Awarding Student Financial Assistance
The computerized awarding system will package financial assistance from programs for which the applicant meets eligibility criteria.
Pell Grants are the basic federal program from which all financial aid offices begin to build a package of assistance. Those applicants who are not eligible for a Pell Grant usually do not demonstrate sufficient need at Oklahoma City Community College to be awarded funds other than Federal College Work-Study or a Stafford Student Loan (SSL).
Pell Grant awards are based on the applicant's Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and enrollment status (full-time, three-quarter time, half or less than half-time). Initial awards to applicants are often made prior to the applicant's registration for classes and are based on full-time enrollment. Therefore, early awards are estimated.
Calculation of Pell Grant awards for applicants awarded prior to the beginning of the start of classes and through the schedule adjustment period for a semester will be made based on enrollment status after the schedule adjustment period established by the College.
ENROLLMENT STATUS AFTER SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENT PERIOD
Fall or Spring Credit Hours /Summer Credit Hours
- 12+ Full-time/ 6+ Full-time
- 9-11 Three-Quarter Time /4-5 Three-Quarter Time
- 6-8 Half-time/ 3 Half-time
- 1-5 Less Than Half-time/ 1-2 Less Than Half-time
Eligibility for Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) and Federal Perkins Loans are limited, by federal regulation, to students with "exceptional" financial need.
At Oklahoma City Community College exceptional need is defined as a student with an EFC of $0. The limited funds available from the program allocations authorized by the U.S. Department of Education and the large percentage of applicants having high financial need necessitates offering FSEOG and Perkins Loans to only those applicants with $0 EFC.
All EFC Students may not receive these funds.
To receive Federal College Work-Study an applicant must demonstrate a minimum financial need of $750 after any Pell Grant, FSEOG, Federal Perkins, or need-based Stafford Loan (SSL). Smaller awards may be approved on a case by case basis. Wages for work-study students begin at $5.75 per hour.
Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grants (OTAG) awards are made by the OTAG Program, not by the Financial Aid Office at Oklahoma City Community College. Award offer packages may have to be adjusted if tenative OTAG awards are not yet finalized at the time offers are made. Students who receive an OTAG award will be notified by the OTAG Program. However, the Financial Aid Office must certify eligibility for OTAG before a check is sent to the College. Any discrepancies in eligibility discovered once the check arrives may cause the check to be voided.
Applicants are notified of their offers by an Award Offer Letter mailed to their home address. The Offer Letter displays the applicant's cost-of-attendance, EFC, other resources such as a scholarship, BIA Grant or veteran's benefits, OTAG, and the assistance being offered by the Financial Aid Office. Applicants are informed they are required to report additional resources they receive which were not known at the time the awards are packaged. Failure to do so may require you to repay federal funds.
Applicants are instructed to review the package of awards, place their initials next to each offer they accept, then respond to a few additional questions before signing, dating and returning the Award Offer Letter to the Financial Aid Office.
