FINANCIAL AID AWARD GUIDE

Transcription

1 FINANCIAL AID AWARD GUIDE

2 FINANCIAL AID AWARD GUIDE Office of Student Financial Aid Office Location: Bladen Hall, Room 121 Office Hours Monday Thursday 8:30 a.m. 8:00 p.m. Friday 10:30 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Telephone: Fax: Website:

3 Table of Contents Table of Contents (continued) Introduction 4 Determining Your Eligibility Cost-of-Education Budgets Undergraduate Cost of Attendance 5 Expected Family Contribution (EFC) 5 Financial Need 6 Special Circumstances 6 Grants and Aid Programs Overview 7 Federal Pell Grant 7 Scholarships 7 Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) 7 Maryland State Scholarships And Grants 8 Subsidized Federal Direct Loan Terms 10 Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan Terms 10 Federal Direct Parent Loan For Undergraduate Students (PLUS) 10 Your Award Notification 10 Your Financial Aid Awards 10 If You Receive Aid From Sources Not Listed On Your Award Screen 11 Federal Direct Stafford and Federal Direct Plus Loan Application Process 11 Financing Options 12 Deferred Payment 12 Receiving Your Aid How Your Aid Will Be Disbursed 13 Federal Stafford Loan Disbursements 13 Grants and Scholarships 13 Federal Work-Study (FWS) Awards 13 Remaining Charges and Financial Aid Refunds 13 Retaining Your Awards 14 Maintaining Required Enrollment: Dropping or Adding classes 14 Late Starting Classes 14 Withdrawing, Dropping, Or Canceling Classes 15 Required Enrollment 15 Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) 15 Annual Reapplication Requirement 15 All Awards Are Subject To Change 15 Special Enrollment Options One-Semester Attendance 16 Permission To Enroll At Another Institution 16 Summer Enrollment 16 Additional Information Additional Resources 17 Locating Sources Of Private Scholarships 17 Student Employment 17 Financial Aid Terminology 17 Sample Registration Statement 18 Schedule Start/End Credit 19 Explanation of Charges 19 Viewing Awards on Owl Link 20

4 4 Financial Aid Award Guide Financial Aid Award Guide Determining Your Eligibility 5 Introduction recognizes the importance of offering financial aid to students who demonstrate financial need. To that end, we offer various types of financial support to assist families with living expenses and tuition. The Office of Student Financial Aid seeks to bridge the gap between the costs of attending and the family s resources. Determining Your Eligibility Cost-of-Education Budgets Cost-of-education budgets are estimates of the expenses incurred by students during a nine-month academic year. These budgets include direct institutional charges, tuition, and fees and estimates of indirect expenses (transportation, books, supplies and miscellaneous living and personal expenses). This booklet is designed to help you understand your award notification. You will find descriptions of the aid you have been offered, how to receive this aid, how to maintain your eligibility for this aid, and situations that can cause your aid to be adjusted. This guide does not represent all policies regarding financial aid at. For additional information, visit the financial aid section of Prince George s website at Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid if further assistance is needed. The financial aid staff is available to assist students on an individual basis, and no appointment is necessary. However, to ensure staff availability we recommend that you or call prior to your planned arrival. New Federal Regulations For * *All Stafford Loan Rates increasing to 6.8% effective July 1, * Families selected for verification who did not use the IRS data match option when completing the FAFSA online; Will be required to submit an official IRS transcript. We will no longer be allowed to accept copies of tax returns filed. launched an online video financial aid counseling service to help students better understand college financial aid and the steps needed to apply for aid. The service is called Financial Aid TV. For more information please go to pgcc.financialaidtv.com. Effective October 1, 2011 there were new guidelines established for students receiving the tuition waiver for disabled students. Please contact our Disability Services office for more information at Effective July 1, 2011 there were new guidelines established for students receiving benefits through the VA. Please contact our Veterans Services office for more information at Undergraduate Cost of Attendance* Tuition and Fees $2,496 Living Expenses $2,760 Mandatory Fees $1,038 Books and Supplies $1,400 Transportation $2,000 Personal Expenses $1,300 Total $10,994 * The cost of attendance budget is a tool used to help determine an applicant s eligibility for need-based aid. We do not provide funds to cover specific budget items, i.e. books. * If you receive a benefit that covers tuition, your budget will be adjusted to reflect that this expense is covered. Expected Family Contribution (EFC) The federal processor of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) determines a student s expected family contribution (EFC) by analyzing the income and asset data reported on his/her application. The EFC represents an estimate of the money you and your family are expected to contribute toward educational expenses for the academic year; the amount you actually pay may differ. Net Price Calculator provides an online calculator to help you estimate your total costs and available financial aid. Of course, this is only a general estimate. Go to the following link for more information Info/netprice.aspx. * This is a summary of key changes affecting financial aid applicants. For a more detailed summary, visit

