Financial Aid

Mission Statement

Through the financial aid programs, EGSC strives to provide deserving students from all economic levels an opportunity for higher education. Every effort will be made to provide assistance to students, who, without such aid, would be unable to attend college. Financial aid is awarded on the basis of need, scholastic achievement, or promise of academic success.

EGSC financial aid programs are administered according to nationally established policy and philosophy of financial aid for education. Financial aid is available from a variety of federal, state, institutional, and private sources and may be in the form of a scholarship, loan, grant, employment, or a combination of these. Students may apply for financial aid online

Code of Conduct

As representatives of EGSC and the USG, it is vital that all employees in the Office of Financial Aid maintain the trust of current and future students as well as their parents and the general public. To fulfill that obligation, it is vital that this office and the staff function in a manner consistent with the highest ethical standards.

In performing our official duties, the Office of Financial Aid will work to provide excellent customer service and avoid actions motivated by private or personal interest. We will safeguard our ability to make objective and impartial decisions based on Federal and State guidelines and shall not accept benefits of any sort under circumstances in which it could be inferred by a reasonable observer that the benefit was intended to influence our personal decision-making process.

The Office of Financial Aid staff will maintain a professional relationship with loan servicers, agencies, or other third parties to address servicing issues related to a student’s financial aid.

How to Apply for Financial Aid

1. Begin by completing an application for admission to EGSC and submit an official high school transcript or high school equivalency diploma test scores and SAT scores (if applicable). Applications are available on the Office of Admissions webpage (here).

2. If you have attended another college/university/technical institution, please submit official copies of ALL academic transcripts to the Office of Admissions, 131 College Circle, Swainsboro, GA 30401. The Financial Aid Office needs these academic transcripts regardless of whether you will be transferring academic credits from these schools.

The financial aid application will include the following disclaimer for the applicant certification:

“I certify that documentation submitted by me or any other person in my behalf, for the purpose of qualifying and awarding student aid is true and complete to the best of my (our) knowledge. I understand that EGSC determines financial aid eligibility based on all data available including any data that I and others provide. I understand that any inaccurate data, false, statements or misrepresentation may be cause for denial, reduction, withdrawal, and/or repayment of financial aid, and I may be subject to a fine, imprisonment or both, under provisions of the United States Criminal Code. I agree to repay any awards I receive based on inaccurate data and/or funds I receive for which I am not eligible. I also understand that my Cost of Attendance (COA) may increase due to new budget regulations issued by the Board of Regents”.

3. Request a Federal Student Aid ID for yourself and one parent (if you are a dependent) from the Federal Student Aid website (here).

4.   All financial aid applicants must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Complete the FAFSA on the Web provided by the U.S. Department of Education at www.fafsa.gov, or use the telephone app “myStudentAid”, and put the EGSC school code (Code: 010997) as the receiving school.

If you are a HOPE Scholar, complete the Scholarship Application (GSFAPPS) on the GAFutures website (here).

5. Completed financial aid applications will be processed when EGSC has received your FAFSA and/or HOPE Scholarship information as well as any and all other required documentation.

6. Financial aid recipients must re-apply for assistance each year beginning October 1.

Recommended Application Priority Filing Dates

It is important for students to apply for financial aid as early as possible so that financial need for all applicants may be determined prior to registration. The recommended time for completing the FAFSA is as soon as possible after October 1^st of the year prior to attending.

All required documents as well as official acceptance to EGSC must be filed by the following priority file dates:

Students who are not “officially accepted” and do not have a complete file, including all Student Aid Report Corrections and request for documents required by the above dates, may be required to pay ALL educational expenses incurred out-of-pocket until applications are processed and eligibility is determined.

Applications received after these dates will receive consideration as time permits. All financial aid awards are made for one academic year only. The EGSC financial aid award year begins in the fall semester and ends at the conclusion of the summer semester. Beginning freshmen who plan to enroll during the summer semester must complete the current academic year financial aid application as well as the next academic year application. Example: summer 2020 is for the 2019-2020 academic year and fall 2020 is during the 2020-2021 academic year.

Tax Return & Transcript Information

If selected for the Verification Process, you will be required to provide a signed copy of your 1040 tax form or a tax transcript from the IRS.

If you do not have a copy of your IRS form 1040, an IRS tax transcript may be obtained by one of the following:

1. Pick-up at your regional IRS Office. A local address and phone number for an IRS office in your area can be found on the IRS website (here).
2. Online IRS Transcript Request using the “Get Transcript” request form (here).
3. IRS by phone (1-800-829-1040).

**NOTE: Students and Parents may return to www.fafsa.gov and link their FAFSA with the IRS Data Retrieval to avoid submitting tax transcripts.

Student Financial Aid Budget Cost of Attendance (COA)

In developing a COA for students applying for financial aid, allowances for tuition & fees, books, supplies, room & board, and other miscellaneous expenses are included.

The following is an example of a budget for dependent students living on-campus applying for aid at East Georgia State College:

Offers of Financial Aid

*NOTE: This information is provided as a guide and is subject to change without notice to comply with federal, state, and institutional policies.

Once students financial aid applications have been processed, they will receive an electronic offer letter that lists the various types of aid they are eligible to receive during the academic year. Offers are based on full-time (12 or more hours) status; some offers may be adjusted if the student does not enroll as a full-time student. However, aid will automatically be prorated at disbursement if the student is not full-time.

If it is determined that the student is not eligible for aid after offer has been accepted, the Financial Aid office is required to adjust the student’s offer.

Students will automatically be reviewed for Federal PELL Grants and FSEOG because they are considered gift aid and do not have to be repaid. Students also will be reviewed for Federal Work-Study at the student’s request. The school will be notified by the state of students eligible for the HOPE Scholarship, and these awards will appear on the offer letter. Continuing students currently receiving HOPE are automatically reviewed. Transfer students must complete the online HOPE/ZELL Request form.

Students may receive grant funds up to the cost of college attendance. If they still have unmet financial needs, students may apply for loans under the Federal Subsidized Direct Loan and/or the Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loan programs. These loan programs require a separate loan request form in addition to the FASFA. These online loan request forms can be completed on the financial aid website (here). Loans will NOT be automatically listed on the Offer Letter.

Students who apply by the priority processing due date will be considered for all available funds. Some funds are limited and are to eligible students based on greatest need and meeting the deadline.

Verification Process

Verification is a federally mandated quality control process to ensure the accuracy of information provided on the FAFSA and uses additional documentation to confirm that the information provided is correct. Verification ensures that eligible students receive all the federal financial aid to which they are entitled. Below are answers to commonly asked questions about the verification process:

• How will I know if I am selected for verification?

If you are selected for verification by the federal processor, there will be an asterisk next to your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) on your Student Aid Report (SAR). You will also be informed of having been selected for verification in the SAR Acknowledgement Letter. If you are selected for verification by the EGSC Office of Financial Aid, you will be notified of any additional documentation that is required.

• Why was I selected for verification?

Reasons vary; it may be that your FAFSA was incomplete or contains estimated or inconsistent information. You may have also been chosen randomly. Verification is a federal regulation. Students selected for verification are not being punished; rather verification prevents ineligible students from receiving aid by reporting false information and ensures that eligible students receive all the aid for which they qualify.

• How will I know what additional documentation is required for verification and where/when to send it?

If your SAR indicates you were selected for verification or if the EGSC Office of Financial Aid determines that your application needs to be verified, you and your parent(s) will be required to provide supporting documents to the EGSC Office of Financial Aid.

The Department of Education has changed the verification process. As a result, depending on certain financial indicators, the category of verification you were selected for and the specific documentation required will vary.

If you are selected for verification, EGSC utilizes Campus Logic to collect required documentation.  You may create an account with Campus Logic here. Using your EGSC username and password.

• If I am selected for verification, am I required to submit additional documentation?

Yes. Participation in the verification process is not optional. If a student who is selected does not submit the require documentation by the established deadline, he or she will not be eligible to receive federal financial aid.

Should the verified financial information differ significantly from the original information provided on the FAFSA, your aid may be adjusted, in which case you will be notified.

Verification Categories:

Standard Verification (V1)

What is required?

• For tax filers, successfully utilize the IRS’s Data Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA (preferred option). Step- by- step instructions for using this tool are available by video (here) or you may choose to request a hard copy of your federal tax return transcript from the IRS website (here), or a signed copy of your IRS 1040.
• For non-tax filers, provide a copy of W-2 statement(s).
• If anyone in your household received SNAP benefits at any time during the past two years, provide a signed statement indicating receipt of such benefits.
• If anyone in your household paid child support to another household at any time during the tax year in question, provide a signed statement indicating the amount of child support paid, to whom it was paid and for whom it was paid.

Custom Verification (V4)

What is required?

• You must appear in person at one of the Student Affairs campus locations, present a valid government-issued photo ID and a signed statement of educational purpose (to be submitted in person upon your arrival on campus).
• If anyone in your household received SNAP benefits during the past two years, provide a signed statement indicating receipt of such benefits.
• If anyone in your household paid child support to another household during the tax year in question, provide a signed statement indicating the amount of child support paid, to whom it was paid and for whom it was paid.

Aggregate Verification (V5)

What is required?

• You must appear in person at one of the EGSC Student Affairs campus locations, present a valid government-issued photo ID and a signed statement of educational purpose.
• For tax filers, successfully utilize the IRS’s Data Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA (preferred option). Step- by- step instructions for using this tool are available by video (here) or you may choose to request a hard copy of your federal tax return transcript from the IRS website (here), or a signed copy of your IRS 1040.
• For non-tax filers, provide a copy of W-2 statement(s) and non-tax filer statement from the IRS (if other than a dependent student).
• If anyone in your household received SNAP benefits at any time during the past two years, provide a signed statement indicating receipt of such benefits.
• If anyone in your household paid child support to another household at any time during the tax year in question, provide a signed statement indicating the amount of child support paid, to whom it was paid and for whom it was paid.

To avoid delays, all verification documents should be submitted immediately.

If the federal processor selects your application for verification, you do not have to wait for the Office of Financial Aid to request additional documentation from you. It is your responsibility to review your SAR, which will list the specific verification category you were selected for, to determine if you are selected and submit additional documentation to the Office of Financial Aid by the suggested priority deadline for the semester you are entering for that academic year.

If the EGSC Office of Financial Aid selects your application for verification, you will be informed that you have been selected and that additional documentation is required. Be sure to provide documentation by the deadline to avoid delays in crediting your financial aid to your student account.

EGSC utilizes the Campus Logic website to aid in the collection of verification documents and the completion of the verification process. The first step in the verification process is to create a Campus Logic account, then proceed to complete and upload the requested documents. For more information about Campus Logic go to the EGSC website (here).

Financial Aid Policies

1. The family is primarily responsible for helping students meet educational costs. Financial aid aims to fill the gap between the student’s resources and educational expenses.
2. For selecting financial aid recipients, the college places primary emphasis on financial need, academic achievement, or future academic promise.
3. Students receiving financial aid must notify the Office of Financial Aid of any changes that may affect their financial aid eligibility (ex. Additional scholarships).
4. Students receiving financial aid who withdraw before completing the semester may be expected to repay a portion of their award. Refer to the Institution’s Return to Title IV Official and Unofficial Withdrawal Policy
5. Students who have defaulted on a loan or owe a refund on a grant are ineligible to receive financial aid.
6. Students who expect to receive financial aid for the summer semester must complete the Office of Financial Aid application for summer aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAP)

The complete policy regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress can be found on the President’s Policies and Procedures page (here).

Distribution of Financial Aid

Financial aid is disbursed proportionally according to the number of semesters enrolled during the academic year. First-time borrowers of a William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program will receive their first disbursement 30 days after classes begin.

Students employed in the Student Assistant Program and Federal Work-Study Program are paid once every two weeks.

Financial Aid Programs

Financial aid is available from a variety of federal, state, institutional, and private sources and is awarded in the form of scholarships, loans, grants, employment, or a combination of these.  Grants and scholarship awards usually do not have to be repaid. Most loans are repayable by students in monthly installments beginning 6 months after graduation or withdrawal from school or drop below half-time enrollment.

Grants

Federal Supplement Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG): Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants are awarded to students with exceptional financial need. Eligible students who are enrolled at least half-time, maintain good academic standing and maintain SAP standards may receive FSEOG as funds are available.

Federal Pell Grant: The Federal Pell Grant Program is a federal aid program designed to provide financial assistance to those students with exceptional financial need as determined by the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) reported on the Student Aid Report (SAR).

HOPE Scholarship: Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) is funded by the Georgia Lottery for Education and is available to eligible 1993 or later Georgia high school graduates. Others are eligible to receive the HOPE Scholarship as a renewal of their HOPE award, or by having a 3.0 cumulative GPA at the 30^th, 60^th, or 90^th attempted hour benchmark. Full time enrollment is not a requirement. The HOPE Scholarship will cover, a portion of tuition and institutional fees each semester for those working on an undergraduate degree. Eligibility for entering freshmen is based on final high school core curriculum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 or better as determined by the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC).  Questions regarding the HOPE Scholarship Program should be directed to the Office of Financial Aid or the Scholarship and Grants Office at the Georgia Student Finance Commission. Further HOPE information can be accessed on-line at www.gafutures.org.

ZELL Miller Scholarship: Eligibility Requirements - incoming freshmen entering fall 2011 or later and graduating from high school with a GPA of 3.7 or higher as calculated by GSFC. And, students must receive a combined score of 1200 on the critical reading and math section on a single test administration of the SAT or received an ACT composite scale score of 26 on a single test administration. Incoming freshmen entering fall 2011 reported as Valedictorians and salutatorians to GSFC will be classified as Zell Miller Scholars regardless of GPA or test scores. Currently enrolled students must have met the above requirements at the time of high school graduation, and they must have a 3.3 college GPA at the 30^th, 60^th, or 90^th checkpoint to qualify for the Zell Miller Scholarship starting fall 2011.

Loans

Beginning with the 2010-2011 academic year, EGSC began participating in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loans): Direct Loans are low-interest loans for students and parents to assist with payment of a student’s educational costs. The lender is the U. S. Department of Education rather than a private bank or other financial institution.

The Direct Loan program offers three types of loans: Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Direct PLUS loan (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students). Direct Subsidized are low-interest; need-based loans for students enrolled at least half-time in an eligible institution. Subsidized means that the federal government will pay all interest on your loan until you begin repayment that starts six months after you graduate or cease to be enrolled at least half-time. Direct Unsubsidized Loans are not based on need.  The program is open to all students who do not qualify for other Direct Subsidized Loans. You are responsible for all interest from the day the loan is made; however, the interest can be capitalized if requested.

Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS): A Direct PLUS Loan is a loan made to the parents of undergraduate students who are enrolled at least half time at an eligible institution. Eligibility is not based on need, but the parent is subject to a credit check. Parents may borrow up to the cost of education less any other financial aid awarded with repayment beginning within 60 days of loan disbursement.

For more information on types of student loans, please visit the Federal Student Aid website (here).

Federal Work-Study Program

Federal Work-Study is a federally funded program designed to help create jobs for students who have qualified for financial assistance and who need to work in order to attend college. To be eligible for Federal Work-Study a student must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours and be in good academic standing. The jobs are located in various departments and offices on campus. Under present arrangements, students may work ten to nineteen hours per week during the regular academic semester until the awarded amount has been earned. Some students are eligible to work between semesters and during vacation periods.

Student Assistance Program

This program is financed entirely by the college. Students under the program generally work ten to nineteen hours a week. Positions are available in most departments on campus. Financial need is not a major determinant of qualifying for work as a student assistant. To be eligible for Federal Work-Study a student must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours and be in good academic standing. All employment at the college operates in compliance with Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

Leadership Scholarships

Several civic clubs, organizations, and individual donors in the area served by EGSC make awards for scholarship purposes to the college on a yearly basis.  Scholarships from these funds are awarded to students on the basis of high school achievement, college academic promise, and positions of leadership held while a high school student. Students interested in applying for a leadership scholarship should complete the Leadership Scholarship Application that may be obtained from a high school counselor, from the Office of Financial Aid or on the EGSC web site beginning January 1st. The application deadline is April 1^st.  Refer to the Office of Financial Aid webpage for additional details (here).

Veterans Affairs (VA) Benefits

EGSC actively encourages former service personnel, children of permanently disabled veterans, and war orphans to take full advantage of benefits available through the Montgomery GI Bill. Those persons eligible should apply for admission to EGSC and complete the admission process. Certification of the enrollment must be made to the Department of Veterans Affairs by the VA Certifying Official after enrollment is verified. Students must submit a VA Enrollment Pre-Screen Form, Certificate of Eligibility/NOBE and a copy of the DD-214 (if applicable) in addition to other requested documents.

VA Educational Benefits

EGSC honors all VA Educational benefit types, and students who elect to utilize VA Educational Benefits must submit their certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance no later than the first day of a course of education to the School Certifying Official.  All recipients must also complete the Pre-Screening form to ensure that they understand any enrollment changes must be reported to the School Certifying Official. EGSC permits the use of VA Education Benefits to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the educational institution a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33 (a “certificate of eligibility” can also include a “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) website - eBenefits, or a VAF 28-1905 form for chapter 31 authorization purposes) and ending on the earlier of the following dates:

1. The date on which payment from VA is made to the institution.
2. 90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility.

EGSC will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under chapter 31 or 33.  If the student is a Chapter 33 recipient who is paid at less than 100%, the student is responsible for the remaining financial obligation after the amount of the VA education benefit disbursement.

Vocational Rehabilitation

Through the Vocational Rehabilitation Services, a student with a physical disability may obtain grants-in-aid to cover tuition and possibly books and supplies. The State of Georgia provides the financial assistance for this program. Students who believe they may qualify for vocational rehabilitation services should contact; Georgia Department of Human Resources, Office of Rehabilitation Services, 47 Trinity Avenue SW, Atlanta, Georgia or call 1-800-869-1150.

Return to Title IV Official Withdrawal Policy

**NOTE: This policy is applicable to all EGSC students, regardless of their location in attending classes, who receive Federal Student Aid (FSA) at EGSC.

If a student who is an eligible recipient of FSA Title IV grant or loan funds withdraws from academic study after beginning attendance in scheduled credits, EGSC is required to determine the amount of Title IV grant or loan assistance earned by the student, in accordance with a federally mandated formula. If the amount disbursed to the student is greater than the amount the student earned, the amount of unearned funds must be returned. If the amount disbursed to the student is less than the amount the student earned, and for which the student is otherwise eligible, he or she is eligible to receive a post-withdrawal disbursement of the earned aid that was not received. If a student does not receive all of the FSA Title IV funds during their attendance period, the student may be due a post-withdrawal disbursement. EGSC must get permission before disbursement can be made if the disbursement is from any of the eligible Federal Direct Loan program fund sources. The student has the right to decline part of or all of the loan funds to keep from incurring additional debt. EGSC may use all or a portion of the student’s post withdrawal disbursement of grant funds to pay for tuition, fees, and room and board.

In compliance with Federal Regulations relating to Student Assistance General Provision [34 CFR 668.22], EGSC must determine whether a return of Title IV federal funds is necessary when a student fails to attend or ceases to attend class and does not withdraw. This situation is referred to as an “unofficial withdrawal.” Please note that if a student never actually began attendance for the payment period or period of enrollment, the student is not eligible for Title IV funds, and adjustments to awards must be made.

Official Withdrawal Policy

When a student chooses to officially withdraw from EGSC, prior to the end of an academic term, they must first complete a “Withdrawal” form. The student should obtain this form from the Records Office or from the Records Office Webpage. This form must be completed and returned to the Records Office no later than the Last Day to Withdraw without Academic Penalty, which is noted on the academic calendar.

Students Who Stop Attending Classes- When a student stops attending classes but did not complete the official withdrawal process or provide notification of his or her intent to withdraw or leave the school, the date of the institution’s determination that the student withdrew would be the date that the school becomes aware that the student stops attending classes. In these cases, students will receive all F’s at the end of the semester. The last date of attendance will be provided by faculty for courses the student failed to complete. In instances where there are multiple withdrawal dates, some before and some after the 60% point, it is the policy of EGSC to base the Title IV calculation on the maximum last date of attendance.

Return of Title IV (R2T4) Funds

If a student withdraws from EGSC, then the school, or the student, or both may be required to return some, or all, of the Title IV grant or loans funds awarded to the student for that semester. The federal government requires a return of Title IV federal aid that was received if the student withdrew on or before completing 60% of the semester.  EGSC is required to complete a federal R2T4 calculation to determine if an adjustment should be made to a student’s Title IV aid if that student ceases enrollment after beginning attendance in at least one class. If completion of the semester can be confirmed for at least one class, a R2T4 calculation is not required and the student is deemed to have “earned” all funding for which they are eligible. This is called a Return of Funds calculation or R2T4. As a part of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, Congress passed provisions governing what must happen to federal financial assistance if a student completely withdraws from school in any term. The policy governs all federal grant and loan programs including the Federal Pell Grant, Academic Competitiveness Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, The Federal PLUS Loan and any new programs introduced in the future. The Return of Title IV Policy does not affect the Federal Work-Study Program.

In general, the law assumes that a student “earns” federal financial aid awards directly in proportion to the number of days of the term the student attends. A student “earns” financial aid in proportion to the time s/he is enrolled up to the 60% point. The percentage of federal aid to be returned (unearned aid) is equal to the number of calendar days remaining in the semester when the withdrawal takes place divided by the total number of calendar days in the semester. If a student was enrolled for 20% of the semester before completely withdrawing, 80% of federal financial aid must be returned to the aid programs. If a student stays through 50% of the semester, 50% of federal financial aid must be returned. The portion of federal grants and loans a student is entitled to receive is calculated on a percentage basis by comparing the total number of days in the term to the number of days completed before the student withdrew or stopped attending. For a student who withdraws after the 60% point-in-time, there is no unearned aid. However, a school must still complete a Return calculation in order to determine whether the student is eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement.