Financial Aid Policies

Enrollment

Federal and state aid may be received by students enrolled less than full time but will be prorated according to the actual enrollment status. Students enrolled full-time (12+ units per semester) are considered full-time for federal and state financial aid purposes.

Withdraw Policy for Financial Aid

If you withdraw during a semester, a calculation of “earned” versus “unearned” federal aid must be determined. This federal policy assumes you earn your aid based on how much time has elapsed in the term. If you receive federal financial aid, that aid may be reduced as a result of your withdrawal. There are three steps that the College must complete to comply with the federal policy:

  1. Determine the withdrawal date

  2. Determine the amount of earned federal aid

  3. Return unearned federal funds to the appropriate program(s)

You must withdraw officially by submitting the Withdrawal Form.

The withdrawal date is the date you begin the withdrawal process. If you fail to withdraw officially, the withdrawal date will become the midpoint of the semester, unless the College can document a later date. In certain circumstances, if an earlier date of last academic activity is determined, this date may be used in the calculation of “earned” federal aid. If you withdraw before completing 60 percent of the term, you “earn” federal funds in direct proportion to the length of time you were enrolled. The percentage of earned aid is determined by dividing the total number of calendar days enrolled by the total number of calendar days in the term. If you complete 60 percent of the term, you earn all federal financial aid for the entire term. The responsibility to repay unearned aid is shared by the College. The institution’s share is the lesser of unearned aid or unearned institutional charges. The institution’s share must be repaid to the federal aid programs in the following order before the student’s share is considered:

  1. Pell Grant 

  2. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

  3. Other Title IV assistance

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

You are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to receive financial aid.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available to US citizens who wish to be considered for Pell, Cal and other forms of government grants. In most cases, the FAFSA application may be completed fairly quickly, but it requires access to specific financial information from students, and if applicable, parents.

You are expected to complete the FAFSA every year you are in attendance. Typically, the FAFSA is available in the fall each year. Students are encourage to complete the FAFSA as soon as it becomes available, and no later than February. That enables students who may be eligible to also receive Cal Grants, which have a March 2 eligibility deadline each yaer.

Students who are not US Citizens, but are legal residents of California, may be eligible for California financial aid as determined by the California Student Aid Commission.

FAFSA Verification

Many students are selected for FAFSA verification by the Department of Education. If you are selected for verification, you are required to submit additional documents. If your FAFSA is selected for verification, the College will let you know what documentation needs to be submitted. The most accurate and preferred way to update your FAFSA is to use the Financial Aid Direct Data Exchange. Please be aware that not all parents and students are eligible to use the Financial Aid Direct Data Exchange, and you may be required to provide copies of your IRS tax return transcript.

Failure to complete the required verification process may result in the postponement or cancellation of your aid.

Special Circumstances

Your financial aid award is based on the information provided by you and/or your parents at the time the FAFSA was filed. In certain cases, the information listed on the FAFSA may not accurately represent your family’s current financial circumstances. In such cases, you may appeal your award. Typical appeals may be considered for the following circumstances: 

  • loss or change of job resulting in a decrease in income 

  • reduction in work hours or wage

  • disability or illness 

  • legal separation or divorce 

  • death of a family member 

Other circumstances, although affecting a family’s financial ability to contribute, cannot be used to change eligibility. Some of these are: 

  • Excessive consumer/credit card debt 

  • Costs of private elementary/high school tuition 

In certain circumstances, students who would otherwise be dependent on their parents may petition to be considered an independent student for the purposes of determining financial aid eligibility. This process is called a petition for dependency override. Circumstances that alone do not warrant a dependency override include:

  • Parent refusal to contribute to educational costs

  • Parent unwillingness to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification

  • Parent(s) do not claim the student as a dependent for federal income tax purposes

  • Student demonstration of total self-sufficiency

Other Policies

Additional policies and important information concerning financial aid may be found in the Catalog.