Introduction: Barstow Community College's Financial Aid programs stem from a belief that student aid services should facilitate and foster the successful academic participation of financially needy students. As part of its commitment to students’ positive college experience, the Financial Aid Office provides this information to help students better understand their relationship with financial aid.
State and federal regulations allow community colleges participating in financial aid programs discretion when establishing college specific policies and procedures. This manual represents BCC’s current practices whenever state and federal regulations determine policy decision-making is the responsibility of the college.
It is the goal of the Financial Aid Office to provide students with the most current policy information affecting their financial aid while attending BCC. Accordingly, as new state or federal regulations take effect or college practices evolve, this form will be updated.
Academic Year: Academic programs offered at BCC are calculated in units and measured by semesters. BCC establishes two 18-week semesters (fall and spring) and one 8-week summer intersession per academic year. This meets the federal minimum academic year definition (30 weeks of instruction minimum).
The Academic Calendar can be found at here.
For financial aid purposes, this definition is important because it affects how payment periods are calculated. BCC makes financial aid payments based on the college’s semester. A student’s financial aid is calculated by semester and is based on enrollment.
Enrollment: All awards are made based on full-time enrollment (12 units per semester). Students enrolled less than full-time will have their aid prorated. Refer to the chart below to determine if your enrollment status and EFC allow for aid eligibility. Contact Financial Aid for additional information. You can view your EFC by logging into your account, selecting Financial Aid, then Award, then Award by Aid Year (Select Aid Year), then Award Overview.
| Enrollment |
EFC Eligibility Potential Cut-Off |
|
Fewer than 6 units |
3700 * |
|
6-8.5 units |
5000 |
|
9-11.5 units |
5400 |
|
12 or more units |
5576 |
*Students residing at home EFC Eligibility Potential Cut-Off is 2400
Programs Offered: BCC offers an Associate in Arts degree (AA), an Associate in Science degree (AS), and Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT), all of which meet the minimum academic year definition. BCC also offers some Certificate programs that are eligible for aid. Students must declare an approved program of study with Admissions and Record. The Program of Study Update Form indicates which programs are not eligible for financial aid.
Cosmetology is considered a clock hour program and as such students must meet clock hour obligations to be eligible to receive each subsequent disbursement. Each class is worth 225 clock hours with an additional 25 hours that must be completed before the end of COSM 52. To be eligible for aid a student must meet the required clock hours:
COSM 50A = 225 total hours completed
COSM 50B = 450 total hours completed
COSM 50C = 675 total hours completed
COSM 51A = 900 total hours completed
COSM 51B = 1125 total hours completed
COSM 51C = 1350 total hours completed
COSM 52 = 1600 total hours completed
Courses Ineligible for Aid: Workforce Development (WKFC) Courses are ineligible for aid.
California College Promise Grant (CCPG) Fee Waiver
California Student Aid Programs: Cal Grants and SSCG
LEU: Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU): Effective July 1, 2012 students receiving Federal Pell grants are limited to six years (12 semesters) or full time equivalent (600%) of aid.
Students who have used more than 500% of LEU, but have not yet reached 600% will have aid awarded at a prorated rate to ensure the award does not exceed 600%.
Students may opt to decline receiving Pell grant at Barstow Community College by submitting the Pell Grant Cancellation form found online at here.
Once a student has received 600% of Pell grant, the student is no longer eligible for additional Pell grant funds at any institution. There is no appeal process.
Correspondence: All correspondence, including notifications regarding requested documentation, awards, and Satisfactory Academic Progress are sent via email to the student’s College issued email address. Beginning in spring 2018 the College will no longer send email correspondence to personal email addresses. If a student wishes to opt out, written notice must be given to the Financial Aid Office by the first deadline of the semester.
Refunds: If a credit balance remains after the financial aid disbursement pays any outstanding tuition, enrollment fees, ASG fees, instructional material fees, Viking Shop Bookstore fees, or any other allowable charges posted to the account, a refund check will be mailed to the address on file with Admissions and Records no later than 14 days (two weeks) of the financial aid disbursement.
Unclaimed Title IV Credit Balance: If a check is returned due to a wrong address, the Financial Aid Office will attempt to contact the student via email and/or phone to obtain the correct address and reissue the check.
On a regular basis, the Business Office reviews records for unclaimed checks. Students with unclaimed checks are contacted in an attempt to reissue the check.
If the check cannot be reissued, the funds are returned within the regulatory 240 day timeframe.
Enrollment Status for Disbursement: To receive a full Pell Grant award, a student must be enrolled at a full-time status for all terms fall, spring, or summer semester. Students must be enrolled in at least 6 units to be eligible to receive Pell Grant for summer.
| Full Time |
12 or more units |
|
Three Quarters |
9 – 11.5 units |
|
Half Time |
6 – 8.5 units |
|
Less than Half Time |
Less than 6 units |
Disbursement Based on Attending Hours
Overpayments and Return to Title IV
Satisfactory Academic Progress Procedures
Reconciliation: Reconciliation will occur on a monthly basis for all disbursed financial aid.
Pell Grant: After each disbursement, a reconciliation file will be requested from COD and will reconcile per student between COD year to date disbursement amount and Banner year to date disbursement amount. Any necessary returns will be documented in the R2T4 spreadsheet on the P drive and a requisition submitted to the Business Office for return of funds.
After the final disbursement of the aid year, a final reconciliation will be conducted to ensure a 100% match between disbursed amounts in Banner and COD for each student.
Cal Grants: The Cal Grant roster will be worked on a monthly basis to ensure that students enrolled in classes are paid as appropriate. At the end of each semester reconciliation will occur to ensure that the amount posted as paid in Web Grants matches the disbursement amount in Banner. Any students who are in overpayment for Cal Grants will be added to the Cal Grant requisition and submitted to the Business Office by June 30 to ensure that funds are returned in a timely manner.
County Verification Forms: Students receiving county benefits may be subject to providing documentation regarding the amount of financial aid they receive to the county office. The Verification 106 forms are provided by the student’s assigned case worker to the student needing this verification. Financial Aid does not have these forms on file and will not provide a letter in lieu of the form. All students submitting a Verification 106 form are required to submit a Work Study Application as a county requirement. Financial Aid has a 72 hour turnaround time for completing all forms so plan for this in advance.
The Financial Aid Office has 72 hours to complete all forms. Requests will not be completed if a student has a balance on file except for in the case of the County Verification forms.
