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 involve cumulative GPA, attempted credits, and earned credits.

Academic Year: The academic year is comprised of first and second semesters and the summer session.

Appeal: A student who has been denied financial assistance or who has been placed on financial aid probation because of failure to maintain satisfactory progress may appeal in writing to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. Current federal regulations require that students must maintain satisfactory academic progress to receive financial aid. However, under certain limited circumstances it may be possible for the committee to make a professional judgement and to certify that a student who was unable to complete the credit load or GPA requirements because of circumstances beyond his/her control is making satisfactory academic progress.

Cancellation: Successful completion of classes means passing grades must be earned. Grades of F,W,N, and U do not count toward successful completion. If a student is not making satisfactory progress as defined by this policy for two consecutive semesters, the student's financial assistance will be canceled. If a student completely withdraws from DCC or otherwise earns no credits for a semester, the student shall have his/her financial assistance immediately canceled without a semester's probation. Furthermore, a student's financial assistance will be immediately canceled should he/she fail to successfully complete:

6 or more credits per semester for a full-time student
5 or more credits per semester for a 3/4 time student
4 or more credits per semester for a 1/2 time student.

(see Withdrawal)

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 overaward. If an overaward exists you will be billed.

Challenge Courses: Students will not be funded.

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 (see Enrollment Status), failure to do so could result in financial aid probation or cancellation. A student is not allowed to 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.

Enrollment Status: Students receive financial aid based on semester credit hour loads.

A student enrolled for 6-8 semester credit hours (half-time student).
A student enrolled for 9-11 semester credit hours (three-quarter student).
A student enrolled for 12 or more semester credit hours (full-time student).

Part-time students with 6 or more credits will be considered for reduced financial aid packages. Pell recipients receive 75% if enrolled as a three-quarter student, 50% if enrolled as a half-time student. Other aid may be reduced or eliminated.

Students enrolling for fewer than 6 credits are not considered for financial aid with one exception. Undergraduates who are seeking their first degree may be eligible for a reduced Federal Pell Grant.

Incomplete: An incomplete course is one for which no credits were earned. It is construed as an "F" until a positive letter grade is recorded with the Registrar.

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.

Probation: The result when a student successfully completes only:

6-11 credits per semester for a full-time student.
5-8 credits per semester for a 3/4 time student.
3-5 credits per semester for a 1/2 time student.

Students in this category may receive financial assistance during the next semester. The student must still successfully complete the credits and GPA as outlined in the "Guide for Measuring Satisfactory Progress"(link to Satisfactory Academic Progress page). In the event the student fails to meet these criteria for two consecutive semesters, the student will be considered as not making satisfactory progress and will have his/her financial assistance canceled.

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).

Reinstatement: A student whose financial assistance has been canceled for failure to make satisfactory progress may: 1) petition the Financial Aid Appeals Committee in writing for reinstatement of financial assistance; or 2) pay one semester with own resources and make satisfactory progress per this policy. However, independent study and/or challenge courses taken after aid has been canceled may not be included.

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 semester and may enroll for a particular course no more than once.

Repeated Courses: Repeated courses for financial aid purposes are courses that have been previously attempted but are not considered a part of the current semester class load. Repeated courses must be taken in addition to the number of credits required for the aid the student is receiving.

School year: Two semesters plus summer session of the academic year constitutes the school year. For financial aid purposes, the summer session concludes the school year.

Stop Outs: A student who ceased attendance at DCC and who was not making satisfactory progress at the time is reinstated provided that the student has not been enrolled at DCC for a period of at least three calendar years. Such a student shall be on financial aid probation.

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. Students must pass at least 12 credits and be in compliance with the "Guide for Measuring Satisfactory Progress for Full-time Students"(link to Satisfactory Academic Progress page) during the first semester they receive financial assistance at DCC. Failure to complete these requirements will cancel any future financial assistance.

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 canceled, subject to the reinstatement provisions listed in this policy. A student who has been funded as a full-time student but who successfully completed less than six credits per semester will be ineligible for financial aid. 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 (See Expenses section of catalog).