Financial Aid Q&A

Q.  How do I apply for federal financial aid?

A.  The first step is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Access to this form and other information is available at the Financial Aid Web page.

Q.  What is SFCC’s Financial Aid school code? 

A. 007628

Q.  When are financial aid checks issued?

A. Financial aid checks are mailed approximately six weeks after the start of the semester to the address on file in the Student Services Office. 

Q.  My mailman always puts my mail in the wrong box/I’m going to be out of town/I don’t want my spouse to get my financial aid check. Can’t I just come pick it up?

A.  No. Due to the volume of checks that are processed, all checks must be mailed. If you would like to have your check mailed to an alternate address or mailed directly to your bank, please notify the Business Office at (660) 530-5826, ext. 7203.

A. Yes, if you make the proper arrangements prior to the financial aid disbursement. Come to the cashier’s window to complete a Meal Plan Purchase form. Meal plans are available in $50 increments through a debit card and must be used prior to the end of the semester.

A.   Contact the Scholarship Coordinator at (660) 530-5834, ext. 7218. A scholarship application form and information about institutional scholarships is available on the SFCC Web site at this link. Information about specific scholarships and guidelines can be found on the Scholarships page under Financial Aid Home.

A.  SFCC offers grants, scholarships, work study (student employment), and Federal Stafford Student Loans. State Fair participates in most Title IV federal and state financial aid programs.  Each program requires specific eligibility and application procedures.  It is your responsibility to know and understand these requirements.

 

No matter what financial aid program you are applying for, all programs require students meet the SFCC "Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards" to maintain financial eligibility. Financial aid progress standards are available on the SFCC Web site, in the Student Services Office, or by mail from the Sedalia campus.  It is the responsibility of the student who receives or wishes to receive financial assistance at SFCC to become familiar with this policy.

A. Students who are unable to pay their account by the final payment date prior to the beginning of a semester may elect to use their aid eligibility to defer their account payment.  In order to use your financial aid to prepay your tuition and fees your financial aid file must be complete, a signed award letter must be returned to the Financial Aid Office before the final payment due date.  Your financial aid award must be equal to or exceed your account balance.

           

Note:  If you haven’t completed your financial aid file by July 1 for fall semester and Dec. 1 for the spring semester you will most likely not be able to use your financial aid to prepay your tuition and fees.

A. Financial aid is awarded on the basis of financial need.  Financial need is the difference between what it costs to attend school and the amount you and your family can afford to pay, as determined by a standard Department of Education formula.  This amount is called the Expected Family Contribution.

A.  Complete the FAFSA and indicate you are interested in a loan or contact the SFCC Financial Aid Office.  The SFCC Financial Aid Office, upon receipt of your SAR (Student Aid Report) indicating interest in a loan, will contact you to fill out a Master Promissory Note and Student Data Sheet.  The student loan data sheet is available on SFCC Financial Aid Home page at http://sfccmo.edu/pages/281.asp. You will need to determine the amount of the loan you need, have two references (names and addresses), and determine through which lender you want to obtain the loan.

A.   Yes, parents of undergraduate dependent students can apply for the PLUS loan.  These loans are the responsibility of the parent.  Parents can get more information on how to help their students pay for college from the http://www.mapping-your-future.org/ Web site or from the SFCC Financial Aid Office.

A. To be eligible to receive a PLUS Loan, your parents will be required to pass a credit check.  They will need to complete a PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN).  The MPN must be turned in to the Financial Aid Office or if the MPN is completed through a lender's Web site an eligibility certificate must be forwarded to the Financial Aid Office for them to complete certification information to the lender.

A.  To determine application procedures and eligibility criteria for most state funded financial aid programs you can visit http://www.dhe.mo.gov/hspaying.shtml on the internet.  At SFCC, we have information on the Bright Flight Scholarship, Missouri Guarantee Program, Charles Gallagher Grant, and A+.

A.  Fill-out the FAFSA in January for the fall semester.  You should complete the FAFSA as soon as you have your income taxes finished.  You must also meet the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements and GPA standards.

A.  To continue enrollment at SFCC and to receive federal student financial aid, a student must make satisfactory academic progress. Both grades earned (GPA) and hours attempted and completed are considered.  Each semester or term that a student attends SFCC, the Financial Aid Office will review the student's academic progress to determine the following:

 

Satisfactory Academic Progress

 

You must complete a degree or certificate program in no more than 96 credit hours attempted unless your program of study has more than 64 hours required for your degree. This is known as the 150 percent limit.

 

You must successfully complete (pass) a minimum of 67 percent of the hours that you attempt.

 

You must maintain the minimum grade point average (GPA) required for the number of hours that you have attempted. All students are required to maintain a cumulative grade point average as described below:

Not meeting these standards will result in you being placed on Financial Aid Probation for the next semester.  This means you would continue to receive financial aid for the semester you are on probation.  Failure to meet the required standards in the subsequent academic term will result in financial aid suspension.  Anyone placed on financial aid suspension is not eligible to receive financial aid.

A.  Grade point average (GPA) is calculated by dividing total graded hours (those receiving a grade of "A," "B," "C," "D," "F," or "U") into the total points awarded for those hours. Developmental or basic skills courses and ungraded credit "CR" or "W," "WP," "WF," and "II" are not included.

Q.  What happens if I withdraw from all of my classes?

A.   First and foremost, withdrawing from all of your classes may result in you owing a portion of your financial aid back to the Department of Education and/or SFCC.  In addition to having to repay your financial aid, you may also have to repay your tuition, fees, and other charges previously paid by your financial aid.  Please consult with a SFCC Financial Aid Advisor before you drop all of your classes.

 

Additionally, failing to complete all of your classes (all "W's") or receiving all grades "D" and/ or "F" for a full-time semester or 12 cumulative hours when enrolled part-time may result in academic suspension and will result in financial aid suspension. 

A.   Hours attempted is calculated as all hours enrolled per semester minus any hours withdrawn or dropped during the first week of classes during a semester or during the first two days of an eight week term. Off-schedule classes will be included when past 100 percent refund period.

 

For continued federal financial aid eligibility, students must make progress in hours attempted and completed. This is evaluated on both a per semester basis and over total hours toward degree or certificate achievement. Courses repeated to improve a grade are included in determining total hours attempted and earned.

 

Failure to meet these standards will place the student on financial aid probation. Only one semester on probation will be allowed; failure to meet the standards in any subsequent term will result in financial aid suspension.

A.  Should extenuating circumstances exist which contribute to failure to meet these standards, students may appeal by submitting the reasons in writing to the Director of Financial Aid. Generally, excessive work hours will not be considered as extenuating since students are expected to balance their academic course load with other commitments. Documentation of circumstances may be required and will be reviewed by an appeal panel. Students will be notified in writing of the decision.

A.  Achievement of a cumulative 2.0 GPA will restore good standing academically; financial aid good standing will depend both on academic progress and hours completed. Eligibility for federal financial aid may be reestablished by successfully completing, without any federal financial aid assistance, enough hours to raise your completion rate to 67 percent or higher. 

Q.  Since financial aid is based on my income from last year, can I receive more financial aid if I lose my job?

A.   You may come to the Financial Aid Office and complete a Special Conditions Request Form.  This form along with all of the documentation submitted with it will be evaluated and any adjustments that fall into federal guidelines will be approved. 

A.  Students will be allowed a maximum of 150 percent of the required hours for the degree or certificate sought in maintaining overall eligibility for financial aid. In this assessment, all hours enrolled whether repeated, dropped or withdrawn, or graded shall be counted. If a student changes majors, or reenters college after an absence of five years or more, a degree/certificate evaluation must be completed to establish limits for remaining financial aid eligibility. The student is responsible for requesting the evaluation by deadlines established and published in the annual academic calendar. Forms will be available in the financial aid office. Required basic skills or developmental classes may be added to the total hours of eligibility.

           

Upon reaching the maximum allowable eligibility, students may continue to enroll at SFCC, but must do so without federal financial aid assistance. Should extenuating circumstances contribute to loss of eligibility, the appeal process may be followed.

 

All students receiving federal financial aid must enroll in courses which lead to the specific degree or major the student is pursuing.

Q.  What happens if I am admitted to SFCC as a transfer student?

A.   Students admitted to SFCC as reverse transfer with less than an overall 2.0 or less than a 2.0 from the last institution attended will enter on probation. Conditions for achieving satisfactory progress will be determined based upon an evaluation of previous credits and current educational goals and objectives. Financial aid may be denied if the student would have been on financial aid suspension at SFCC for hours completed in previous terms.

A.  You will need to complete a job application and make sure the Financial Aid Office has your completed FAFSA on file.

Q.  Where is the financial aid office located?

A. It is located on the Sedalia campus in the Student Services Office in the Hopkins Student Services Center. The direct number for the office is (660) 530-5834.