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Financial Aid and Veteran Services

Financial Aid and Veteran Services

  1. SCTC offers various sources of financial aid for its students. These could include scholarships, federal and state grants, loans, work-study, and veteran education programs.
  2. Contact Information: Students can reach out to the Financial Aid Office at one of our campuses for assistance:
    • Griffin Campus: (770) 228-7368
    • Flint River Campus: (706) 646-6386
    • Henry Campus: (770) 228-7323
    • finaid@sctech.edu
  3. Contact information for SCTC Veterans School Certifying Office:
  4. Students are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office for information or assistance with financial aid matters.
  5. Special Admit Students are not eligible for financial aid at SCTC. 

NOTE: Not all TCC programs qualify for Federal Pell and Federal Direct Loans.

Financial Aid

Types of Financial Aid

Important Financial Aid Policies and Procedures

Net Price Calculator

Financial Aid Forms

Check Financial Aid Status

Refunds and Disbursements

Frequently Asked Questions

Terms and conditions of receiving Financial Aid

  1. Acceptance of Financial Aid: By accepting financial aid at SCTC, students are given the college permission to utilize their financial aid to cover all applicable expenses, including tuition, fees, and other costs outlined in the financial aid package.
  2. Responsibility for Payment: In the event the financial aid source fails to provide sufficient funds or if the student is deemed ineligible for financial aid, the responsibility for paying all outstanding tuition, fees, and other expenses falls on the student.
  3. Declining Financial Aid: If a student wishes to decline their financial aid offer or disagrees with the above statement, they formally decline the financial aid offer in writing.
  4. Award Amount:
    1. Federal Pell- The amount a student receives is determined by the federal processors. All Pell awards are based on Full-time enrollment. For Pell Grant purposes full-time enrollment is based on 12 semester hours for a degree or diploma program, including the summer term. Students not enrolled for 12 hours will have their Pell awards adjusted based on the number of credit hours enrolled if a student enrolls for less than 12 credit hours.
    2. Hope Funds- The amount a student receives is determined by the Georgia Student Finance Commission. All Hope awards are based on 15 enrollment hours. Students not enrolled for 15 hours will have their Hope awards adjusted based on the number of credit hours enrolled if a student enrolls for less than 15 credit hours.
    3. CDL Students- Eligible Hope students will receive a one-time award
      • $900 Hope Grant and $1,100 Hope Career Grant or
      • $1,188 Zell Miller Grant and $1,100 Hope Career Grant

Applying for Financial Aid

  1. FAFSA Requirement: Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) www.studentaid.gov at least four weeks before the registration date to be considered for financial aid, including HOPE Grant/Scholarship.
  2. Student Aid Report (SAR): Once the FAFSA is submitted, a Student Aid Report (SAR) is generated and sent directly to the student from the Federal Processing Center. An electronic version of the SAR is also sent to SCTC's financial aid office if the college's school code (005621) is entered on the FAFSA.
  3. HOPE Scholarship Evaluation Request: For HOPE Scholarship eligibility (for degree programs only), students must submit a completed to the Financial Aid Office.
  4. Additional Resources: Students are directed to visit www.GAfutures.org for more information on state-funded programs.
  5. Reporting Assistance: Students must report all types and sources of assistance received to the Office of Financial Aid.
  6. Priority Deadlines: SCTC has priority deadlines for FAFSA submission:
    • Fall Semester: July 1
    • Spring Semester: November 1
    • Summer Semester: April 1
  7. Verification Process: If selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education, students will be required to submit additional information to the SCTC Financial Aid Office. An example of these are an IRS transcript of their federal tax return and a Verification Worksheet to receive Federal Funds. Students will be required to set up an account through the Financial Aid Service Service Portal:
    • This is a one-time account creation. You MUST be accepted as a SCTC student AND have a valid FAFSA on file to create an account. You’ll be asked for some basic information when creating your account. This information is used to validate your identity so that an electronic signature can be used on future forms.

 Four Easy Steps:

    • Go to https://sctech.studentforms.com
    • Click the ‘Create Account’ link
    • Enter/confirm your student information
    • Click the ‘Create Account’ button
    • Once your account is created, any required tasks you need to complete will become available.

Federal Aid

 Pell Grant

  1. Eligibility Criteria: Federal Pell Grants are awarded to students who have not earned a four-year degree and are enrolled in a diploma or degree program of study. Most technical certificate of completion (TCC) programs are eligible for the Pell Grant.
  2. Estimated Family Contribution (EFC): The EFC will be used for the 2023-2024 aid year to determine student’s Pell eligibility. The EFC is a measure of how much students and their family can be expected to contribute to the cost of the student’s education for a given award year. It impacts a student’s eligibility for certain types of federal student aid. The EFC is calculated according to a formula specified in the law and explained in detail in this chapter.
  3. Student Aid Index (SAI): Beginning with the 2024-2025 FAFSA. the Student Aid Index (SAI) is an eligibility index number that colleges’ financial aid office uses to determine how much federal Pell students can receive to attend college.

    This number results from the financial information students and their contributor(s) provide on their FAFSA® form.

    This number is not a dollar amount of aid eligibility or what the student’s family is expected to provide. A negative SAI indicates the student has a higher financial need. Learn how the SAI is calculated.
    The college will determine students’ financial needs by subtracting their SAI from the cost of attendance. Learn more about how financial aid is calculated.

    If the student’s FAFSA form is complete and fully processed, their estimated federal student aid and SAI will display under the “Eligibility Overview” tab of their online FAFSA Submission Summary. Before completing the FAFSA form, use the Federal Student Aid Estimator to estimate their SAI.
  4. Award Amount: The amount a student receives is determined by the federal processors. Full-time enrollment for Pell Grant purposes is based on 12 semester hours for a degree or diploma program, including the summer term. Pell awards are adjusted based on credit hours if a student enrolls for less than 12 credit hours.
  5. Application Process: Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine their eligibility for Pell Grants. The results of the FAFSA application typically take about two weeks to be received.
  6. Payment of Fees: Students should be prepared to pay their first semester fees if they do not allow sufficient time for the necessary processing of their FAFSA application.
  7. Award Duration: Pell awards are valid through the summer term of each aid year. Students must reapply for Pell Grants each aid year by completing a new FAFSA.

Learning support, provisional, continuing education, transient, and special admit students are not eligible for federal financial aid benefits.

Note:

  • Not all Technical Certificate of Credit (TCC) programs qualify for Federal Pell Grant funding. SCTC Programs Eligible for Federal Aid.
  • Students with a Baccalaureate Degree cannot receive Federal Pell and Hope Grant funding.

Federal Pell Grant Recalculation Policy

  1. Projected Full-Time Enrollment: SCTC awards Pell Grants based on a projected full-time enrollment status. This means that the grant amounts are initially determined assuming the student will be enrolled full-time.
  2. Proration Based on Enrollment Level: Pell Grant amounts are then prorated based on the actual enrollment level of the student during each term. If a student enrolls for less than the projected full-time status, the Pell Grant amount will be adjusted accordingly.
  3. Utilization of Census Date: The college uses the student's latest census date for all classes when disbursing federal Pell Grants each semester. Pell awards are issued based on the enrollment level calculated at that time.
  4. Relevant Link for More Information: Students seeking more information about Federal Pell Grants can visit the provided link: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/pell.

Financial Aid Repeated Course Policy

  1. Limit on Repeating Passed Courses: Federal regulations allow students to receive financial aid to repeat a previously passed course (earned grade of D or higher) only one additional time. This applies even if the course was passed at another institution.
  2. Definition of "Passed" Course: A "passed" course, according to federal regulations, means any grade higher than an "F," regardless of any school or program policy requiring a higher grade for course completion.
  3. Financial Aid Eligibility for Retaking Failed Courses: Students may receive federal financial aid for retaking a course they failed, irrespective of the number of times the course was attempted and failed.
  4. Exclusion of Courses with "W" Grades: Courses in which a student received a "W" grade (withdrawal) are not considered when determining if a course is being repeated for financial aid purposes.
  5. Limit on Aid Eligibility for Repeated Courses: Once a student has completed a course twice with a passing grade, they are no longer eligible to receive financial aid for that course.
  6. Recalculation of Aid for Non-Eligible Courses: If a student decides to retake a course that is not aid-eligible, a recalculation of aid will be done to exclude the credits for that course. This applies regardless of whether the student received aid for earlier enrollments in the course.
  7. Impact on Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): All repeated courses, along with the original attempt, must be counted as attempted credit hours. This is to ensure compliance with the financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
  8. Distinction from Academic Affairs Repeating Courses Policy: It's noted that the repeat course policy for financial aid differs from the Academic Affairs Repeating Courses Policy, emphasizing the distinction between financial aid regulations and academic policies.

Gainful Employment

For more information on Gainful Employment, visit https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/

Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU)

The LEU is the sum of the percentages of your Federal Pell Grant scheduled awards that you received for each award year. The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds a student may receive over his or her lifetime is limited by federal law to be the equivalent of six years of Pell Grant funding.

Not all Technical Certificate of Credit (TCC) programs qualify for Direct Loans. SCTC Programs Eligible for Federal Aid

Unusual Enrollment History

An Unusual Enrollment History flag occurs when you receive Federal Aid funding from multiple institutions. The Department of Education will review Federal Aid disbursement information for the past four award years for all FAFSA filers. They will assign a "UEH flag" of N, 2, or 3 to your FAFSA.

Flags "2" and "3" require SCTC to review the student’s enrollment history and determine whether the student is enrolling only long enough to receive cash refunds of federal student aid. Students will be required to provide copies of academic records from previous colleges. Based on the data, students may be required to submit a UEH appeal.

To help students achieve academic success before exhausting federal financial aid limits, students should seek academic advising when planning their course schedules and throughout their college experience. When facing academic difficulties, students are encouraged to seek tutoring and other support services through their advisor.

Federal Student Loans

SCTC does not auto-award loans. Students interested in applying for and receiving federal loans will need to complete a loan request form and provide a current copy of their Master Promissory Note (MPN) and proof they completed entrance counseling. The college does encourage students to borrow conservatively and only request enough funding to cover the cost of tuition and fees. Additional loan information students should be aware of before borrowing:

  1. Loan Disbursement: Students cannot receive their full loan amount for the aid year in one term. One-term Loans will be disbursed in two payments after enrollment verification by the Registrar's Office.
  2. Loan Repayment: Acknowledgment that the loan must be repaid to the U.S. Department of Education.
  3. Use of Loan Funds: Money is designated for educational expenses only, and authorization is given to deduct direct costs from the loan.
  4. Enrollment and Academic Progress: Must be enrolled at least half-time in an eligible program, taking courses within the major, and maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
  5. Adjustments to Loans: Any adjustments to loans after submission must be made in writing.
  6. Repayment Start: Repayment begins six months after graduation or when no longer enrolled half-time, and Exit Counseling must be completed upon leaving the college.
  7. Loan Cancellation: Understanding the ability to cancel the loan before disbursement or within 14 days after disbursement notification.
  8. Consequences of Default: Awareness of the consequences of loan default, including ineligibility for future federal aid, negative impact on credit rating, potential tax refund interception, wage garnishment, and accrual of collection fees and interest. Encouragement to explore repayment options, deferment, and forbearance before defaulting.
  9. Completion of Master Promissory Note (MPN): The student is required to submit a copy of their MPN for Southern Crescent Technical College at www.studentloans.gov before receiving federal direct loans.
  10. Completion of Entrance Counseling: The student will be required to Entrance Counseling Session for Southern Crescent Technical College at www.studentloans.gov  before receiving federal direct loans.

Visit the SCTC’s Consumer Disclosure page for the loan request form for additional information.

Federal Work-Study Program (FWS)

The Federal Work-Study Program (FWS) offers post-secondary education students an opportunity to earn funds to support their education expenses. FWS assists students in earning monetary awards to contribute towards their post-secondary education costs. Participation in the program is contingent upon financial need, and students must be accepted into the program to qualify. The FWS program promotes engagement in community service work and encourages students to seek employment related to their course of study.

Eligibility Requirements:

  1. Completion and submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
  2. Demonstrated financial need, as determined by the Federal Processor.
  3. Enrollment in at least 6 semester hours of coursework.

State Programs

Here's an overview of the state programs available to students, including the Zell Miller Grant, Zell Miller Scholarship, HOPE Grant, and HOPE Career Grant:

  1. Zell Miller Grant:
    • This state-funded award covers 100% of tuition costs for eligible students.
    • Eligibility requires Georgia residency and no default on federal student loans or refund owed on federal grants.
    • Students must maintain a 3.5 GPA at the end of each term.
    • Both diploma and certificate-seeking students at Southeastern Tech are eligible.
    • Further details are available at www.gafutures.org
  2. Zell Miller Scholarship:
    • Eligible for students who graduated high school with a GPA of 3.7 or higher on a 4.0 scale, along with an SAT score of 1200 or an ACT score of 26 on a single administered test.
    • Valedictorians or Salutatorians are automatically eligible, regardless of GPA/SAT/ACT.
    • Current students must meet GPA/SAT/ACT requirements from high school and maintain at least a 3.3 GPA at certain checkpoints during their college coursework.
    • Additional information can be found at www.gafutures.org
  3. HOPE Grant:
    • Funded by the Georgia lottery, this grant covers a portion of tuition for diploma and certificate-seeking students.
    • Students must meet high school graduation requirements for technical colleges and be Georgia residents for at least twelve consecutive months.
    • No default on student loans is allowed.
    • For more details, visit www.gafutures.org
  4. HOPE Career Grant (formerly SIWDG):
    • Students enrolled in selected programs and receiving a HOPE Grant award for a term are eligible for the HOPE Career Grant award.
    • High school students participating in Dual or Joint Credit Enrollment are ineligible.
    • The grant amount is fixed per term based on the student's program of study and enrollment hours.

These programs provide financial support to Georgia residents pursuing higher education, covering various tuition costs and offering opportunities for career-focused education. More information and specific eligibility criteria can be found at www.gafutures.org

  1. CDL Students- Eligible Hope students will receive a one-time award
      • $900 Hope Grant and $1,100 Hope Career Grant or
      • $1,188 Zell Miller Grant and $1,100 Hope Career Grant

These award amounts are specific to each program of study and the number of enrolled hours, providing financial support to students pursuing various technical education programs in Georgia.

A student receiving a HOPE Career Grant award for Commercial Truck Driving is only eligible to receive the award for one term.

Cost of Attendance 2023-2024 Aid Year

The Cost of Attendance (COA) is a critical component in understanding the financial implications of attending college. It encompasses various expenses that students may incur during their academic year. Here's a breakdown of the components typically included in the COA:

  1. Tuition and Fees: This covers the cost of instruction and other mandatory fees charged by the institution. It varies depending on factors like residency status, program of study, and institution type.
  2. Books and Supplies: This includes the cost of required textbooks, lab materials, and other educational supplies necessary for coursework.
  3. Living Expenses: These expenses encompass the cost of housing (whether on-campus or off-campus), utilities, and other basic necessities like groceries.
  4. Transportation: This includes the cost of commuting to and from campus, whether by public transportation, car, or other means.
  5. Personal Expenses: These are additional miscellaneous expenses that students may incur, such as clothing, toiletries, entertainment, and other personal items.

It's important to note that while the COA provides a comprehensive estimate, actual expenses may vary based on individual circumstances and lifestyle choices. The COA is typically assessed annually by the institution's financial aid office to ensure that it accurately reflects the current cost landscape for students.

Furthermore, the COA may be adjusted based on a student's enrollment status (full-time, part-time) and dependency status. For instance, full-time enrollment (usually defined as 12 credit hours per semester) is often assumed when calculating tuition and fees for the COA.

After enrollment, the actual tuition and fees charged to the student's account are factored into their budget, ensuring that their financial aid package aligns with their real costs.

Overall, the COA serves as a valuable tool for students to plan their budgets and understand the financial commitment associated with pursuing higher education.

 

The COA data does not reflect actual costs and are not considered financial aid amounts to be awarded.