FEDERAL PROGRAMS Federal Pell Grant Program (PELL) This is the largest federal grant program and requires completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the processor will send a Student Aid Report (SAR) directly to the student.  The award is based on the Pell Schedule and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by the federal processor. Click on the hyper text to apply electronically from the U.S. Department of Education. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program (FSEOG) Federal SEOGs are provided by each college to a limited number of undergraduate students with financial need. Preference is given to students with exceptional financial need. Federal Work-Study (FWS) ïClick Here! Employment opportunities are available for both on-campus and off-campus locations. Approval is required by the Student Financial Services Office. Openings are posted at the each Student Financial Services Offices. Federal Family Education Loans Available as subsidized/unsubsidized Stafford Loans. Students and parents may borrow money from banks or credit unions. Federal regulations determine the eligibility criteria. A separate loan application is required. These are loans and must be repaid.   STATE PROGRAMS TEXAS Grant (Towards EXcellence, Access, and Success Grant) Recent High School Graduates - Texas residents with financial need who completed the Recommended or Distinguished Achievement High School Program and graduated high school after December 1998, and who enroll in a Texas college or university as a freshman within 16 months of high school graduation. II - Texas residents with financial need who are enrolled at Texas public 2-year colleges and are not eligible for the traditional TEXAS Grant. This program is NOT transferable to a university. TPEG (Texas Public Education Grant) Texas residents, nonresidents, and foreign students enrolled at public colleges or universities in Texas. Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG) Texas residents, nonresidents, and foreign students enrolled at public colleges or universities in Texas.  Awards depend upon the availability of funds.   OTHER PROGRAMS Scholarships ïClick Here! A variety of scholarships are available from both institutional and private sources. Scholarship selection criteria may be based on demonstrated need, academic merit or other specific qualifications depending on the funding source. the funding source also determines the amount of the scholarship award. Click on the hyperlink text to go to the web page of the available scholarships. Short Term Loans These institutional funds are primarily used for tuition and books. Repayment is due thirty days after disbursement. Funds are limited.   Exemptions This includes veterans or their dependents, valedictorians, blind or deaf students, children of disabled firemen and peace officers, surviving spouse and dependent children of certain public servants, children of POWs/MIAs, disabled peace officers, fire fighters enrolled in fire science courses, foster care/adopted students, senior citizens, children of parents who received TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) benefits, Texas National Guardsmen or Texas State Guardsmen, and other educational aides.   Hazlewood Act ïClick Here! Texas veterans who served at least 180 days of active duty beyond their training period, were honorably discharged or separated (or have a general discharge or separation under honorable conditions), are current Texas residents, will be/are attending a Texas public college or university, and have exhausted their eligibility for federal benefits.   APPLICATION PROCESS Financial aid application process begins in January for the upcoming fall semester. Federal, state, and institutional assistance is available to help eligible students go to college even if you, or your family, cannot afford to pay for it. The most important thing to remember is you must apply, and the earlier the better! Keep in mind, your file is considered incomplete until all required documents have been submitted. NOTE: If your application is selected for review, in a process called "verification", make certain information that you reported must be verified by the Student Financial Services (SFS) Office. ( If you are hearing impaired and have a TDD machine, call toll free TDD 1-800-730-8913.   FINANCIAL AID CHECKLIST Complete and mail the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Do not forget to list the Title IV School Code for each college on your application. If you were in college in the previous academic year and meet certain conditions, you will receive a Renewal FAFSA in the mail. You may use either form to apply for assistance. For the academy school year, 2008-09, paper FAFSAs will no longer be available for bulk orders. If you wish to obtain a paper FAFSA, then you must call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or by visiting http://wwww.edpubs.org.  NOTE: Do not mail any tax forms or statements with your FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA. Within four weeks after mailing, or ten days after electronically transmitting  your FAFSA, you should receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) from the federal processor.  Read all of the information in Part I.  If you were selected for verification, additional documents, such as a copy of your (and spouse, if applicable, or your parent’s, if dependent)  Federal Income Tax Return, W-2(s), and  Verification Worksheet. See WHAT IS VERIFICATION? Any student transferring into a college of the Alamo Community College District who was previously enrolled in college in the Summer or Fall must submit a Financial Aid Transcript (FAT) from the Financial Aid Office of each post-secondary school  (including any Trade or Vocational School) whether aid was received or not. The Standardized FAT form is available at the Student Financial Service Office at any college and also available on the FORMS & REQUESTS  webpage.       HELPFUL HINTS COMPLETING FAFSA It is strongly recommended that you complete your  federal income tax return(s) before you complete the FAFSA, or Renewal FAFSA. You must fill out the entire FAFSA form accurately. Copy your name and Social Security Number (SSN) exactly as it appears on your Social Security Administration card. When completing the FAFSA, write in the Federal School Code of at least one institution: School Name Code Palo Alto College 016615 San Antonio College 009163 St. Philip's College 003608 Northwest Vista College 033723   Priority Processing All applications are awarded on first-come, first-served basis and subject to the availability of funds. It is essential that you allow 3-4 weeks of processing time from the date you submit verification documents.   