Martin Community College attempts to assist students in meeting their financial needs to complete their educational goals. Coordination of all financial aid services is handled by the Student Services Division of the College, which also serves as a referral agency for the following:

• Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA)
• Workforce Investment Act (WIA)
• Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
• Department of Social Services
• Employment Security Commission (Job Service)

The financial aid program at Martin Community College was established to ensure that qualified students have the opportunity to continue their education. Financial aid is awarded largely on the basis of need, which is defined as the difference between a student’s annual cost of education and the amount the student and his or her family can reasonably contribute toward his or her education and is determined by a formula established by the U.S. Congress.

Financial aid is awarded in the form of grants, scholarships, and part-time employment (work-study). Grants and scholarships are gifts that do not have to be repaid. Work-study is money that a student earns by working part-time for the College or a governmental and/or a nonprofit agency. Financial Aid awards are mailed to the address on record in the Registrar’s Office. It is the responsibility of the student to keep his or her information current.

Students who qualify for financial aid must be enrolled in a curriculum program and must meet all academic requirements which includes making satisfactory academic progress as defined by the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Financial Aid.

Students wishing to either double major or change their major should see the Financial Aid Director to ensure continuation of their Financial Aid funding.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Financial Aid

Financial Aid Academic Eligibility Standard

The U.S. Department of Education has published regulations that require institutions to measure satisfactory progress toward program completion for students who receive federal aid. The College monitors satisfactory academic progress (SAP) of financial aid recipients at the end of each term. To maintain eligibility for financial aid, a student must comply with the following standard:

• Must have a program GPA of 2.0
• Must have a program completion rate of 67% at the end of each term. The rate is calculated by dividing the total number of hours the student has successfully completed by the total number attempted. Successful completion of a course is defined as earning a grade of A, B, C, or D. Grades of “F”, “AU”, “I”, “W”, and “WF” are not considered as successful completion. The rate also includes transfer credit hours that are accepted toward a student’s educational program.
• Must complete a program of study in a time frame not to exceed 150% of the published length of the program. This is measured in credit hours (e.g., if the academic program length requires 60 credit hours, maximum time frame cannot exceed 90 credit hours attempted). Financial aid eligibility is limited to the 150% maximum time frame of a program’s credit length even if the program is not completed. Change of major or program may not be sufficient reason to extend the credit limit. Financial Aid/ Multiple Major policy: Effective Summer Semester 2013, students may major in more than one program. For Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) determination, a student may only have one 150% time frame calculation, regardless of multiple eligible programs. The longest credit hour program will be used to determine the student’s 150% time frame calculation.

Failure to meet any of the standard requirements may result in denial of federal financial aid at Martin Community College.

If a student fails to meet these eligibility standards, an automatic WARNING status (see below) is enforced. Grades of A, B, C, and D only will be evidence of successful completion of course work for purposes of calculating institutional percentage completion rates.

Measurement Point/Times Standard Applied

The financial aid academic eligibility standard will be evaluated at the end of each term for financial aid applicants. Eligibility for receipt of financial aid can be denied at any measurement point if any standard is not met.

Good Standing Status

Financial aid applicants who meet a program GPA of 2.0 and a program completion rate ≥ 67% , and have a time frame not exceeding 150% of their calculated hours at the time of evaluation are considered to be in GOOD STANDING and are otherwise eligible for aid.

Warning Status

When a student in GOOD STANDING fails to meet the eligibility standards for either completion rate and/or GPA, an automatic WARNING status is enforced. The student will be notified in writing of this change in status and the potential impact it may have on aid eligibility. If a student in WARNING status fails to meet the minimum standards for another term, he/she becomes ineligible for aid. The student has the option to appeal after becoming ineligible (see appeal procedures).

Failed Status

Students who do not meet the program requirements at the end of the warning term will be suspended from financial aid but may appeal their eligibility. If the appeal is approved, students would be on PROBATION status for one more term. At the end of the PROBATION term, students would not be eligible for aid unless they are meeting the program requirements.

Financial Aid regulations also give the appeal committee the option to develop an academic plan for students who would not be able to meet program requirements in one semester. Students who are given an academic plan are required to meet SAP program requirements by a certain point in time established by the appeal committee.

Reinstatement of Aid Eligibility

A student may apply for a re-determination of eligibility through the APPEAL process. A student may submit an appeal for reinstatement on the basis of 1) mitigating circumstances or 2) after successfully rehabilitating the program 2.0 GPA or better, completion rate of 67%, and maximum time frame of 150%.

Appeal Procedures

Reinstatement of aid is never automatic. A student must apply for re-determination of aid eligibility by completing a Martin Community College Financial Aid Appeal form. A student may use the appeal process to petition any financial aid action that the law allows. Appeals are made through the Financial Aid Office (Financial Aid Director) on the official form and will require the following: an explanation and documentation regarding why the student failed to make SAP and a statement and documentation as to what has changed in the student’s situation that would allow the student to meet SAP in future terms. Appeals are reviewed by the Appeal Committee. Students will be allowed one appeal after failing SAP minimums. If the appeal is approved, the student’s transcript will be re-evaluated and they will be given the following: 1) an academic plan of action that allows them adequate time to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), or 2) one semester of financial aid that allows them to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Appeal eligibility will be reviewed on a case by case basis and it will be determined by the Appeal Committee on what is the best alternative for the student.

