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Apply for Financial Aid

Steps to Financial Aid

Financial aid applications at Pitt Community College are reviewed on a first-come, first-serve basis upon receipt of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You must be admitted to a degree or diploma program at Pitt Community College before your financial aid application will be awarded. Admissions applications are available online or in the Admissions & Records Office in the Goess Student Center, Room 100. Call (252) 493-7232 for information about admissions.

TUTORIAL: “Seven Easy Steps to the FAFSA”
(Copyright © 2016 The Regents of the University of California, All Rights Reserved.)

Application Process

It is extremely important that you submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after January 1st. You may apply for a Federal Pell Grant and Student Loans throughout the year.

You will be notified of your eligibility for any of the programs listed on your award letter. If you have questions about your award letter, contact the Financial Aid Office at (252) 493-7339 or you may come by the office located in the Goess Student Center.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you have submitted all forms necessary to complete your financial aid application. Be sure to record when and where you sent the required forms. If you are unsure if all required forms are on file, contact the Financial Aid Office to verify that all required forms are turned in. Once you complete and submit the FAFSA, the Financial Aid Office may ask you to submit additional documentation. Be sure to submit all requested information as soon as possible.

1. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

If you have not previously applied for Financial Aid, you will need to obtain a FAFSA. You can usually get a FAFSA from a nearby high school or college, or you may obtain one from the Financial Aid Office in the Goess Student Center. If you have a home computer, you should consider going to the U.S. Department of Education’s student aid web site at this FAFSA website. There you will find an electronic method of submitting your FAFSA, which is faster. If you have previously applied for financial aid, you should receive a Renewal FAFSA in the mail at the address you used on your application last year.

Once you obtain the form, list Pitt Community College and the Title IV code 004062 in Section H of the FAFSA. Your information will be forwarded by the federal processor to our office.

You must use information from your federal income tax form of the previous year to complete the FAFSA.

Mail your completed FAFSA/Renewal FAFSA in the envelope provided with the application as soon as possible. If you use FAFSA Express, you will need to mail your signature page into the processor (the FAFSA Express instructions will explain how to get a signature page if you do not have one).

Helpful Hints

  • Apply early

File the FAFSA as soon after October 1 as possible.

  • Be accurate!

Read all instructions carefully before you begin. Make sure you use your correct social security number on all application materials. Check out the; 11 Common FAFSA Mistakes!

  • How to Create an FSA ID

Watch this video for helpful information on how to create an FSA ID.

  • Keep copies

It is your responsibility to photocopy the forms, correspondence, and other information you submit to the Financial Aid Office. We recommend that you record the dates you submit information and the name of any person with whom you speak.

  • Reapply every year

Your financial aid is not renewed automatically. You must submit all required forms every year.

TUTORIAL: “Seven Easy Steps to the FAFSA”
(Copyright © 2016 The Regents of the University of California, All Rights Reserved.)

How to Apply for PCC Foundation Scholarships

All students who complete the FA Institutional Application are automatically considered for PCC Foundation Scholarships.  Students wishing to apply for our foundation scholarships are first required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  All students who complete the FAFSA are then mailed the FA Institutional Application and are required to submit that form (and any other items/forms requested) back to the FA Office before processing of any FA award and/or scholarship can be completed. Visit the PCC Foundation scholarship website.

How Financial Aid is Determined

Financial need is determined using information you and your parents supply when you complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The information you provide on the FAFSA is processed using a Federal Methodology (FM), established by the United States Congress. The FM calculates your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), the amount you and your family are expected to contribute toward your education. You can estimate your Expected Family Contribution, using a form provided on the Financial Aid Information Page. The Financial Aid Information Page is sponsored by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

When you complete a FAFSA, renewal FAFSA or FAFSA Express, the federal processor will send you an acknowledgment that your application was processed. This acknowledgment will contain your EFC. The federal processor electronically transmits the analysis of the data you submitted to each institution you specified on the FAFSA.

Each college or university determines an estimate of how much it will cost for you to attend school, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, personal expenses, transportation and miscellaneous expenses. This is called your Cost of Attendance and it will vary from one institution to another. Take a look at our cost of attendance.

To determine your financial need, your expected family contribution is subtracted from the cost of attendance:

Explanation Private University Example Community College Example
Cost of Attendance $12,000 $6,800
– Expected Family Contribution -$3,400 -$3,400
= Financial Need $8,600 $3,400

Your Financial Aid Package

Once we receive the results of your FAFSA and other required forms, we will create your financial aid package based on your financial need. It is PCC’s policy to award scholarships and grants first, followed by employment and loans for which you qualify. The pyramid to the right graphically illustrates this concept. You may receive some types of financial aid in excess of your need up to the Cost of Attendance.

We will send you a Financial Aid Award letter outlining the financial aid included in your package. This notice will include general information about each award offered and instructions for accepting or rejecting each award. Some awards (e.g., Federal Stafford & Federal PLUS loans) may require supplemental applications.

Special Circumstances

While the process of determining your financial aid eligibility is basically the same for all applicants, there is some flexibility for specific circumstances. At PCC, a committee determines whether your special circumstances merit changes in the data elements which determine your Expected Family Contribution or your Cost of Attendance. PCC uses standards recommended by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Situations which might merit special circumstances include 1) unusual medical and dental expenses, 2) child care and dependent care costs, 3) unusual debts, 4) income reduction or nonrecurring income and 5) a family and financial situation where a student normally considered dependent could be considered independent. If you feel you have any special circumstances that might affect the amount you and your family are expected to contribute, talk with a Financial Aid Counselor before you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. See our contact information to determine how to contact one of our counselors.

Receiving Your Financial Aid

The Cashiers Office is responsible for disbursing your financial aid. Your financial aid is applied directly to institutional charges (tuition, fees, books and supplies). Any excess funds will be disbursed twenty-one (21) days after the term begins for grants and twenty-eight days (28) after the term begins for loans.

 

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