Eligibility
In general, to receive financial aid, students must meet the following requirements:
- Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
- Have a high school diploma, General Educational Development (GED) certificate or State equivalent test, or have completed a high school education in a home school setting that is recognized as a home school or private school under the law.
- Enroll in an eligible program of study as a regular student seeking a degree or financial aid eligible certificate.
- Be registered with Selective Service, if required (in general, this applies to males age 18 through 25).
- Meet satisfactory academic progress standards at the school.
- Are not in default on a federal student loan or owe money on a federal grant.
- Have certified that the financial aid will be used only for educational purposes.
- Have not been convicted of a drug offense that occurred while enrolled in school and receiving federal financial aid.
How Aid is Determined
The types and amount of financial aid that a student is eligible to receive is determined by the Financial Aid Office based on the following factors:
- Date of application
- State of legal residence
- Income and assets reported on the FAFSA
- Number of people in the household as reported on the FAFSA
- Number of college students in the household as reported on the FAFSA
- Enrollment status (full-time, three-quarter-time, half-time or less-than-half-time)
Restrictions & Ineligibility
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOGs) are normally just for students with Expected Family Contributions (EFC) of zero.
- College grants based on need are not reduced by private scholarships unless required by regulation.
- Students who are simultaneously enrolled in high school and HCC are not eligible for financial aid.
- Students with bachelor's degrees are limited to loans and jobs.
- Students enrolled in a study abroad program that has been approved by the college should contact the Financial Aid Office for information about financial aid eligibility for the program.
- Students convicted under any federal or state law for the possession or sale of illegal drugs for any offense that occurred while receiving federal student aid are ineligible for aid for a period of time based on the type and number of convictions.
