General Information About Financial Aid

The purpose of the Financial Aid Program at Manchester Community College is to provide financial access to the college for as many eligible students as current funding will allow.

The prime objective of our Financial Aid Office is to meet the basic expenses of tuition and fees. In addition, most recipients qualify for stipend checks that repay their initial expenses for books, supplies and transportation costs.

Finally, many students supplement their grant aid from the College with employment earning and student bank loans that more fully meet their expenses for room, board, transportation, personal health and child care costs. SFA Funds are also available for study abroad programs.

Financial aid awards are calculated for one year only. Each academic year you will need to reapply for financial aid. Your aid award will be recalculated each year based on current income, assets, family circumstances and the current need analysis methodologies and regulations. You must continue to make satisfactory academic progress towards your degree.

The cost of education includes the expenses for tuition, fees, books and supplies. Indirect costs also figured into the cost of education are housing, meals, transportation, and personal expenses.

You must complete the process for admission to MCC including evidence of high school graduation or a GED certificate and proof of measles and rubella shots. You must be matriculated in a degree or certificate program.

You must make Satisfactory Academic Progress which is a progression toward successful academic completion of course requirements for a degree or certificate by maintaining a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) as stated in the MCC catalog. You must also complete at least 66% of attempted on a cumulative basis.

Make sure you report all outside awards received to the Financial Aid Office. Outside awards may change the amount of need-based aid awarded to you.

What is Financial Aid?

Financial aid is money in the form of loans, grants and employment that is available to students to help pay the cost of attending a college, university, or Vocational/Technical school. Financial aid comes from the federal government, which is the largest provider of aid, as well as state governments, schools, and a variety of the public and private sources.

There are two main types of aid:
Merit-Based Aid is given to students who have a special characteristic, skill, talent, or ability. A scholarship is an example or merit-based aid. Merit-based aid is usually a gift that does no have to be paid back, although students who get merit aid sometimes have to promise to teach or perform some other service when they finish school.

Need-Based Aid is given to student who can show they need financial assistance to pursue an education beyond high school. Most financial aid is awarded on the basis of need. There are three kinds of need-based aid:

• Grants are gifts that do not have to be paid back. Federal grant programs include the Federal Pell Grant and the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG).
• Loans are borrowed money that has to be paid back over a period of time, usually after the student leaves school. Federal loan programs include the Federal Perkins Loan, the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL), and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (also known as the direct Loan). FFEL loans are obtained from financial institutions.
• Work-study is money that students must earn by working at a part-time job. Funds used to pay the major portion of a students work-study earnings come from the Federal Work-Study Program.

One of the principles behind need-based aid is that students and their families should pay for educational expenses to the extent they are able. If you think your educational expenses are more than you and your family can afford, you should apply for need based financial aid.

Helpful Hints for Applicants

Be sure to:

• Apply early to meet deadline dates.
• Have "start-up" money when you begin classes. There are no book vouchers available. Refund checks take between 4 and 8 weeks to process and the process cannot begin until the registration and add/drop period is over for the semester.
• Be sure to keep your mailing address current with the Financial Aid Office and other departments such as Admissions and Registrar.
• Keep us informed of any changes in enrollment status. Audited courses cannot be covered by federal aid programs.
• Begin completing the FAFSA by reading the instructions carefully. It is also helpful to have completed your previous year's tax returns before starting.
• Be sure to have your high school diploma or GED on file in the Admissions Office.
• Choose a degree or certificate program when completing the admission application.

Basic Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for financial aid a student must be:

• A citizen or an eligible non-citizen of the U.S.
• Enrolled in a degree or certificate program (for many aid programs at least half-time)
• Registered with the Selective Service (if male)
• In academic good standing as described in the MCC catalog, and maintaining satisfactory progress.

Financial Aid Programs at MCC

MCC Scholarship Program

This is a state program that provides funds to the college in order to pay for tuition, fees, books and supplies for needy students.

Connecticut Aid to Public Colleges (CAP)

These are state funds awarded in the form of grants or work-study awards to student who demonstrate need.

Federal Pell Grant Program

This federal assistance program is designed to provide financial assistance to undergraduate students with exceptional need who have not earned a professional or bachelors degree.

FSEOG Program

These Federal Grants are made reasonably available to undergraduates with exceptional financial need (with priority given to Pell Grant recipients). Awards range from $400 to $800 per year.

Federal Work-Study (FWS)

On-campus and off-campus jobs are available for students who have financial need as determined by the financial Aid Office and the federal government. Work may be performed at a maximum of 15 hours per week when school is in session or a 35 hours per week basis during periods of non-enrollment. Positions pay from $7.00 to $9.00 per hours depending on required skills and experience.

Federal Family Education Loan Programs (FFELP)

MCC participates in the federal student loan programs: Stafford Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized), Perkins Loans, and Parent Loans for Undergraduate Student (PLUS). These programs make low-interest, long-term loans limits, interests rates, and repayment and deferment conditions.

Student are advised to wait for a complete review of their eligibility for other forms of financial aid before submitting loan applications.