5 6 Determining Your Eligibility Financial Aid Award Guide Financial Need Your financial need is the difference between your cost of education and your EFC. For example: Cost of Attendance $10,994 EFC -$2,485 Financial Need $8,509 offers need-based aid to students who show financial need. According to federal guidelines, your total need-based aid and outside resources cannot exceed your calculated financial need. Need-based aid at may include Federal Work-Study, Federal Direct Subsidized loans, and need-based federal or state grants. Outside resources include but are not limited to Prince George s tuition remission, employer tuition benefits, some veterans benefits, tuition wavers, vocational rehabilitation benefits, non-service fellowships, and private, state, and Prince George s scholarships. Students who do not demonstrate financial need may be eligible to borrow non-need-based federal or private student loans and may be considered for merit-based scholarships. Special Circumstances Your eligibility for aid is based on the income and asset data you report on your completed FAFSA. If your income has decreased or if you have other special financial circumstances that were not taken into account, you may qualify to have your financial need recalculated. For information about which types of circumstances qualify for reconsideration, please read the special circumstances form located on the financial aid page of the website. Grants and Aid Programs Overview To be considered for federal, or state-sponsored aid programs, you must submit a FAFSA. Page 14 of this booklet details enrollment requirements for each type of award. Student loans must be repaid, however grants, scholarships, and Federal Work-Study earnings do not need to be repaid. Federal Pell Grant A Federal Grant based on the student s financial need and designed to be awarded to the neediest students. The Federal Pell Grant is a need-based grant available to undergraduate students who have a very low EFC and who have not earned their first bachelor s degree. Scholarships These scholarships are outlined on the PGCC website and available to new and returning students. Please refer to the online institutional scholarship application for details. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) To be considered for the FSEOG grant, students must qualify for the Federal Pell Grant. Funding is limited in this program so not every Pell Grant recipient will receive funds.

6 8 Financial Aid Award Guide Maryland State Scholarships And Grants Federal Loan Programs The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) offers and administers a variety of state scholarships and grants. Rawlings Educational Assistance Grants, Guaranteed Access Grants, House of Delegates Scholarships, Senatorial Scholarships, and Distinguished Scholars Scholarships are the most common types of awards received by students. To be considered for most Maryland scholarships and grants, students must be Maryland residents and have submitted a FAFSA to the Federal processors by March 1. In addition, students must demonstrate financial need and/or academic merit. For more information, please contact MHEC at Federal Direct Loans are available to students who meet federal aid eligibility requirements, submit a FAFSA, and enroll as degree-seeking students with at least six credits per semester. Your loan award will be adjusted based on the number of credit hours you are enrolled in for the semester. Students who demonstrate financial need may be eligible for a Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan. Students who do not demonstrate need may be eligible for a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan. All first-time Federal Direct Loan student borrowers are required to complete entrance loan counseling and a Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN). Please visit and follow the links for Entrance Counseling and MPN completion. Federal Work-Study (FWS) A FWS award gives students the opportunity to earn wages through on-campus or off campus employment with an eligible FWS employer. Funds are not credited to students accounts. Students will receive biweekly paychecks for hours worked, which should not exceed 20 hours per week, and these earnings do not have to be repaid. Hourly wage rates vary depending on the complexity of the work performed. To be considered for FWS, students must demonstrate financial need, and funds must be available to award. For priority consideration, students must meet the March 1 priority filing deadline. Students must complete a mandatory two hour Federal Work-Study Interactive Workshop. This orientation is for both new and returning FWS students regardless of previous activity with this program. For more details refer to the student employee handbook. Annual Borrowing Limits for Dependent Students Subsidized and Unsubsidized Grade Level Maximum Level One (0 26 credits) $5,500 Level Two (27 credits and up) $6,500 Annual Borrowing Limits for Independent Students Subsidized Combined Grade Level Maximum Level One (0 26 credits) $9,500 Level Two (27 credits and up) $10,500 Lifetime Borrowing Limits Combined Subsidized and Unsubsidized Maximum Dependent* $31,000 Independent $57,000 * Dependent students may borrow at independent Annual and Lifetime levels if parents are denied a PLUS loan. Please remember to: Set a realistic budget and stick to it. Exhaust all alternatives before borrowing. Only borrow what you need. Borrow what you need for the year, not the semester. Understand the features and benefits of your loan. Stay in touch with your lender and the Office of Student Financial Aid. Avoid interest accrual on unsubsidized loans. Keep records of all correspondence with the Federal Direct Loan Servicing Center. Contact the Federal Direct Loan Servicing Center about payment options if you cannot make a payment.

7 10 Financial Aid Award Guide Subsidized Federal Direct Loan Terms If You Receive Aid From Sources Not Listed On Your Award Screen The fixed interest rate is fixed at 6.8% Interest is paid by the Federal government while the student is enrolled on at least a half-time basis, during the grace period, and during deferment. The loan repayment begins six months after the student leaves school or falls below half-time status. The standard repayment period is 10 years. Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan Terms You must report all aid or resources you expect to receive that are not already listed on your award as this may impact the award offered. This includes Prince George s or other tuition benefits, non-service fellowships, Prince George s scholarships, private scholarships, vocational rehabilitation benefits, and employer tuition benefits. Federal Direct Stafford and Federal Direct Plus Loan Application Process The fixed interest rate is 6.8%. The student is responsible for the interest from the date of disbursement. The interest payments can be deferred while the student is in school. Federal Direct Parent Loan For Undergraduate Students (PLUS) Parent(s) of dependent students enrolled at least half-time are eligible for Federal Direct PLUS Loans. Parent(s) may borrow the full cost of attendance minus any financial aid. In order to comply with Social Security Administration data matches, requires that a FAFSA be completed in order to process a Federal Direct PLUS Loan application. The Federal Direct PLUS Loan fixed interest rate is 7.9%. The borrower is responsible for the interest that begins accruing 10 days after the date of disbursement. For more detailed loan information please visit studentloans.gov All loans are processed for the entire academic year with half of the requested amount being applied to fall semester and half being applied to spring semester minus loan fees. Students and parents can apply for Federal Direct Stafford Loans and Federal Direct PLUS Loans online through the Prince George s Community College website. Visit and follow the instructions for completing the online loan application(s). Please remember both the Federal Direct Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note and the Entrance Loan Counseling are federally required documents for loan processing. Your award notification lists the maximum amount you are eligible to borrow from each Federal and Stafford loan program, if applicable. Borrow only what you need to cover your educational and living expenses for the academic year. If you choose to borrow less than you are offered, you will be eligible to request the remaining funds later in the semester. Requests for additional loans should be submitted at least 30 days before the last day of classes. Your Award Notification Your Financial Aid Awards Most initial awards are based on the assumption that you will be enrolled full-time during both semesters. Your Federal Direct Stafford Loan awards will be adjusted if you are graduating in the fall semester or attend as a new student in the spring If you will be enrolled part-time, see the chart on page 14. The amount and type of aid you are offered is based on several factors: your financial need, when the FAFSA is received by the federal processor, and the availability of funds. For more information about how financial need is determined, see page 6. Please remember to: Set a realistic budget and stick to it. Exhaust all alternatives before borrowing. Only borrow what you need. Borrow what you need for the year, not the semester. Understand the features and benefits of your loan. Stay in touch with your lender and the Office of Student Financial Aid. Avoid interest accrual on unsubsidized loans. Keep records of all correspondence with the Federal Direct Loan Servicing Center. Contact the Federal Direct Loan Servicing Center about payment options if you cannot make a payment.

