To get financial aid, you must meet certain rules:
- We may ask for more information. The Financial Aid Office can check any papers or
information you turn in, including your FAFSA. If we find a mistake or need more details,
we’ll ask for more documents. Until you turn them in, we are unable to provide you
with a financial aid award.
- Check your WebSTAR and IVC email often. We’ll share your financial aid information
through WebSTAR and your IVC email. It’s your job to check both regularly.
- You must file taxes if required. If you or your parents made enough money to file
taxes, the law says you must do so. If you don’t, we won’t be able to finish your
financial aid application.
- Take only the classes that count. You must be in a program that leads to a degree,
certificate, or transfer. Financial aid only pays for classes needed to complete your program. You are eligible to receive financial aid for up to 30 units of remedial, prerequisite,
or preparatory coursework and any ESL coursework. This rule does not apply to some
state aid programs, such as the CCPG fee waiver. Check DegreeWorks, the college catalog, or ask a counselor to be sure your classes count.
- Aid is based on how many units you take. Most aid is given based on how many required
units you’re taking. This is known as your “enrollment status” (or “enrollment intensity”
for Pell Grant). We first assume you’re taking 12 units (full-time) for Fall or Spring
and 9 units for Summer. If you take fewer units, your aid may go down. Visit our Financial Aid Payment page to learn how this works.
- We count your units on the “freeze date.” Your financial aid is based on the number
of required units you are enrolled in on a set day each semester, called the freeze
date. This is the date your enrollment status (or enrollment intensity” for Pell Grant)
is set. If you add a class after that date, it usually won’t count—unless you were
already on the waitlist. If you are awarded financial aid after the freeze date, we’ll
count how many units you have on the day we award you the aid. If you are not enrolled
on the freeze date and then enroll for only short-term courses, your enrollment status
will be calculated at that time. You must show up to all classes. If you’re dropped
for not showing up, we might have to take back some of your money. Visit the Freeze Date Information page for more information and the specific payment dates and freeze dates for each
semester.
- Keep your grades and progress up. You must meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) rules to keep your aid. To be in “Good Standing” you must meet all the SAP rules.
We check your grades and class completion every year, even if you never got aid before.
You can receive financial aid for one retake of a passed class and for up to 30 units
of remedial, prerequisite or prep classes. If something serious happens, you can ask
for an appeal.
- You can’t owe money from past grants. If you owe money from a repayment or overpayment
of Pell Grant, SEOG, or other grant from another college, you can’t get more aid until
you pay it back.
- You can’t be in loan default. If you didn’t pay back a federal loan (Stafford, Direct,
PLUS, SLS, Perkins or other loan) from any school, you won’t get new federal financial
aid. If you’ve made payments for 6 months in a row, combined your loans (consolidation),
or paid them off, you can get aid again by providing proof of this to the Financial
Aid Office.
- Dropping out early may mean you owe money. If you leave school or stop attending before
60% of the semester is over, you may have to pay back part of your federal grant.
You can’t get more federal aid until you repay it. Watch our video on how dropping a course or withdrawing can affect your financial aid.
- Tell us about other money you get. If you get scholarships or money from other places,
you must tell the Financial Aid Office. We have to count that money with your total
aid. If your total aid is too much, we may have to reduce some of it. If you have
extra school costs that exceed your Cost of Attendance, you may be able to request a Cost of Attendance Appeal. Visit out Special Situations
page for more information on Cost of Attendance Appeals. Contact the Financial Aid
Office with any questions.
- Paying school charges. We will use your financial aid to pay any fees or tuition you
owe. You can also choose to let us use your aid for other school costs (like parking
or library fees) for this year and up to $200 for a prior year. To do this, just agree
to the terms on WebSTAR.
You can see a full list of estimated college costs on our Cost of Attendance page. This includes what the college charges and other costs like housing, travel,
and more.
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