Financial Aid

News You Can Use

1.	Enrollment Fees
2.	2011-2012 Processing Update
3.	New Financial Aid Disbursement System
4.	Change of Enrollment Status
5.	Return to Title Regulations
6.	SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy)
7.	Have You Got Your PIN Yet?
8.	Photocopy Policy
9.	Consortium Agreements
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	​Enrollment Fees - Effective Fall 2011, enrollment fees will be $36 per unit for Californai residents.  California residents, who complete and submit a FAFSA and qualify for a Board of Governors Fee Waiver (BOGW), will continue to have their enrollment fees waived.  Please note that Health Fees are not waived by the Board of Governors Grant Program. We urge all students to apply for federal and state financial aid funds each year, if they have not already done so.
	​2011-2012 Processing Update It is not too late to renew or apply for financial aid for the 2011-2012 academic year.  Do not wait, apply now.  You need to follow the key dates of the financial aid process to take advantage of the financial aid programs that are limited in funding.  Please note that if you provided your email address on the FAFSA, we will communicate to you via email; otherwise, we will use the address listed on your FAFSA.  If you have changed your email address, you need to submit a correction to your FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov If you list Pierce College (Federal School Code 001226) on their FAFSA will receive a Document Tracking Letter which will list the documents needed to complete your financial aid file.  Document Tracking Letters will not be sent to you with rejected (invalid) Student aid Reports (SAR's).  Invalid SAR's result when key information and/or signatures are missing.  Eligibility for federal and state financial aid depends (among other factors) on making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).  Students are notified of their SAP via email, if an email address has been provided, or by mail of their SAP status after filing the FAFSA.  Students who are disqualified should contact the Financial Aid Office regarding the petition process.
	​New Financial Aid Disbursement System The Los Angeles Community College District partnered with HigherOne to deliver financial aid disbursements to students effective Fall 2010.  With this new disbursement process, students will be sent a myLACCDcard Debit MasterCard.  With this card, students will have to choose an option to either activate the myLACCDcard or choose an account of their choice via ACH Transfer to a banking institution they are currently working with.  Therefore, it is important that students confirm their mailing address with Admissions & Records Office to ensure receipt of the myLACCDcard.  For additional information, click HERE or visit www.myLACCDcard.com for additional information.
	​Change of Enrollment Status- Colleges must review payments of funds to students each enrollment period to determine if students have received an overpayment.  If you are paid at one level of enrollment and then drop units, you may be subject to repayment of some of the funds you received.  It is your responsibility to drop your classes through the Admissions Office if you do not attend.  Failure to drop classes may reuslt in a financial aid overpayment, which may require repayment of the financial aid you received.  No further award adjustments will be made after the second disbursement run date of the semester.  If it is determined that you owe a repayment, and you DO NOT repay the funds, a hold will be placed on your academic record, your debt will be reported to the U.S. Department of Education for collection, and you will not be eligible for further financial aid at any postsecondary institution until the debt is paid in full.
	​Return to Title IV Funds Policy- The student's eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid programs are based upon enrollment.  The Higher Education Amendment of 1998 govern the Return to Title IV Funds Policy for a student who completely withdraws from a period of enrollment (i.e. semester).  These rules assume that a student "Earns" aid based on the student's semester enrollment.  "Unearned" aid, other than Federal Work-Study, must be returned.  Unearned aid is the amount the Federal financial aid received that exceeds the amount the student has earned.  Unearned aid may be subject to repayment.  During the first 60% of the semester enrollment, a student "earns" aid in direct proportion to the length of time of the student's enrollment.  The percentage of time the student remained enrolled is the percentage of aid for that period for which the student earned aid.  A student who remains enrolled beyond the 60% point of the semester enrollment earned all aid for the period.  If the student owes a repayment, the Financial Aid Office will notify the student in writing.  The repayment may include institutional charges.  The student has 45 calendar days from the date of the notification to repay; otherwise, a hold will be placed on the student's academic and financial aid records.  The hold will prevent the student from receiving college services and will jeopardize future financial aid at any institution in the United States.
	​SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS (SAP) STANDARDS Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in order to be eligible for federal and state aid at Pierce College. SAP for financial aid students will be determined at the end of each payment period/semester (Summer, Fall/Winter, or Spring semesters).  Students who are disqualifed from financial aid will be notified by mail (or email) and receive information regarding the petition process.  Students disqualified at any college in the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) are disqualified at all colleges within the LACCD.  The Satisfactory Academic Progress standards are as follows: Maintenance of a 2.0 or higher cumulative grade point average (gpa). Completion of a minimum of 67% of cumulative units attempted. Fewer than ninety (90) attempted units for students who indicate AA degree, AS degree or transfer program as their educational goal.  Students who have already earned an Associates or higher degree outside of the LACCD will be disqualified and will need to follow the petition procedure.
	​Have You Got Your PIN Yet? - Students can apply for a U.S. Department of Education Personal Identification Number (PIN) that will allow access to their information in several Student Financial Aid (SFA) on-line systems. The most valuable application of the PIN is to allow the student (and his/her parent, using their own separate PIN) to electronically sign the FAFSA, Renewal FAFSA, Corrections on the Web forms. Anyone interested in obtaining a: PIN should go to www.pin.ed.gov and choose "Apply for a PIN".
	​Photocopy Policy - The Financial Aid, Scholarships and Veterans Office can no longer make photocopies of your required documents. Applicants must bring or mail in complete, readable, signed copies of any documents (for example: tax returns) requested on Document Tracking or Pending Letters. Copy machines are available in the Library, the new Copy Center (located on the south side of the College Services Building), and at various local merchants.
	​Consortium Agreement Policy - Effective 2011-2012 academic year, Pierce College will only participate in Consortium Agreement with another institution that is an eligible Title IV institution.  Students must be enrolled in at least one (1) approved unit at the home campus (the campus that is processing the financial aid) to receive additional financial aid provided eligibility exists.  However, Federal Work-Study and Federal Perkins Loan provides priority to students whose enrollment reflects at least six (6) approved units at the home campus due to their limited in funding.  Approval of the Consortium Agreement will only be granted to courses leading to the student's educational goal at Pierce College.  Please be advised that if the student is on an Extension Appeal due to satisfactory academic progress, the student must be enrolled in approved units, meaning classes listed in the Student Educational Plan (SEP) submitted to the Financial Aid Office.  If the student is enrolled in classes not listed on the SEP will be included in the calculated of approved units.  Students who wish to participate in Consortium Agreement outside of the Los Angeles Community College District must submit a Consortium Agreement Form to the Financial Aid Office.