Financial aid is awarded based on your anticipated enrollment, FAFSA step one, and increased or decreased based on your actual enrollment as of Census Date for each semester.   Late Application  If you apply after the priority date, you may have to pay your initial cost, such as tuition, fees, books, and supplies.  Insufficient time may prevent LATE  applications to be processed before classes start.  If your Bursar / Business Office Balance Due is zero, aid you are eligible for will create a credit balance.   Approximately 14 days after a "credit balance" appears on a student's account, a disbursement check is scheduled in accordance to the Accounts Payable department. A limited amount of short term loan funds (awarded on a first-come, first-served basis) is usually available to assist students applying for Stafford Loans who have completed and mailed their FAFSA form for the Fall and Spring terms. Ask about the short term loans at the student financial aid office.   Recalculating Policy All students are monitored until Census Date, which is the date enrollment becomes official for the semester. If a student withdraws or drops from a class(es) on or before Census Date, the award is recalculated to reflect the new eligibility and a collection notice is mailed detailing the amount owed back to the Pell Grant, or to any other grant program. This includes any back-dating of enrollment by Admission and Records Office. Overpayment Policy In accordance with Federal Regulations 34 CFR668.22 & 34CFR690.72(a)(2), a student who receives Student Financial Assistance based on anticipated enrollment, and then drops enrollment after receiving a disbursement, must repay the amount that is greater than his/her eligibility.  Students with an outstanding balance may be prevented from registering in future semesters and/or receiving an Academic transcript until the Total Balance Due is PAID-IN-FULL!  Furthermore, we are required to report to the U.S. Department of Education when a student "owes a federal grant overpayment."  Any student who withdraws and owes a repayment of financial aid will not be eligible for further financial aid from the college until the amount calculated is repaid.   Academic Progress Requirement Pursuant to Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 668.16, one of the basic institutional administrative requirements is to determine a student’s eligibility for Title IV aid based on reasonable standards for measuring whether students are maintaining satisfactory academic progress in the completion of their educational programs. The Alamo Community College District (ACCD) refers to this policy as Reasonable Academic Progress or RAP for short. The “RAP” status is referred to in four alpha/numeric codes and abbreviated for input into the computer system at each ACCD campus. Below are examples: ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS Grade Point Average (GPA) Students who apply for financial assistance must have a 2.0 cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) on all course work attempted at ACCD prior to the semester for which aid is requested. This is a qualitative standard of measurement. Completion Rate Students pursuing a degree or certificate at ACCD must complete at least 65% of all course work attempted or taken at ACCD. This is the quantitative standard of measurement. Maximum Time Frame Students must complete program of study or educational objective within 99 hours of course work including Developmental classes and Transfer hours. See Automatic Suspension below.   WHAT IS VERIFICATION? Federal regulations require colleges, to check the accuracy of the information on the FAFSA, if you are selected through a process called verification! As such, it is critical that you keep financial records/documents, including your and/or parents' (if applicable) tax returns, the worksheets in the FAFSA instruction book, and other information. If you cannot or do not provide these documents to the college, we cannot process your application for aid.  Should you receive Federal student aid based on falsified data, you will have to pay it back. You may also be fined up to $10,000, sent to prison, or both. If selected for verification, then you will be required to submit copies of the following documents to the Student Financial Service Office: Verification Worksheet - Dependent Student OR Independent Student. Click on the hyperlink text to go to FORMS & REQUESTS web page to get the form for this case. Federal Tax Forms - A signed copy of your previous year Federal Income Tax Return(s), including all supplemental forms attached and W-2(s), as submitted to the IRS is required. NOTE: Write your name and social security number at the top of your parent(s)' tax return. To get a copy or summary transcript of your year(s) Federal Tax Form(s), complete Form 4506, Request for Copy or Transcript of Tax Form. To obtain Form 4506, dial (703) 368-9674 from a fax machine and follow voice prompts, or download from the internet, or order free forms through the IRS at 1-800-829-3676 or 1-800-829-1040. Dependent Students - must submit a signed copy of your parent's previous year tax returns and yourselves. NOTE: Write your name & your SSN at the top of parent(s)' tax return copy submitted. Independent Students - must submit a signed copy of your previous year tax returns and/or spouse, if applicable. Non-Tax Filers - If you and/or your parent(s) did not or will not file a federal tax return, complete the appropriate section of the Verification Worksheet. Other - If you,  your parents, and/or your spouse received child support, untaxed social security benefits, AFDC, or any other type of untaxed income, you must submit appropriate documentation verifying the amounts.     