Determining Financial Aid Eligibility

The Financial Aid process begins with each student submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Using the information from the FAFSA, the Department of Education uses a standard formula to calculate the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The majority of financial assistance at CCBC is based on federal need based requirements which is determined by subtracting the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from the student's budget (a standard budget calculated by the College).

In addition to demonstrating financial need, all aid applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Must be a U.S. citizen, US national, or eligible non citizen.
2. Must have a high school diploma, a GED, or have the ability to benefit from a postsecondary education. (Students without a high school diploma or GED must take and pass a required test.)
3. Cannot be a high school student.
4. Must not have defaulted on any prior educational loan or owe a refund on an educational grant or on an education loan.
5. Generally, must attend at least half time (6 credits or billable hours per semester.)*
6. Must be enrolled as a regular student in a program leading to a CCBC degree or certificate. Undeclared and personal enrichment are not acceptable. (Special, such as those still in high school, & transient students are also ineligible.)
7. Must make satisfactory academic progress.

* Certain developmental courses do not qualify for financial aid.

Costs/Budgets

Financial need is determined by subtracting from a student's budget the family's ability to contribute to that budget (EFC). The following are examples of 9 month budgets used by the Financial Aid Office. The budgets represent an average of 13 credits for full-time.

Award Notification and How it Links to the Tuition Payment

Students eligible for the following types of aid will receive an Award Letter from the Financial Aid Office:

• Pell Grant
• S.E.O.G. (Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant)
• Part-Time State Scholarship
• Federal Stafford Loan (Subsidized, Unsubsidized and PLUS)
• Student Employment
• Maryland State Scholarship
• Institutional Scholarship

The Bursar will do one of the following:

If the aid awarded covers the entire bill (tuition, fees and book credit), no further action is required.

If there is any money remaining after deductions, a check will be mailed to the student approximately the 5th week of the semester. If the student's award is processed later than the 5th week of the semester, the refund check will be mailed two weeks after funds are disbursed to the student's account.

If the aid awarded only covers part of the bill, the student will be responsible for the difference.

The student may:

• Pay the difference immediately or
• Make partial payments using Facts Tuition Management. See Tuition Payment Plans for details

Independent vs. Dependent Student Determination

Dependent students must include information concerning themselves and their parents when completing the FAFSA. If a student answers "no" to all of the following questions they are considered dependent and therefore, must include parental information:

• Were you born before January 1, 1984?
• Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?
• Will you be enrolled in a graduate or professional program (beyond a bachelor's degree in 2007-08)? (There are no programs offered at CCBC beyond the bachelor level.)
• Are you married?
• Do you have children who receive more than half of their support from you?
• Are you an orphan or ward of the court, or were you a ward of the court until age 18?
• Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2008?
• Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training?

Can I be considered independent if I answer "no" to all of the above questions?

• If a dependent student's circumstances make it unreasonable to expect a parental contribution, the Federal Government allows aid administrators to change or override the student's dependency status.
• Aid administrators cannot use professional judgment to consider a student independent solely on the basis of the student's previous independent status or because the student is "self-supporting".
• 2007-08 Request To Be Independent Forms are available in the Financial Aid Office or on this website under Printable Documents.
• Only extreme mitigating reasons that must be documented are used when granting a Dependency Override. Documentation may include the following: Personal letter of explanation on how you came to support yourself and over what time period you have done this; you must also describe the events in your family which led up to your current separation from them; if you are receiving support from friends or relatives, you must describe the nature of that support and how you came to receive it. Provide any and all information which you feel will help to outline your situation. All information will be kept strictly confidential and will only be used to determine your dependency status for financial aid application purposes. Attach letters (on letterhead) from three professionals within the community verifying the family circumstances described in your personal explanation. Professionals include guidance counselors, clergy members, teacher or professors, doctors, family counselors, mental health professionals, and law enforcement personnel.

Academic Progress Requirements

• All students in good academic standing plus those students on academic probation who demonstrate satisfactory academic progress are eligible to apply for financial aid. Given that the student is meeting academic standards, a student receiving financial aid must not have two consecutive semesters with more than 50% of his or her registered credits not completed satisfactorily. Course withdrawal, incomplete as well as failure are counted as unsatisfactory in this policy. Financial aid cannot be awarded for audit or GED courses.

• Students must maintain the following grade point averages for the number of credits indicated:
  
  

  6-18 credits	1.50
  19-31 credits	1.75
  32-44 credits	1.85
  45 or more	2.00

   

• Students who exceed 98 attempted credits or receive an A.A. degree from CCBC must receive permission from a Financial Aid Officer before receiving any additional financial assistance.
• Students may take remedial courses and receive financial aid but cannot exceed 30 equivalent credits of remedial course work without special authorization from the Financial Aid Office
• Students who wish to appeal the suspension of their financial aid must complete the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals Form, which is available in the Financial Aid Office or this website under Printable Documents, and provide the required documentation.

Other General Information 

Education Tax Credit

There is an education credit available for those who must pay for some or all educational expenses out-of pocket. Contact the Internal Revenue Service for details.

The Maryland Prepaid College Trust

Families can use a state-sponsored tuition plan to save for college expenses.