Financial Aid consists of various Federal, State, institutional and private programs designed to assist you with financing your college education. While primary responsibility for educational expenses rests with the student and their family, financial aid is available to students who would otherwise be unable to pursue an education. Although the majority of financial aid programs are based on demonstrated financial need, don’t assume that you won’t qualify for aid. Almost everyone can qualify for some type of financial aid.

Click on a link below for more information on these various financial aid areas.

Grants

Federal Pell Grant
This is the basic award to which other federal and non-federal sources may be added. The amount of the Pell Grant depends on your financial need, the cost of education, and the amount of time you will be enrolled during the school year. As with all grants, you do not have to pay back a Pell Grant provided you do not withdraw during a semester.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
This grant provides additional financial assistance to exceptionally needy undergraduate students who are also Pell Grant recipients.

Colorado Student Grant (CSG)
This grant provides financial assistance to Colorado residents who otherwise would be unable to pursue postsecondary education. Priority for these funds goes to residents of Colorado who are eligible for a Pell Grant.

Colorado Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (CLEAP)
This award is made up of federal and state funds. These limited funds are available only to Colorado residents with documented need.

Work Study
The College Work-Study Program (CWSP) provides employment for full- and part-time students for ten to twenty hours of work per week. Most work-study funds go to students who demonstrate financial need, with remaining funds available to employ other students in areas related to their academic and career goals. Funds are provided by the Federal Work-Study Program and by the Colorado General Assembly. (Click hear to view the Work Study Brochure.)

Loans

The William D. Ford Direct Loan Program provides low-interest loans to qualified students to help meet educational expenses. Direct Loans are student loans from the federal government, and are repaid after leaving school. If you are a first-time borrower, you must complete Stafford Loan Entrance Counseling to qualify for this loan. Student loans are a supplement to other federal, state, institutional, and private student financial aid programs, and you must pay them back with interest.

Scholarships

Scholarship funds are available from a variety of sources: the State of Colorado, the PCC Foundation, corporations, businesses, foundations, individuals, civic organizations, service clubs, and similar organizations. We award scholarships based on academic ability, special educational interests, talent, and in some cases, need. Each scholarship has its own guidelines for application and selection; contact the PCC Financial Aid Office to obtain applications for the scholarships you might qualify for.

Senior Citizen Scholarship

If you are a Colorado resident, sixty years of age or older, you may apply for a scholarship to take college-credit courses. This scholarship pays one-half of resident tuition after the COF stipend is applied and is based on financial need. To obtain an application, visit the Financial Aid Office.

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The Most Important Thing You Need To Know
A Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step toward applying for financial aid. It is the foundation upon which your eligibility for financial aid is based. The FAFSA will help determine the type (e.g. grants, work-study, loans) and amount of aid you will be eligible for. The FAFSA can be completed on the FAFSA web site. You will need your prior year income information available in order to complete the application. A FAFSA must be completed each academic year with updated income and family information. TheTitle IV Code for PCC is 014829 and the College Name is Pueblo Community College.

Deadline for Applications
Complete the FAFSA application as early as possible. Our awards are subject to the availability of funds. We give top priority to full-time students who show exceptional financial need and who submit completed applications by the following dates:

Though we do accept applications later than these dates, we give priority to those who meet these deadlines.

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Student Eligibility (Almost everyone is eligible, but just in case.)

To be eligible for financial aid, you must:

• be U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident.
• have a high school diploma or GED, (or, if you are 18 years old or older, you may demonstrate the Ability-to-Benefit by passing an independently administered test).
• be accepted to PCC as degree-seeking (classified) student.
• be enrolled in an eligible program at least half time (six credit hours) for most Federal and State aid programs and full time (12 or more credit hours) for most scholarships.
• submit a complete financial aid file that includes all required supporting documents.
• make satisfactory progress toward a degree or certificate and be within the regulatory limitations of maximum attempted credits.
• clearly establish financial need for need-based financial assistance.

You are not eligible for financial aid if you:

• are concurrently enrolled in high school.
• owe a refund on a federal grant.
• are in default on a federal student loan.
• have already earned a bachelor’s degree (unless you are applying for student loans).

If you do not have a high school diploma or its equivalent, you must take the Basic Skills Assessment Test (CPT ACCUPLACER®) to qualify for financial aid funds under the Title IV, Higher Education Act program. You must meet or exceed the minimum scores on each of the three approved tests in a single testing experience. If you do not meet or exceed the minimum scores, you must retake the complete set of three tests and pass all three tests in that administration.

