Financial Aid

Office of Financial Aid · Room A-108 · ext. 2170 · Rosalind Peake, Director · Federal school code 009305

Federal and state financial aid is awarded on the basis of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The College participates in the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Loan programs; see Grants and Loans for each program and for the programs of study that are not eligible for federal aid. Scholarships from the Bellweather College Foundation are applied for separately; see Scholarships.

Which FAFSA to file

The College’s priority filing date for the fall term is March 15. FAFSA records received after March 15 are processed in the order received. The Ohio Department of Higher Education sets the filing deadline for state grant consideration.

How to apply

1. Create a StudentAid.gov account. A parent or spouse who must provide information on the FAFSA (a “contributor”) creates an account as well.
2. File the FAFSA at StudentAid.gov and list federal school code 009305. Each contributor must provide consent to the transfer of federal tax information. A FAFSA without the required consent cannot be processed and no aid can be offered.
3. Apply for admission. Aid is offered only to admitted students in an eligible program of study.
4. Check DroverNet for document requests. A FAFSA selected for verification is not processed further until the requested documents are received.
5. Review and accept the aid offer in DroverNet.
6. First-time Direct Loan borrowers complete entrance counseling and a Master Promissory Note at StudentAid.gov before any loan is disbursed.

Disbursement

Aid is credited to the student account at the start of each term after enrollment is confirmed. Aid is based on the credit hours in which the student is enrolled; a change in enrolled hours may change the amount, and the Office of Financial Aid should be consulted before any course is dropped. Where aid exceeds charges, the credit balance is paid to the student as described under Student Accounts.

Change in circumstances

A student or family whose circumstances differ from those reported on the FAFSA — loss of employment, a reduction in income, death of a parent or spouse, separation or divorce, or unusual medical or dental expense — may request a review. The request is made in writing to the Office of Financial Aid with documentation of the change. Any adjustment is made under the professional judgment authority of the Director of Financial Aid, is decided case by case, and is not appealable to the U.S. Department of Education. A request for a dependency override is reviewed separately. A parent’s refusal to provide information or to contribute to the student’s education is not, by itself, grounds for a dependency override.

Keeping aid

Aid recipients must meet the College’s satisfactory academic progress standards, which are applied at the end of each term. A student considering withdrawal should consult the Office of Financial Aid first. Withdrawal on or before the 60 percent point of a term may require a return of federal funds under the Refund Policy (Policy 5.20), and the student may owe a balance to the College as a result.

Work-study

The College does not participate in the Federal Work-Study program, having withdrawn in 2013. Students seeking part-time employment may consult the position postings maintained by the Office of Human Resources and by OhioMeansJobs Tolliver County.

The Financial Aid Rights and Responsibilities statement and the cost of attendance budgets are listed under Consumer Information. An estimate of cost after grant aid can be made with the Net Price Calculator.