Federal Pell Grant Information
Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for Pell Grant funding. Federal Pell Grant funds provide a foundation of financial aid to which other sources of aid may be added. The amount of Pell Grant funding is based on a family’s financial circumstances as determined by the Department of Education. Federal Pell Grants provide funding to low-income undergraduates with the greatest demonstrated financial need as determined by the FAFSA. The maximum award is currently $7,395.00 per year. All awards are based on financial need, enrollment status, program of study, and attendance. Pell Grant will not pay for courses not required by the program of study/major.
We encourage all students to apply early. Please request an FSA ID Number on FAFSA.gov. If you are a dependent student (under 24, not married, etc.), at least one of your parents must request an FSA ID Number. The student and parent must have a valid email address to request an FSA ID Number. If you need assistance completing the FAFSA application, please review the Important Dates page for Financial Aid Workshop dates.
The U.S. Department of Education has a Lifetime Eligibility requirement, that a student can only receive pell grant for a total of 12 full-time semesters. This applies to all students. The calculation includes all earlier years of the student’s receipt of Pell.
Funds will apply to the student’s account only after all required financial aid and admissions documents are received, reviewed, and approved by Enrollment Services. Funds are not disbursed to students until attendance in classes is verified by the instructor. Second term funds cannot be disbursed until after attendance is verified for the second term classes.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is designed to assist students with exceptional unmet need as determined by FAFSA information and cost of attendance at Shelton. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG). This fund is limited and varies from year to year. The amount of money we receive determines the number of awards that we offer. Student must be eligible for pell grant and have remaining unmet need, priority is given to students who have a “0” expected family contribution (EFC) number. To be awarded FSEOG funds student must be in good standing with Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
Federal Work-Study
Students who are selected for the Federal Work-Study program must be eligible for federal financial aid (Pell) and enrolled at least half time (6 hours). The number of hours a student may work per week is determined by the available funding. The pay scale is based on the prevailing federal minimum hourly wage. To apply, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and a Shelton State Community College Application for Federal Work-Study to determine their eligibility. Priority is given to those applicants who apply early. To be eligible for work-study funds, student must be in good standing with Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
State Aid
The Alabama Student Assistance Grant (ASAP) Program is a state student assistance program established August 4, 1978 by the Legislature of the State of Alabama and designed to provide financial assistance to residents of the State of Alabama for non-profit, postsecondary institutions of higher learning located within the state of Alabama. Any recipient must be an Alabama resident and Pell Grant recipient with remaining unmet need. Priority is given to students who have a “0” expected family contribution (EFC) number. To be awarded ASAP funds student must be in good standing with Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
Treatment of Title IV Aid When a Student Withdraws
SUMMARY OF THE REQUIREMENTS OF 34 CFR 668
The law specifies how Shelton State must determine the amount of Title IV program assistance that a student earns when withdrawing from school. The Title IV programs that are covered by this law are Federal Pell Grants, Iraq Afghanistan Service Grants, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs).
When a student withdraws during a period of enrollment, the amount of Title IV program assistance that has been earned up to that point is determined by a specific formula. If a student received less assistance than the amount earned, he or she may be able to receive those additional funds. If more assistance was received than was earned, the excess funds must be returned by the school and/or the student.
The amount of assistance that a student has earned is determined on a prorated basis. For example, if a student completed 30% of a period of enrollment, he or she has earned 30% of the assistance originally scheduled to be received. Once a student has completed more than 60% of the payment period or period of enrollment, he or she has earned all the assistance that was scheduled to be received for that period.
If a student does not receive all of the funds that were earned, the student may be due a post-withdrawal disbursement. However, there are some Title IV funds that may have been scheduled to be disbursed, but cannot be disbursed once a student withdraws because of other eligibility requirements.
If a student receives excess Title IV program funds that must be returned, the college must return a portion of the excess equal to the lesser of
1. the institutional charges multiplied by the unearned percentage of the funds, or
2. the entire amount of excess funds.
Any amount of unearned grant funds that the student must return is called an overpayment. The maximum amount of a grant overpayment that the student must repay is half of the grant funds received or scheduled to be received. The student does not have to repay a grant overpayment if the original amount of the overpayment is $25 or less. The student must make arrangements with their college or the Department of Education to return the unearned grant funds.
The requirements for Title IV program funds when the student withdraws are separate from any refund policy that the college may have. Therefore, the student may still owe funds to the school to cover unpaid institutional charges. The college may also charge for any Title IV program funds that the college was required to return. If the student doesn’t know the college’s refund policy, the student can ask for a copy at the college. The college can also provide the requirements and procedures for officially withdrawing from school.