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Financial Aid
Financial Aid Policy
Rockingham Community College is committed to assisting students in preparing for
the cost of higher education. Education is a big investment of time, money and effort
for students and families. RCC makes every effort within the limitations of its available
financial resources to assure that no qualified student will be denied the opportunity
to attend the College because of a lack of adequate funds to meet expenses. Financial
assistance is available in a variety of forms including Grants, work-study, scholarships, and
loans that may be used singularly or in combination to meet the student’s total need.
Financial aid is awarded without regard to the applicant’s race, religion, color, national
origin, political affiliation, age, handicap, or gender. However, students must demonstrate
financial need and maintain satisfactory academic progress as described by the college policy
on page 59-60 of the college catalog.
Student eligibility requirements for receiving grants and work-study funds are as follows:
- A student must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen.
- A student must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and
the results received and processed by the RCC Financial Aid Offi ce.
- A student must be enrolled in an approved program of study at RCC
- A student must maintain satisfactory academic progress while enrolled at RCC to
continue to receive financial aid
- A student receiving federal financial aid must not be in default on any student federal
loan or owe a refund on any Title IV grant at any educational institution (individual
situations may require additional documentation)
- A student must never have been convicted of any illegal drug off ense while receiving
federal student aid. A drug-related conviction does not necessarily make a student
ineligible for aid. Call 1-800-433-3243 for more information.
Students may apply, but may not receive financial aid at RCC until they have first been
accepted for admission by the Admissions Office and all official school transcripts for
prior attendance at institutions have been received. Any student wishing to use financial
aid funds to pay for tuition and fees at time of registration should have completed all
documentation for their financial aid fi le no later than two weeks prior to registration.
Availability of eligible funds at registration is not guaranteed; however, the financial aid
offi ce will make every effort to process all fi les in a timely manner for late submissions.
Students must keep in mind that they are eligible for financial aid only for courses that
are in their prescribed course of study and for remedial courses they take as a result of
placement test scores. Audit courses and courses taken as credit by exam are not eligible for
financial aid consideration. Elective courses students take outside their program of study
may affect their financial aid award.
Rights and Responsibilities of Students
Students should know and understand their rights and responsibilities for continuation
of financial aid under the Title IV programs (Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental
Educational Opportunity Grant, and Federal Work-study). These include:
- The student has the responsibility of notifying the financial aid office of any other
scholarships, grants, or loans extended to him/her from sources outside of the
College.
- All awards are based on full-time enrollment for the academic year. Adjustments will
be made accordingly if a student is enrolled for less than full time or does not attend
the entire year
-
Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress as outlined in the College
- Catalog in order to receive any type of financial assistance.
The student who withdraws from school and creates an overpayment will not be
allowed to receive financial assistance until the overpayment has been repaid in full
-
Financial need will be reevaluated each year and appropriate increases or decreases in
the amount of the assistance offered will be made. A new FAFSA must be submitted
each academic year for the purpose of the reevaluation.
Financial Aid will be considered and awarded/adjusted according to the student’s
appropriate credit-hour enrollment status;
- Full-time student – 12 or more credit hours
- Three- Quarters-Time student – 9 through 11 credit hours
- Half-Time student – 6 through 8 credit hours
- Less than Half-Time student – 5 or less credit hours.
The following programs at Rockingham Community College do not have an associate
degree component and Title IV credit hours have a specifi c calculation based on semester
contact hours:
- D55140 Cosmetology Diploma
- C55140 Cosmetology Certificate
- D45660 Practical Nursing
To receive the full-time amount listed on your award letter, you must be enrolled for 12
Title IV credit hours each semester.
To determine Title IV credit hours for these programs:
- Multiply the number of contact hours by 16 and divide by 30.
- Example: registered for 12 credit hours and 13 contact hours (13 contact hours
×16) ÷ 30 = 6.94 Title IV credit hours.
You would round down to 6 Title IV credit hours and receive aid at half time status.
