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FAQ - How Aid Works at Pima
- What are the important financial aid dates I should know?
- What is a Cost of Attendance?
- What is EFC?
- How is my "financial need" determined?
- Can I receive aid on less than full time enrollment?
- What expenses can I expect financial aid to cover?
- What is verification?
- What if I am selected for verification?
- When and how will I receive my financial aid?
- What will happen if I drop a class?
- What happens if I withdraw from the College?
- What is Satisfactory Academic Progress?
- What are the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress?
- What if I have unusual circumstances?
- Can my financial aid change?
Additional FAQS: Financial Aid FAQ | Applying for Aid
1. What are the important financial aid dates I should know?
Important dates can be found on http://www.pima.edu/announcements/200901/finaiddates.shtml
2. What is a Cost of Attendance?
It is the amount the College estimates it will cost to attend college for the academic year. Costs include: tuition/fees, books and supplies, housing, meals, transportation, and personal expenses.
3. What is EFC?
EFC is your Estimated Family Contribution. Calculated from the information you provided on your FAFSA, it represents your and your family's ability to contribute to your educational expenses. If the household income level has changed due to divorce, death or changes in employment or benefits, you may submit a Request for Special Circumstances Review form.
4. How is my "financial need" determined?
Financial need is the maximum amount of aid we can offer you in grants, work-study and subsidized loans. The following formula is used to determine your financial need.
Cost of Attendance – Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) = Student Financial Need.
5. Can I receive aid on less than full-time enrollment?
Your financial aid is awarded based on full-time enrollment. If you enroll less than full-time, your financial aid will be adjusted to reflect your actual enrollment. You will be notified on your MyPima Financial Aid tab of any changes made to your financial aid package due to this adjustment. You must be enrolled at least half-time (6 units) to maintain eligibility for loans.
6. What expenses can I expect financial aid to cover?
Financial aid is awarded based on an average Cost of Attendance (COA) that includes appropriate tuition and fees for your educational program, books and supplies, and other educational expenses such as living, transportation, personal and miscellaneous expenses that may be incurred during the academic year. Do not expect that your financial aid will cover ALL costs incurred while attending college.
7. What is verification?
Verification is a federally mandated quality control process in which the Department of Education selects student files at random for review. If you are selected for verification, the school is required to check certain data on the FAFSA and compare them to your financial documents. We need additional paperwork to complete this process. If your file is selected for verification, you will be notified on your My Pima Financial Aid tab.
8. What if I am selected for verification?
You will need to submit to the Financial Aid Office signed copies of student and parent or spouse (if applicable) Federal tax returns, W2s, a completed Verification Worksheet and Worksheet ABC.
9. When and how will I receive my financial aid?
Financial aid is normally disbursed prior to the start of each semester. As a financial aid recipient, your financial aid award funds will first be used to pay your tuition and fees. After all your tuition and fees are paid for, the Office of Student Accounts (206-4574) will issue you a check for any remaining funds. The earlier you apply for aid and provide all requested documentation, the earlier a decision on your aid eligibility can be made and funds offered to you.
10 What will happen if I drop a class?
If you drop a course after you have already received your financial aid, you may have to pay back funds. If you drop all your courses, the probability that you will need to pay back aid increases significantly.
11. What happens if I withdraw from the College?
We understand that unexpected events occur in life that could cause a student to withdraw from PCC. Federal regulation requires financial aid to be awarded under the assumption that a student will attend the institution for the entire period in which Federal assistance was disbursed.
We suggest staying in at least 6 units if at all possible so your loans don't enter repayment. Your aid will be recalculated if you completely withdraw. Then we have to return funds to the Department of Education, and those funds will have to be paid back by the student. We encourage you to read all the information on the Dropping and Withdrawing page to help you understand the effect of withdrawal.
12. What is Satisfactory Academic Progress?
U.S. Department of Education regulations require students to maintain satisfactory progress toward a degree or certificate. Therefore, PCC will evaluate students for compliance with the three Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards. Failure to meet these standards may result in the loss of financial aid eligibility. Students at risk are strongly encouraged to contact academic and financial aid advisors.
13. What are the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress?
The three satisfactory progress standards PCC evaulates are:
- Minimum number of credits
- Minimum GPA 2.0
- Maximum number of credits
For full details of your requirements see the Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards page.
14. What if I have unusual circumstances?
If any of the following circumstances apply to you or your family, and occurred during the application year, please complete a Request for Special Circumstances Review.
- Divorce of parents, or you from your spouse
- Death of a major wage earner in your household
- Loss of employment of a major wage earner in your household
- Loss of other income or benefits (such as Social Security or child support) by you, your parents, or your spouse
15. Can my financial aid change?
Yes. Initial financial aid awards are the best estimate of your eligibility. Most changes in awards, however, involve factors that are under your control and of which you should be aware. Your award may be increased, reduced, or even canceled, if:
- Your family financial circumstance changes, causing your need to change.
- You receive any additional outside resource, such as a privately awarded scholarship.
- You provided incorrect data on your FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA.
- You do not maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.
- Your level of enrollment is less than full-time. All initial awards are based on the belief that a student will enroll full-time. If you do not enroll full-time, you will be placed in a student budget that accurately reflects your level of enrollment.
Additional FAQS: Financial Aid FAQ | Applying for Aid
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