The Aid Offer
To receive financial aid you must be pursuing an eligible degree or certificate program. If you do not have a high school diploma or GED , you must meet the Ability to Benefit requirements to be eligible to receive federal financial aid. Receipt of this aid indicates your permission for this office to release information relative to you, including grades and/ or transcripts to the donor of any scholarship you may receive or agencies from which you may request financial support, such as the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, etc. Funds, where appropriate, will be applied directly to your tuition, fees, books and other college charges. Federal financial aid may only be received from one institution for the same period of enrollment. You must fulfill all of the student responsibilities in accordance with federal and state law as well as institutional policy to receive this financial aid.

Aid Disbursement Procedures
All aid disbursements are handled through the Fiscal (Cashier's) office. You may be required to provide identification to receive you financial aid check(s). You must be enrolled in the minimum required hours as stated on your award letter in order to receive the financial aid offered. Enrollment in classes with late starting dates may delay the distribution of financial moneys. Should your award include a loan, you have an obligation to repay. You must attend an entrance interview prior to receiving funds and exit interview before leaving school. Loans have multiple disbursements and first time borrowers have a 30 day delayed disbursement. Generally, funds, except for Federal Work Study, will be credited directly to your account. Federal Work Study earnings are paid every two weeks for hours worked.

Changes in Status Reported
Additional assistance received from any source since filling your financial aid application must be reported to the Financial Aid Office. Additional assistance could include, but is not limited too, outside donor scholarships and awards. Failure to report such assistance is cause for withholding or canceling part or all of your financial aid award. Any changes in employment, state residency for tuition and fees purposes, name, address, marital status, or course load should also be reported to the Financial Aid Office.

Revision and cancellation of Aid
Revisions may be made to your award as a result of changes in your eligibility, academic status, or failure to comply with federal or state laws and regulations and/ or college policies. In addition, your financial aid award is subject to revision should the annual federal or state allocation of funds be reduced below anticipated funding levels, or should limitation be placed upon funds intended for student financial aid purposes. The college reserves the right to review, revise, or terminate your financial aid award at any time.
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MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGES
STANDARDS OF SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS FOR FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY

All recipients are expected to understand their responsibility in regard to the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements for financial aid recipients at this institution.  You will not be funded for more than 30 credits of developmental coursework (courses numbered below the 100 level) unless you are taking courses in English as a second Language.  Failure to make SAP as defined in the college policy may result in withholding or canceling part or all of your financial aid award(s). Contact your Financial Aid Office regarding your SAP status.

Federal regulations (CFR 668.32(f) and 668.34) require a student to move toward the completion of a degree or certificate when receiving financial aid. Specific requirements for academic progress for financial aid recipients are applied differently than scholastic standards. Federal regulations state that Academic Progress Standards must include a review of all periods of enrollment, regardless of whether or not aid was received. The student must meet the following minimum standards in order to receive financial aid.

I.  Evaluation of Financial Aid Eligibility
Standards of Academic Progress (SAP) are applied once per year, on or about June 1st to determine the eligibility for the following academic year. The evaluation period will be based on attendance in the immediate prior Spring, Fall, Summer term (example: for 2001-2002 academic year, academic progress will evaluated on Spring 2001, Fall 2000, and Summer 2000). students who do not meet the SAP will be notified by mail. The student may make a written appeal or follow reinstatement procedures.

II. Eligibility
Students must meet the following criteria:
A.     1. Students who have attempted at least 6 credit hours in the last evaluation period must complete with a passing grade 2/3 of all credits attempted in the last evaluation period, OR
         2. Students who have not attempted at least 6 credit hours in the last evaluation period must complete with passing grades 2/3 of all credits attempted.

AND

B. All students must meet the following minimum credit hour/cumulative GPA requirement

Credits Attempted*	Min GPA
12-15 16-30 31-45 46 +	1.60 1.75 1.90 2.00

 *for which grade points are computed.

Note: Grades of F,I,N,W,X,Y,Z, and courses not yet graded are considered attempted but not meeting progress standards for the purposes of financial aid.

Following is a list of scenarios with their corresponding financial aid results:

Credits Attempted	Credits Completed	Grade Achieved	Effect on Financial Aid
Any Number	All	D or better	None
Any Number	At lease 2/3 of attempted credits	D or better	None
Any Number	Less than 2/3 of attempted credits	D or better	Financial Aid suspension/ must appeal
Any Number	None	F, I, N, W, X, Y, Z	Financial Aid suspension/ must appeal/ may owe repayment of overaward or Federal Return of Funds.

III. Maximum Timeframe Eligibility
Students who have attempted more than 150% of the credits required for their program of study are not considered to be making Academic Progress and therefore, ineligible for financial aid funds. All evaluated transfer credits will be included when determining maximum timeframe eligibility. Students with Bachelor's degrees or higher will be considered to have exhausted maximum timeframe eligibility.

IV. Repeated, Audited, Consortium, Remedial Courses, Summer
    A. Financial aid may be used to cover the cost of repeated courses.
    B. Audited courses, non-credit courses, credit by examination, and any credit for prior learning option (as outlined in the catalog) are excluded when determining eligibility for financial aid.
    C. Courses funded through a consortium agreement are included in determining academic progress.
    D. Up to 30 credit hours of remedial courses (excluding ESL courses) will be included in determining eligibility.
    E. Enrollment in any or all Summer sessions will be considered one term.

V. Appeal Process
A student who has lost financial aid eligibility may appeal. All appeals must be in writing to the Financial Aid Office where the student is applying for aid and include appropriate documentation. Documentation would include a letter from a physician, attorney, social services agency, parole officer, obituary notice or divorce decree. Extenuating circumstances that may be considered include: personal illness or accident, serious illness or death within immediate family, long-term absence from school, or other circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the student. The condition or situation must be resolved which will allow the student the ability to complete course work successfully or an appeal will not be granted. The outcome of an appeal may include approval, a probationary period, or denial. Students will be notified in writing of the results of the appeal, and of any restrictions or conditions pertaining to their appeal.

VI. Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility
Classes taken at other colleges will not be taken into consideration for reinstatement purposes. A student who has lost financial aid eligibility may be reinstated after the student has taken (without federal funds) at least six credit hours in a semester, passed all attempted credit hours, and meets minimum cumulative GPA requirements. It is the student's responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Office when this condition has been met.

For more information, please contact the Financial Aid Office.
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FINANCIAL AID REFUND/ REPAYMENT INFORMATION
In accordance with federal regulations, students may be required to repay federal financial aid if completely withdrawn from all classes during a period of enrollment.  Any refunds and deposits are applied to institutional debts and/ or federal programs as regulated by law.

Students are affected by this policy if completely withdrawn from all credits before completing 60% of the semester, and they have received federal financial aid (referred to as Title IV funds) for that same period. Students will be notified if they must repay federal money as a result of withdrawing. Calculation examples are available from the school's Financial Aid Office.  Students are referred to the Maricopa Community Colleges' withdrawal policy concerning procedures for withdrawal.

I. Definitions

 A. Calculations are based upon the percentage of aid earned.  For students who officially withdraw from school, the percentage of aid earned is based upon the number of days completed during the semester.  For students who unofficially withdraw from school, the mid-point of the semester is used for calculation purposes.

 B. Amount of aid earned by the student is determined by taking the aid disbursed (plus aid that could have been disbursed) and multiplying by the percentage of aid earned.

 C. Amount of Title IV aid to be returned is the difference between the total aid disbursed and the amount of aid earned by the student.

 D. Amount of unearned Title IV aid due from the school is calculated by taking the total institutional costs multiplied by the percentage of unearned Title IV aid.  If loan funds were included in the disbursement, unearned Title IV Aid due from the school would first be returned to the loan program(s).

 E. Amount of unearned Title IV aid due from the student is calculated by taking the previously calculated Title IV aid to be returned and subtracting the amount of unearned aid returned by the school.  Title IV loans are reimbursed first.  Since loan repayment is subject to the terms of the promissory note, the student is not required to make immediate repayment.  The school will bill the student for amounts requiring immediate repayment.  Student may pay in full or make satisfactory repayment arrangements.  Failure by the student to repay or make satisfactory repayment arrangements will result in the referral of the debt to the U.S. Department of Education, and the student will be ineligible for further Title IV assistance.

II. Funds must be returned to the source(s) from which they were paid.

 A. School return of funds must be distributed in the following order:

1. Unsubsidized FFEL or Direct Stafford Loan
2. Subsidized FFEL or Direct Stafford Loan
3. Federal Perkins Loan
4. FFEL or Direct PLUS Loan
5. Federal Pell Grant
6. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
7. Other Title IV programs

 B. Student return of funds must be distributed in the following order:

1. Unsubsidized FFEL or Direct Stafford Loan*
2. Subsidized FFEL or Direct Stafford Loan*
3. Federal Perkins Loan*
4. FFEL or Direct PLUS Loan*
5. Federal Pell Grant
6. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
7. Other Title IV programs

 *Loan amounts are returned in accordance with the terms of the promissory note.
5-23-2001