Award Notification Students who are eligible for any type of financial assistance will have their award posted on-line at Student Information Access website. Students must accept their award on-line specified period indicating whether the awards are accepted or rejected. In some cases, students are denied financial assistance because of various reasons. A denial e-mail notice will be sent to the student. Duration of Awards Applications for financial aid must be completed once each year. Summer term requires a separate application and award is based on current academic year standing. Packaging / Awarding Policy Financial aid packages are awarded by priority date. The Student Financial Services staff will attempt to meet the needs of all students who qualify, as long as funds are available. All eligible students will receive equal consideration. Part time students may receive financial aid. A financial aid package will normally consist of a combination of grant and self-help ( work or loan). Students can receive a Federal Pell Grant from ONLY ONE school during the same period of enrollment. Award Payment Procedures and Schedules Financial aid awards are available after the student recipient has completed registration of the academic term for which aid has been granted. Student aid funds will be disbursed first to meet regularly scheduled tuition and fee charges. Any funds remaining after these charges are met will generally be disbursed no earlier than ten (10) days before the first day of class and within two weeks after classes begin.   Student Eligibility To RECEIVE AID from any of the federal student aid programs discussed in this publication, you must meet all of the following criteria: demonstrate financial need, except for some loan programs. have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) Certificate,* pass a test approved by the U.S. Department of Education, meet other standards your state establishes that are approved by the U.S. Department of Education, or complete a high school education in a home school setting that is treated as a home school or private school under state law. See your financial aid administrator for more information. be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student* working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program.* (You may not receive aid for correspondence or telecommunications courses unless they are part of an associate, bachelor's, or graduate degree program. ) be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen.* have a valid Social Security Number (unless you're from the Republic or the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau). If you need a Social Security Number, you can find out more about applying for one through the Internet at http://www.ssa.gov meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP)* standards set by the postsecondary school you are or will be attending. certify that you will use federal student aid only for educational purposes. certify that you are not in default* on a federal student loan and that you do not owe money on a federal student grant. comply with the Selective Service registration,* if required. If you're a male aged 18 through 25, and you haven't yet registered, you can give the Selective Service permission to register you by checking a box on the FAFSA. You can also register through the Intemet at http://www.sss.gov International Students International students financial aid assistance may be available. Contact the International Student's Office for more information.     Return of Title IV Funds Repayment policy applies if you drop before 60% of completion date!  According to federal regulation, 34CFR668.22, any student receiving federal funding such as Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, and Federal Stafford loans, then withdraws from all classes before the 60% point of the semester must return the unearned portion of the aid disbursed.   And, if not paid, you will not be qualify for future financial assistance at any college. Semester   Date of 60% completion Fall 2007: 11/02/2007 Fall Flex I 2007:   09/27/2007  Fall Flex II 2007   11/26/2007 Spring 2008: 03/31/2008 Spring Flex I 2008:   02/14/2008 Spring Flex II 2008   04/21/2008     Privacy Act of 1974 All records and conversation between the student, family and the Student Financial Services Office are confidential. No public announcement shall be made of need based amounts awarded to students. No information concerning the student's financial aid records will be released to anyone outside the Student Financial Services Office without permission from the student, in accordance with the federal Privacy Act of 1974. For more information, contact Student Financial Services Office at: NORTHWEST VISTA COLLEGE PALO ALTO COLLEGE   3535 North Ellison Dr.   1400 W. Villaret   Learning Center   Palomino Center, Room 113   San Antonio, Texas 78251   San Antonio, Texas 78224   Phone: (210) 348-2100   Phone: (210) 921-5320   Fax: (210) 348-2101   Fax: (210) 921-5323         SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE ST. PHILIP'S COLLEGE   1300 San Pedro   1801 Martin Luther King   San Antonio, Texas 78212   San Antonio, Texas 78203   FAC Bldg., Room 101   SLC Bldg., Room 117   Phone: (210) 733-2150   Phone: (210) 531-3272   Fax: (210) 733-2689   Fax: (210) 531-4802           Other Helpful Information Federal Student Aid Information Center IRS OFFICE   1 (800) 4-FEDAID   (1-800-433-3243)   5835 Callaghan Rd., Summit Bldg.   For a copy of your SAR or renewal FAFSA:   San Antonio, Texas 78228   1 (800) 433-3243, then Press #1   1-800-621-3115   Or as in the pass: 1 (319) 337-5665             Selective Service System Social Security Administration   1 (847) 688-6888   727 E. Durango Rm #701   Call to receive a registration card   San Antonio, TX 78206   Or pick one up from the U.S. Post Office   1 (800) 772-1213   Register Online, click here   To apply for a SS card, click here     IMPORTANT REMINDER The information contained in this web page publication describing some federal financial aid processes is accurate at the time or printing. It is highly recommended that you consult with the college's Student Financial Services Office to determine if any significant changes in regulations have taken place. If you change any pertinent information to your FAFSA after it is submitted, notify the Student Financial Services Office as soon as possible. The following information is critical: name, address, phone number, and family financial status. The Student Financial Services Office reserves the right to credit student accounts with aid awarded and to adjust, cancel or modify any financial award offered at anytime. No person shall be subject to discrimination on the basis of race, age, gender , nationality, religion, or disability at Northwest Vista College, Palo Alto College, San Antonio College, or St. Philip's College, colleges of the ALAMO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT.