Student Financial Services

FINANCIAL AID OFFICE

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAP)

Federal regulations require students to demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress toward an eligible degree or certificate program in order to qualify to receive financial assistance. Satisfactory Academic Progress includes both quantitative (i.e. number of credits earned divided by the number of credits attempted) and qualitative (i.e. grade point average in the Academic Standards Policy) measures.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid applicants is reviewed at the end of each semester regardless of whether the student received financial aid for the semester(s) being reviewed.SAP will be measured at the end of all semesters including the summer session.

Requirements:

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 to retain eligibility for financial assistance.

Students must earn at least a cumulative average of 67% of all courses attempted.  For example, students who have attempted 9 credits, must earn 6 credits to maintain a 67% completion rate.  Students who have attempted 24 credits cumulatively, must earn 16 credits cumulatively.

Students must complete their program of study within 150% of the timeframe allowed.  For example, students enrolled in a 60 credit degree program must complete their program before exceeding 90 attempted credits. For students who change majors, only coursework attempted and earned that is applicable to the new program of study is counted in the maximum timeframe.

The first 30 credits of a student's developmental coursework do not count toward the 150% limit, however developmental credits attempted and grades earned in these courses are counted in the qualitative and quantitative academic progress measures.  Any developmental coursework above 30 credits will count toward the 150% limit and may therefore affect the student's eligibility to receive financial aid. Financial aid does not cover any developmental coursework above the allowed 30 credits.

All courses withdrawn from are considered credits attempted but not earned.

Attempted credits are all credits registered for at the end of the add/drop period. To earn credits, a student must receive a final grade of A, B, C, D, S, or P. Students who receive a final grade of F, I, IP, CIP, U or W will not earn credits for their courses.

Transfer credits are counted as credits attempted and earned and are used in the calculation of the 150% timeframe.  Transfer grades are not used in the grade point average calculation.

The Financial Aid Office is not notified when grades are changed after the final grading period. It is the responsibility of the student to request a re-evaluation of their eligibility.

Students may be allowed to receive financial aid funding for one course repeat in order to improve upon a passing grade, any additional repeats cannot be covered by financial aid.

Consequences for not meeting the requirements:

Students who do not meet the standards of satisfactory progress requirements will be notified via email following the semester that their progress falls below the standards.  Students may also view their current SAP status on their WebConnect account.

If a student fails to meet the SAP policy described above, the student may be granted a “warning” semester during which time aid can be received.  At the conclusion of the warning period, the student must be in compliance with the SAP policy by earning 67% of credits attempted with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better.  If at the end of the warning period the student still does not meet the cumulative SAP measures, the student will become academically ineligible for financial aid for the next semester, and placed on financial aid suspension.

A student will become academically ineligible and placed on financial aid suspension if not making SAP following any warning or probationary period.  This will result in the ineligibility for all federal, state and institutional financial aid.  Once placed on financial aid suspension, a student may regain financial aid eligibility by completing a cumulative average of 67% of all attempted credits with at least a 2.0 cumulative financial aid grade point average at MWCC.

When a student becomes academically ineligible, they have a one-time right to appeal the suspension of their financial aid based on mitigating circumstances.  All appeals must be submitted in writing and documentation must be provided when applicable.  Situations such as serious illness and family emergencies may be considered as mitigating circumstances.  Students must state in their written appeal what has changed to enable their success during the upcoming semester. The Office of Financial Aid may then grant the student a “probationary” semester based on these mitigating circumstances and reinstate financial aid eligibility for one additional payment period.

Students placed on probation will either be required to be in compliance with the SAP standards by the end of the probationary semester, or will be placed on an academic plan that will determine the timeframe within which the student is required to return to good standing.  At the end of the probationary period, students must be maintaining satisfactory progress or fulfill the academic plan requirements of that payment period, or they will once again lose financial aid eligibility.

Students who lose eligibility after a probationary semester must be back in compliance with the SAP policy in order to regain financial aid eligibility.

Download the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAP) pdf

MOUNT WACHUSETT COMMUNITY COLLEGE (MWCC)

FINANCIAL AID OFFICE

TERMS OF AGREEMENT – STUDENT FINANCIAL AID AWARDS

It is the responsibility of financial aid applicants and recipients to read this information and abide by these terms, please read carefully.

• Admission to the University and into a degree/credential program is required before a financial aid offer is made.
• Financial aid recipients are responsible for keeping the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office informed of changes in academic status, name, social security number, or I.D. number.
• Financial aid awards will be updated to reflect changes in enrollment status or the availability of additional sources of funding.
• Awards are subject to adjustment throughout the year.
• Award payments will be based upon the actual enrollment status at the end of “Add/Drop Period” (the first week of the semester).
• For financial aid purposes, the period of enrollment is defined as the first official day of instruction through the last day of finals.
• Students are limited in receiving financial aid funding from only one educational institution per term.
• Financial aid awards are subject to the availability of funds. Approval for reinstatement of your award does not guarantee the same funds offered in the original award.
• Enrollment status: 12 credits or more per semester is considered full-time; 9-11 credits is three-quarter time; 6-8 credits is half-time; and 1-5 credits is less than half-time.
• Tuition, fees and book costs resulting from official or unofficial withdrawal prior to the end of the “Add/Drop Period” will be the student’s responsibility.
• It is the responsibility of the student to satisfy the tuition and fee bill.
• Students with an approved and verified financial aid award to cover all charges may defer the payment of tuition and fees until the awards are paid.
• Only permanent Massachusetts residents are eligible for Part-Time Grant, Tuition Waiver, Mount Wachusett Grant, and MASSGrant.

