Important Dates - Financial Aid Office

New Students Week of Welcome (WOW) sessions January 19-22, 2021. Join us for these LIVE Zoom sessions that will provide information on programs, connections, and the resources you will need to start the spring semester.

Virtual In-Person (VIP) LIVE Student Support continues, and is made available, Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (closed Friday, Saturday, Sunday & holidays. Cashier only available Monday-Wednesday). Enter the VIP lobby and reach a member of our staff LIVE, including representatives from Admissions and Records, Financial Aid, Counseling, Onboarding, Career Services and the Cashier's Office.

NEW FINANCIAL AID SERVICES & RESOURCES

We’re Here to Help, and are Excited to Introduce You to a Variety of NEW Services and Resources Including: OCELET Chatbot, New Financial Aid: Anytime. Anywhere. Application Process., Free Financial Aid Workshops, 24/7 Video Library, and FA Self Service.

The College has partnered with BankMobile to deliver your financial aid refund.  For more information about BankMobile, visit this link.

DEADLINE DATES

2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

  • Entitlement Cal Grant - March 2, 2020
  • Federal Pell Grant – June 17, 2021
  • California Promise Grant only - June 30, 2021

2020-2021 California Dream Act Application

  • Entitlement Cal Grant - March 2, 2020
  • California Promise Grant only - June 30, 2021

CENSUS DATES FOR 2020-2021

Fall 2020 - September 28th, 2020

Spring 2021 - February 22nd, 2021

Summer 2021 - July 12th, 2021

DISBURSEMENT DATES

Listed below is the tentative disbursement dates and is subject to change without notice.

Fall 2020 Disbursements

File Completion Date                         Disbursement Date                              

Disbursement Type
August 14 September 3 1st Pell Grant/Direct Loan
August 28 September 17 Make-up Disbursement / AB19 & AB2 Grants
September 18 October 1 Cal Grants/ 30 day new Direct Loan /  Make-up
October 2 October 15 2nd Pell Grant / Direct Loan
October 16 October 29 Make-up Disbursement
October 30 November 12 Make-up Disbursement
November 13 December 3 Make-up Disbursement

Spring 2021 Disbursements

* Deadline to apply for the Student Loan: April 2, 2021

File Completion Date                             Disbursement Date                                   

Disbursement Type
January 8 January 28 1st Pell Grant/Direct Loan
January 22 February 11 Make-up Disbursement / AB19 & AB2 Grants
February 5 February 25 Cal Grants/ 30 day new Direct Loan/ Make-up
February 26 March 11 2nd Pell Grant / Direct Loan
March 12 March 25 Make-up Disbursement
March 26 April 8 Make-up Disbursement
April 16 April 29 Make-up Disbursement

Summer 2021 Disbursements

File Completion Date Disbursement Date Disbursement Type
June 4 June 24 Summer Disbursement
July 2 July 15 Make-up Disbursement

 

ENROLLMENT STATUS

Financial Aid Enrollment Statuses are the same for every semester: Fall, Spring, and Summer.

Full Time 12 credits or more
Three-quarter (3/4) time 9-11.5 credits
Halftime (1/2) 6-8.5 credits
Less than halftime (<1/2) 0.5-5.5 credits

 

How can I receive my refund?

Students whose files have been completed and meet all eligibility requirements, including meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress, will have their awards released. Students can view their Financial Aid offer letter on Financial Aid Self-Service, and must accept or Deny any of the awards presented to them, as well as sign their offer letter for funding to be disbursed to their student account.

*Please be aware that all funding will be disbursed based on the units in the courses that a student is currently attending. Courses that have not yet started, will not be calculated in the disbursement amount.

How many disbursements do I receive per semester? 

-Pell Grant and Direct Loan (Subsidized and Unsubsidized): Two disbursements per semester and are based upon the enrollment status of eligible units for classes that have started (Full Time, Three Quarter Time, Half Time, or Less Than Half Time). All courses must have begun in order for Financial Aid to calculate them in your disbursement amount. Students total award received for the semester will be based on the total units a student is registered for at the time of the Financial aid census date, which is always a month after the start of a full semester (Fall, Spring, Summer). Any units registered for after the Financial aid census date will not count toward aid eligibility for the semester. All aid will be adjusted if a students unit amount increases or decreases prior to the Financial Aid census date.

-Federal Student Loans: Must be enrolled in at least 6 units during the time of disbursement.

-Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG): One payment and is included in the first disbursement with Pell Grant. Students must be enrolled in at least 6 units at the time the grant is disbursed. Funds are awarded on first comes,first served basis to students who have zero EFC and meet the priority deadline. If there is remaining funding, we will then award those students with the lowest EFC first.

-Cal Grant Disbursement Policies

  • Initial Disbursement made at Census, the award will be disbursed once per semester based on the registered credits as of the FA Census Date.
    • The initial Cal Grant disbursement will be awarded the week of the FA census date
    • Classes added after FA census date will not be counted toward the unit total when calculating your award.
    • The award will be prorated based on student active enrollment at the census date. Must be actively in 6 units for awards to disburse.
  • Initial disbursement made after Census, the award amount will be based on student’s enrollment at the time of census excluding classes registered after FA Census Date.
    • If a student is added to the roster after census (late add to roster) due to circumstances outside of the school’s control such as competitive award recycling, school change initiated by the student, etc., payment is based on enrollment at the time of disbursement.
  • Initial disbursement made after term completion, the award will be based on the number of units completed for the term.
    • Make up disbursement may be made if there is an increase in enrollment level from part time to full time for late start class enrolled before or by FA census date.

-Student Success Completion Grant Disbursement Policies

  • The award will be disbursed once per semester and usually together with Cal Grant award.
  • Student must be receiving full time payment for Cal Grant B/C
  • All units must be registered by FA census date to be counted toward the units total when determining the enrollment level.
  • Student must demonstrate financial need.

Things to keep in mind

  • Late starting classes must have been registered for in order for those units to be included in the disbursement. Make up disbursement will be disbursed to include late starting classes if there is an increase in the enrollment status.
  • Remedial units that exceed the maximum 30 units will not be included in the determination of the enrollment status.
  • Passed classes (D or higher) that are repeated for the third time will not be included in the determination of the enrollment status.
  • Degree Audit is run for every students degree program. Courses that are not part of a students degree program, will not count toward Title IV eligibility when calculating Federal Financial Aid. These courses must be paid using other alternative funding sources.

June 30, 2021 is the last date to submit 2020-2021 documents.

WARNING: To accept Federal financial aid at more than one institution, for the same enrollment period, is illegal. You will be required to repay the funds.

Fraud Policy

A student who attempts to obtain federal financial aid by fraudulent means will be reported to federal, state, and campus officials for prosecution. Such actions are, therefore, subject to Student Disciplinary actions and suspension of receiving financial aid for unsatisfactory conduct.

Got Questions?

Contact Financial Aid!