year students through their first big week at Hofstra University. Welcome Week coordinators work through the summer to plan the events for Welcome Week, and leaders have the opportunity to mentor and guide first-year students in their initial days on campus, connecting them to appropriate resources and easing their transition to college. For more information, email us.

Orientation Leaders

An Orientation Leader (OL for short) is a student leader who is employed by the University over the summer to welcome and provide orientation for incoming and transfer students to Hofstra. Employment begins immediately after the end of the spring semester and runs through to the first day of classes in the fall. An OL receives housing over the summer and a stipend. Learn More about being an OL.

Resident Assistant

A Resident Assistant (RA for short) is a leader within the residence hall community that works to support the mission of the Department of Residence Life. Resident Assistants work to put on social and educational programming to create a sense of community for those who live on campus. They also complete administrative work for the office, conduct health and safety checks in student rooms and common spaces, and enforce residence hall and University policy.

RA employment begins with training in mid-August and goes until late May. Students in this position receive reimbursement for their housing costs, as well as a small stipend paid out over the course of the semester. Those RAs in good standing are also able to apply for a handful of summer RA employment positions.

The RA application for positions starting in the fall semester typically becomes available online on the January 1st before that upcoming semester. The application window closes in early February, with offers extended just before spring break. Applications are generally not accepted out of this time frame, and any positions that open up later in the year are filled from an alternate pool that is created as part of the spring process.