What is JJC’s Title IV school code?
JJC’s school code is
001699.
What types of aid
am I considered for when completing the FAFSA?
Pell Grant-
Available to undergraduates and does not have to be repaid. It
can be used for tuition, fees, books, and living expenses.
Federal Supplemental Education opportunity Grant (FSEOG)-Campus-based
grant awarded to undergraduates that does not have to be repaid.
It can be used for same expenses as the Pell Grant.
Illinois Student Assistance Commission Monetary Award Program
(ISAC MAP)- Illinois state grant is available to undergraduate
students that does not have to be repaid, is used for tuition
and fees, excluding course fees at JJC.
Illinois Incentive for Access Grant
(IIA)- Illinois
supplemental grant available to undergraduate freshmen student with
an EFC of 0.
Federal Work-Study (FWS)- Based on EFC and
enrolled in 6 credit hours. This is also paid every two weeks
in conjunction with the regular college payroll.
Direct Student Loans- Student loans are not
awarded up front. Please inquire at the reception desk if you
want to apply for a loan.
What is a FAFSA?
A FAFSA is the Free Application
for Federal Student Aid. This application is for government
and state grants.
How do I know if I
am dependent or independent?
This depends mostly on your
age, but sometimes on other things. For the 2008-2009 school
year (July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2009), the U.S. Department of
Education considers the following students to be independent of
their parent(s):
-
Students who
are at least 24 years old by December 31, 2008;
Or
-
Students who
are not yet 24 but who:
-
Are orphans (both parents are deceased);
-
Are wards of the court, or were until age 18;
-
Are veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces;
-
Have legal dependents (children or persons other than a
spouse) that you provide support;
-
Will be graduate or professional students in 2006-2007;
-
Are married; or
-
Can prove to the school unusual circumstances that show
independent status (requires additional documentation).
The rules about
dependency relate to students who are applying for federal financial
aid.
Where can I get a
FAFSA?
The FAFSA is available in two
formats: paper and electronic. The paper FAFSA is available
from your high school. The electronic FAFSA on the web is
available at
www.fafsa.ed.gov .
FAFSA on the web is designed to help you catch any errors before
your application is sent. You can apply on the web anywhere
you have Internet access-at home, school, computer lab, library,
community center, or a friend’s house-24 hours a day, 7 days a
week. The FAFSA is always free.
Do I need to
complete the FAFSA if I’m only applying for scholarships?
A student applying for
scholarships does need to file a FAFSA since many scholarships are
need based.
What is a SAR?
A SAR is a Student Aid Report,
which is sent from the government to the student either through the
mail or through e-mail.
What is JJC’s cost
of attendance (COA)?
A student’s cost of attendance
is about $14,000 and, for those living at home, the cost of
attendance is $9,750. These numbers are estimated based on the
annual full-time costs for tuition and fees, books and supplies,
room and board, transportation and miscellaneous expenses.
Childcare allowances can also be added to a student’s COA.
What is the EFC
and how is it calculated?
The EFC stands for the Expected
Family Contribution. This starts with the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You use it to apply for federal
and most state and school financial aid. Your EFC is calculated by a
standard formula that uses the information you and your family
provide on the FAFSA. You are asked questions about your
family size, the number of people in your family that are in
college, whether you are a dependent or independent student, and
your family’s income and assets. Assets are things like cash,
checking and savings accounts, ownership of or equity in a business,
real estate other than your family home, and investments excluding
retirement accounts (IRA, 401k, 403b). All this information is
part of the formula used to calculate your Expected Family
Contribution. If your EFC is less than your COA, you may be
eligible for need-based financial aid.
How often and when
do I apply for financial aid?
You only need to apply for
financial aid once each academic year. The earliest date is
January 1 prior to the academic year you plan to attend.
Can my financial
aid cover charges for student housing?
Financial Aid does not directly
cover any charges for housing. However, if a student has aid
funds remaining after tuition, fees and books are paid, the student
has the choice to have the money applied to housing charges.
An award letter and a signed release with the Centennial Commons
office must be on file in order for aid to be applied to Centennial
Commons rent.
The following items
are not covered-security deposit, cable, phone, utilities, required
fees, required monthly rent fee, and the required deferred payments
due the first three months of each semester.
Does financial aid
cover the summer?
If there is remaining aid
eligibility from the previous fall and spring semester, you may be
able to use it for the summer semester. You should consult
with the Financial Aid Office. The only options available, if
eligible, are Pell, FWS, and student loans.
Why are financial
aid deadlines important?
The financial aid application,
FAFSA, and related forms are to be completed accurately and the
results are to be submitted to the Financial Aid Office at your
earliest convenience. Certain aid programs are depleted as the
award year advances. For example, FSEOG and College Work-Study
have limited funding and will be exhausted as the year progresses.
The Illinois MAP Grant has a deadline date of August 15 but in
the last few years the state had to suspend awards before the August
15 date. It is important that you complete your forms
accurately, submit them early and maintain communication with the
Financial Aid Office.
How can I check
the status of my financial aid?
If the student provided the
Financial Aid Office with their student aid forms, the student can
contact our office to check the status of their file. If the
student has not received the results of the FAFSA application, the
student can check their status over the internet with a Pin number
or the student can call the Federal Student
Aid
Information
Center at 1 (800)
433-3243.
Should I do the
Admissions or Financial Aid process first?
You can do either process
first. In order for the Financial Aid Office to put financial
aid on a student account, there must be an admissions application on
file with the Admissions Office.
Can I get loans if
my financial aid has been terminated due to Standards of Progress?
If your financial aid is
terminated you are not eligible to receive any loans since they are
federal aid.
Will previous
unsuccessful semesters affect my financial aid even if I paid for
classes myself?
Previous unsuccessful semesters
do affect aid eligibility even if you paid for the classes on your
own.
If I attend JJC
and another institution simultaneously, can I receive grants from
both schools?
If you are receiving financial
aid at one school, you cannot receive aid at another school for that
same semester. You may enter into a consortium agreement to enable
you to receive more aid. You are to contact the financial aid
office at the school you will attain your degree.
Do I have to fill
out a FAFSA to apply for a student loan?
You must fill out the FAFSA to
apply for a loan. This is done to determine eligibility.
When is my Pell
check and Loan check being disbursed?
Pell refund checks are sent out
at the 60% point of the semester is over. Usually this occurs
about 1 month before the semester is ends.
Loan checks are
mailed out, at the earliest, 30 days after the semester begins.
Late applicants will receive their loans later.
What is
Satisfactory Academic Progress?
To be eligible to receive
federal student aid, you must maintain satisfactory academic
progress toward a degree or certificate. You must meet JJC’s
Standards of Progress Policy.
If I am not
eligible for financial aid, what other options are available to me?
FACTS Tuition Monthly Payment Plan
How do I report a
special circumstance?
Loss of a job or benefits,
death in the family, divorce or separation, or extreme medical bills
is examples of special circumstances that can change your financial
aid eligibility. Please call the office to discuss your
situation.
How will receiving
outside scholarships affect my financial aid?
If you receive outside
scholarships, a financial aid advisor will attempt to maintain all
previously awarded grants, scholarships, student work and student
loans to the extent that federal and state regulations permit.
If a reduction is necessary the advisor will reduce loans or work
allocations first. It is the student’s responsibility to
report all outside scholarships.
Will my financial
aid change from year to year?
Probably. Your financial
aid eligibility is based on many variables, including your FAFSA
information, academic performance, and housing arrangements.
Your aid may be influenced by a change in your family’s ability to
pay, an increase or decrease in federal and state funding, or by
missing a required deadline.
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