Financial Aid Procedures, Definitions and Requirements

Ability to Benefit:

These regulations, released by the Federal Secretary of Education, require that all students who do not possess a high school diploma or GED must attain a minimum score on approved tests in order to receive financial aid. For information on these regulations or Ability to Benefit in general, please contact the Student Services Office.

Students wishing to pursue a program major without benefit of financial aid must to show satisfactory academic progress toward completion of the program major.

Top

Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirement:

With the passage of the Higher Education Amendments of 1968, all post-secondary institutions are required to establish standards of satisfactory progress for financial aid recipients. The following financial aid programs are covered under the policy: Pell Grant; Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant; Stafford Loan; PLUS Loan; Minnesota State Work Study; College Work Study; and Minnesota State Scholarship Grant.

In order to maintain financial aid eligibility at Southeast Technical, a student must meet the following grade point average and minimum credit completion standards:

Grade Point Average (GPA): a 2.0 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 grading scale must be maintained
Minimum Credit Completion Standard: The student must complete 67% of all credits attempted.
Program Courses: The student can only receive funding for up to 150% of courses in their program major.

Additionally, the following is reviewed when determining that standards are met:

Incomplete grades are calculated in the GPA as a “0” and as credits attempted but not completed. Once all incomplete grades are removed, a new completion rate and cumulative GPA will be calculated.
Students may be funded for repeat courses up to the limit determined by the financial aid maximum time frame or as determined by academic policy. Repeat courses will be counted as attempted twice and completed once. The last grade in counted in the GPA.
Transfer credits are not included when calculating the cumulative GPA and completion rate but are included when calculating the financial aid maximum time frame.
All credits are reviewed to determine satisfactory progress regardless of academic forgiveness.

Top

Agency Authorization for Admission:

All students enrolled under such agency programs as JTPA, DRS and non-prepaid scholarships must have an official agency authorization document on file in the tuition office no later that the day tuition is due. It is the student’s responsibility to see that proper authorization has been issued to the College or to the student as there can be no admission to class without it.

Top

Eligibility and Sources for Aid:

Several types of financial aid are available to individuals who need it in order to continue their education. Aid may be awarded in both grant aid (no repayment) and self-help (loans and employment) form. Aid applicants are required to complete the College’s Student Information form along with the FAFSA. All forms are available in the Financial Aid Office.

Scholarships:

Many scholarships are available to students. Application information is posted on the College Web site and is also available at the Financial Aid offices.

Work-Study Program:

These are part-time jobs that may be on or off Campus and may relate to the student’s field of study. There are both state and federally funded program that allow students to work 15 to 20 hours per week. The programs are applied for by filling out the FAFSA and the College’s Student Information form.

Top

Application Process:

Application for federal student aid is made by completing the “Free Application for Federal Financial Aid” (FAFSA), which is available from any college or on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Southeast Technical also requires the applicant to complete the Student Information form. The College has a supply of these forms. There is no charge to apply for federal or state aid. For the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) some additional steps must be taken once the FAFSA is completed.

Note: In all cases, a SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER is required at the time of application. Applications cannot be processed without it.

Instructions should be read carefully when applying for financial aid. Most mistakes and delays are caused by failure to follow instructions. Special attention must be paid to questions on income, since that is the area where most mistakes are made. Every question should be completed in order for the applicant to be considered for aid.

APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER January 1. The Southeast Technical Student Information form should be mailed to the appropriate campus financial aid office. It will take approximately four weeks for the FAFSA to be processed. If any information provided by the applicant needs to be confirmed or corrected, reprocessing the FAFSA will take another two to three weeks.

Also, it may be necessary to prove that certain reported information is correct. Each step in the process must be completed promptly, so that no deadlines are missed. For consideration of financial aid, filing must be completed 15 days prior to the semester the applicant wishes to start. MISSING A DEADLINE MAY MEAN DELAYS IN THE AWARD OF THE FINANCIAL AID.

If no response is received in four weeks after completing the FAFSA, inquiry may be made by calling the number for application status checks: 1-800-433-3243. Or, you can check FAFSA status on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Note: Aid from federal programs is not guaranteed from one year to the next. Re-application is necessary every year. Also, if a student changes colleges, aid does not go along. Always check with the new college to find what steps must be taken to receive aid at that college.

Minnesota State College-Southeast Technical