The Financial Aid Office will make every effort to keep you informed about the status of your application; however, you should contact our office to find out what information we might still need to complete your file.

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What You Need to Do

1. Complete an Admissions Application.
2. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), keep a copy for your records, and mail the original in the envelope provided.
3. Within several weeks you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) in the mail (or by email if you provide an email address on the FAFSA), review this information for accuracy and take it to the Financial Aid Office if there are corrections or questions about the data.
4. If you are selected for verification (see Part 1 of the SAR) you must provide the Financial Aid Office with documents to verify taxed and untaxed income and complete a verification worksheet that can be obtained from the aid office.
5. Attend a New Student Orientation, if possible.
6. Contact the Learning Center to schedule an Assessment Test, if necessary.
7. Register for classes.
8. Once your financial aid application is complete and has been verified if necessary, you will be mailed an award notice indicating how much grant funding you have been awarded. This is the amount of financial aid that you have available to assist with your education expenses, beginning with your tuition and fees. Keep this for your records.
9. Depending upon your circumstances, you may then apply for a work-study position and/or a student loan. Inquire at the Financial Aid Office for further details beyond this brochure.

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Renewal Applications
Students who applied for Federal Student Aid in the previous academic year may receive a renewal application in the mail, along with instructions. If you do not receive this renewal application, you should complete a FAFSA. Do not complete both the renewal application and the FAFSA.

Financial Aid Progress/Status
The Financial Aid Office will make every effort to keep you informed as to the status of your application. However, it is advisable that you periodically contact the Financial Aid Office to determine what documents may be needed and if any award determination has been made. This is especially necessary if you make adjustments to your enrollment.

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Paying Your Bill with Financial Aid
Your place in classes will be held if you have been awarded sufficient grant funds to cover your tuition. Pay careful attention to your level of enrollment and the level of enrollment your financial aid is based on. As your enrollment fluctuates, so too may your grant eligibility.

Applying Late
If you have not yet been awarded financial aid and/or are just beginning the application process, you may request your application be reviewed to determine eligibility for an "Award and/or Loan Pending". If approved, this pending can hold your place in your classes until you have been awarded financial aid. By accepting an award and/or loan pending, you are entering into a financial obligation with the college for your tuition, even if you do not receive the anticipated financial aid.

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Buying Your Books with Financial Aid
If the amount of the Financial Aid award exceeds the tuition and fees for that term, you may charge your books and supplies against this remaining balance at the College Bookstore using a current Schedule of Classes which can be obtained from any number of offices on campus, and a valid photo ID.

If you have not yet been awarded financial aid and/or are just beginning the application process, you may request your application be reviewed to determine eligibility for a "Bookstore Promissory Note" which will allow you to charge your books against your anticipated financial aid.

Bookstore charges are added to your tuition and fee bill with the college. When your financial aid is awarded and processed, these charges will be automatically paid from your aid and any remaining aid will be disbursed to you through the mail by the Cashier’s Office.

Descriptions of Financial Aid Programs
The following aid programs, except for scholarships, require all students to apply for financial aid, and in most cases demonstrate financial need, and where indicated by the word Colorado in the title, be a resident of Colorado, since these funds are provided by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado. Actual awards are made based on PCC’s written packaging policy, available upon request. In addition, financial aid will be based on the following levels of enrollment:

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Veterans Administration Benefits
With certain exceptions, PCC courses are approved for the training of veterans and eligible dependents. If you plan to use VA benefits, contact the Office of Veterans’ Affairs (located in the Admissions & Records Office) immediately after deciding to attend PCC. You can expect a six- to eight-week VA processing time for your application.

You are responsible for tuition, fees, and books, whether or not your VA benefit payments have started. If you request Advance Pay, you must enroll in classes before the Cashier will release the Advance Pay.

It is your responsibility to notify the Office of Veterans’ Affairs of any address and/or enrollment changes such as course adds and drops, change of major, other schools attended, and any other information related to your academic standing.

Veterans Attendance and Satisfactory Progress
If you do not attend regularly or make satisfactory, systematic progress toward an educational objective, you will have to repay the VA. If you are placed on academic suspension, the VA will discontinue your benefits for the duration of the suspension.

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