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Financial Aid

Shelby Hill

She/Her/Ella

Assistant Director of Financial Aid Scholarships & Outreach

1st Generation College Graduate

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Agenda

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Financial Aid Basics

Federal Student Aid & the FAFSA

State Aid

Institutional Aid

Private Aid

Aid from Employers

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What is Financial Aid?

Financial aid consists of funds provided to students and families to help pay for postsecondary educational expenses

Scholarships

Work-Study

Employment

Grants

Loans

Gift Aid

Self-Help Aid

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Sources of Financial Aid

Federal

State

Institutional

Private

Employers

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Federal

Largest source of financial aid

Aid provided primarily based on financial need

Must apply each year using the FAFSA

Eligibility requirements must be met

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Cost of Attendance (COA)

Tuition and fees

Housing and food

Books and supplies

Transportation

Miscellaneous and personal

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Student Aid Index (SAI)

Number resulting from the evaluation of a student’s (and family’s) approximate financial resources for a student’s postsecondary education

Student contribution

Parent contribution

(for dependent students)

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Determining Financial Need

Cost of attendance (COA)

– Student aid index (SAI)

= Financial need

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December 2023 availability date

March 1st priority deadline for some state aid programs

Contributors should create FSA ID & password now by visiting 

studentaid.gov 

Collects demographic and financial information used to calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI) 

Institutions and scholarship organizations use SAI to determine eligibility for aid

2022 tax data will be used to complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA

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Contributors

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FUTURE Act Direct Data Exchange (FA-DDX)

  • Allows for an individual’s federal tax information (FTI) to be directly transferred from the IRS to the FAFSA

  • Consent is required by all contributors on FAFSA

  • IRS transfers information to populate FAFSA income questions for most tax filers

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Determining Dependency Status

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Special Circumstances

Secondary school tuition

Unusual uncovered medical/dental expenses

Extraordinary dependent care

Loss of employment or income

Divorce

Parent or spouse death

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Unusual Circumstances

Emancipated Minor / Legal Guardianship

Legally granted refugee or asylum status

Orphaned at age 13 or older

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

Incarceration

Foster Care

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What Happens Next?  

  • Schools you listed on your FAFSA will receive your FAFSA information

  • Look for communications from those institutions

  • Follow-up with the financial aid office

  • Review financial aid page of institution’s website

  • Know the deadlines for each institution

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Borrowing Student Loans

  • Students must be enrolled at least half-time (six or more required credits) in an eligible program to borrow federal student loans

  • There are annual loan limits

  • Loans must be repaid with interest

  • Different types of loans (subsidized vs. unsubsidized)

  • Parent PLUS Loans – credit-based

  • Borrow responsibly

  • Loan Simulator

  • Loan forgiveness is not promised!

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Did you know?  

Students must comply with different policies to maintain eligibility for aid. Examples include:​

  • Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)​
    • Specific GPA & Completion Rate ​

  • Return to Title IV (R2T4)​
    • Aid can be returned if deemed unearned​

  • Attendance​
    • Must be verified for Federal Student Aid (FSA) eligibility ​

  • Courses Not Used (CNU)
    • Students may only receive certain types of aid for courses required of their degree program

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State Aid �

Residency requirements apply

Aid provided based on both merit and need

Information from FAFSA, MSFAA, or MD One App is used to determine eligibility

Maryland’s priority deadline is March 1st

Must include at least one MD school on the FAFSA to be considered for state aid

Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC)

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Maryland State Financial Aid

mhec.state.md.us

  • ALL students should create an MDCAPS account – this is where you go to accept state aid!

  • Students only have six weeks to accept state aid

  • MHEC may request the student upload documents to the MDCAPS portal

  • Add donotreply@maryland.gov to your email contacts

  • Very few exceptions for receiving state aid at an out-of-state school

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Maryland State Financial Aid

mhec.state.md.us

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Available for students who are undocumented and meet certain eligibility criteria 

Determines eligibility for state financial aid

March 1st is the priority deadline for most State financial aid programs

There may be additional steps you must complete in MDCAPS after submitting the MSFAA.

The Financial Aid Office is available to assist you if you need help with the MSFAA!

Maryland State Financial Aid Application

(MSFAA)

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Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship

  • Up to $5,000 per academic year for households earning between $100,000-$150,000 during 2022 tax year ​

  • Must complete high school/earn GED in Maryland​

  • 2.3 cumulative high school GPA required*​

  • Available for credit and non-credit programs​
    • Minimum of six credits per semester required for credit programs

  • Must be eligible for in-state tuition and fee rate​

  • Must include a community college on the FAFSA

*unless student graduated high school five or more years ago OR student earned a GED.

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Contact your State Senator & State Delegate www.mdelect.net 

Applications may be submitted in February & awards are typically made by May. 

Need-based & non-need-based opportunities are available!

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Institutional

Aid provided based on both merit and financial need

Aid may be gift aid or self-help aid

Use information from the FAFSA and/or institutional applications

Deadlines and application requirements vary by institution

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FCC Foundation Scholarships 

Fall: February 1st – June 15th

Spring: October 1st – December 31st

Summer scholarships may be available – inquire with the FCC Foundation in early May.

Apply online:

https://www.frederick.edu/foundation/scholarships.aspx

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Private

Foundations, businesses, churches, civic,�and charitable organizations

Deadlines and applications procedures vary

Begin researching private sources early

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$2.2 million awarded to Frederick County students in 2022!

https://www.frederickcountygives.org/

Application is available online from 2/15-3/15/2024

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External Scholarship Searches

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Employers

May have scholarships available�for the children of employees

The student’s employer may offer

educational benefits

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Continuing Education & Workforce Development

There are financial aid opportunities available for students wishing to pursue CEWD programs!

Continuing Education & Workforce Development – direct link to view CEWD programs

Financial Assistance Request Form - complete this form if you are interested in a CEWD program & a College representative will contact you to go over opportunities you may be eligible for!

Examples of opportunities:

  • State: Maryland Promise & Workforce Development Sequence Scholarship

  • Institutional: scholarships offered for CEWD students from the FCC Foundation

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Recommendations from the Financial Aid Office

Start the process early

Stay Engaged

Ask Questions…

lots of ‘em!

APPLY FOR AS MANY SCHOLARSHIPS AS POSSIBLE

Avoid Student Loan Debt

Have an understanding of the requirements of any aid you are offered

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Join us for FAFSA Finish Workshops!

Date

Time

Location

Monday, January 8, 2024

6:00pm-8:00pm

Urbana High

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

6:00pm-8:00pm

Catoctin High

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

6:00pm-8:00pm

Oakdale High

Thursday, January 11, 2024

6:00pm-8:00pm

Tuscarora High

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

6:00pm-8:00pm

Middletown High

Thursday, January 18, 2024

6:00pm-7:30pm

Brunswick High

Thursday, February 8, 2024

6:00pm-8:00pm

Gov. Thomas Johnson High

Saturday, February 10, 2024

10:am-2:00pm

FCC

Monday, February 12, 2024

5:00pm-7:00pm

Walkersville High

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

6:00pm-8:00pm

Frederick High

Thursday, February 15, 2024

6:00pm-8:00pm

Linganore High

Links to register will be available here!

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FCC Financial Aid Office

Jefferson Hall, 3rd Floor

financialaid@frederick.edu

(301) 846-2620 (option 1)

Monday: 8:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.�Tuesday-Friday*: 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.���*Thursday hours: Open until 6:00 p.m. (January, July, August)

No appointment necessary!

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