FAFSA

Complete your FAFSA

A Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be filed to determine your eligibility. Use SCC's school code – 017027.

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Financial Aid

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Financial Aid
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The FAFSA is the foundation for putting together your financial aid package, and this quick guide will give you a jump start.

Need help? Contact our Financial Aid team!

BETTER FAFSA BETTER FUTURE 2024-2025

The FAFSA Simplification Act passed on 12/27/2020 represents significant changes to federal student aid, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, eligibility calculations, and many policies and procedures for schools that participate in Title IV programs.

2024-2025 FAFSA Available

Historically, the FAFSA has been available beginning October 1st each year. However, because of significant changes to the application and the rebuild of the FAFSA processing system, the 2024-25 FAFSA did not open until December 2023.

UPDATE: The Department of Education just announced that ISIRs (a.k.a. FAFSA results) will not be delivered to schools until mid-March.

The FAFSA will be shorter and more user-friendly

The FAFSA will reduce the maximum number of questions from 108 to 46. Also, because the FAFSA is on the Web, some students won’t even be presented with all 46 questions. This streamlined formation will simplify the application process and make it less daunting for students and their families.

New Terminology
  • A contributor - a new term being introduced on the 2024-25 FAFSA—refers to anyone who is required to provide information on a student's form (such as a parent/stepparent or spouse).

    Contributors will receive an email informing them that they've been identified as such and will need to log in using their own FSA ID (if they don't already have one) to provide the required information on the student's FAFSA.

    Being a contributor does not mean they are financially responsible for the student's education costs, but it does mean the contributor must provide information on the FAFSA or the application will be incomplete, and the student will not be eligible for federal student aid.

    Dependent students must invite their parent(s) to contribute to their form if parent information is required.

    Independent students and a dependent student's parent must invite their spouse to contribute to the student’s form if spouse information is required.

  • Consent - each contributor will now need to provide their consent to their Federal Tax Information (FTI) being included in the FAFSA, even if they did not file a U.S. tax return.

  • FTI - Federal Tax Information (FTI) transferred directly from the IRS.

  • DDX - IRS Direct Data Exchange. Previously, students, a student’s spouse (when married), and parent(s) (when students are dependent) entered their tax information or used the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) to transfer tax data from the IRS to the FAFSA. Beginning with 2024-25, all persons listing tax information on the FAFSA will be required to use the IRS Direct Data Exchange (DDX) to share tax information or confirm non-filing status.

  • SAI - Student Aid Index (SAI) is replacing the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). This name more accurately describes the number used to determine aid eligibility and, unlike the EFC, the SAI may be a negative number down to -1500.

The number in college will not be used to calculate the SAI.

Previously, the FAFSA calculated the number of household members attending college into the EFC, dividing it proportionately to determine federal aid eligibility. Beginning with the 2024-25 FAFSA, the application will still ask how many household members are in college, but the answer will not be calculated into the SAI. As such, SCC students with siblings in college may see a change in their federal aid eligibility.

The parent responsible for submitting the FAFSA in cases of divorce or separation has changed.

For dependent students financial information was previously needed from the parent(s) the student had lived with the most in the last 12 months. With the new FAFSA, financial information will be required from the parent(s) who provided the most financial support to the student.

Family farms and small businesses must be reported as assets.

When required, families must now report the value of their small business or family farm. If the family farm includes the principal place of residence, applicants should determine the total net value of all farm assets and subtract the net value of their principal residence to determine the final value of their farm assets.

Federal Pell Grant Eligibility
  • Maximum Pell Grant Eligibility: ability of a student to receive a maximum Pell Grant (amount determined annually by Congress) which depends on annually published federal poverty guidelines; the U.S. tax return adjusted gross income (or the equivalent for foreign tax filers); state of legal residence; family size; and tax filing status.

  • Minimum Pell Grant Eligibility: ability of a student to receive a minimum Pell Grant depending on annual published federal poverty guidelines, Adjusted Gross Income (or the equivalent for foreign tax filers), state of legal residence, and family size.

First Things First

Getting organized is a great first step (like a lot of things in life!)

  1. Pull together the documents and information you'll need to complete the application –here's the list on the FAFSA site
  2. Get your Federal Student Aid ID (it will be your legal signature on the FAFSA).
  3. You'll need SCC's Title IV School Code, too: 017027

Apply!

You're ready to apply for financial aid – complete the FAFSA at studentaid.gov.

That's it!

What's Next?

It takes about two weeks to process your FAFSA application. After that, you can check the status on the FAFSA site.

It's a good idea to print copies of all pages (or save them as PDFs) for your own records, too.

Once your application's been processed, you can review and print your Student Aid Report (SAR).

FAFSA Verification Info

Please review our full FAFSA verification policy in the Verification Policy PDF.

Important Deadline

Files completed for verification by the July 1 priority deadline will be given first consideration for processing in order to allow earliest possible disbursement of student aid refunds. After July 1, files are processed based upon receipt date and completion of financial aid file.

It is strongly recommended that you attempt to use the IRS Data Retrieval tool. If not eligible to use the tool, you will need to request your Tax Return Transcript directly from the IRS via Web or phone (1-800-908-9946).

Documents Requested
  • Verification Packet/Worksheets (These will be requested and made available in your MySCC Portal)
  • Tax Return Transcript
  • W-2s
What is Verification?

When a student files the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the U.S. Department of Education will send results of the FAFSA (the Student Aid Report) to the student via U.S. mail or by email. This report will indicate if the student has been selected for the verification process. Not all students are selected by the U.S. Department of Education for verification. The Financial Aid Office will also receive notification from the U.S. Department of Education and will contact the student as well. It is imperative that the student check their MySCC Portal for this reason.

The verification process requires the college to collect additional documents from the student and his/her family in order to verify information provided on the FAFSA. Along with verification worksheets, the student will need to provide the Financial Aid Office with all required documents and information indicated on the verification worksheets. Depending on individual situations, additional documents may be requested as needed. It is the student's responsibility to make sure the Financial Aid Office receives the items requested in a timely manner.

How to Avoid Delays in the Verification Process
  • Use the IRS Data Retrieval tool when completing your FAFSA.
  • Complete your verification packet as soon as possible.
  • Request your IRS tax return transcript directly via Web or phone, 1-800-908-9946.
  • Provide all W-2s for each person whose income is reported on your FAFSA.
  • Amounts reported on the Verification Packet are to be annual/per year figures, not monthly, unless otherwise indicated.
  • Complete all items (do not leave blank).
  • All applicable parties must sign the verification packet.
  • If you or your parents marked separated or divorced as the marital status on the FAFSA, but filed a joint return, you will need to provide a copy of all W-2s.
  • If there are further discrepancies on the packet regarding other income information reported, additional documents could be requested at a later date.
Special Circumstances

A Professional Judgement a.k.a. 'Special Circumstance' appeal allows for a financial aid adjustment due to extenuating circumstances that may have significantly reduced current or prior year income compared to the tax data reported on the FAFSA. Please review our full Special Circumstance/Professional Judgement policy in the Special Circumstance/Professional Judgement PDF.

Qualifying special circumstances include:

  • Recent unemployment of a direct family member (mother or father) of dependent student
  • Recent unemployment of an independent student or their spouse
  • Forced reduction in income
  • Marital status change resulting in loss of income
  • Death of a dependent student's parent
  • Death of an independent student's spouse
  • Unusually high medical expenses not covered by insurance
  • Primary/Secondary education tuition costs
  • Circumstances related to Covid-19
    • Involuntary loss of income due to reduced hours or shutdowns as a result of Covid-19 during 2020 or 2021
    • Loss of income effective 2020 or 2021 due to disability
    • Significant medical expenses not covered by insurance during 2020 or 2021 as a result of Covid-19

Reasons not considered special circumstances:

  • Voluntary loss/decrease in income
  • Student or spouse reducing hours or quitting job to go to school
  • Excessive consumer debts
  • Thinking you should qualify for a Federal PELL Grant
  • FAFSA EFC is already '0' (You may find the EFC on your Student Aid Report)

How do I submit a Special Circumstances Appeal?

  1. Complete the FAFSA Verification process (see the section above for required items)
  2. Complete the Special Circumstances Appeal in Eforms. Select the appropriate form based on the academic year you are applying for.
Unusual Circumstances/Dependency Override

Please view our full Unsusual Circumstance/Dependency Override policy in the Unsusual Circumstance/Dependency Override PDF.

As outlined on the FAFSA, federal regulations define the criteria you must meet to be considered an independent student. If you do not meet any of those criteria, you may ask your school’s financial aid office to re-evaluate your status. The law governing the Federal Student Aid programs is based on the premise that the family is the first source of the student’s support, and the law provides several criteria that decide if the student is considered independent of their parents for aid eligibility. Note that a student reaching the age of 18 or 21 or living apart from their parents does not affect their dependency status.

The Dependency Appeal is the process that SCC uses to review your situation and determine if you are eligible to be considered an independent student. Note: this review is on a case-by-case basis.

Conditions, singly or in combination, which do not qualify for a dependency override include:

  • Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education.
  • Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for FAFSA verification.
  • Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
  • Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.

If a student would like to request consideration of dependency appeal, please submit a Dependency Appeal form via Eforms in the portal.

SCC does not provide Direct Unsubsidized Loans for dependent students without parent support being included on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Anything Else?

At this point, you may also decide to request a student loan or apply for Federal Work Study to cover any gaps in your education costs. Your call – it's optional!

Dates & Deadlines

These deadlines affect eligibility for financial aid programs. For other important deadlines, please view the term-specific PDF on the Academic Calendar page.

FAFSA Application Deadlines

Tuition Refund Dates

Pell Recalculation Date

Census Dates

Withdrawal Dates

FAFSA Application Deadlines

Make sure that you are completing the appropriate FAFSA for the academic year in which you will be attending (see chart below). An academic year begins in fall and ends in summer. Make sure to add our FAFSA school code: 017027. Without the school code, SCC cannot view your FAFSA.

Term

Which FAFSA?

FAFSA priority deadline

FA Checklist priority deadline

Fall 2023

2023-2024 Jun 1, 2023 Jul 1, 2023

Spring 2024

2023-2024

Nov 1, 2023

Dec 1, 2023

Summer 2024

2023-2024

Apr 1, 2024

May 1, 2024

Fall 2024

2024-2025

Jun 1, 2024

Jul 1, 2024

Tuition Refund Dates

Last day to receive a 100% tuition refund for dropped courses

Fall 2023 Refund Dates

Term Term Start Term End Last Date for 100% Tuition Refund
FA MAIN (full term) Aug 21 Dec 8 Sep 4
FA1 (Accelerated #1) Aug 21 Oct 11 Aug 27
FA3 (September Start) Sep 5 Dec 8 Sep 15
FA2 (Accelerated #2) Oct 16 Dec 8 Oct 22
Winter Mini Dec 26 Jan 11 Dec 27

Spring 2024 Refund Dates

Term Term Start Term End Last Date for 100% Tuition Refund
SP MAIN (full term) Jan 22 May 14 Feb 3
SP1 (Accelerated #1) Jan 22 Mar 12 Jan 27
SP3 (February Start) Feb 5 May 14 Feb 16
SP2 (Accelerated #2) Mar 25 May 14 Mar 30
May Mini May 15 May 31 May 16

Summer 2024 Refund Dates

Term Term Start Term End Last Date for 100% Tuition Refund
SU MAIN (full term) Jun 3 Jul 26 Jun 8
SU1 (Accelerated #1) Jun 3 Jun 27 Jun 5
SU2 (Accelerated #2) Jul 1 Jul 25 Jul 3

Why tuition refund dates matter for FA

  • Remaining in a course past this date means you may be responsible for the charges if the course is not financial aid eligible.
  • Remaining in a course past this date means it will be counted in your FA Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) measures, which can affect future FA eligibility. For more information on the FA SAP policy, please see the FA SAP web page and FA SAP Handbook
  • Withdrawing from a course after this date will result in a lowered completion ratio.
  • If you do not withdraw from the course and receive an 'F' grade, this will both lower your completion ratio and lower your GPA.

Pell Recalculation Dates

There is one PELL Recalulation Date in a semester. Your enrollment on this date determines the PELL award amount you are eligible to receive. Courses added after this date will not be considered for PELL disbursement. Likewise, courses dropped prior to this date will not be considered for PELL disbursement.

  • The 2023 Fall Pell Recalculation Date is September 13
  • The 2024 Spring Pell Recalculation Date is February 14
  • The 2024 Summer Pell Recalculation Date is June 13

Enrollment only in Modules

Modules are shortened terms that do not span the entire length of the payment period (a.k.a MAIN term). Examples of modules are: Accelerated #1, Accelerated #2, Late-Start and Mini terms. If your first enrollment for the payment period occurs after the MAIN PELL recalculation date, then your PELL eligibility will be determined using a cutoff date equal to the final add/drop date of the earliest module in which you enroll. Refer to the "Last day to add a class" under "Mini-Mester Dates" on the term-specific PDF calendars located on the Academic Calendar web page.

2023-2024 Pell Pro-Ration

Pell Grant amounts are based on both degree-eligible credit hours and financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FA Offer Letters in your portal display full-time awards. If you are enrolled in less than 12 credit hours, your PELL amount will be pro-rated as shown in the chart below. Pell amounts will be pro-rated based on hours of enrollment with the exception of high EFCs in which the amount will be $0 (see chart below). Please note that pro-ration will vary for Less-Than-Half-time statuses based on your Cost of Attendance and may not mirror the chart shown below. Your EFC can be found on your Student Aid Report at the Federal Student Aid website. Your Cost of Attendance can be found on your FA Offer Letter (labeled "Budget").

Term Credit Hours Term Enrollment Status Pro-Ration 23-24 EFC too high
1-5 Less-than-half-time 25% EFC =/above 4401 = $0
6-8 Half-time 50% EFC =/above 5901 = $0
9-11 Three-Quarter-time 75% EFC =/above 6401 = $0
12+ Full-time 100% EFC =/above 6657 = $0

Census Dates

Census dates are the dates that financial aid eligibility is confirmed. A snapshot of your course schedule, active degree program and attendance/participation on the census date will determine your eligibility for an award. Exception - See the "Pell Recalculation Date" section directly above for rules on PELL eligibility.

How Census Dates are Determined

  • MAIN term = End of 4th week of the term
  • Accelerated terms = 10 days after 1st day of term (11th day)
  • Winter Mini, May Mini and August Mini = 5th day

Note: Summer term census dates generally follow the 11th day guideline.

Fall 2023 Census Dates

Term Term Start Term End Census Date
FA1 (Accelerated #1) Aug 21 Oct 11 Aug 31
FA MAIN (Full term) Aug 21 Dec 8 Sep 13
September Term Sep 5 Dec 8 Sep 15
FA2 (Accelerated #2) Oct 16 Dec 8 Oct 26
Winter Mini Dec 26 Jan 11 Dec 30

Spring 2024 Census Dates

Term Term Start Term End Census Date
SP1 (Accelerated #1) Jan 22 Mar 12 Feb 1
SP MAIN (Full term) Jan 22 May 14 Feb 14
Febrary Term Feb 5 May 14 Feb 15
SP2 (Accelerated #2) Mar 25 May 14 Apr 4
May Mini May 15 May 31 May 19

Summer 2024 Census Dates

Term Term Start Term End Census Date
SU1 (Accelerated #1) Jun 3 Jun 27 Jun 13
SU MAIN (Full term) Jun 3 Jul 26 Jun 13
SU2 (Accelerated #2) Jul 1 Jul 25 Jul 11

Why census dates matter for FA

  • Adding a course after the census date could mean you are responsible for the cost of the course.
  • After the census date, any degree program changes will NOT be considered for FA eligibility in the current term.
  • Attendance records must reflect that you are actively participating in a course in order to receive financial aid disbursement. If instructor reported attendance records show that you ceased participation in the course before the term census date, you may forfeit financial aid eligibility for that course.
  • Important Note: If you are in at least one MAIN term course, the MAIN term census date will be used to determine your FA eligibility. In other words, aid will not be re-calculated at a later date within the term even if you add a mini-term course.

Withdrawal Dates

Last day to withdraw from a course and receive a 'W' instead of a letter grade

Fall 2023 Withdrawal Dates

Term Term Start Term End Last day to receive a 'W'
FA1 (Accelerated #1) Aug 21 Oct 11 Oct 2
FA MAIN (Full term) Aug 21 Dec 8 Nov 13
September Term Sep 5 Dec 8 Nov 20
FA2 (Accelerated #2) Oct 16 Dec 8 Nov 30
Winter Mini Dec 26 Jan 11 Jan 3

Spring 2024 Withdrawal Dates

Term Term Start Term End Last day to receive a 'W'
SP1 (Accelerated #1) Jan 22 Mar 12 Mar 4
SP MAIN (Full term) Jan 22 May 14 Apr 15
February Term Feb 5 May 14 Apr 25
SP2 (Accelerated #2) Mar 25 May 14 May 3
May Mini May 15 May 31 May 23

Summer 2024 Withdrawal Dates

Term Term Start Term End Last day to receive a 'W'
SU1 (Accelerated #1) Jun 3 Jun 27 Jun 21
SU MAIN (Full term) Jun 3 Jul 26 Jul 15
SU2 (Accelerated #2) Jul 1 Jul 25 Jul 19

Why withdrawal dates matter for FA

Although a 'W' will lower your SAP completion ratio, withdrawing before this deadline can prevent a lower GPA. Note, these are not the deadlines for tuition refunds. Please see Tuition Refund Dates for refund deadlines.



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