How To Seek Financial Assistance

Financial aid may be broadly defined as those expense-reducing means awarded directly to or for a student to meet or help meet his/her educational expenses. The central focus of the Financial Aid Office is on the student and his/her own specific needs.

1. The primary purpose of the Financial Aid Program is to provide assistance to students who, without such aid, would be unable to attend this College.
2. Financial Aid is administered by the Financial Aid Officer located in Student Services.
3. The Financial Aid Program is individualized by counseling. Financial need is appraised in relation to social, economic, and vocational needs. Most financial aid need is established by the student through the free Application for Federal Student Aid. Information on this service is available in Student Services.
4. A Financial Aid Advisory Committee composed of faculty and administration is recommended to the President by the dean of Student Services. This committee recommends policy and offers advice concerning operations of the Scholarship and PCC Loan Program.
5. The Financial Aid Office strives to provide factual information about the types of aid available through publications and other communications.
6. The College realizes that the family of a student is expected to make a maximum effort consistent within its available resources to assist the student with educational expenses as supplementary to the family efforts.
7. The Financial Aid Office and the Business Office work jointly to serve the students. In no way does the Financial Aid Office guarantee to provide unmet needs to a student.

To download an overview about the availability of various forms of financial assistance and the application process, click here.

Pamlico Community College participates in the following Title IV Aid Programs:

Federal Pell Grants
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)
Federal Work Study (FWS)

Grants are awards that do not have to be paid back.

Work Study gives students the opportunity to gain work experience and earn money to aid in their educational expenses.

Undergraduates may receive aid from all three types of programs.

Eligibility

In general, students are eligible for federal aid if they meet the following requirements:

• Have a high school diploma or a GED;
• Are a U. S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen;
• Have a valid Social Security Number;
• Show financial need;
• Are making satisfactory progress in their course of study;
• Are not in default on a National Direct Student Loan, Guaranteed Student Loan, or PLUS Loan;
• Do not owe a refund on a Federal Pell Grant or on a Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant;
• Have signed a statement of registration compliance indicating having registered with the Selective Service or not being required to register. Males born on or after January 1, 1960, at least eighteen (18), a citizen or eligible non-citizen (except permanent residents of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands and, the Northern Mariana Islands), and not currently on active duty in the United States Armed Forces must register with the Selective Service. Proof of registration may be required.

Aid received from any Department of Education student assistant program must be used only for educational purposes. The student must sign a statement of educational purpose saying that the money will be used only for expenses related to attending school.

The student must certify that as a condition of receipt of Federal Pell Grant he/she will not engage in the unlawful manufacturing, distribution, dispensation, possession or use of a controlled substance during the period covered by the Federal Pell Grant.

Most federal student aid is awarded on the basis of need. Need is the difference between the cost of education (educational expenses such as tuition, fees, room, board, books, supplies, and other expenses) and the amount the student or the student's family can afford to pay, as determined by a standard formula. This amount is called the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

Need is determined by evaluating the information the student writes on an aid application. Factors such as income, assets, and benefits are all considered in determining the need for aid.

Application for Title IV Federal Financial Aid.

Prospective students should apply for federal aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Records Needed

Before the application can be filled out, certain records must be on hand. The student's United States Income Tax Return is the most important one, since information must be entered on the application from specific lines on the tax return. Referring to the return will make it easier to complete the application and get it through the processing system.

Federal Deadline for Processing

The federal student aid application, information from any of the non-federal forms, and Special Condition Application must be received at the Federal Processing Center by June 30. Students should apply as early as possible.

Pamlico Community College Deadline for Processing

May 15 is the deadline for submitting the Student Aid Report (SAR) to the College's Financial Aid Officer for payment during the current year enrolled. Students should turn in the SAR immediately upon its receipt.

Submit the completed FAFSA to:

Federal Student Aid Programs
P. O. Box 4008
Mt. Vernon, IL 62864-8608

If corrections or additions are necessary, they must be made on Part 2 of the SAR with the applicant's signature of certification on the back of Part 2. This should be mailed to:

Federal Student Aid Programs
P.O. Box 7023
Lawrence, KS 66044-7023

To apply electronically or to find out more about federal student aid, one may visit the U.S. Department of Education's web site at: studentaid.ed.gov or http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ .

NOTE: THE FEDERAL SCHOOL CODE FOR PCC IS 007031

There may be times when questions arise about an application, the SAR, or other federal student aid matters, and the answer is needed immediately. In such case the applicant or student should call Federal Student Aid Center 1-800-4FEDAID (1-800-433-3243).

The Information Center provides services in the following areas:

• Helping to complete an application or correcting a SAR.
• Checking the status of an application.
• Explaining eligibility requirements and payment procedures.
• Determining what lender or agency holds a student's loan.
• Getting more information about aid amounts and payment procedures.
• Ordering duplicate student aid reports.
• Explaining general program requirements.
• Changing the college listed on the Student Aid Report.

The following must be completed before any determination of awards can be made:

1. All Admission requirements complete and on file in Student Services.
   A. Enrolled in an eligible Pell Grant Degree Program (see Financial Aid Officer)
   B. Placement testing
   C. High school transcripts, all secondary college transcripts, or GED scores.
   D. Transfer course evaluation
   E. Take only courses in your degree program
   F. Eligibility amount is prorated according to the number of hours enrolled
   
   

   12+	Full Time
   9-11	Three Quarter Time
   6-8	Half Time
   3-5	Less than Half Time

          G. Up to 30 credit hours of developmental course work, as indicated by the
               prerequisite course work, will be counted placement test and all
               toward enrollment status for federal student aid.
          H. Courses that are audited will not be counted.
    2.   A processed free Application for Federal Student Aid
    3.   An interview with the Financial Aid Officer
    4.   The Financial Aid Office reserves the right to review, revise, or cancel a student's financial
          aid award at any time due to changes in financial or academic status or federal regulations
    5.   Meet all other Federal Title IV or state requirements.

Determination Procedures by Program

Federal Pell Grant

Determined by law. Aid officer is provided a payment schedule. Amount will vary depending on cost of education and the Effective Family Contribution (EFC).

Federal Work-study (FWS)

Students may apply for FWS through the Financial Aid Office. To be eligible for a FWS job, a student must have at least a 2.0 GPA and have established a financial need. They must also have the skills required for the job. All jobs are on campus and are supervised by faculty or staff. Second- year students will be given first priority of job selection.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

A student must have, on file, a SAR (Student Aid Report) and be eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant. The student with the lowest EFC (Effective Family Contribution) is given first priority and can receive $300 per year.

After all PCC enrollment applications procedures have been completed, the student will receive his/her final notification in writing.

When the Student Aid Report (SAR) is submitted by the student, a preliminary report is either mailed to the student or presented and discussed in a counseling session.

If the student has applied for other sources of aid and all procedures have been completed, the student will be notified of additional "package" awards, if funds are available.

When all required forms have been signed and returned, the information is filed.

Disbursement of Awards

All financial aid payments are made by check directly to the student. Checks are mailed to the student's address.

Federal Pell Grant and FSEOG payments are disbursed last day to withdraw of each semester. The specific date is dependent on receipt of federal funds and PCC calendar date.

FWS-Work Study time cards and time sheets are turned into the aid office at the end of the month. Checks will be mailed the following month. No financial aid checks will be issued directly to any student or released to a third party. They are mailed directly to each student.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

To remain eligible to receive Title IV financial aid funds, students must meet the College's definition of satisfactory progress. Requirements are monitored at the end of every enrollment period.

The requirements are:

1. Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0.
2. Pass two-thirds (67 percent) of all course work attempted. Course work attempted also includes withdrawals, incompletes and repeat-courses taken at PCC prior to the receipt of the federal student aid. Developmental course work or courses taken at another institution do not count toward courses attempted or passed.
3. Complete degree requirements within 150 percent of the published program length. All course work accepted for credit in the program of study will count toward the maximum. Students who exceed the maximum time frame will not be eligible for any additional federal student aid.

Warning

Students who do not meet the requirements in (1) or (2) above will be place on warning and notified of their status in writing by the Financial Aid Office. Students placed on warning will receive aid for one additional term, after which they must meet satisfactory academic progress.

Suspension

Students placed on federal student aid warning who do not meet satisfactory academic progress requirements after their warning term will be suspended from all aid until requirements are met.

Reinstatement of Aid after Suspension

Students who attend one or more terms while suspended from federal student aid and meet satisfactory academic progress requirements will be reinstated for the next period of enrollment.

A student will not be paid retroactively for the period of suspension unless he/she has been reinstated as a result of a reevaluation.

Reevaluation of Suspension

A student who has been suspended from federal student aid may have their situation reevaluated in the case of extenuating circumstances; for instance, illness or relative's death.

The procedure for reevaluation is as follows:

1. The student must indicate in writing to the dean of Student Services the reason why he/she did not meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements.
2. The dean of Student Services will review the request to determine whether reinstatement of aid is warranted. The student will be notified of the decision in writing. Generally, aid is granted for one additional term, after which the student must meet satisfactory academic requirements.

Former Pamlico Community College Students

Students who have previously attended PCC, but who were not receiving federal student aid during that time, may receive aid for their first term of enrollment, even if they do not meet satisfactory academic progress requirements. At the end of the first term of enrollment, the student must meet satisfactory academic progress requirements to continue receiving federal student aid.

Local Sources of Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Office has applications for other programs.

Students eligible for Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits
Loans
Scholarships
Workforce Investment Act
Child Care Grant
Displaced Homemakers/Single Parent

Short Term Loans

Emergency student loans are available to cover tuition and books for one semester. A new loan cannot be made unless all outstanding loans are paid in full.

• Michael W. Crawford Emergency Loan Fund
• PCC Urgent Student Loan Fund
• Sadler Memorial Loan Fund (Must be Pamlico County resident)

Pamlico Community College Loan Application Procedures

1. Student must be eligible and have a complete Pell Grant application on file in the Financial Aid Office.
2. Loan application must be completed.
3. Loan is not to exceed $600.
4. Charges will be made at registration or thereafter.
5. Loan must be completely repaid by end of semester. Payment must be deducted from the Federal Pell Grant.