8 12 Financial Aid Award Guide Receiving Your Aid 13 Financing Options Even with our best efforts, families sometimes need extra financial support. To calculate your estimated payment please use the billing worksheet located at Deferred Payment offers a deferred tuition payment plan for credit students through Nelnet Business Solutions (NBS), a tuition management service that is used by schools and colleges nationwide. NBS benefits students by offering: A convenient way to make regular payments. Flexible payment options to meet individual needs. The ability to make changes throughout the school year. Elimination of mailing and check writing costs. In essence, the program allows tuition to be paid in either four, three or two installments. Under an automatic payment plan, payments can be deducted from a student s checking account, savings account, or Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express with payments deducted according to the plan s due dates for a $35 processing fee each semester. All students may view financial aid awards online using Owl Link. For more information on how to use Owl Link please visit the financial aid page or you can obtain the Financial Aid and Owl Link brochure from the Office of Student Financial Aid. How Your Aid Will Be Disbursed Federal Stafford Loan Disbursements These funds will be credited directly to your student account. All first-time Federal Direct Loan student borrowers are required to complete loan entrance counseling and a Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN). Please visit and follow the links for Entrance Counseling and MPN completion. Grants and Scholarships Financial aid funds will not be disbursed until you have enrolled in the required number of credits and all required forms have been received and processed. Most grants and scholarships can be credited directly to your student account if you are enrolled full-time. Students who enroll part-time or who register for late starting classes will have their aid prorated. Federal Work-Study (FWS) Awards Typical FWS awards are up to $4800 per year Students should work for only one FWS employer and are not allowed to work more than 40 hours in a two-week pay period. For more detailed information, refer to the federal work-study handbook. Remaining Charges and Financial Aid Refunds All credit students will receive a PGCC Owl Debit Card, issued through Higher One Bank. This card is very important and must be kept safe and acted upon in order to set up a preference for the way refunds from the college will be delivered to you. This includes financial aid rebates. Students may choose to have refunds and rebates processed as deposits to their PGCC Owl Debit Card or they may choose to have refunds electronically deposited in another bank account specified on the Higher One/PGCC Owl Debit Card activation site. The college no longer issues paper checks. If books are purchased using Financial Aid, your refund will be adjusted to reflect the purchase. Please keep a record of your purchases. Note: There is a $500 maximum (including sales tax). No refund will be issued by students accounts until bookstore purchases are reconciled. Visit the student accounting page on the PGCC website for more information.

