The Financial Aid Office is committed to providing financial assistance to students who lack the financial resources necessary to meet the costs of attendance at NCCC. We encourage all students and their families to apply in a timely manner should there be any question about the affordability of an NCCC education.

Use the information detailed in this section so that you can develop a realistic education financing plan.

The Financial Aid Office maintains an “open door” policy and encourages prospective and continuing students to come into the office. Financial Aid group presentations are offered on a weekly basis. You are strongly urged to make an appointment to attend one of these presentations to learn how to make the financial aid process work best for you.

Application workshops are also scheduled during late afternoons. Applications are then submitted via computer over the Internet. Contact the Financial Aid Office to make an appointment to attend either the group information sessions or the application workshops at (860) 738 – 6326.

Individual and family financial counseling are also provided. Advisement is tailored to the needs of the individual/family in areas of costs of attendance, financial aid overview, budgeting, money and debt management, establishment or improvement of credit, and educational financial planning. Advance appointments are highly recommended.

 

Location:

Northwestern CT Community College Financial Aid Office
Greenwoods Hall, Room 224
Park Place East
Winsted, CT 06098

Financial Aid Office Staff:

Louis Bristol
Director of Financial Aid Services

Bonnie Kraft
Financial Aid Assistant

Davida Greacen
Office Assistant

Email: NW-FinAid@nwcc.commnet.edu

Office Hours: M-F 8:00 AM - 5:00PM

Telephone: (860) 738-6326

NCCC Scholarships

NCCC has an extensive range of scholarships for new, continuing, and graduating students provided through generous gifts to the College to establish various scholarships.
Review the descriptions of Scholarships and become mindful of the application deadlines. Scholarship applications are available in the Financial Aid Office and the Office of the Dean of Continuing Education.

NCCC Student Employment

NCCC College Policy directs the Financial Aid Office to coordinate all on-campus student employment, solicit student worker needs of departments, advertise the positions, and refer possible job candidates to interviews with those departments. Federal Student Aid and State of Connecticut Department of Higher Education regulations require that students apply for financial assistance and be determined to demonstrate financial need in order to participate in either the Federal or CAP Work Study programs. Annual allocations of funds to the College determine the size of the payroll for either program.

The Operating Fund of the College contains a budget item for “Student Labor.” The amount of funds allocated for the Student Labor payroll establishes annually how many students can be referred to work in prioritized jobs on the campus.

Regardless of the source of funds or the specific payroll, the Financial Aid Office functions as the clearinghouse for all student employment. The Financial Aid Office maintains all job descriptions in a Job Book. Further information about specific policy and procedures is contained in the NCCC Student Employment Handbook.


What Are The Steps To Apply For Financial Aid?

Ensure that you have an email address. Free email addresses are offered through Yahoo (www.yahoo.com) for MSN Hotmail at (www.hotmail.com).

Step 1 – Apply for a Federal Personal Identification Number (Federal PIN). This is an electronic access code that serves as your unique identifier. You will need a Federal PIN to complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Keep and maintain the security of your Federal PIN. Don’t lose it or share it with anyone else, not even school counselors.

Go to www.pin.ed.gov in order for the U.S. Department of Education to identify you and send you the four-digit Federal PIN. Note that if you are required to furnish parent’s income information, then you should be certain that one of your parents also applies for a Federal PIN (help them to apply in the same manner that you did). You may also go to this website to request a duplicate PIN, if necessary.

Step 2 – File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA on the Web). To fill out your information required on the FAFSA, you will need various records and information. Locate and use the following:

• Federal Income Tax Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040 EZ for the previous tax year for yourself, your spouse (if married, and your parents, if applicable)
• W-2 Forms for the previous tax year provided to you by your employer(s) so that you, your spouse, or your parents can file a Federal Income Tax return.
• Social Security numbers for you, your spouse (if married), and your parents (if applicable).
• Dates of birth of your spouse (if married) and parents (if applicable).
• Records of untaxed income for the previous year such as Social Security benefits, welfare benefits, TANF, military and clergy allowances, child support received.
• Current bank statements and records of stock, bonds, or any other investments.
• Permanent Resident Alien card number.
• Dates of marriage, separation, or divorce for you and/or your parents (if applicable).

Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov. <Be careful, do not go to fafsa.com>.
Note that if you filed a FAFSA for the previous school year, you may request that the Federal Processor pre-fill your 2008-2009 FAFSA with data from the previous year..
List on your FAFSA, the school code number 001398 to authorize that your FAFSA information be sent to Northwestern Connecticut Community College

Be certain to “sign” your FAFSA using your Federal PIN, and the Federal PIN for one of your parents. If your FAFSA is not properly “signed” your FAFSA will be considered incomplete and any determination of eligibility rejected by the Federal Processor. If for some reason you and/or your parents cannot electronically sign by using a Federal PIN, then you can print out a FAFSA Signature Page, sign it in ink (including your parent) and mail it to the Federal Processor. This method of signature will add two weeks onto the process of sending your FAFSA information to the Financial Aid Office at NCCC.

Step 3 - Upon submission of a complete and properly signed FAFSA, the Federal Processor will tell you immediately if your are eligible for the Federal Pell Grant Program, the largest Federal Student Aid Program, and the platform for creating a financial aid “package” for you. See if the Federal Processor was able to calculate an “EFC” – Expected Family Contribution – to be used in determining your eligibility.

Be certain to read your Student Aid Report (SAR). Review the SAR to make certain that you have provided accurate and complete information. Learn whether your FAFSA is complete, lacks information, or contains all of the required signatures by reading your SAR. Be careful and don’t overlook this important step to ensure your FAFSA is complete.

Step 4 - After having filed the FAFSA, you should monitor the status of your application for financial assistance through NCCC. Provided that you have completed the admissions application process resulting in you being given a college ID, you can now access your records in STUDENT SELF-SERVICE.

Go to http://my.commnet.edu to log in. Note that the PIN requested is NOT your Federal PIN. Then select STUDENT SELF-SERVICE.

Monitor your financial aid application status by clicking on “My Overall Financial Aid Status”. Check your academic progress status for financial aid.

Check to see if you have any outstanding requirements to ensure that your application is being processed by clicking on “My Eligibility”. Click on “Student Requirements” to see if your application was selected to be verified and requires you to provide a Verification Worksheet along with signed copies of Federal Tax Forms, etc.

Look to see if your application is complete and has resulted in sending you a Financial Aid Award Notification by clicking on My Award Information. Note the specific names and amounts of any financial aid program offered to you. If Federal Work Study or a Federal Stafford Loan is listed, note that you are required to indicate whether you accept or decline the offer. After 15 days, any offer of work study or a Stafford Loan that is not accepted will be rescinded and cancelled.

If your access to MyCommNet becomes disabled, (it is disabled after 3 unsuccessful log in attempts – remember your password) you need to contact the Computer Center at ljassen@nwcc.commnet.edu. You may also access the web reset utility at http://www.nwcc.commnet.edu/registration.htm.

STUDENT SELF-SERVICE is the primary means by which the College’s Financial Aid Office, Registrar’s Office and Cashier’s Office communicate with you in a secure and private environment that you can access 24/7.

What if I have special circumstances and my income has changed?

If, after filing your FAFSA, your income (or that of parents or spouse) has changed, you should make an appointment with the Financial Aid Office for further advisement.  Do not submit another FAFSA or begin to make any corrections on one that you have submitted.  Bring to your appointment any documentation you might have to show loss of employment, separation or divorce, extraordinary medical bills, etc.  Your circumstances will be re-evaluated if you can provide adequate corroborating evidence of a significant change in your financial circumstances.

What Is the Definition of an Independent Student?

The Expected Family Contribution is a calculation made by the Federal Processor using sources and amounts of prior year income for you as the applicant, your spouse (if applicable), and/or your parents (if applicable).  Whether or not you must report parental income is based upon whether your status is that of an “independent student.”  For the 2009-2010 award year, you are automatically determined to be an independent student for financial aid purposes if you meet one or more of the following criteria:

• You were born before January 1, 1986.
• You are married as of the date you sign your FAFSA.
• At the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, you will be enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree program (such as MA,MBA,MD,JD,PhD,EdD, or graduate certificate, etc.).
• You are serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training.
• You are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.
• You have children or other dependents who will receive more than half of their support from you between  7/1/2009 and 6/30/2010.
• At any time since you turned age 13, both of your parents were deceased, or you were in foster care or were a dependent or ward of the court.
• You are or were an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence.
• You are or were in legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence.
• At any time on or after 7/1/2008, your high school or school district homeless liaison determine that you were unaccompanied youth who was homeless.
• At any time on or after 7/1/2008, the director of any emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by HUD determined that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless.
• At any time on or after 7/1/2009, the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless.

