Financial Aid Definitions
Academic Bankruptcy: The DCC Fresh Start will not be granted to students receiving Title IV aid. A separate academic progress calculation must be made each semester for all Title IV recipients, which will include cumulative GPA, attempted credits, and earned credits.
Academic Year: The academic year is comprised of fall, spring, and summer terms.
Canceled Classes: When the college cancels a class due to low enrollment, your financial aid eligibility will be re-calculated to determine if there is an over award.
Challenge Courses: Students will not be funded.
Changed and Late Grades: The student must notify the Financial Aid Office of grade changes, including updates for incomplete or missing grades. Grades must be officially changed in the Registrar’s Office before financial aid will be reviewed.
Declaration of Major: Financial assistance may be given to students who are in Associate of Arts or Associate of Science programs as long as the students are enrolling for courses to satisfy core requirements and general electives.
Dropped Classes: Financial aid recipients must complete the credits for which they were funded, (failure to do so could result in financial aid probation or suspension. A student must not drop below these credit levels later in the semester without first getting written approval from the Financial Aid Office. This approval will be granted for just cause only. A class changed to “audit” status will be treated as a class from which a student has withdrawn.
Incomplete: An incomplete course is one for which no term credits were earned. It is construed as an “F” until a positive letter grade is recorded with the Registrar. The student must inform the Financial Aid Office of the grade change.
Independent Study: Students will not be funded.
Non-Degree Students: A non-degree student is, by definition, not considered to be in a course of study and is, therefore, not eligible for financial aid through the DCC Financial Aid Office. Financial assistance may be given to students who are in the Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree programs. (See Declaration of Major).
Non-Financial Aid Recipients: By law, students who have not received financial aid in the past but who intend to apply for financial aid must also maintain satisfactory academic progress.
Ombudsman: For help resolving student loan problems after you have tried all other avenues go to the following website: http://www.ombudsman.ed.gov, or call 1-877-557-2575.
Refund: Students receiving Title IV financial assistance will be subject to both the Institutional Refund Policy and the “Return of Title IV Funds”. (See Expenses section of catalog).
Remedial Courses: Students may include as part of their minimum credit load certain sub-100 remedial courses which do not apply toward graduation requirements. For financial aid purposes, a student may enroll in sub-100 courses totaling no more than half their credit load per term and may enroll for a particular course no more than once. Attempted remedial credits cannot exceed 30.
Repeated Courses: Students may repeat a course and have it counted toward their term credit load under normal circumstances; all repeated courses are considered attempted credits within a program. The Financial Aid Office may remove this option if the privilege is abused.
Transfers: A student who transfers to DCC and who was not eligible to receive financial assistance at a prior institution as a result of his/her failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress at that institution shall be on immediate financial aid probation at DCC.
Verification: Some students will be required to submit tax returns and other documents to verify the information on their applications. If you are selected you will be advised as to the documentation required. Failure to provide requested documentation will stop further processing.
Withdrawals: Students who withdraw from DCC or otherwise earn no credits for a semester shall have their financial assistance suspended, subject to the reinstatement provisions listed in this policy. The student will be subject to the “Return of Title IV Funds” if the withdrawal occurs prior to the 60% point in time of the period of enrollment.