Your award will be prorated depending on the amount of contact hours you are taking:
23 contact hours or more --100%
- 17-22 contact hours --75%
- 12-16 contact hours --50%
- lower than 12 contact hours will be --25%
Types of Available Financial Aid
All students seeking federal or state financial aid based on need must begin the process
by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Th is application
may be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. A student may request paper copies of
the application by calling 1-800-433-3243. The student will receive the results from the
federal processor in the form of a Student Aid Report (SAR) and the school will receive the
electronic results in the college’s financial aid office. The financial aid office is authorized
to request additional documentation as needed to complete the verification and awarding
process.
Federal Pell Grant
The Student Aid Report (SAR) is the official notification of the student’s Pell grant
eligibility. Determination of award amounts are made in the financial aid office based on
the information provided on the student’s SAR as well as required documents and materials
furnished by the student. Federal Pell grants are awarded to eligible students who are
enrolled on a full-time or part-time basis in an eligible curriculum program.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
The financial aid office will award the FSEOG to eligible students on an individual
basis. Student eligibility is determined by the SAR information from the FAFSA. Th is
grant varies in amount and is awarded based upon student need each semester. As monies
are limited in this fund, students are encouraged to apply early.
Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
These grants are available for students who meet the following criteria: US citizen,
Federal Pell Grant eligible, enrolled full time in a degree program, be enrolled in the fi rst
or second year of a program of study at a two year or four year degree-granting institution,
have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study after January 1, 2005 if a
second year student or after January 1, 2006 if a first year student, and have at least a 3.0
GPA if a second year student.
North Carolina Student Incentive Grant (NCSIG)
Legal residents of North Carolina enrolled full-time, in good standing, in an
undergraduate program of study and demonstrate substantial financial need based on the
FAFSA information. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA). The Department of Education must receive the FAFSA by March 15.
North Carolina Community College Grant (NCCCG)
Legal residents of North Carolina enrolled at least 6 credit hours in an eligible
curriculum program at a North Carolina Community College and demonstrate moderate
financial need based on the FAFSA information. Completion of the Free Application for
Federal Financial Assistance (FAFSA) is required.
North Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship (ELS)
Th is scholarship was created by the 2005 NC General Assembly to provide financial
assistance to needy NC resident students attending eligible colleges and universities located
within the state of NC. Eligibility requirements are: Legal resident of North Carolina,
be admitted, enrolled and classified as an undergraduate student in a degree, certificate
or diploma program at an eligible North Carolina institution and demonstrate moderate
financial need based on the FAFSA information. Students must be enrolled in at least
6 credit hours in an eligible curriculum program to receive the NC Education Lottery
Scholarship.
North Carolina Education Access Reward Scholarship (EARN)
Th is scholarship was created by the NC General Assembly to provide financial assistance
to needy NC resident students. Eligibility requirements are: Full-Time students, who are
legal residents of North Carolina, US citizens/eligible Non-citizens, dependent per federal
defi nition, in first-time undergraduate program of study with no prior college experience;
enrolled at an eligible college or university located with the state of NC. To apply students
must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Department of
Education must receive the FAFSA by March 15.
College and Institutional Work Study
Work-study programs allow an eligible student (eligibility determined through the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid) to work on-campus for a department or instructor.
Students may be assigned to work 7-15 hours per week and achieve satisfactory academic
progress and are paid once a month. Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in order to
participate in the work study program. Assignments may be subject to availability of funds.
Alternative/Private Student Loan Programs
RCC does not participate in the Federal Family Education Loan program. Private
funded student loan information is available upon request from the Financial Aid Office.
Contact the financial aid office for more information.
Scholarships Provided through the Rockingham
Community College Foundation
Various individuals and organizations contribute funds for scholarships. The
scholarships and the criteria for consideration that are available at RCC are listed below.
Scholarship applications must be received each year by April 1 in order to be considered for
award.
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