Probation Status

Successful appeals will allow a student to be placed in PROBATION status. Students must meet the conditions outlined in the appeal decision. If a student is unable to meet these conditions, the student will be ineligible for aid until the program GPA is at least 2.0 and the program completion is at least 67%.

Transfer Student Requirements

Course work taken at another institution that is accepted and officially transcribed as transfer credit by Martin Community College will count toward the 150% maximum time frame calculated hours as well as the cumulative completion rate. If the limit is exceeded, the student must submit an appeal to determine aid eligibility. GPAs from other schools are not considered in Martin Community College’s financial aid satisfactory progress policy.

Consortium Agreements

Students enrolled in more than one institution under consortium agreements are subject to the home institution’s Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.

Developmental Course Work

Students will be allowed a maximum of 30 credit hours of developmental course work in addition to the credit hour maximum. Developmental course work is defined as course numbers below 100.

Applying for Financial Aid

Students wishing to apply for financial aid must do so each year by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This application is available online at Federal Student Aid or in the Financial Aid Office at MCC and may also be obtained from other educational institutions. Students should submit an application before May 1, for the following academic year. After submitting the FAFSA, the student will receive a document called a FAFSA Submission Summary. This document should be checked for accuracy and any necessary changes should be corrected immediately. The Financial Aid Office at MCC can make these changes electronically if MCC’s school code is listed on the application. Other documentation may be required and will be requested from the student as necessary. After all documentation has been submitted, the Financial Aid Office will process the financial aid application, verify academic eligibility, and send an award letter to the student indicating the financial aid awarded for the current academic year, if eligible.

Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements

Financial aid is awarded primarily on the basis of need. In addition, financial assistance depends on the availability of financial resources. To be considered for financial aid, applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an eligible curriculum program at Martin Community College;
• Be a citizen or an eligible non-citizen of the United States with a valid Social Security Number;
• Be an undergraduate student who has not previously received a bachelor’s degree;
• Demonstrate financial need;
• Have a high school diploma, GED or HiSET certificate, or Adult High School Diploma;
• Be making satisfactory progress in the course of study being pursued;
• Not be in default on a Federal Perkins Loan (formerly NDSL) or a Student Loan (formerly Guaranteed Student Loan) and not owe a refund of federal funds at any institution;
• Meet any applicable program or degree-specific criteria;

If students qualify for financial aid, they will receive an award letter. Students should review the award carefully.

Return of Title IV Funds Policy

The Higher Education Amendments of 1998, Public Law 105-244, details the way funds paid toward a student’s education are handled when a recipient of Title IV funds withdraws from the school. Title IV funds include Federal Pell Grant and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.

If a recipient of Title IV funds withdraws from school then the institution (MCC) uses a pro rata schedule to determine the amount of Title IV funds the student has earned at the time of withdrawal.

If the amount of Title IV aid disbursed to the student at the time of withdrawal is greater than the amount of aid earned by the student, unearned funds must be returned to the fund from which the aid came. If the amount of Title IV aid disbursed to the student is less than the amount of aid earned, then the student is eligible to receive a post-withdrawal disbursement of the earned aid that was not received. The student will be responsible for repaying all Title IV aid that was received but not earned.

Types of Financial Aid

• Federal Pell Grant: The Federal Pell Grant program is designed to be the foundation of a financial aid package. The U.S. Department of Education calculates the Student Aid Index (SAI) for each student using a standard formula. The College uses the student’s SAI and his or her cost of attendance to make an annual award. All students are encouraged to apply for a Federal Pell Grant each year that they will be enrolled in college.
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant: The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a federally-funded program that provides grants for students of exceptional financial need with priority given to Pell Grant recipients.
• Next NC Scholarship: The Next NC Scholarship is a financial aid program that helps most North Carolinians from households making $80,000 or less pursue a higher education, by fully covering tuition and fees at any community college. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for this grant. Students with the greatest need for financial aid could qualify for even more funding to help make paying for college more manageable. For more information and to review eligibility criteria, visit nextscholarship.org.
• Federal Work-Study: The Federal Work-Study program provides part-time jobs for students with financial need. It allows students to earn money to help pay their educational expenses while enhancing their work experiences. Students who are accepted in this program work approximately 10-12 hours/week, earn minimum wage, and are paid on a monthly basis.
• Less Than Half Time/Targeted Assistance Grant: Very limited funds are received from the State of North Carolina for this grant. Rules of eligibility are determined by the State Board. For Less Than Half Time Grant, students must be attending less than 6 credit hours and have an EFC between 801 and 4000. The maximum award is $30 per credit hour for a total of $150. For the Targeted Assistance Grant, students must be in a high demand/low enrollment program.
• Child Care Grant: Child Care Grant is funded by the State of North Carolina to assist currently enrolled students with day care expenses. Funds are paid directly to day care providers. Preference is given to students who are enrolled full-time (12+ credit hours).
• Scholarships: Martin Community College has a limited number of institutional scholarships which are generally awarded to students with exceptional academic averages. In selecting recipients, the MCC Financial Aid Office reviews all applications and presents award candidates to the Scholarship Committee based on the student’s academic record, financial need, and other requirements as described for the individual scholarships. The Scholarship Committee makes the final decision on scholarship awards. Scholarship applications and information are available online or in the Financial Aid office. For a current list of scholarships, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement.