Financial aid is money available to assist the student with the costs of attending college.  This assistance comes from the federal and state government, the institution and private sources.  Financial aid includes grants, federal work-study, student loans and scholarships.  The federal and state grants are only available to the student who has not earned a bachelor’s or a professional degree.

Philosophy

The fundamental philosophy guiding Metropolitan Community College financial aid is that no student should be denied an education due to the lack of financial resources. Financial aid eligibility is determined and awards (grants, loans, work-study and scholarships) are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or disability. Metropolitan Community College is committed to assisting eligible students in obtaining financial assistance to meet primary financial need (tuition, books, fees and transportation). Secondary costs of education (room, board and personal expenses) may be considered in financial aid packages based on availability of funds.

Federal Pell Grant

This program provides a direct grant to the student to help pay college costs.  Amounts awarded to all federally eligible students depend on the cost of education, financial need (as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA)and student's enrollment status.

Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

This program is for students who are enrolled full-time in their first and second academic years and have graduated from a rigorous high school program of study. Students must be U.S. Citizens, eligible for a Federal Pell Grant during the same period, enrolled in a degree program and have a GPA of at least 3.0 as of the end of their first academic year.

Campus-Based and Work Student Programs

The programs listed below are campus-based financial aid programs funded by the federal and state governments and by the institution. Since the funding available for these programs is limited, eligible students will be awarded on a first come first served basis.  Amounts of these awards will be sent to the student in writing once the student has completed the financial aid process and has been awarded all financial aid.

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Students with exceptional financial need are eligible to be awarded this grant.  Priority is given to the student who is eligible for a Federal Pell Grant.

Nebraska State Grant (NSG)

Nebraska residents with exceptional financial need are eligible to be awarded this grant. The student must also be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant. The student who is not a Nebraska resident and would like information about state grant programs in his/her state may call the Director of Financial Aid at (402) 457-2330. The student must be enrolled in a minimum of six (6) credit hours each quarter to receive a Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant and Nebraska State Grant.

Board of Governors Tuition Grant (BGTG)

A recipient must have financial need and be a legal resident of Nebraska. This grant can only be used to pay tuition charges. The recipient is responsible for paying any fees. A student who has already attained a bachelor’s degree is eligible to be awarded these funds.

Federal Work Study (FWS)

The Federal Work-Study program provides part‑time employment for the eligible student. Work-study positions are located both on and off campus. A number of reading and math tutoring positions and off campus, nonprofit community service jobs are available. Additional information about terms and conditions of employment are available from the Financial Aid Office.  Since the funding available for these programs is limited, eligible students will need to request information on eligibility and jobs available from the financial aid office.  A student who has already attained a bachelor’s degree is eligible to apply for these funds.

Family Federal Education Loan Program (FFELP) or Stafford Loans

This federal program provides low interest loans to the student from lenders such as banks, credit unions or savings and loan associations.    Students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine their eligibility for this program. A student who has already attained a bachelor’s or professional degree is eligible to apply for this loan.

There is a limit of $3,500 for the first 44 earned credit hours. A second loan for earned credit hours of 45 and beyond is limited to $4,500. The student enrolled in a certificate program is not eligible for $4,500. The student who is considered independent by Title IV definition may request additional unsubsidized loan funds beyond these limits.

The student must be registered for a minimum of six (6) credits per quarter for the entire loan period to be eligible for either type of loan.  Repayment of the loan begins at the end of a six-month grace period after the student either graduates, stops attending or is registered for fewer than six (6) credits per quarter.

Federal PLUS Loan

This loan program is designed to assist the parent(s) who wants to borrow money to help pay for the educational expenses for each child who is a dependent undergraduate student.
The student must be enrolled for at least six (6) credit hours. MCC requires the student's Federal Pell Grant eligibility be determined prior to processing this application.
Information about the terms of both of these loans and sample repayment schedules are available from the Financial Aid Office at MCC campuses.                 Financial assistance information is also available from any Financial Aid  staff member and the Financial Aid web site, http://www.mccneb.edu/fa

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

The student begins the application process when she/he completes and submits the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Students are encouraged to complete this application as early as possible after January 1.

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

A student must meet the following general requirements to be eligible for federal, state and institutional financial aid programs.

• Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or permanent resident or eligible non-citizen
• Be enrolled as a regular student pursuing an associate degree or a certificate in an eligible program
• Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate or pass the ASSET/COMPASS assessment test, used by MCC and approved by the Department of Education, with specified test scores
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Is not in default on a federal student loan or do not owe a repayment on a federal grant
• Is registered with Selective Service if required
• Has met and is maintaining the College and Financial Aid Standards of Academic Progress requirements
• Have financial need as determined through the federal methodology formula

AWARDING PROCEDURES

When all appropriate information, forms or documents have been received by the Financial Aid Office, the student's financial aid file is considered complete and ready for verifying and awarding to the extent funds are available. The Financial Aid Office uses the following criteria to award funds to financial aid applicants:

• Must have financial need;
• Must have an EFC (Expected Family Contribution) that the Financial Aid office has determined to be valid; and
• Must have a complete file for the new award year.  Students who have completed financial aid files early in the academic year will receive priority consideration for the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Nebraska State Grant, Board of Governors Tuition Grant and Federal Work-Study.  Failure to complete the financial aid process may result in some program funds not being available to applicants. Federal Pell Grant and Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant can be applied for throughout the award year. However, the Financial Aid Office must electronically receive the student's SAR information no later than the last day of Spring quarter of the current award year to determine his/her Federal Grants eligibility for the award year.

GRANT PAYMENT AUTHORIZATION AND DISBURSEMENT PROCEDURES

Authorization Procedures – The Financial Aid office will adjust students quarterly award amount(s) based on his/her enrollment level as of the financial aid census date. The student should contact the Financial Aid Office for more information about the census dates for the current award year.

Payment cannot be authorized for the following situations:

• Audited courses
• Repeat of courses already completed with a P, C or better
• Enrollment in MAT 093
• If the student receives an IW and, within the same quarter, is reinstated into the course after the relevant census date, recalculations may be necessary to determine exact aid eligibility.

Award amounts are not adjusted after the appropriate census date for any increase or decrease in a student's enrollment level. There are two exceptions to this policy:

• If a student completely withdraws from all classes, Title IV Return of Federal Funds regulations may require that a portion of a student's aid be returned to the Department of Education by the institution and by the student. (See "Return of Federal Funds" for more information.)
• If a student drops a class that has not started and receives a 100 percent refund, aid is reduced to reflect the new enrollment status.

        Official holidays when the College is closed will not be counted in determining the census dates. The student should contact the Financial Aid Office for further information, especially when adding or dropping classes.

Overlapping Enrollment

The financial aid rules for overlapping enrollment periods are very complex. If you have an overlapping enrollment period (even one day), it can severely impact your financial aid eligibility. Please contact your financial aid specialist with questions about overlapping enrollment periods.

Disbursement Procedures

After all charges (i.e. tuition, books and supplies) have been deducted from the total amount of the quarterly award, any  remainder credit balance is issued in the form of a check and mailed directly to the student about six (6) weeks into the quarter. If a student is enrolled in classes/sessions shorter than the standard quarter/term, the student's check may have a different disbursement date.  Single quarter loans must be disbursed in a minimum of two disbursements.

Return of Federal Funds

Federal Title IV regulations require a certain percentage of Title IV funds must be returned to the Department of Education or to a student loan lender when a student completely withdraws from all classes. Federal funds that may have to be returned are Federal Stafford and/or PLUS Loans, Federal Pell Grant, Federal ACG, Federal SEOG and NSG (includes Federal program funds). The Board of Governors Tuition Grant and Federal Work-Study are not affected by this requirement.
A student who receives all "F"grades or a combination of "F", "W" and "IW" grades is considered to have unofficially withdrawn from classes. A student receiving federal financial aid funds who drops out without notifying the institution may be subject to repayment of federal funds. The student may owe the College for charges no longer paid by financial aid.
For more information and examples of the Return of Federal Funds calculations, contact the Financial Aid or Student Accounts Office.

STANDARDS OF SATISFACTORY PROGRESS REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES

Four Rules of Eligibility – There are four rules to financial aid standards of academic progress. Every student (new and returning) must meet all four rules to be eligible for aid.

Rule 1: Grade Point Requirements.Federal regulations require that all financial aid recipients make satisfactory academic progress and remain in good academic standing. Academic progress is reviewed each quarter prior to the student's disbursement for the following academic term. In addition, students who do not complete any credits will be subject to Return of Title IV calculations, which could reduce or cancel financial aid immediately.

Prior to each disbursement, the Financial Aid Office will verify the number of credit a student is enrolled in. Based on the verified enrollment, a determination is made as to whether the student is eligible for additional funds. For purposes of the federal satisfactory academic progress, credits attempted mean the number of credits the student is enrolled in on the census date of the term. 

Rule 2: Course Completion Requirement.Any student who has financial aid must receive passing grades (A, B, C, D, P, or R) each quarter and complete at least (62%) of the credit hours for which they enroll for (as of the census date).  If the student receives an F, W, IW, Z I, or V grade, it is considered an unsuccessful grade.

Rule 3: Maximum Credit Limit to Receive Financial Aid. To make satisfactory academic progress, a student must pass a minimum percentage of all credit hours attempted, maintain a
minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA), and complete a degree or certificate program within a maximum time frame.  Federal regulations allow a maximum time frame of 150% of the number of credits needed to complete the degree or certificate
program. This time frame is effective for all students, even those that have not previously received financial aid.
If the student receives an F, W, IW, Z, I, or V grade, it is considered an unsuccessful grade.  That maximum number of credit hours is 150 percent of the published number of credit hours for a program.  Regulations require all credit hours attempted by the student, including transfer credits be counted for amount of time in 150% limit.

Rule 4: Maximum Credit Limit to Receive Financial Aid for ESL Classes. Federal and State financial aid is available to the student taking ESL (English as a Second Language) classes.

ESL Courses - A student may receive FSA funds for ESL courses that are part of a larger eligible program. There are differences though: ESL courses don’t count against the one-year limitation on remedial coursework.  If a MCC student is permitted to enroll in ESL or other reme­dial courses that don’t apply to his degree or certificate, be aware that awarding FSA loans over a series of semesters for such work can ex­haust his eligibility for FSA loans before the student completes their program.  Attempted credit hours means all ESL classes.  The total number of attempted credit hours in ESL classes is counted by the Financial Aid office at the end of each quarter the student is enrolled and receiving financial aid.

Repeating Classes – A student may not receive aid for class(es) that she/he has previously taken and successfully completed with a P grade or a grade of C or better. If receiving financial aid, a student may only take a class and receive financial aid for that class a maximum of two times if she/he has received an R, D, IW, W, Z or F grade.

Developmental Classes - A student enrolled solely in a remedial program is not eligible for financial aid.  If acceptance into an eligible program is contingent on completing remedial work, a student cannot be considered enrolled in that program until she completes the remedial work.

If the student is admitted into an eligible program and takes remedial coursework within that program, they can be considered a regular student, even if they are taking all remedial courses before taking any regular courses.  MCC counts up to one academic year’s worth of these courses in his enrollment status for federal aid. Similar to ESL, the limit is 45 quarter hours as defined by federal regulations.

MCC is not allowed to count noncredit remedial hours to determine a student's enrollment status if the course is part of a program that leads to a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent. A student is never permitted to receive funds for GED training or for coursework prior to the completion of high school, even if the GED or high school training is offered at postsecondary schools or is required for the postsecondary program.

Financial Aid Office Checks student's Standards of Academic Progress – At the end of each quarter, the Financial Aid Office looks at each financial aid student's grade record and attempted credit hours record to see if the student is meeting all four Financial Aid Standards of Academic Progress rules. The Financial Aid Office also determines if the student is meeting the College’s Standards of Academic Progress. The student must be meeting all requirements to be eligible for financial aid.

Prior to each disbursement, the Financial Aid Office will verify the number of credit a student is enrolled in. Based on the verified enrollment, a determination is made as to whether the student is eligible for additional funds. For purposes of the federal satisfactory academic progress, credits attempted mean the number of credits the student is enrolled in on the census date of the term.

FINANCIAL AID PROBATION (WARNING):

If a student does not meet all SAP, including GPA requirements, the student will have one 'probationary quarter" as a warning and will be notified in writing.  A student who loses FSA eligibility because she is not meeting MCC's satisfactory academic progress standards will be put on probationary status and notified of that standing as soon as grades are available.  Probationary status is a warning that the student is not making federally mandated minimum SAP progress toward graduation.  A student's financial aid will remain available for the probationary term (grants, loans, work study etc). 

If the student doesn’t meet all SAP the next quarter they attend, they will be considered 'terminated" from financial aid.

FINANCIAL AID TERMINATION (INELIGIBLE):

Should the student drop below a GPA not in academic standing because of failure or dropping classes after the census date during the probation quarter, the student's aid will be terminated for all concurrent quarters.  The student will be required to pay without federal assistance, a minimum of 6 credit hours one quarter at MCC and bring their CGPA up to a 2.0.

Upon regaining an academic equivalence of a CGPA 2.0, a student may request reinstatement in writing to the financial aid office within 10 business days after grades are published.  Upon approval of the reinstatement, the student will be issued a letter of reinstatement by the FA office and may be considered for financial aid beginning the term they regained eligibility.

