Financial Aid Questions & Answers

How do I apply for Financial Aid?

Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a Renewal FAFSA and submit it to the federal processor as soon as possible AFTER October 1st. Be sure to submit your FAFSA/Renewal FAFSA to the federal processor in time for them to process it (about four weeks) and transmit the results to us before your expected term of enrollment. You may prefer to apply online by using FAFSA on the Web at www.fafsa.gov ( https://www.fafsa.gov ). We strongly encourage this method of applying since it is faster and generally more accurate because the online version has built-in edits. Apply for financial aid at the same time, or even before, you apply for admissions.

What is the Title IV School Code for CPTC?

CPTC's Federal Title IV School Code is 005511. This number must be used when completing the FAFSA in order for CPTC to receive your financial aid application.

Do I need to reapply for financial aid each year?

Yes. Each year you must file either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Renewal FAFSA for the appropriate academic year and submit any additional verification documents that are requested. You must also maintain satisfactory academic progress in order to qualify for aid each year.

Can the Office of Financial Aid estimate if I am eligible for Title IV Aid?

The Office of Financial Aid cannot determine the number of your awards until the results of your FAFSA has been received from the federal processor. Your eligibility is determined by the federal processor from the information you (and your family, if a dependent student) supply on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The federal processor determines your "Expected Family Contribution" (EFC) according to a formula supplied by the U.S. Congress and then forwards this information to the Office of Financial Aid. Only then can the Office of Financial Aid begin to determine the amounts of your awards.

Why do I need to complete a Verification Worksheet and submit a Federal Tax Return Transcript?

Each year, the Federal Processor selects an estimated 30% of the financial aid applicants for a particular school in a process called Verification. The school must verify the information that the student provided on his or her FAFSA. Various verification documents are required to verify that information.

Effective July 16, 2012, applicants selected for verification are now required to provide documentation of tax return information by either using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool that is part of the FAFSA on the Web or by submitting to the student’s school, an IRS Tax Return Transcript obtained from the IRS.

How do I know if my financial aid application has been processed and approved?

The Office of Financial Aid uses the college’s assigned Microsoft Office Outlook Live email address to communicate with each student. Any requests for documentation or award notifications will be sent to this email account once established by the college. Emails instruct students to log into their secure BannerWeb portal where he/she can review their award status for the aid year.

Can a veteran receive both VA Benefits and federal/state financial aid?

It is possible, but veterans' benefits can greatly impact the amount of financial aid a student can receive.

How do I apply for the HOPE Scholarship or Grant?

All students interested in applying for Financial Aid at CPTC are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA). However, students who do not wish to complete a FAFSA application will be required to complete the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) GSFAPPS application online at https://www.gafutures.org/ or contact the Financial Aid office for further assistance.

Do I have to be full-time to receive HOPE?

There is not a minimum or a maximum number of enrollment hours for a student to receive HOPE, provided the student has not reached the HOPE Paid-Hours limit. A student will be paid HOPE according to the number of enrollment hours (capped at 15 semester hours) each semester.

How many hours must I take to be classified as a full-time student for financial aid purposes?

12 credit hours or more is required to be considered full-time status.

How is my Enrollment Status determined?

For the purpose of awarding aid, the enrollment status is as follows:

• Full-time status is any student enrolled and attending classes for a minimum of 12 federal credit hours per semester.
• ¾-time status is any student enrolled and attending classes for a minimum of 9-federal credit hours per semester.
• ½-time status is any student enrolled and attending classes for a minimum of 6-federal credit hours per semester.
• Less-than-half time status is any student enrolled and attending classes for 1 to 5 federal credit hours per semester.

What is Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)?

Satisfactory Academic Progress is a set of federal, state, and institutional guidelines for students receiving financial assistance. If a student fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress, he/she will be placed on warning or suspension status. A copy of the current Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress policy may be found in the CPTC Student Handbook for the current year.

Can I appeal my SAP status if I am suspended from financial aid for failing to maintain satisfactory academic progress?

Students who feel they have extenuating circumstances that have contributed to their failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress may appeal the status according to the guidelines established by the Office of Financial Aid. This policy can be found in the CPTC Student Handbook for the current year.

What happens to my financial aid status if I withdraw from school?

Students who withdraw from school while on financial aid may have their awards reduced. Depending upon when you withdraw from school, your awards can be reduced and you may be required to repay a specified percentage of any aid you have received in the term in which you are withdrawing. Check with the Office of Financial Aid before withdrawing from school to see if withdrawing could have an effect on your awards.

How can I get my financial aid transferred to another school?

Students transferring to another institution will have to make a correction to their current year FAFSA by adding the institution's Federal School Code. Students must also contact the institution and complete any necessary forms to determine eligibility.

What type of financial aid can I receive as a transient student while I am a student at CPTC?

A student wishing to take a transient class at another TCSG Technical College may be eligible to receive HOPE at the HOST school if the student is eligible for HOPE at CPTC. If the student is eligible for Title IV aid, CPTC will notify the HOST school in order that they may send an enrollment verification form after 60% of the semester. This allows CPTC to award the students Federal Aid at that time during the semester. Students will be required to pay for any tuition, fees, and book costs that HOPE does not cover while a transient student at the host school.

I probably don't qualify for aid. Should I apply for aid anyway?

Yes. Students often think they do not qualify for aid and prevent themselves from receiving the financial assistance that is available. The Office of Financial Aid offers a variety of financial aid programs with different eligibility requirements.

If I am not eligible for Federal Grants, can I apply for a student loan?

Coastal Pines Technical College does not participate in the Federal Direct Student Loan Program. Scholarships and Grants that Coastal Pines Technical College offers assist a large majority of our student population with tuition, fees, and book costs. An additional percentage of students receive assistance with other educational costs. If this assistance is not enough, students may visit the Sallie Mae webpage for more information about obtaining a private student loan. Click here to visit Sallie Mae.

If I don't attend class, what happens to the PELL Grant and HOPE Awards for the semesters listed on my award letter?

Your award notice list awards for the entire award year. However, if you withdraw from school or do not attend class during a particular semester, you cannot receive those estimated awards.

If I moved to Georgia less than 1 year ago, can I qualify for the HOPE Grant?

A student must be a legal resident of Georgia 12 consecutive months prior to the first day of the semester they are planning to enroll in classes to be considered eligible for the HOPE Grant/Scholarship if the student graduated from a Georgia High School. Students who did not graduate from a Georgia High School must be a legal resident of Georgia 24 consecutive months prior to the first day of the semester to be eligible for HOPE Grant/Scholarship.

If I get married after I complete my application, can I change my marital status?

No, the student's marital status is effective for the award year as of the date the application is submitted. During the Application Renewal period for the next award year is when a student can update his/her marital status.

How do I check to see how many HOPE Paid-Hours I have used?

Students can review the number of HOPE Paid-Hours they currently have used by logging into their GAfutures account. Click here to visit GAfutures.