Financial Aid at FCC

Financial Aid Deadlines and Announcements

The Fall 2012 FCC Foundation Scholarship application (STARS) will be available April 15, 2012 with a deadline of May 31, 2012 at 12 noon.

Click here for instructions and to apply.

IT'S TIME TO SUBMIT YOUR FAFSA FOR 2012/13!!!

If you are planning to attend FCC in Fall 2012,
you should submit your FAFSA as soon as possible.

Once you submit your FAFSA, you should receive a letter from our office in about two weeks, telling you what paperwork we need to complete the process. Processing can take up to 6 weeks. The priority deadline for turning in complete paperwork is June 1st. (This is in order to ensure that processing is complete by the payment deadline for Fall).

PLEASE NOTE: NEW RULES REGARDING THE SUBMISSION OF TAX INFORMATION

Starting with the Fall 2012 semester, we are no longer allowed to accept regular tax forms.

Starting with the 2012/13 FAFSA, students and parents will have two ways of submitting tax information, when requested, to the Financial Aid Office. The FAFSA will offer an IRS Data Retrieval option, which will allow most individuals to electronically pull in tax information directly from the IRS to their FAFSA.

The second option will be to obtain a 2011 tax transcript (OR Non-filing Statement) and W2 transcript directly from the IRS. Please see Directions for each of these options. It can take several weeks to obtain a tax transcript.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED SEVERAL CHANGES TO FINANCIAL AID REGULATIONS FOR THE 2012/13 ACADEMIC YEAR.

In an effort to keep you informed, please read each section below. These changes may affect your financial aid for next year.

1. New rule regarding high school diplomas:
   New students who enroll in an eligible program on or after July 1st, 2012 must have either a high school diploma , GED, or eligible Home School diploma to be eligible to receive Federal Student aid. Students without a high school diploma must get a GED if they want to receive federal financial aid. NOTE: Students who have previously qualified through the ATB or the 6 credit successful completion rules are “grandfathered” in. Students must have met the rule and be enrolled in an eligible program by June 30, 2012 to meet the “grandfather” rule.


2. New rule regarding lifetime Pell limits:
   Starting July 1, 2012, students will only be allowed to receive a Pell Grant for a maximum of 12 (full-time) semesters. This is retroactive to the first time a student received a Pell Grant.


3. Interest rate changes on subsidized loans:
   Beginning July 1, 2012, interest will accrue on subsidized student loans during the 6-month “grace period” after you graduate or drop below 6 credits. This will be in effect until June 30, 2014, unless Congress enacts legislation to change this rule. Interest will be capitalized if not paid during this period. The interest rate on subsidized student loans will increase from 3.4% to 6.8% on July 1, 2012, unless Congress enacts legislation to keep it at 3.4%.


4. The maximum Expected Family Contribution (EFC) for Pell Grant eligibility has been lowered from 5273 to 4995, but the Pell Grant maximum award amount will remain $5,550 for the school year.

***IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO TAKE SUMMER CLASSES AT FCC***

Summer Pell is awarded as part of the 2011/12 academic year. A student is eligible for up to two full-time semesters of Pell during an academic year.

Current Students

• If you were a full time student (12 credits or more) in both Fall and Spring semesters, you will not have any additional Pell eligibility for summer.
• However, if you are planning to take at least 6 credits in the Summer semester, you may have loan eligibility. Contact our office or check the web site for the steps to be completed to apply for a Direct Student Loan.
• If you attended part-time for part of the year, you may have Pell eligibility for Summer. If you have any questions regarding your summer award eligibility, contact the Financial Aid office.

New Students

• New students should complete the 2011/12 FAFSA and make sure FCC is listed. Our school code number is 002071. The deadline to submit the 2011/12 FAFSA is June 30, 2012.
• Once we receive your FAFSA information, we will send you a letter requesting documentation to finish the process. Please apply early. It can take 4 to 6 weeks for us to process your file.
• The rules listed above also apply to new students. If you wish to borrow a Direct Loan for summer, contact the Financial Aid Office for the required forms.