Financial Assistance

Applying for Financial Assistance

At Delgado Community College, we want to provide you with the best financial assistance package possible. In order to be considered for assistance from non-federal as well as federal sources, you must complete the FAFSA, Delgado Financial Assistance Application and submit any financial assistance documents/forms requested.

1. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov (Delgado’s school code is 004626.)
2. Check the status of your application and download any required forms at www.dcc.edu. Click “Student Self Serve” then “Enter Student Services” and login. See handbook section Online Tools & Resources  for more info.
   
   Important: Please contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance at (504) 671- 5040 if you have not received an award notification within 45 days of submitting all requested documents and forms.
3. Accept your award online at www.dcc.edu by logging in to Student Self-Serve. All award notifications should be confirmed with an acceptance or rejection within ten (10) business days. You must accept or reject each part of your financial assistance award. Failure to submit your award notification within the time frame mentioned above may cause a cancellation of your financial assistance award.

Financial Assistance Deadlines

1. Priority Processing — If you have submitted all required documents by Jan. 6, 2012, your application will be given priority. If you register during priority registration, you must make payment arrangements no later than Jan. 13, 2012. If you register during regular registration, you must make payment arrangements by the close of business that day or your class schedule will be deleted. The last date for submitting financial assistance applications and any required documentation is April 20, 2012.
2. Loans — To apply for an educational loan to help pay the cost of attending school, you must have received a response to your free application for financial assistance. The deadline to apply for a loan is April 15, 2012.
3. Financial Assistance Appeals — in time to hold classes If you submit your financial assistance appeal before the close of business on Jan. 6, 2012, we will consider your appeal in time for your classes to be held with financial assistance if the committee rules in your favor.

Satisfactory Progress

To be eligible to receive Federal Student Aid, you must maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined in the College Catalog for this academic year. You may also review the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy at www.dcc.edu/CurrentStudents/FinancialAid/Forms.

If you fail to meet the required standard, your eligibility for financial assistance might be suspended. In the event of exceptional mitigating circumstances, you may appeal your suspension of your eligibility to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee in writing. Appeal forms may be obtained from the Office of Student Financial Assistance or online at www.dcc.edu/CurrentStudents/FinancialAid/Forms.

Submitting an Appeal

If you submit an appeal after Jan. 6, 2012, you must pay to hold your classes. The last date for submission of an appeal for the Spring 2012 is Feb. 15, 2012. If you register or change your schedule during regular registration or late registration, if you receive financial assistance (a grant or an educational loan) and

• if you register for classes (in person or on the Internet) during regular or late registration,
  or
• if you pre-registered and then changed your schedule during regular or late registration,
  or
• if you dropped or were dropped from one or more of your classes after you registered, YOUR CLASSES WILL NOT BE HELD FOR YOU UNLESS YOU BRING A COPY OF YOUR CLASS SCHEDULE TO THE OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO SHOW THAT YOUR SCHEDULE HAS BEEN CHANGED.

Obtaining Proceeds of an Educational Loan

Federal regulations require that student loans awarded for one semester (fall, spring or summer only) be disbursed in two installments. Loan disbursements will be credited to the student’s account at the beginning of the semester and at the mid-point of the semester.

If the student loan is for one semester (fall, spring or summer only), regulations require two disbursements of funds. The first is after the 30-day delay and the second is at the midpoint of the semester.

First-time Borrowers

Federal regulations require that the College delay delivering the proceeds of educational loans to first-time borrowers until 30 days after the start of classes. Therefore, student loan funds for first-time borrowers will not be applied to their accounts before Feb. 23, 2012.

In addition, all first-time borrowers must receive loan counseling before loan funds can be disbursed. The counseling session must be conducted online at http://mapping-your-future.org. Students must also complete a Master Promissory Note at www.studentloans.gov.

Books

If you are eligible to receive a Pell Grant or student loan and your fees have been paid and a credit balance (monies owed to you) remains on your account, and you have given the college permission to pay other educational expenses, you may purchase books in the bookstore on the first day of classes or by going to http://dcc1.bkstore.com.

Financial Assistance Payments in Excess of Tuition/Fee

At the time financial assistance is credited to your account, applicable outstanding charges will be deducted, and any excess credit balance will be refunded electronically via direct deposit to your Delgado Dolphin One Card within 14 days after classes begin. The Dolphin One Card will be mailed to your permanent address on file. Please verify your address with the Office of the Registrar at your respective Campus. Once you receive the card, please log into the Web site www.dolphinonecard.com to select your refund preference (direct deposit or higher one fast refund).

Federal Financial Assistance Refunds/Repayments

When a student completely withdraws from the College during an academic period for which he or she is the recipient of Title IV funds, the College is required to determine whether the return of Title IV funds must be made according to statutory and regulatory requirements. The rules that govern the return of Title IV Funds assume that a student earns his or her assistance based upon the period of time that the student remained enrolled.

During the first 60 percent of an enrollment period, a student “earns” Title IV funds in direct proportion to the length of time that he or she remains enrolled. The percentage of time during an academic period that a student remained enrolled is the percentage of dispersible assistance for that period that the student earned.

Assistance is “dispersible” if a student could have received it at that point of academic period when the student withdraws from the College. Total dispersible assistance includes that which was disbursed and that which could have been, but was not, disbursed as of the student’s date of withdrawal. A student who remains enrolled at the College beyond the 60 percent point of an academic period is presumed to have earned all assistance for that period. Unearned Title IV funds, other than Federal Work Study, must be returned.

Unearned assistance is the amount of disbursed Title IV funds that exceed the amount of Title IV funds earned under statutory and regulatory guidelines. The responsibility to repay unearned Title IV funds is shared by the College and the student in proportion to the Title IV funds each is assumed to possess. The College will notify, in writing, a student who is required to repay and return unearned Title IV funds before the end of the enrollment period.