9 Financial Aid Award Guide Receiving Your Aid Receiving Your Aid 15 Retaining Your Awards Maintaining Required Enrollment: Dropping or Adding Classes To retain each type of award, you must maintain enrollment for the required number of credits with regular or pass/fail grading options through the end of the add/drop period. Dropped, audited, wait-listed, and retroactively dropped courses cannot be counted toward required enrollment. The following awards will be prorated for part-time enrollment: Award Required Percentage Enrollment of Award (credits) FSEOG Grant/Federal Pell Grant 12+/Loans 100% %* %* Federal Pell Grant (only)1-5 0%** * Award is prorated based on the number of less than full-time credits. Most other awards will be canceled if you do not attempt required enrollment Award Required Enrollment (credits). **Funding for less than halftime Pell Grants eliminated in the FY12 federal budget. Federal Direct PLUS Loan 6 Federal Direct (Stafford) Loan 6 Federal Work-Study 6 Prince George s Scholarships 12 Rawlings Educational Assistance Grant* 12 Guaranteed Access Grant* 12 Part-Time State Grant* 6 Senatorial Scholarship* 12 Delegate Scholarship* 12 Distinguished Scholarship* 12 * Maryland resident awards Senatorial and Delegate Scholarships may be received for part-time enrollment (6-11 credits) with special permission from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) Late Starting Classes If full-time enrollment is dependent on late starting classes, aid funds will not be fully disbursed until after start of that session. If for any reason courses are dropped, aid for the entire semester will be adjusted. Withdrawing, Dropping, Or Canceling Classes It is extremely important that you speak with the Office of Student Financial Aid before reducing your enrollment or changing your course-grading options. Your awards will be canceled or reduced if you fail to maintain the required enrollment. Required Enrollment A withdrawn course that receives a W can still be counted toward required enrollment levels for the following types of aid: Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, Federal Work-Study, Federal Direct PLUS Loan, Federal Direct Loan, Prince George s Scolarships, Maryland Delegate Scholarship, Maryland Educational Assistance Grant, Maryland Guaranteed Access Grant, Maryland Part-Time State Grant, and Maryland Senatorial Scholarship. Repeated failure to complete attempted courses can lead to a violation of the satisfactory academic progress policy. Please review this policy in the academic catalogue before withdrawing from any courses. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Students must maintain SAP in order to be eligible for student financial aid. This policy defines minimum standards for grade point average, ratios of completed credits to attempted credits, and maximum time frame for completing a degree. The complete SAP policy is printed in the Academic Catalogue and on the financial aid page located online at Annual Reapplication Requirement Federal and institutional need-based aid are not automatically renewed. You must file a FAFSA for every academic year during which you want to receive aid. The FAFSA must be completed and received by the Federal processor by March 1 for every academic year of enrollment. All Awards Are Subject To Change All financial aid awards are subject to change. The most common reasons for adjusting aid include insufficient enrollment and over-awards due to receipt of aid from other sources such as tuition waivers or outside scholarships. Awards may also be reduced or canceled due to the discovery of changes or inaccuracies in any of the information on which your award was based or failure to complete follow-up steps, maintain degree-seeking status, make satisfactory academic progress, or comply with other federal or institutional aid regulations. Some scholarships may be reduced or canceled for failure to maintain grade point average requirements.

10 Financial Aid Award Guide Special Enrollment Options Additional Information 17 Special Enrollment Options One-Semester Attendance We must reevaluate your eligibility for aid if you will attend for only one semester of an academic year due to graduation, deferral of enrollment, or other reasons. Please notify us as soon as possible so we can notify you promptly of any adjustments. Permission To Enroll At Another Institution It might be possible to take courses at another institution while receiving financial aid from Prince George s Community College. In order to qualify, you must have a combined enrollment of at least six credits and approval from your academic advisor. To apply, complete a Consortium Agreement, available from the Office of Student Financial Aid or online at The Consortium Agreement must be signed by the host school and the Student Developement Services Office before it can be submitted to the Office of Student Financial Aid. You will be responsible for paying tuition at the host school. If your request is approved, we will disburse limited aid to your account. Summer Enrollment There are limited resources available for students who enroll for at least six credits in summer. Additional Resources Locating Sources Of Private Scholarships Please visit for links to free scholarship searches. Search your local library s scholarship resource books and the Internet. You should also contact every group, club, union, church, business, sorority, fraternity, or other associations with which you or your family has some connection. Many of these organizations offer scholarships to members, employees, and their children. Due to regulations that prevent students from being over-awarded need-based aid, recipients of outside scholarships or additional resources may have their award adjusted. Student Employment Our goal through work-study employment is to offer another option for center based learning at PGCC. We strive to provide students experiences that will add value to their education. It is our hope that these experiences, over time, will assist in the development of professional traits which are important in their pursuit of future employment. Our student employment program will provide students with opportunities to learn through experiences, to serve on our campus and in our communities and to development leadership skills. Your Federal Work-Study experience may be noted on resumes. A PGCC student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), demonstrate financial need as determined by the Financial Aid Office, and indicate an interest in Federal Work-Study on the FAFSA. Funds are limited so not all requests will be met. Once hired, the student must complete a mandatory two hour Federal Work-Study Student interactive workshop. This workshop is for both new and returning Work-study students, regardless of previous activity with this program. Financial Aid Terminology EFC FAFSA FWS MHEC COA PLUS MPN SEOG SAR Expected Family Contribution Free Application for Federal Student Aid Federal Work-Study Maryland Higher Education Commission Cost of Attendance Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students Master Promissory Note Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Student Aid Report

11 Financial Aid Award Guide Additional Information Additional Information 19 Sample Registration Statement 11/01/11 10:26 a.m. Name: ID #: xxxxxxx Student Advisor: Advisor Office: Registration Info Begin End Description Amount Term: 2011FA 08/30/11 12/16/11 Balance Forward (08/30/11) 0.00 Residency Status: PGCO Prince George s Coun Term Charges 1, Academic Program(s): RESPAASPETIT Anticipated Degree(s): AAS TOTAL CHARGES 1, Anticipated Comp Date: None Cash, Check & Credit Card Payments Financial Aid Transmitted 2, Financial Aid Remaining 0.00 Mail To: Amounts Billed to Sponsors 0.00 Amounts Paid by Deposits 0.00 Due from Payment Plans 0.00 Other Payments 1, TOTAL AMOUNT DUE FROM STUDENT TODAY 0.00 PAYMENT DUE AT TIME OF REGISTRATION Schedule Start/End Credit Course/Descrip Days Times Loc Bldg/Room Instructor Date Date CEU s Stat DVR-0051-LD01 MWF 8:00 8:50AM LARGO MARL 2083 L Weldon 8/30/11 12/16/ New Developmental Reading DVE-0011-LD05 MWF 11:00 11:50AM LARGO BLAD 214 A Butler 8/30/11 12/16/ New Developmental Composition PAS-1010-LD27 TTH 2:00 3:15PM LARGO BLAD 211 F Lamar-Ta 8/30/11 12/16/ Deleted Prin/Strategies Successful DVM-0031-LD40 MW 9:30 10:45AM LARGO BLAD 205 C Murray 8/30/11 12/16/ New Prealgebra PAS-1030-LD01 MW 1:00 1:50PM LARGO CAT 211 A Harding 8/30/11 10/20/ New Math Study Skills Explanation of Charges Term Date Invoice # Code Description Charges Due Date TERM CHARGES (08/30/11 through 12/16/11) Current Registration Charges 2010FA 8/30/11 FCIS Instruct Service Fee Credit FA 8/30/11 FCREG Registration Fee Credit FA 8/30/11 TCPG In County Tuition Credit 1, Subtotal Current Registration Charges 1,76700 Current Other Charges 0.00 TOTAL TERM CHARGES 1, PAYMENT DUE AT TIME OF REGISTRATION

12 20 Additional Information Viewing Awards on Owl Link When on the financial aid award screen: Check the year at the top of the page to ensure that the year you are viewing is the year that you need. Pay close attention to the award Action column. Only accepted aid can be transmitted to your student account. Both the loan entrance counseling and the MPN are required before loans can be processed. The amount shown is usually based on full time enrollment and will be adjusted for part-time status which is less than 12 credits. The amount shown is typically for the entire year unless you are viewing the Financial Aid by Term screen. If your enrollment is dependant on late starting classes, full aid will not be transmitted until after the late class has started. All funds are estimates and subject to change. For a comprehensive explanation of Owl Link procedures, see the Financial Aid and Owl Link guide.

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