Note:  If you answered “Yes” to any of the above questions, you do not have to provide parental income information.
If you answered “No” to any of the above questions, you must provide parental income information.

A financial aid administrator can make a determination or independence with documentation of unusual circumstances, even if the student initially filed as a dependent student.  The student bears the burden of proof in submitting documentation that may require statements or affidavits from disinterested third parties to include health care providers, social workers, high school guidance personnel, and/or members of the clergy all of who could attest to the special circumstance that caused financial independence as an unusually young age.

Term Used in the Definition of an Independent Student

LEGAL DEPENDENT:  Any child who receives more than half of his/her support from the student (however the child does not have to live with the student), including a biological or adopted child.  Also any person, who lives with the student and receives more than half of his/her support from the student now and will continue to do so through 6/30/2010.

What Are the Priority Deadline Dates?

All applicants for financial assistance are required to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

To attend the Fall & Spring Semesters                    To attend Spring Semester only

July 1 for new students                                        December 1 for new students
June 1 for continuing students

Although the Financial Aid Office accepts applications on a first come first serve basis throughout the whole year, we strongly recommend that the FAFSA be filed well in advance of the above dates to allow for correction or verification of data. On-time applicants who meet the above dates will receive notification of eligibility before the beginning of classes. On-time applicants will then be able to deduct the anticipated financial aid funds from their tuition and fee charges. FAFSA data or income verification documents received after the Priority Dates will be reviewed on a rolling basis as long as available funds permit. Late applicants run the risk of not allowing enough lead time to process FAFSA data, complete any verification process, or correct data; therefore, campus-based funds may be exhausted by the time that the application is finally considered complete.

All financial aid applicants are strongly encouraged to develop a sound educational plan and to apply early to receive the fullest consideration and advantage to limited funds.

Requests for Federal Stafford Loans to defer payment of tuition/fees, including completion of Loan Entrance Counseling and filing of a Master Promissory Note, must be accomplished before the first day of classes of any academic term. Requests for loans after that date will be processed on a first come first serve basis, but not for the purpose of deferring payment of tuition/fees.

The College recommends that Federal Stafford Loans be considered only as a last resort. Students and parents usually are able to avoid the obligations and added interest costs of borrowing by enrolling in the College's Installment Plan. Further details are available in the Cashier's Office located in Greenwoods Hall (738-6313).

What Are the General Eligibility Requirements?

How Are Family and Income Information Verified?

Approximately 50% of all FAFSA’s are selected for a process of “Verification”. This means that the U.S. Department of Education requires the College Financial Aid Office to obtain documents to verify household information and taxable and non-taxable amounts of income from you, your spouse (if married), and/or your parent(s) (if applicable).

If you have requirements to verify information, you will be notified through STUDENT SELF-SERVICE and will have a list of the documents you need to submit to the NCCC Financial Aid Office. Log in via my.commnet.edu, navigate to the sub-menu of “My Eligibility”, and click on “Student Requirements” for a listing of any specific verification documents required of you.

Your application for financial assistance is not considered complete until you submit the required verification documents. Delays in completing the verification process will delay processing of your FAFSA and being able to send you a notification of any financial assistance packaged for you. To meet Federal regulations, the last date for the submission of verification documents (Verification worksheets, income tax forms, etc.) is September 1 for the previous award year. Failure to provide verification information will result in forfeiture of any financial aid estimated or scheduled for that award period.

How Are Financial Aid Packages Determined?

If you have submitted a complete, accurate and properly signed FAFSA, and submitted the necessary income documents and forms to fulfill verification requirements, you will have your FAFSA reviewed for financial aid consideration on a first- come first-serve basis. You are first considered for the Federal Pell Grant program as the potential platform of identifying available funds from various programs to fill a portion of your “financial need”. Since not enough grant funds exist for all eligible students, you may seek part-time employment through the Federal Work Study Program or the College’s Student Labor payroll. Awards typically range between $1,200 - $3,000 per academic year.

As a last resort, students may seek a loan through the Federal Stafford Loan program. Loan amounts are determined by the Financial Aid Office commensurate with the financial need determination of each individual. Federal Stafford Loans must be repaid!

The goal of packaging financial aid for students is to fully utilize all financial aid programs and funds to the extent that funds are available to as many students as possible.

 

Eligibility for Federal, State, and College aid is based on the concept of “financial need”. Financial need is defined as the Total Costs of Attendance (COA) minus the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) = Financial Need. Using the data reported on the FAFSA, and subject to rigorous verification requirements, the Federal Processor reports to you a calculated EFC. The Financial Aid Office subtracts the EFC from your COA to determine your financial need, and constructs an aid package that meets your direct expenses as defined in Board of Trustee Policy for the Community Colleges.

Board of Trustee Policy for the Community Colleges directs that college financial aid packaging meet direct educational expenses: tuition and fees and an allowance for books and supplies of $1,000 to the extent that funds are available.

How Do I Monitor My Application Status?

You may monitor your financial aid application status by periodically accessing your information in STUDENT SELF-SERVICE. Go to my.commnet.edu to log in, and then go to STUDENT SELF-SERVICE. Click on “My Overall Financial Aid Status.” If there is no message indicating that you have been awarded financial assistance, you should click on “My Eligibility” to see if you have any student requirements that are holding up further processing of your FAFSA. If you have no unsatisfied requirements, go to My Award Information to view any financial aid (dollars and programs) that has been authorized to you.

How Do I Receive Notification of Financial Aid Offered?

Upon completion of any verification requirements and/or completion of the Admissions process, you will receive notification of whether any financial assistance can be offered to you. If you are eligible, you are notified through ONLINE and will receive notification of specific financial aid programs and dollar amounts offered to you. To view your notification, log-in to http://my.commnet.edu and select student services to enter ONLINE, the self-service Student Information System. Then click on My Award Information. Note that notification is based on full-time status so as to report to you your maximum dollar amount of eligibility. If you register for less than 12 credits, the amounts of aid will be pro-rated according to your actual enrollment status as a half-time (50%), three-quarter time (75%), or less than half-time (25%-for Pell Grants only).
The pro-ration occurs at the time that you register when your tuition charges are actually determined for the number of credits. Should you add or drop courses the pro-rated amounts according to your new enrollment status.

What Are The Requirements For Satisfactory Academic Progress?

In March 2005, the Connecticut Community Colleges approved a uniform academic progress standard for all students who apply to receive student financial aid at any one of the twelve community colleges. This standard is reflected in the policy statement below and is effective for periods of enrollment beginning with the fall 2005 semester.

A student receiving Federal Title IV financial aid or other financial aid directly administered or certified by the college must maintain satisfactory academic progress towards the completion of a certificate or degree program of study. Satisfactory academic progress for financial aid recipients is measured by both quantitative and qualitative standards and is an assessment of a student’s cumulative academic record at the College. For further details, go to: www.commnet.edu/finaid/Documents/FinAid_Academic_Progress_Policy.pdf.

How Do I Notify the Financial Aid Office of Any Changes of Enrollment Plans?

If you have filed a FAFSA and listed NCCC as a recipient, but your plans to enroll at NCCC have changed, kindly notify the Financial Aid Office as soon as possible (preferably in writing). In this way you will be helping other students to have access to the financial aid funds that you no longer plan to use. If you plan to delay entry to the College for a later academic term, please contact the Admissions Office as well.

How Does Financial Aid Defer Payment of Tuition?

NCCC requires that fees be paid at the time of registration for classes. Payment of the remaining tuition charges is due at a designated time several weeks before the beginning of an academic term. However, students who have applied accurately, and in timely fashion may use the notification of financial aid awarded to defer payment until the federal and state funds are actually disbursed to the College. Students who withdraw from a course before financial aid is disbursed are still liable for any assessed tuition and fee charges. Fees are non-refundable.

In addition, students who have been awarded grants, scholarships, or loans in amounts greater than remaining unpaid charges may use their “credit balance” as a means of charging books and supplies at the College Bookstore. This can be done one week before the beginning of an academic term and continuing through the first two weeks of classes (or end of the course add/drop period).

All financial aid award notifications to students are based on the assumption of full-time status (12 credits or more) as an indication of their maximum potential eligibility to receive aid. If students register as ¾ time (9-11 credits)) or ½ time (6-8 credits), the award amounts are pro-rated for that academic term. The amount then paid out to the student’s tuition account will reflect the ¾ or ½ time status. Pell Grants, however, may be pro-rated for less than half-time enrollment (5 credits or less).

How do I obtain a loan to borrow what I need?

If you (or your parents) are considering taking out a loan, make an appointment with the Financial Aid Office.  Refer to the information contained in the financial aid chart in this webpage for general information.  Before your loan eligibility can be determined, you must obtain and submit a “Loan Request Form” to the Financial Aid Office.  Additionally, you must provide 4 references and complete a “Loan Entrance Interview” to advance your understanding of the rights and responsibilities you assume in taking out a loan for your educational expenses.  You must also identify a lending institution and can be guided in making a selection by reviewing the information contained in a website at www.elmresources.org.  Click on “Students and Parents,” then scroll down to “ElmSelect” to view a lender list for the Connecticut Community College System.  Understand, however, that it is your right to choose any lender that participates in the Federal Stafford Loan program.  In successive years, it is highly recommended that you continue with the same lender to ensure that all of your Federal Stafford Loans are combined into a single monthly payment and serviced by the same loan organization.

Your loan application will be referred to the NCCC Loan Review Committee.  The College reserves the right to decrease the amount or deny a loan based on any reservation about your ability to properly manage an education loan debt.  After action by the Review Committee, you will be advised whether it is necessary to schedule a Loan Entrance Interview or complete a Master Promissory Note.  If your application is denied or reduced, you will be notified in writing.

After completion of the Loan Entrance Interview and your completion of a Master Promissory Note (available in the Financial Aid Office), Loan requests, entrance interviews, and Master Promissory Notes need to be completed no later than the two weeks before the first day of classes in order for the Loan Review Committee to meet.   Loan requests submitted after that date will not be accepted for deferment of payment of tuition and fees for that academic term.

The Connecticut Community College System positions loans as the last resort to finance a community college education.  Every effort is made to package grant aid to needy students to the extent that funds are available.   Less than 1% of NCCC students find it necessary to obtain a loan and incur the added interest and fees associated with borrowing.  Instead, students make arrangements to pay their tuition and fees charges through the College’s Installment Plan.  Students find that they are able to avoid the costs of the loan fees and interest that way.  Students who go on for a bachelor’s or higher graduate degrees find great value in being able to minimize their education loan debt and the lower payments they would have to make.

Borrow wisely, borrow only what you need, and borrow only as a last resort.

Refund and Repayment

Caution: If you are a financial aid recipient and are thinking about completely withdrawing from all classes, please consult with a financial aid counselor.

If you receive federal financial assistance and completely withdraw from, are dismissed, or stop attending NCCC before the 60th percentile of the academic term, you will be required to repay a percentage of the financial assistance that you received. The Financial Aid Office is required to apply a Federal Formula for Return of Title IV funds to determine the amount of federal student aid that you have “earned”, thus determine how much must to be returned to the federal government.

A return of funds may be required when cash has been disbursed to you from financial aid funds, or used by you to purchase books/supplies from the College Bookstore in amounts that are greater that the amount you earned during the academic term. This method of calculation is performed every two weeks during the school term for students who withdraw completely from all courses. It is also calculated no later than 30 days after the end of an academic term for students who stopped attending but did not officially withdraw.

Student Financial Aid Applicant Rights & Responsibilities

In keeping with student consumer requirements associated with federal student financial assistance, rights and responsibilities of student financial aid applicants are stated below:

STUDENT APPLICANT RIGHTS – You have the right to know:

College policy regarding enrollment, attendance and satisfactory academic progress standards.

STUDENT APPLICANT RESPONSIBILITIES – You are responsible:

Resource Links

I would like to:

Learn about the U.S. Department of Education

Learn about financial aid from the U.S. Department of Education

Learn about student financial aid for Connecticut Residents

Apply for a Federal PIN

File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid On the Web (FAFSA on the Web)

Review the Smart Guide to Financial Aid

Complete a Scholarship Search on FastWeb

School Soup

Use a financial aid calculator to determine my Expected Family Contribution (EFC) or compare my financial aid award package

Register with Selective Service

Obtain information about the GI Bill, Veterans Educational and Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits

Request income tax information from the Internal Revenue Service

Monitor my Financial Aid Status, or look at My Award Information, or review my Tuition Account Summary