Financial Aid

Every family approaches college with differing financial needs. Hiram College realizes no two families are alike and is committed to helping students find the resources they need to pay for college.

Tuition & Fees Student Accounts

Financial Aid Services at Hiram

Applying for financial aid may seem to be a complex and confusing process. The financial aid section of the Hiram College website is designed to help you navigate this process. Additionally, staff members in Hiram’s financial aid office are ready to assist you with your questions and concerns.

The Financial Aid Office is committed to the highest standards of service to our students and their families and complies with all federal, state and institutional policies surrounding the awarding and processing of all forms of financial aid.  As members of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), we follow their Code of Conduct, which is as follows:

  • Refrain from taking any action for his or her personal benefit;
  • Refrain from taking any action he or she believes is contrary to law, regulation, or the best interests of the students and parents he or she serves;
  • Ensure that the information he or she provides is accurate, unbiased, and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential personal gain;
  • Be objective in making decisions and advising his or her institution regarding relationships with any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid;
  • Refrain from soliciting or accepting anything other than nominal value from any entity (other than an institution of higher education or a governmental entity such as the U.S. Department of Education) involved in the making, holding, consolidating or processing any student loans, including anything of value (including reimbursement of expenses) for serving on an advisory body or as part of a training activity of or sponsored by any such entity;
  • Disclose to his or her institution, in such manner as his or her institution may prescribe, any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.

Additional Information

Financial Aid Application Process

At Hiram, we keep the process simple. Complete the FAFSA. Be admitted to the college. Get your financial aid offer.  We also know that sometimes it doesn’t feel that simple. That’s why we’re here to help. If you have any questions or need assistance, please let us know. We look forward to helping you through your financial journey at Hiram. 

To be considered for all sources of financial aid, including institutional need-based grants, federal and state aid, students must complete FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), which is completed online at studentaid.gov.  

You need to include HIRAM COLLEGE’S SCHOOL CODE (003049) in the school section so that Hiram receives your information from the U.S. Department of Education. 

Use the following dates to ensure we receive the correct FAFSA:

2025-2026 Academic Year
Term Entering HiramFall 2025
Spring 2026
Summer 2026
FAFSA to Submit2025-2026
Date FAFSA is availableOctober 2024

In addition to completing the FAFSA, you must also be admitted to Hiram College prior to receiving an official financial aid award from us.  If you have not yet started your admission application or been accepted, start your application now! 

Receiving Aid

We understand that seeing your award is important to you. We also know that having the power of choice over your offer is also important. After being offered financial aid, there are a few steps that you need to take in order to view and submit your decision on your financial aid offer. Below are the steps to viewing and accepting your financial aid offer.

  1. Log in to the Student Portal using your Hiram username/password and click on the Financial Aid tab.
  2. Click on Award and then Award by Aid Year. Select the appropriate aid year in the dropdown menu.
  3. Before you can submit your decision on your financial aid offer, you must first:
    • Answer the Title IV question on the Resources/Additional Information tab; AND
    • Review and accept the Terms and Conditions.
  4. Once you have completed step 3, then click on the Accept Award Offer tab to review, accept/adjust your financial aid and click Submit Decision.
Verification Policies

FINANCIAL AID FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

There are no arbitrary “cutoffs” in family income levels to eliminate an applicant for consideration for aid because several factors other than income will affect the calculation of eligibility. These variables include the size of the family, the number attending college at the same time, variations in student savings and earnings, and the relative strength of family assets.

You are required to apply for aid each academic year. Need-based aid can change from year to year depending on federal and state funding availability and changing family financial circumstances. For example, changes in family income, family size, and the number of family members in college affect aid packages. You should not expect an automatic increase in scholarship or grant assistance. Self-help components of aid, such as loans, increase over the years; also, corresponding improvements in family income help offset increased costs. Eligible students may borrow up to the maximum Federal Stafford Loan amounts as follow:

  • First-year students $5,500
  • Sophomores $6,500
  • Juniors $7,500
  • Seniors $7,500

To be considered for academic scholarships, you must submit a completed application for admission. There is no separate application process to be eligible for Hiram College merit scholarships. Any student qualifying for merit scholarships will receive notification following admission.

Once you begin study at Hiram College, your need-based financial aid will not be affected by grades unless you fail to make satisfactory academic progress or are placed on academic probation. Renewal of a merit award is governed by the specific stipulations of the particular scholarship you have received.

No. However, the data contained in your tax forms will help you to complete the FAFSA. And, if you are selected by the federal government for verification, Hiram is required to obtain copies of your tax forms to finalize your aid award.

There are non-work study jobs available on campus. Jobs have historically been readily available to those who wish to work. You may also check the Financial Aid Office’s Student Job Central Web site for job opportunities or attend Hiram’s annual Student Job Fair that takes place each August.

Because of federal government regulations, colleges and universities, as a standard practice, consider such awards as part of your resources. You must notify Hiram’s Financial Aid Office if you receive such an award.  If adjustments to the aid package are required due to an over-award the student will be notified in writing of the changes.

Like all students, athletes are awarded financial aid based on their calculated financial need or academic accomplishments. It is important to note that the NCAA Division III and the North Coast Athletic Conference do not allow financial aid to be awarded based on the student’s athletic participation or accomplishments.

If your family income changes in the middle of the year, you may ask the financial aid office to re-evaluate your family’s financial circumstances based on documentation regarding these changes. Examples would include parental unemployment or death, or serious illness in the family.

The U.S. Department of Education defines “independent” differently than the Internal Revenue Service. To be identified as “independent” for financial aid, a student must meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • be 24 years of age or older
  • be a graduate student in an approved degree program
  • be an orphan or ward of the court
  • be married
  • be a veteran
  • have other legal dependents.

In all other cases the student is considered a DEPENDENT student and parent/step-parent information will be needed to apply for financial aid. This is true even if students are living, by choice, on their own. It should also be noted that independent students do not always receive more financial aid.

  • 003049

Contact Us

The Financial Aid Office can be reached by calling 330.569.5107 or by emailing financialaid@hiram.edu.

Our office hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays.

*Summer office hours are Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m and 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays.