Financial Aid

Federal Aid
Private Student Loans
Scholarships
Tax Credits & Benefits
Financial Aid Contact Info

Federal Aid

To find out how much federal aid you qualify for, you need to complete a FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Federal Grants

Need-based Grant
Eligibility for need-based grants is determined by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). After the FAFSA has been processed, a response will be mailed calculating the student's eligibility for need-based grants. Families may estimate their eligibility by using the financial aid need estimator found on our website.

Federal Pell Grant
Awarded to undergraduate students who qualify based on financial need. The maximum award is $5,350 per year.

Federal SEOG Grant
Awarded to Pell Grant recipients who demonstrate exceptional financial need. The maximum award is $500 per year.

Federal Stafford Student Loans
Each year, the following loan amounts are available to all eligible students considered financially independent for financial aid purposes at an interest rate of 6.8%:

Sophomores: $7,500
Juniors: $10,500
Seniors: $10,500

Private Student Loans

Loans can also be obtained from private lenders. You can compare these lenders by going to www.simplesolution.com/harding.

Scholarships

Students interested in external scholarships may want to visit the following scholarship search engine: www.fastweb.com. The following scholarship search engine is specific to Arkansas students only: www.fundmyfuture.com.  

Lael Miller Scholarships for Women

Amount: $800-$1,000

Eligibility Criteria: Awarded to women aged 25 or older. Funds may be used for tuition, transportation, childcare, and other expenses not covered by traditional scholarships. www.lindalaelmiller.com/scholarships/scholarships.asp

Workforce Improvement Grant

A need-based grant for nontraditional per year for students at least 24 years old. Must have a need unmet by the Pell Grant (meaning you must already have the Pell before being considered). Awarded up to $2,000. Apply by submitting the FAFSA. Funds are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, so apply early!

www.arkansashighered.com/wig.html

Amount: $1,000 and one $1,000 renewable for four years

Eligibility Criteria:
The applicant must be either a resident of Arkansas who will be attending an in-state or out-of-state postsecondary education institution or an out-of-state student attending a postsecondary education institution in Arkansas. Postsecondary education institution refers to a 2 or 4 year university, college, technical or trade school. The applicant must plan to be enrolled in a post-secondary institution for the fall 2010 - spring 2011 academic year and must be enrolling on at least a half-time basis.

Deadline: April 1, 2010
www.asla.info/collegeplanning/woodruffscholarship.htm

Tax Credits & Benefits

Veterans Benefits
Eligibility is determined by the Veterans Administration. Contact your local Veterans Administration representative.

Educational Tax Benefits
The following is a summary of education-related tax benefits. We highly recommend that you consult your tax advisor or review IRS Publication 970 for information on how these benefits might apply to your particular tax situation.

Tax Credits
Tax credits allow for a dollar-for-dollar reduction of taxes. For example, a tax credit of $1,000 will reduce a family's tax liability by $1,000. Full tax credits are restricted to families with incomes under $100,000. Expenses that qualify for tax credits include school tuition and required fees, minus any tax-free grants, scholarships or employer payments.

Lifetime Learning Tax Credit
A $1,000 per-family tax credit may be claimed for students beyond the first two years of education. There is no limit on the number of years for which the credit can be claimed for each family.

Tax Deductions
Families with incomes under $130,000 may deduct up to $3,000 for payment of tuition and fees incurred each tax year. Expenses that qualify for a tax deduction include school tuition and required fees, minus any tax-free grants, scholarships or employer payments.

Financial Aid Contact Info

For answers to any of your Financial Aid questions please call

Judy Cuellar
501-279-5671
jcuellar@harding.edu

Harding University
Student Financial Services

www.harding.edu/finaid
finaid@harding.edu

1-800-477-3243 (toll free)
501-279-4257 (direct)
501-279-5438 (fax)

915 E. Market Ave.
Box 12282
Searcy, AR 72149-0001

American Heritage Center
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CST) Monday - Friday