fcc-catalog

54 / 236

2020 - 2021 FCC Academic Catalog
48 • 301.846.2400
Frederick Community College works to ensure that
all students have equal access to financial assistance
that will help them attend college. FCC participates
in a wide range of federal, state, and local
financial aid programs that includes grants, loans,
employment, and scholarships (see chart, page 51).
The Financial Aid office calculates financial aid
eligibility based on the number of required credits
the student is enrolled in on the census date. The
census date is the day after the 50% refund period
for the 15 week session.
Eligibility Criteria
Financial Need–Financial need is the difference
between educational expenses (the Cost of
Attendance – see chart to the bottom right) at
FCC and the amount students and/or their
families can be expected to pay. The College
uses the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC)
from the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) and the Cost of Attendance to
determine the amount of financial need.
Citizenship–Students must be a U.S. Citizen or
an eligible non U.S. Citizen. You are considered an
"eligible noncitizen" if you are a U.S. national; U.S.
permanent resident with a Form I-551, I-151, or
I-551C (referred to as a "green card"; you have an
Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from U.S. Citizen and
Immigration Services showing Refugee, Asylum
Granted, Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Conditional
Entrant (prior to April 1, 1980) or Parolee.
Academic Program–Students must be
enrolled in or accepted for enrollment in a
state-approved degree or certificate program.
Students can only receive financial aid for courses
that are required for the selected degree or
certificate program. Some financial aid awards
have different minimum enrollments.
Enrollment Status–Awards are adjusted for
full-time (at least 12 credit hours), three-quarter-
time (9-11 credit hours), or half-time (6-8 hours)
enrollment after the refund period. Students with
exceptional need may qualify for certain aid at
less than half time enrollment (1-5 credit hours).
Students may receive financial aid for developmental
classes, and these courses will be considered
in determining a student’s enrollment status.
(See the academic schedule for the credit hour
equivalent assigned to developmental classes.)
High School Diploma/GED–Effective July
1, 2012, federal financial aid applicants must
have a high school diploma or GED, or have
completed an approved home school program.
How to Apply for
Financial Aid
Complete the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) each year that you plan to
attend college. This form is completed online
at www.fafsa.gov. The school code for Frederick
Community College is 002071 and must be listed
on the FAFSA to process student applicant data.
Reapplying: Students must reapply each academic
year to continue receiving financial aid. Each year’s
information is based on the prior-prior year’s
federal tax return and/or income information.
Verification
Some students are selected to provide verification
documentation of information submitted on the
FAFSA. Students whose applications are selected
for verification must provide copies of requested
information in order for financial aid to be awarded.
When to Apply/Reapply
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) is available October 1 each year. It is
recommend that the student complete the
FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1.
The general deadline for Maryland State
Scholarships is March 1, but there are varying
deadlines for certain awards. Visit www.mhec.state.
for futher details. A student must complete
the FAFSA form prior to March 1 to be eligible for
State Scholarships. Students who miss this priority
deadline should still file a FAFSA as soon as possible
after March 1, but they may only be considered for
federal and institutional aid. To have your financial
aid application processed prior to the tuition bill due
date students must complete the FAFSA and submit
all requested documentation to the FCC financial aid
office at least 30 days prior to payment due date.
Applications submitted after these dates
will be processed as quickly as possible, but
financial aid awards may not be processed
in time for the payment due date.
Transfer Students
Mid-year transfer students planning to attend FCC in
the spring semester who received a Pell Grant in the
fall semester must add Frederick Community College
on their FAFSA. Check with the financial aid office to
find out what additional documents are required.
Transfer students who have a Direct Student
Loan at another college in the fall semester and
plan to attend FCC the following spring semester
must cancel the loan at the prior college and
reapply through FCC. Official academic transcripts
should also be sent to FCC for credit evaluation
from any previously attended institutions.
Recipients of a Maryland State Scholarship from
the Maryland Higher Education Commission,
Office of Student Financial Assistance, should
log on to their MDCAPS account and update
their enrollment to "Full Time" at FCC and
"Not Enrolled" at their prior institution.
Students should have prior coursework
evaluated for possible transfer credit.
Financial Aid Eligibility:
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Federal regulations require that students make
satisfactory progress toward completion of a degree
or certificate to receive financial aid. Students
must attend their classes, complete all classes
in which they enroll, and obtain passing grades
(usually a ‘C’or better). Satisfactory academic
progress is monitored at the end of each semester
and is based on cumulative performance.
Withdrawing from a class after the semester has
begun can affect current financial aid and future
eligibility. A description of satisfactory progress
requirements is available in the financial aid office.
Students must meet the following completion
rate and minimum grade point averages (all
coursework on the transcript is included, not
just the semester(s) financial aid is received
Total Credits
Attempted
Minimum
Cumulative
GPA
Completion
Rate (of total
attempted)
0-15 2.00 50%
16-45 2.50 67%
46 & above 2.75 67%
Note: This is for AAT Degrees only. For all other
programs, a 2.00 GPA is required. Completion rate is the
same for AAT and other degree/eligible certificates.
Financial Aid