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What is Financial Aid?
How do I Apply?
When should I apply?
How long does it take?
Which application do I complete? 2008-2009 or 2009-2010?
What’s a PIN# and where do I get one?
What if I make too much money?
How do I know if I’m eligible?
How do I check my status?
How do I accept my awards?
What is a “BOG” and how can I get one?
If I add late-start classes, will I still recieve a disbursement?

If I add classes LATE (after class has already started), will I still recieve a disbursement for those classes?

If I receive a fee waiver after I pay for my classes, what do I do?
Do my grades matter?
What is a “grant”, and do I have to pay it back?
What is Federal Work Study?
How can I get a scholarship?
How can I get a student loan?
How do I get my $$?
Am I Dependent or Independent for 2009-2010?
When do I get my money??
Why did I recieve less $$ than is listed on my award letter?
Can I get $$ at two schools during the same semester?

Q:  What is Financial Aid?

A:  A number of programs designed to help students with limited resources meet their educational expenses that are administered by the Financial Aid Office.  Programs include enrollment fee waivers, grants, federal work study, scholarships and loans.    

 

Q:  How do I Apply?

A:  To apply, complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  The FAFSA is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.  Be sure to include Chaffey College’s school code 001163 so that your FAFSA information is sent to us electronically by the Department of Education.  Also, in order for us to receive your information, be sure that your social security number is correct when completing the FAFSA and that it matches the social security number you provided on your enrollment application to Chaffey College.  

 

Q:  When should I apply?

A:  The ideal time to apply is between January 1 and March 2 to assure your application is processed in time for fall and that all available aid is offered to you.  The priority deadline to apply is March 2; however, you can still apply after this date.  Remember, the longer you take to apply, the longer you will have to wait to be processed, and some awards are offered only on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Q:  How long does it take?

A:  Electronically after completion, the FAFSA is processed between 48-72 hours as long as all sections are complete with student (and parent, if necessary) signatures.  After the FAFSA has been processed by the Department of Education, Chaffey College will receive the electronic results of the FAFSA within approximately 7-10 business days as long as the student has already completed their application for admission to the college.  Please make sure that Chaffey’s school code (001163) is on the FAFSA application.

Q:  Which application do I complete?  2008-2009 or 2009-2010?

A:  The 2008-2009 FAFSA application started Summer school of 2008, and ends as soon as Spring 2009 is over.  As of the end of Spring 2009, the 2008-2009 FAFSA application is no longer used for any type of aid at Chaffey College.  If you will be enrolled in any of the following terms: Summer 2009, Fall 2009 or Spring 2010 - then you will want to complete the 2009-2010 FAFSA application.  Please make sure that you complete this application before it's priority processing deadline of March 2nd, 2009.  The Financial Aid Office will begin to recieve results of the 2009-2010 FAFSA's on May 1st, 2009.

 

Q:  What is a PIN# and how do I get one?

A:  You can use your U.S. Department of Education PIN (Personal Identification Number) to electronically sign your FAFSA.  A PIN# is the quickest and easiest way to sign your FAFSA application… And it’s FREE!  Visit http://www.pin.ed.gov to apply.

Q:  But what if I or my parents make too much money?  I don’t think I’m eligible?

A:  Leave eligibility up to the Department of Education and the Financial Aid Office to determine. Just apply.  Many students are eligible for some type of aid.

Q:  How do I know if I am eligible? What types of aid will I get?

A:  You will be contacted by the Financial Aid Office once eligibility is determined and your awards have been offered to you and also, if additional information is needed to continue processing for various types of financial aid.  The federal government selects students at random for a process called Verification.  If you are selected, the Financial Aid Office will request copies of your and/or your parents’ signed federal 1040 taxes (and w-2’s) to verify information is correct.  Usually the enrollment fee waiver/BOGW will be automatically offered to you as soon as the Financial Aid Office receives your FAFSA results electronically, as long as all appropriate information and signatures are on the FAFSA application.  After we have contacted you, be sure to accept your awards online at the My ChaffeyView site by selecting “Accept or Reject My Awards”. You can also check the status of your awards and if documents are needed online at My ChaffeyView.

Q:  How do I check my status?

A:  To check your status, visit the My ChaffeyView website.  Scroll down to the Financial Aid portion of the page on the bottom left-hand side.  To see if you have any offered awards, select "Financial Aid Award Letter".  To check and see if there is any documents missing or needed to process your file, select "My Documents".

 

Q:  How do I accept my awards?

A: The Financial Aid Office has decided to "Go Green" as of August 2008, and send notification postcards out to students instead of paper award letters.  The faster and easier way, is to visit the My ChaffeyView website periodically to check on your award status.  Once on the MyChaffeyView site, scroll down to the Financial Aid portion of the page on the bottom left-hand side and select "Accept or Reject my Financial Aid Awards".

Q:  What is a BOG and how can I get one?

A:  The BOGW program is for eligible California residents to help pay for tuition.  The BOGW is an electronic transaction from the Financial Aid Office to the Cashier’s Office which will waive the enrollment cost per unit (whether it be 1 unit or 21 units), the health cost, and a portion of your parking permit for Fall and Spring semesters.  The BOGW does not have to be paid back.  You may be eligible for a fee waiver even if you are not eligible for other types of aid.  Fee waivers do not apply to class material fees or the College Services Fee.  Students are responsible for making sure all fees have been paid.  If you must pay for your enrollment fees before your fee waiver is awarded, your tuition cost will be refunded to you once your fee waiver is processed as long as your fee waiver is awarded during that same semester.  Please note that refunds will only be processed on permanent fee waivers.  Temporary fee waivers or "Bog-T's" are not included in the refund policy.  Please see the Cashier's Office for further refund questions.

Eligibility for the BOGW will be automatically determined as soon as the Financial Aid Office receives the results of your FAFSA electronically.  You will be contacted by the Financial Aid Office once eligibility is determined.  You can also check the status of your awards and if documents are needed online at www.chaffey.edu/chaffeyview. Students who are currently receiving benefits from TANF/Cal Works, SSI/SSP, General Relief, or a certified veteran dependent by California Department of Veteran Affairs are eligible for a BOGW as long as they are California residents.  Just bring current proof of benefits (dated within the last 30 days) to the Financial Aid Office and our staff will provide you with a short BOGW application to complete.  You will still need to complete the FAFSA to apply for other types of financial aid.

 

Q:  If I receive a fee waiver after I pay for my classes, what do I do?

A: The Chaffey College Cashier's Office has a new "automatic refund policy".  All students need to do is ensure that they have a permanent BOG fee waiver before the end of the school semester and they will be refunded their tuition cost per unit along with their health fee and a portion of their parking permit cost.  Please remember:  the only way to get a refund for a term is to ensure your BOG was processed before the end of that term...unfortunately, there are no exceptions to this policy.  For further general refund questions or information about your refund status; please contact the Cashier's Office.

Q:  Do my grades matter?

A:  Yes.  All students who apply for Financial Aid will have their academics reviewed to verify that they are making "SAP" or Satisfactory Academic Progress.  Maintaining this academic progress means that students refrain from recieving grades such as "W's", "F's", "IP's" or "NC's" on their academic transcripts.  Students must also keep their GPA above 2.0 and cannot exceed the allowable degree applicable units to complete an A.A., A.S., Vocational Certificate or Transfer program.  Please see our SAP Policy for more information.

 

Q:  What are grants?

A:  The greatest source of grant funds is the Federal Pell Grant which is federal money awarded to students based on financial need (determined by your FAFSA information) and in most cases, does not have to be paid back.  Cal Grants are also available which are state funds awarded in addition to the Federal Pell Grant.  Students are responsible for the up-front cost of books and supplies; however if determined eligible, students will receive money deposited directly into student bank accounts. 

For federal grants, students must be enrolled in a degree, certificate, or transfer program; have a high school diploma or equivalent, or pass an Ability to Benefit test; demonstrate financial need (determined by completing a FAFSA); maintain satisfactory academic progress; and be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States.

For state grants such as Cal Grants, students must be a California resident, meet requirements for the federal grants, and submit a GPA Verification form to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) in addition to completing the FAFSA by March 2.  Cal Grant recipients are selected by CSAC.  Community College students will be given a second opportunity to submit GPA Verification, if not selected on the first cycle, of September 2.

You will be contacted by the Financial Aid Office once your eligibility is determined and your awards have been offered to you. 

The first disbursement of federal grants for Fall 2009 semester is September 30th (after school starts) for students that have completed financial aid files.  The first disbursement of federal grants for Spring 2010 semester is February 20th (after school starts). Students enrolled in less than six (6) units, and if eligible at "less-than half-time status", will receive a prorated amount of their disbursement funds.  Please contact the Financial Aid Office to inquire the amount of "less-than-half-time" disbursements.  Normally, state grants are disbursed 2-3 weeks after a student recieves their federal aid.  Disbursement dates are based on classes that start during the first week of the semester.  Dates can be subject to change; please check with the Financial Aid Office for further information.

 

Q:  What is Federal Work Study?

A:  Students may be eligible for part-time employment through the Federal Work Study (FWS) program.  Students may work up to 20 hours per week and earn a monthly paycheck.  Federal Work Study awards are determined by financial need (by completing the FAFSA) and available to students enrolled in six (6) or more units per semester.  FWS job listings are posted in the Student Employement office for eligible FWS students and are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.  The Student Employement office can be contacted at (909) 652-6511.  Need more information?? Feel free to print out one of our Federal Workstudy Information Flyers.

 

Q:  How can I qualify for a scholarship?

A:  Scholarships are usually, but not always, based on a combination of need and merit.  Available scholarship applications may be available at the Financial Aid Office, or check out our Financial Aid Scholarship page for more scholarship information.  Students may also contact Student Activities and the Chaffey College Foundation for other available scholarships.

 

Q:  How can I get a student loan?

A:  Loans should be considered only when other sources of aid are unavailable or insufficient.  Generally, other types of financial aid are sufficient to cover the costs of attendance at Chaffey College.  Loans are to be used for educational purposes and they must be repaid with interest.  Students must be enrolled a minimum of 6 units, maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress, and be enrolled in a program leading to a degree or certificate.

To apply for a Direct Loan at Chaffey College, student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and return the completed Loan Request Form to the Financial Aid Office after completing an on-line Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling.  Students are also encouraged to attend a Loan Informational Workshop.  Dates for the Loan Workshops are available at the Financial Aid Office, as well as on the Loan Workshops webpage.  The first loan disbursement will be made approximately 5-6 weeks after recieving all completed documents required for processing the student's file.  A student's file must be complete in order to recieve a loan disbursement.

 

Q:  Okay! Now, that I have completed my FAFSA, turned in all requested documents, and accepted my awards on-line, how do I access my funds? 

A:  Through a joint agreement with Chaffey College and the Chaffey Federal Credit Union (CFCU - www.chaffey.com), financial aid disbursements are deposited electronically to a free ATM account set up for you at the credit union.  Please download the Financial Aid Disbursement Q & A for all information pertaining to accessing disbursement funds.  Once your account is opened, an ATM card will be ordered for you.  Students also have the option of having the funds disbursed to their personal bank accounts.  If a student chooses to have their disbursement transfered to an alternate account, they will need to fill out the ACH Transfer Request form.  All ACH Transfer Request forms need to be turned into the Chaffey Federal Credit Union.  Visit the Chaffey Federal Credit Union's website for office locations.

 

Q:  Am I Dependent or Independent for 2009-2010?

A:  Can you answer “YES” to any one of the following questions?:

• Where you born before January 1^st, 1986?
• At the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, will you be working on a master’s or doctorate program?
• As of today, are you married?
• Do you have children who receive more than half of their support from you?
• Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30^th, 2010?
• Are (a) both of your parents deceased, or (b) are you (or were you until age 18) a ward/dependent of the court? (official documentation will be needed to determine eligiblility)
• Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?

**NEW DEPENDENCY STATUS QUESTIONS FOR 2009-2010!**
Please note: Official documentation will be required to determine eligibility for any dependency situations listed below.

• Are you or were you an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence? 
• Are you or were you in legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence? 
• At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did your high school or school district homeless liason determine that you were an unaccompanied yourth who was homeless?
• At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless?
• At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did 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?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are considered an Independent student.  If you answered “no” to all of these questions, regardless of your living situation, you are considered a Dependent student for all Federal Funding purposes.

Q:  When do I get my money?

A:  The first disbursement of federal grants for Fall 2009 semester is September 30th (after school starts) for students that have completed financial aid files.  The first disbursement of federal grants for Spring 2010 semester is February 20th (after school starts) for students that have completed financial aid files. Generally, the Financial Aid Office disburses once per month, on the 20th of every month, untill all eligible students have recieved their funding.  Disbursements may be made more frequently, if processing permits.  Students enrolled in less than six (6) units, and if eligible at "less-than half-time status", will receive a prorated amount of their disbursement funds.  Please contact the Financial Aid Office to inquire the amount of "less-than-half-time" disbursements.  Normally, state grants are disbursed 2-3 weeks after a student recieves their federal aid.  Disbursement dates are based on classes that start during the first week of the semester.  Dates can be subject to change; please check with the Financial Aid Office for further information.

Q:  Why did I recieve less $$ than is listed on my award letter?

A:  Your Financial Aid award letter amounts are based on full-time enrollment, as well as all of your classes starting the first week of the beginning of the school term.  If you are enrolled in less than full-time units, you may still be eligible for a disbursement of funding - however, the amount will be based on the number of units of enrollment.  The break-up of funding percentages is as follows:

Q:  If I add late-start classes, will I still recieve a disbursement?

A:   If you add a class that starts late, meaning it does not start the first week of school, the Financial Aid Office will only recieve notification of your enrollment after the last date to drop the class without a "W".  This date is also called a "census date".  After the Financial Aid Office recieves notification of your enrollment in such classes, you may recieve your financial aid funding for such classes, in accordance with the normal processing for financial aid disbursements.  However, classes that are added after the last date to add full-term classes will not be calculated into a student's disbursement.  Adjustments cannot be made for classes added after the census date.  For any questions regarding this policy, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

Q:  If I add classes LATE (after class has already started), will I still recieve a disbursement for those classes?

A:   Adding a class within the allowed timeframe to add full-term classes will allow the Financial Aid Office to recieve notice of the units a student is enrolled in and funding will be disbursed accordingly.  However, classes that are added after the last date to add full-term classes will not be calculated into a student's disbursement.  Adjustments cannot be made for classes added after the census date.  The main classes affected by this policy are "open entry classes", such as PEACT-30, PEACT-30A and ART-68B.  For any questions regarding this policy, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

Q:  Can I get $$ at two schools during the same semester?

A:  No.  Both Federal and State Aid can only be recieved at one school for one semester.  A student is eligible to recieve funding at two different schools during the same year; however, the terms of the institutions may not overlap.  Exception to this rule is the BOG (Board of Governor's) fee wavier.  A student may recieve a BOG fee wavier at as many schools as they are eligible, for the same term concurrently.