Students who have exceeded their maximum time frame, have not completed the required number of credits, or have a cumulative grade point average less than 2.0, will be terminated from financial aid. Students who have been terminated because of insufficient credits completed or a grade point average deficiency will not receive further financial aid until they have taken classes to give them a 2.0 Quarterly GPA.  Should the student receive appropriate grades to bring up their quarterly GPA to a 2.0, but their CGPA is below minimum graduation standards, they will continue to be on financial aid probation and will be evaluated for termination the next quarter.

The student must return the appeal form to the Financial Aid Office within ten (10) working days after she/he has received a letter saying she/he has been terminated from financial aid.

Appeal of Financial Aid Termination – A student who has lost financial aid eligibility due to extenuating circumstances may appeal a maximum of two times.  As directed by the Federal Department of Education extenuating circumstances may include:

• Personal illness or accident
• Serious illness or death within the immediate family
• Or other circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the student.

A completed 'Termination Appeal" form, including appropriate third party documentation, and an academic plan must be submitted with the appeal form to the Office of Financial Aid at the Fort Omaha Campus.

Examples of documentation could include:

• An obituary notice, divorce decree, letter from a physician, attorney, social services agency, parole officer, etc.

The condition or situation must be resolved which will allow the student the ability to complete course work successfully or an appeal will not be granted. Students will be notified in writing via letter or e-mail within 14 business days following receipt of the completed appeal form and all supporting documentation, the results of the appeal and any restrictions or conditions pertaining to their appeal.

A student who has reached the maximum time frame of credits attempted may submit a written appeal to the Financial Aid Office. If approved for additional financial aid, the student will be given a specific length of time to complete his or her goal.

How to Regain Financial Aid Eligibility – If a student's appeal is denied or a student decides to not appeal their termination, the student is responsible for payment of all educational costs, including tuition, fees, books and supplies for any quarters the student enrolls in after termination of financial aid.

To regain eligibility for financial aid, the student must meet all of the following requirements:

• Enrollment in a minimum of one class.  This class must be:
• Required for your program of study,
• A prerequisite(s) for a class in your program of study, and
• The class must be a three (3) or more credit hour class.
• Achievement of the cumulative GPA required (refer to Rule 1 under SAP)
• Completion of 62 percent of the credit hours attempted in the quarter(s) the student pays for their own educational cost

SELECTED GRANT/SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS

Many scholarships are offered at MCC at various times during the year. Several are listed here.

Board of Governors Scholarship for GED Graduates – A two-year full tuition scholarship is awarded each year to graduating General Education Development (GED) students from Metropolitan Community College and other Adult Basic Education programs in MCC's four‑county service area.

Presidential Scholarship for Graduating Seniors – Public and private high schools in the four-county area can present a two-year full tuition scholarship to graduating senior. Applications are available from high school guidance counselors.

Board of Governors Scholarship for Graduating Seniors – Public and private high schools in the four‑county area can present a two-year full tuition scholarship to a graduating senior. Applications are available from high school guidance counselors.

Special Assistance Grant (SAG) – This grant is designed to pay tuition and provide an allowance for technology service fees, books and supplies for the underemployed/unemployed student who has financial need as determined by the Financial Aid Office. The recipient may only enroll in one class or less than six (6) credit hours.

Many other scholarships are offered to MCC students based on financial need and require an official and valid electronic Federal Student Aid Report (SAR) to be on file in MCC's Financial Aid office. The student should complete the FAFSA each year after January 1 if she/he plans to apply for any scholarships. The student should contact a campus Financial Aid Office or MCC website on a regular basis to apply for current scholarship listing.

VETERAN SERVICES

The Veteran Services Office provides advisory services relating to educational benefits and periods of earned entitlement to VA eligible students planning to enroll or enrolled at the College. Forms and applications needed by the veteran eligible for educational benefits are available from a Veteran Services Office.

Veterans Educational Benefits – Due to the number of veteran educational programs, the student should contact a Veteran Services Office for detailed information. In general, the following information applies:

• In order to receive benefits, the entitled person must be in a specific program of study and be eligible to receive benefits only for the courses required in that program. The student is required to attend all classes for which she/he is registered and maintain satisfactory academic progress. The eligible veteran will normally receive a monthly check that may vary in amount since it is determined by class load.
• If possible, a new veteran student should apply for benefits 30‑60 days prior to the start of the quarter she/he plans to attend. However, application can be made at any time during the quarter.The student who has attended other institutions must request that official transcripts of credit earned at the institution(s) be sent directly to Admissions and Records for evaluation of prior credit into his/her current program of study. Certain veterans and veterans’ dependents may be eligible for additional benefits that include workstudy.

Veteran Work-Study Program – Some veteran students qualify for the VA Work-Study program that provides funds for part-time positions at various locations on campus, serving veterans.  Any questions should be directed to a Veteran Services Office.