Financial Aid Application
Alternative Loans
Federal Stafford Loans
Disbursement of Aid
Enrollment Status
Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities
Policy for Withdrawls
Title IV Funds
Transfer Students
Veteran Affairs (VA)
Types of aid available at PBCC include grants, scholarships, work-study programs and student loans. Grants are awarded on the basis of financial need and do not have to be repaid. Scholarships do not have to be repaid and are awarded for various reasons, including merit, talent and need. The work-study program allows students to earn money for their education through on-campus or community service jobs. Loans are available to parents and students and must be paid back according to the terms of the loan agreement. For detailed information on financial aid programs offered at PBCC, and how they are distributed, refer to the PantherAid publication available in the Financial Aid Office or online at www.pbcc.edu/financialaid.
Financial Aid Application
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in applying for all financial aid and is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov, or through the Financial Aid Office on each campus. The student needs to complete a FAFSA each academic year. The student must follow all instructions carefully as filling out this form correctly will prevent delays in the financial aid application process. Assistance with completing the FAFSA is provided by the Financial Aid Office on each campus. If you are considered a dependent student by federal guidelines, your parents must also complete and sign the FAFSA before you submit it for processing. The Financial Aid Office will use the results of the FAFSA to determine financial need and offer a financial aid award package.
Financial Aid “Priority Dates” are listed in the Financial Aid Office of each campus and online. Your financial aid file must be complete and received electronically by the Financial Aid Office by this date to be considered “on time” for the academic year. Applications received by this date will be given priority when awarding limited funds such as scholarships, grants and on-campus employment. If your FAFSA is selected for verification, it is not considered complete until all verification documents have been returned and reviewed by financial aid staff. Any corrections to the initial application may change and/or delay award eligibility. No funds will be awarded until the Financial Aid Office has completed its review of the information and verified the application; therefore, applicants should submit all requested documentation as soon as possible.
Note: The Financial Aid Office retains the right to request any additional documentation deemed necessary to complete the review or verification of an application.
Student Responsibilities · Students must reapply for financial aid every academic year. (The academic year begins in August.) Applications are available beginning in January for the upcoming academic year. Please see the student handbook for additional important dates concerning financial aid. · Students must have a high school diploma or GED or be admitted to the College under the Ability to Benefit clause before any aid can be awarded. (In accordance with the Ability to Benefit clause, certificate-seeking students in an approved program for financial aid that does not require a high school diploma or GED must pass the Florida College Entry Level Placement Test. · The student must be enrolled at PBCC as a degree-seeking or certificate-seeking student in an eligible program of study to receive a financial aid award. Only courses which apply to the student's degree at PBCC may be used to determine enrollment status for federal and state aid programs. · Students must keep their addresses updated with the College. Students can change their information online at www.pbcc.edu/PantherWeb or contact the Admissions Office each time the address changes to avoid unnecessary delays in receiving checks and correspondence. · Students must keep the Financial Aid Office updated on any changes to their academic schedule and/or enrollment status. Students who decide not to attend one or more classes will be liable for the tuition and fees unless they drop the course(s) prior to the end of the published add/drop period for that term. · Students must notify the campus Financial Aid Office if they plan to enroll at more than one institution during the same semester. · Students can receive funding from only one school at a time; however, students may be eligible to have award amounts adjusted if they qualify for dual enrollment. See the campus Financial Aid Office for details. · Students must meet the College’s Standards of Academic Progress to be eligible to receive financial aid. (See the Standards of Academic Progress section.) Students under suspension are not eligible for financial aid. Students must also meet a Financial Aid Standards of Academic Progress (SAP) to be eligible for financial aid. For more information on the financial aid SAP policy please see the Panther Aid or online at www.pbcc.edu/financialaid. · All transfer students must have high school transcripts received and all postsecondary transcripts evaluated by PBCC before there can be an offer of financial aid.
Alternative Loans
PBCC does not participate in any Alternative Loan Programs.
Federal Stafford Loans
First-time borrowers at PBCC are required to complete an entrance interview before receiving their loan funds. A student must maintain at least six credit hours during the requested loan period to be eligible to receive funds from this program.
Disbursement of Aid
Disbursement of financial aid awards to students generally begins in September for the fall term, February for the spring term, and June for the summer term. Awards are disbursed when the student has submitted all required information and meets all eligibility criteria, including the Standards of Academic Progress for Financial Aid Program Participation. Disbursements will continue throughout the semester for eligible students. If the total amount of aid disbursed for the term exceeds the cost of tuition, fees and books (if any), the student may receive a Financial Aid disbursement check of any remaining balance from the College Bursar’s Office. Financial Aid checks are subject to the above disbursement schedule.
Financial Aid awards are subject to change depending on the student’s enrollment status at the time of disbursement. A student will not be paid for courses that are not in progress.
Enrollment Status
For the purpose of awarding and adjusting financial aid, the following chart is used to determine enrollment status for financial aid recipients.
Status | Credit Hours | Clock Hours* | | | Required | Required | | Full-time | 12 or more | 360 or more | | Three-quarter-time | 9 to 11 | 270 to 330 | | Half-time | 6 to 8 | 180 to 240 | | Less than half-time | 1 to 5 | 30 to 150 |
*Note: Clock hours are divided by 30 to obtain the equivalent credit hour value.
Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities are eligible to apply for any and all forms of financial assistance that are available through the College. No programs, however, through either the Financial Aid Office or Disability Support Services (DSS) Office are specifically for students with disabilities. The DSS Office maintains a limited list of specialized scholarships.
Students with documented disabilities may enroll in a less than full-time course load as an academic adjustment to accommodate their disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the regulations accompanying Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Students are encouraged to discuss full-time course load requirements with an academic advisor or student services counselor for their respective program. Additionally, the nature of the disability must warrant the adjustment. A financial aid counselor can determine how a reduced course load will affect their aid. Students should be aware that federal law requires the federal Pell Grant funds be prorated based on the number of credits taken, and that the student financial aid budget will also be reduced accordingly. In addition, to participate in the federal Stafford Loan Program, or to have a previous loan deferred, the student must take at least six credits. Finally, as always, eligibility for financial aid depends upon satisfactory academic progress.
Policy for Withdrawals
Financial aid recipients who withdraw from the College (all courses in a given term) will be subject to the Refund and Repayment Policy and may have to return funds. (See the following section.) In addition, withdrawals affect the qualitative measure of academic progress and the timeframe for degree completion listed above.
Title IV Funds
The amount of Title IV aid a student must repay is determined by the Federal Formula for Returns of Title IV Funds, as specified in Section 484B of the Higher Education Act. This act also specifies the order of return of the Title IV funds to the programs from which they were awarded. A copy of the complete policy is available in the Financial Aid Office. Students in default on Title IV loans will not be able to register for classes. The College will permit registration only when the default is resolved with the guarantor or U.S. Department of Education. The College will release academic transcripts for students with defaulted loans in accordance with Florida Statute 1009.95.
Transfer Students
Any student who transfers to PBCC from any other school beyond high school must provide official transcripts from all schools attended, including high school. The transcripts must be evaluated by PBCC before there can be an offer of financial aid.
Veteran Affairs (VA)
The College is state approved for veterans training. Veterans and eligible dependents who plan to attend under any of the various veterans’ training laws should apply through the veterans’ section of the Financial Aid Office.
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