What types of Financial Aid does North Central Texas College offer?

NCTC offers various types of financial aid, including: Pell Grant, Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG), Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP), Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Toward EXcellence, Access and Success Grant (TEXAS Grant), Texas Educational Opportunity Grant (TEOG), Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Parent Plus loan for undergraduate students (PLUS), Work Study, and Scholarships.

I am new to Financial Aid, what forms and/or documents will I need to apply for grants, student loans and scholarships?

Scholarship applications are available in the NCTC Financial Aid Office. For any grant, including the Pell Grant, work study and student loans, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students should also be prepared to provide NCTC with copies of various financial documents, if requested. For student loans, students will be required to complete additional forms, including a Master Promissory Note. Many of the required forms are available at our website

http://www.nctc.edu/Student_Services/FinAid/Forms.htm

Are there any other requirements?

Yes. There are several general eligibility requirements financial aid recipients must meet. A student must: be a US citizen or an eligible noncitizen; males must be registered with selective service; show documented financial need; be enrolled in an eligible program, and working toward a degree or certificate offered at NCTC; not be in default on a student loan or owe a refund on any educational grant; and not have a conviction for violating any federal or state drug possession or sale law while the student was receiving federal student aid.

What if I have a drug conviction?

A drug-related conviction does not necessarily make you ineligible for aid;

call 1-800-433-3243 or go to http://www.fafsa.ed.gov to find out if you are eligible.

So, is that all I need to know?

In order to obtain financial aid at NCTC, you will need to be admitted to the school by completing an Admissions application. Students will be required to submit an official High School transcriptor copy of their G.E.D to the NCTC Registrar's Office. If you have been to any other college or trade school, official transcripts from all prior colleges must be on file in the Registrar's Office. If you have attended NCTC previously, students must have maintained satisfactory academic progress.

What is Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)?

In order to remain eligible to receive the federal/ state funds students must demonstrate satisfactory academic progress . The student's academic record is used to measure satisfactory progress and all periods of enrollment at NCTC must be counted, including any semesters in which the student did not receive financial aid. Some financial aid programs have additional satisfactory academic progress requirements.

Once awarded how will I get my money?

All grants and scholarships are electronically credited to a student's account. A student can also provide written authorization to charge books and supplies purchased through the campus bookstore to their financial aid account.

What if I have a credit balance on my account after all my institutional charges are paid?

Refunds will be issued to the student as a Direct Deposit to the student ID/Master Card issued through the NCTC Business Office.

When are refunds disbursed?

They will be disbursed by the business office approximately 30 days after the beginning of the semester.

Are there rules for using my financial aid monies?

You may use the financial aid money you receive only to pay for your education expenses at the school that is giving you the funds. Education expenses include school charges such as tuition, room and board, fees and indirect expenses such as books, supplies, equipment, dependent child care expenses, transportation and rental or purchase of a personal computer.

I still owe money for the installment plan, will my Financial Aid be applied to my remaining balance?

Yes. When your financial aid is posted to your account, any unpaid institutional charges (tuition and fees, books and dorm) will be paid before you receive any refund.

Will Financial Aid pay for all the classes I want to take?

In order to receive financial aid, you must be taking classes that work toward a degree or certificate offered at NCTC. If a student is enrolled in courses that do not count toward their degree or certificate, they can not be used to determine enrollment status.

I have not passed the THEA test will Financial Aid pay for remedial classes?

Financial aid will pay for 30 hours of remedial coursework. Remedial hours attempted beyond the 30 hour limit will not be included in the student course load for determining enrollment status. Students will not receive any financial aid if they are enrolled in only remedial classes.

What happens if I withdraw from school?

Federal regulations require a portion of the student's financial aid be returned if the student withdraws or stops attending before completing over 60% of the semester. This could result in a student owing money to NCTC and or the federal government.

The required calculation is based on the date the student began the withdraw process, the student's last date of attendance at an academically related activity or midpoint of the semester for a student who leaves without notifying NCTC.

When does the Financial Aid Office determine my enrollment status?

If the student enrolls in a compressed semester (Fall, Spring, Summer I or Summer II)or in a minimester that is included as part of the previous semester (December or May mini), the student's final enrollment status for determining grant eligibility that semester is the census date for the semester of the last course taken. If a student drops, withdraws from or adds a class before the census date, the student's enrollment status will be adjusted and the student's grant eligibility recalculated based upon any changes in enrollment status through that census date. Recalculations will include both increases and decreases in enrollment up to the census date of the student's last class.

I noticed my award letter is for full-time enrollment.

What happens if I enroll in fewer hours?

Your awards may be decreased. If you would like to know your award for less than full time enrollment, use the following percentages to get an approximate award amount: three-quarter time students multiply the award by 75%, half-time students multiply the award by 50% and less-than-half-time students multiply the award by 25%. Not all students that qualify for a Pell Grant at full-time enrollment will qualify for one at less-than-full-time enrollment.

How do I determine my enrollment status?

A full-time student is enrolled in 12 or more hours. A three-quarter time student is enrolled in 9-11 hours. A half-time student is enrolled in 6-8 hours. A less-than-half time student is enrolled in 1-5 hours.

I am thinking about also going to school during the summer, will I receive Financial Aid?

Funding for summer Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG) depends on the availability of funds. If you do not earn your maximum full-time Pell grant award during the Fall thru spring semesters, your Pell Grant may be carried forward for the summer semester. Before the summer semester starts, contact the Financial Aid Office to determine if you have any remaining eligibility.

Do I have to apply for Financial Aid each year?

YES! We like to tell students to apply for financial aid the same time they complete their tax returns.

What is a PIN?

Once you have applied for financial aid, you will be mailed a PIN. This allows you access to your information. To protect the privacy of your information, you must keep your PIN secret. If you need a PIN, have lost or forgotten your PIN, or if you think someone else knows your PIN, you can request a new one at www.pin.ed.gov.

How do I make an address change, a correction, check the status of my fafsa application, or add NCTC on my Student Aid Report (SAR)?

You can call 1-800-433-3243, or you can make those changes over the Internet at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov once you have a PIN. Instructions are available at the website.

What if I can't find my tax return, where can I get a copy?

There are two easy methods, first you can call 1-800-829-1040 and choose the option "Your Personal Account Information" or you can mail a complete form 4506 sign and mail it to the address on the form. You can get the form on thier web-site at www.irs.gov or you can call 1-800-829-3676.

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