Do I have to reapply for financial aid every year?

Yes. You are required to apply for financial aid every year. If your financial or family circumstances change, your eligibility for financial aid may change significantly, especially if you have a different number of family members in college.

What is Pratt Community College’s school code?

School code is: 001938

How do I apply for scholarships?

To apply for PCC scholarships you will need to complete the online scholarship application that can be found here.

How many credits must I be enrolled in to qualify for financial aid?

Students who are eligible for a Pell grant must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours for 16-17 consecutive weeks to receive full Pell grant. Students enrolled less than full time, Pell will be prorated dependent upon how many credits hours and weeks the student is enrolled.  A student must be enrolled in minimum of 3 credit hours to receive Pell.  For student loans, a student must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours.

What is the difference between a Subsidized and Unsubsidized Direct Loan?

Subsidized Loan - the federal government pays the interest on your Subsidized loan while you are enrolled at least half-time. Eligibility for Subsidized Loans is determined by financial need, are for a limited eligibility period, and are available to students seeking an undergraduate degree.
Unsubsidized Loan - you are responsible for Unsubsidized loan while enrolled in school. You have the option to pay the interest or defer the payment until after graduation.  Eligibility for Unsubsidized loans is available to both undergraduate and graduate level students.

What happens if I withdraw from all my classes or stop attending?

Withdrawing or not attending can have major consequences. You may have to repay a portion of your financial aid to either the federal government or PCC. Always contact the financial aid office before withdrawing to see if you will owe a repayment.

How do I add a college to a processed FAFSA?

To add colleges after you have already submitted your FAFSA, click the Login button on the home page and log into FAFSA on the Web. Click Make FAFSA Corrections, and then navigate to the “School Selection” page.

To search for a college that you want to receive your information, select the state in which the college is located, then enter the city and/or school name and click Search. We will search our database and display your results in order by best match. You can re-sort the list in alphabetical order by School Name.
 
From the Search Results, you can select up to ten colleges to add to your list of Selected Schools. You can select an individual college, or you can press the Ctrl button on your keyboard and select multiple colleges. After you have selected the college(s), click the ADD>> button to add the college(s) to your list of Selected Schools

My parents refuse to provide their tax information for the FAFSA. Can I still get financial aid?

Yes, but you will only be eligible for the unsubsidized Stafford Loan, which means you must pay interest while attending college. However, if your inability to obtain parental information is due to unusual circumstances (parental incarceration, abuse, abandonment, etc.), you should contact your college’s financial aid office to inquire about a dependency override, which will allow you to apply as an independent student.

My parents aren't helping me pay for college. Am I considered independent?

Even if your parents don't contribute money toward your education, you are considered a dependent of your parents unless you:

  • Will be 24 years old before January 1 of the academic year, (for example, 24 years old before, born January 1, 1992, for the 2016-17 academic year;
  • Are an orphan or were a ward of the court until age 18;
  • Are a veteran;
  • Currently serve on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training;
  • Will be working on a master's or doctorate program or graduate certificate;
  • Are married; or have a legal dependent other than a spouse that you support more than 50%.

See the FAFSA application if you have a legal guardianship, if a court has declared you an emancipated minor, or if you have been considered an unaccompanied youth or homeless.

If my parents are divorced or separated, whose financial data should be used when I'm completing the FAFSA?

If your natural parents are separated or divorced, use the natural parent with whom you lived the most in the past 12 months. If you lived with neither parent, or lived with each parent an equal number of days, use the parent that provided the most financial support to you over the past 12 months. If that parent has remarried, you must also include the stepparent's financial information on the application, and parent and stepparent should report themselves as married on the FAFSA.

When do I start repaying my student loan(s)?

You are responsible for repaying the principal balance of your student loans after you have completed your degree or cease to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis (half-time enrollment for most undergraduates is defined as 6 credit hours per semester). Most federal loans allow you a six-month grace period after you cease enrollment on at least a half-time basis before you have to begin repayment. Perkins Loans have a nine-month grace period before you have to begin repayment. Your lender will notify you when repayment is scheduled to begin. Be sure you keep your lender informed of any change in your permanent address so you will not miss this important communication.

How can I find out who my loan servicer (lender) is to start repayment?

Visit the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS®) to view information about all of the federal student loans you have received and to find contact information for the loan servicer or lender for your loans. You will need your Federal Student Aid PIN to access your information.
 

I am having difficulty repaying my student loans, what can I do?

If you are having difficulty paying back your student loans, there may be options to assist you with repayment such as, loan consolidation, deferment, forbearance, or different repayment plans. For more information on repaying your student loans, please visit the Federal Student Aid website.

What is default resolution?

If you received a letter and/or your Self-Service account says that you need default resolution, that means that one or more of your student loans are currently defaulted. In order to rectify this, you will need to contact your loan servicer and make arrangements to get your student loans out of default. We will need a letter from your loan servicer stating that your loans are in repayment and/or deferment and are not longer in default.

Can I still get a Stafford Student Loan if I have a student loan in default?

No. You must contact your lender and make arrangements to pay off your previous student loan. Generally you must make at least 6 consecutive monthly payments before you will be eligible to take out a new Stafford Student Loan.

 Can I receive financial aid at two schools at the same time?

No! You can receive federal financial aid at only one college at a time. If you will be taking classes at two different schools at the same time, you will need to decide which school you want to receive aid from.

How do I apply for Financial Aid if I am attending two schools at the same time?

You first need to decide which school will be your home school. The home school is the school at which you are working on your degree. You must notify the home school of your enrollment at the other school. You cannot receive aid at two schools at the same time in the same semester. Under current law, you can only receive aid at one school. In order to receive financial aid for the total number of hours enrolled at each institution, you will need to speak with your home  school about a consortium agreement with the host school.