Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

All you need to do is complete one form. By filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) you have applied for both federal and state grants. This form can be found by going to www.fafsa.gov on any computer. If you do not have access to a computer, feel free to use any of the eight computers available in our office or visit the computer lab or library. It is recommended that you first be assigned a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to sign your application electronically (both you and a parent will need to have a PIN if you are considered a dependent student). You can apply for PIN by going to their web site www.pin.ed.gov.

What is Highland's school code?

The six-digit school code is 001681.

Do I have to reapply for financial aid every year?
Yes, you may reapply for the upcoming school year beginning in January. We recommend completing the application no later than Valentine’s Day each year. File your FAFSA in 2012 with 2011 taxes if you plan to attend during the 2012-13 school year. If taxes have not been completed, you may use estimates and then enter the correct information after taxes have been filed.

Why do I have to provide my parents' information on the FAFSA?

When you fill out your FAFSA, you will be asked a series of questions to determine your dependency status. As a rule of thumb, you will need to provide parent information unless you are 24, married, have children for whom you provide more than half of their support, or are a veteran. If you are an orphan or ward of the court, an emancipated minor, in legal guardianship or considered homeless, you will not provide parent information, but will need to provide legal documentation to support your status. These guidelines are set up by the Department of Education. If you do not meet any of the criteria mentioned you are considered a dependant student and will need to provide parent information, even if you are not living with your parent nor do they support you.

How can I check the status of my FAFSA application?

After you complete the FAFSA, the Department of Education will send you a Student Aid Report (SAR) confirming your application and results. This will be sent to you via email if you provided one on your FAFSA otherwise as a hard copy in the mail. After you receive this you may check with the school(s) to which you sent your application to in order to verify that it was received and what paperwork may be needed to complete your application.

I received my Student Aid Report (SAR) in the mail. What am I supposed to do with it?

Review your SAR to ensure that all of the information you listed is correct. If you notice something wrong, you may either correct it on the SAR and mail it back to the Department of Education, or submit changes online. If everything is correct, simply save the SAR in a safe place along with your PIN.

What is verification?
Because errors can occur on a FAFSA application, CPS (Central Processing System) selects applications to be verified by the college. If your application is selected for verification, contact the financial aid office to determine what documentation is required. If there is something that needs updated, our office will make these corrections for you.

How will I know if I am eligible for financial aid at Highland Community College?
After you receive your Student Aid Report (SAR) you may contact our office or view your Online Bill Pay Account. You will also be notified by HCC of your eligibility and any requirements that need to be completed to finalize your account.

Can I use my financial aid money to purchase books?

Students receiving Pell, loans or funding from Partners for Employment may have eligibility for help with books. Book vouchers will be available at the bookstore two weeks prior to classes starting. You must have a complete financial aid file and be enrolled in classes.

How could the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress policy affect my financial aid?

Federal law mandates financial aid recipients maintain a certain standard of academic performance in order to qualify for and retain financial aid eligibility. If you are not maintaining these minimum academic standards you will lose your financial aid for the future. Every student that applies for financial aid at HCC is asked to read and sign a copy of the Standards of Academic Progress Policy. If you have questions regarding the policy, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

I just found out that my financial aid was terminated. What can I do?

If you encountered extenuating circumstances that prevented you from meeting the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements you may complete a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form with the Financial Aid Office. The appeal along with required documentation of your situation will be reviewed and if approved you may get your financial aid reinstated.

Is financial aid available during the summer sessions?

If you are a Pell recipient, contact the Financial Aid Office to determine if you have any eligibility left to use for the summer semester. Students are awarded summer Pell if they do not use 100% of their Pell eligibility during the fall and spring semesters.

Will changing my schedule (adding, dropping, or withdrawing) affect my financial aid?

Yes, depending on the financial aid you are receiving, your enrollment, and when it is done changes to your schedule could affect your financial aid. In addition withdrawing from all classes will place you on financial aid termination for any future aid, and withdrawing from one or two classes will hurt your overall completion rate which may affect your Standards of Academic Progress standing. Check with the Financial Aid Office if you are thinking about changing your class schedule to determine how it will affect your financial aid package.

What happens if I apply late?

Your financial aid application will still be processed; however, you will be responsible to pay your tuition and fees in full by the due date and must make arrangements with the Business Office to do so. Applying late also puts you in jeopardy of losing out on some funding. For instance, Illinois State also awards a MAP grant to students who apply early. Funding for this award is limited, so if you do not apply early, you may not receive this even if you are otherwise eligible.

Do I have to be full time in order to receive financial aid?

No, your award will be pro-rated based on how many credits you enroll in. However, you do need to be enrolled in at least 6 credits in order to be eligible for a student loan.

If I don’t live at home with my parents, am I an independent student?

Not necessarily. If you are not 24 years old, married, have children for whom you provide more than half of their support , are a veteran, an orphan or ward of the court, an emancipated minor, in legal guardianship or considered homeless you are required to have parent information even if you do not live with them and if they are not supporting you. If you feel your circumstance is unique please contact our office to discuss.

My parents refuse to complete the FAFSA. What should I do?

If you are a dependent student, without parent information your financial aid application will not be completed and you will not be able to receive any aid. Please explain this to your parents and let them know that the information they submit on the FAFSA will be kept confidential and will not hurt them in any way. If your parents still refuse to supply this information they will be asked to sign a certification indicating that they do not provide financial support, refuse to complete the FAFSA, will not be eligible to apply for a PLUS loan, and understand that you may only be eligible for an unsubsidized loan.

My parents are divorced – whose information do I use on the FAFSA?

Use only the information of the parent whom you lived with more during the past 12 months. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, use the information of the parent who provided more financial support during the past 12 months or during the most recent year that you actually received support from a parent. If this parent is remarried as of the day you complete the FAFSA also include the information of your step-parent. It does not matter if the other parent (the one you are not living with) claimed you on taxes, you would not use their information.

Do I need to be admitted before I can apply for financial aid at HCC?

No. You may apply for financial aid any time after January 1st of the school year you plan to attend. Please note that in order to actually receive any funds you must be admitted to the college, enrolled in classes, and actively attending them.

Are all programs eligible for financial aid?

No there are some programs that do not meet the minimum program length requirements for financial aid. These programs include but are not limited to: Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Truck Driving, Community Education Classes, Food Sanitation, and Vocational Programs.

Who do I contact if I have questions?

You can reach the Office of Financial Aid by calling us at either 815-599-3519 or 815-599-3559. You may also stop by. We are located in the Student Conference Center, Building H, on the Second Floor next to Admissions.

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