A. The Federal Pell Grant: Award is initially based upon the enrollment reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  The actual amount of the grant will be adjusted according to the enrollment status at the end of the “Add/Drop Period.”

B.  Federal Direct Student Loan: If a loan has been offered on your award notification, we have estimated an amount to borrow, within eligibility levels, to cover tuition, fees and book charges.  The actual amount needed to cover charges should be considered prior to requesting an amount to borrow.  The offer may be reduced; however, increases must be approved by FA.  To request a loan, complete the online loan processes.  First-time borrowers must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) and entrance loan counseling electronically at www.studentloans.gov.  Read the online Federal Stafford Loan Instructions for loan processing and policy guidelines.   The online student loan process must be completed and approved during the semester for which the loan proceeds are being borrowed; they cannot be processed retroactively for prior semesters attended. If you wish to cancel all or a portion of these funds, you must provide Student Financial Services with a cancellation request no later than 14 days from the date of the disbursement.  Students are not eligible to borrow if enrolled less than half-time.

C. Part-Time Grant*: Awards are valid only for enrollment of 6-11 credits per semester.

D. Tuition Waiver (TW)* and Adams Scholarship*: Awards may be used ONLY for Tuition-Day billed courses.  The TW is applicable only for day school tuition at the Gardner campus and usually does not apply toward any “S” courses, evening courses, web course and courses at campuses other than Gardner.  Awards may not exceed $25 per day credit of enrollment.  Example: if a TW is awarded for $300 (12 X $25) and the actual enrollment is 6 day credits, the disbursement will be $150 (6 X $25).  No more than one type of tuition waiver can be applied per semester.

E. Mount Wachusett Grant (MWCC)* and College Assistance Grant (CAG): Awards may not exceed the total of tuition and fees.  Must be enrolled at least half-time.

F. MASSGrant*: Awards are ESTIMATED and require full-time enrollment of 12 credits or more each semester for a maximum of four semesters at the community college level.  Awards and payments are authorized by the Massachusetts Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA).  Award letters are issued by OSFA for the college listed on the FAFSA.  It is the student’s responsibility to notify OSFA of enrollment at MWCC if another college is listed and to comply with all requests from OSFA of proof of Massachusetts residency. Award amounts are always tentative until confirmed by OSFA.

G. Financial aid recipients must notify the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office of all resources not previously reported and not included on their award. Examples: Scholarships, Rehabilitation Benefits, Fee Waivers and other educational benefits/allowances. Students are responsible for all overawards and repayment may be required.

H. Less Than Half-Time: Students who have an enrollment status of less than half-time (1-5 credits) may only qualify for a reduced Pell Grant (if eligible), TW and SEOG (if awarded).  Student loans, work-study and other grant programs are not available.  It is suggested that the Financial Aid Office be consulted prior to enrolling or dropping below 6 credits per semester.

I. December Graduates: Students who meet graduation requirements at the end of the Fall term are subject to proration of loans based on units of enrollment.

J. Books: Students whose approved financial aid (not including federal work-study) exceeds their tuition/fees bill will be provided with a bookstore credit amount through Web Connect.  This may be used two weeks prior to the start of classes through the first two weeks after the beginning of the semester, (one week prior and one week after for cycle 2 courses).  Loan funding can be used only if the MPN and Entrance Counseling have been completed.  A student cannot be successful in the classroom without buying required books.  The cost is approximately $100 to $200 per course.   Financial Aid will not be responsible for book charges for late applicants or for items that are not available in the bookstore during the first two weeks of the semester. Students must authorize Mount Wachusett Community College to pay their bookstore voucher and/or student health insurance charges with financial aid funds. Eligibility for a bookstore voucher cannot be determined and will not be issued until these steps are followed:

In WebConnect, go to the Award Overview Tab, click on the Bookstore Payment Authorization Tab. Read the authorization statement and click on “Accept”.

K. Refunds:  If total financial aid exceeds tuition, fees and book charges, the remaining balance will be refunded to the student through the BankMobile Vibe debit card. Every Mount student will receive a BankMobile Vibe instruction sheet mailed to them, or they can visit RefundSelection.com to activate a refund preference.

L. Federal Work-Study (FWS): Students who receive a FWS award should make an appointment with FA during the first two weeks of the semester to choose a work assignment.  Work-study wages are $11.00 per hour, paid bi-weekly and are used to help cover personal expenses (cannot be used to reduce billed costs).

M. Revisions: Awards may be revised during the year if the Financial Aid Office discovers incorrect information, if enrollment changes, or upon receipt of outside scholarship and third-party payments.  Students who enroll in contract courses or receive employer tuition assistance may be subject to financial aid revisions upon determination of the student’s actual out-of-pocket expenses.

N. Concurrent Enrollment: Federal regulations state that students may receive financial aid funding from only one school during any given enrollment period.  You must report any instances of concurrent enrollment to the Financial Aid Office.

O. Satisfactory Academic Progress: Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in order to remain eligible for financial aid.

P. Limitations on Financial Aid Eligibility: Students may only receive financial aid for coursework required to complete their current program of study. Financial aid can only be used to fund the first repeat of a course that has already been completed with a passing grade.  Eligibility for a Pell grant is available for 12 full time semesters over a student’s entire lifetime.

Your financial aid award includes a student loan offer. We have suggested this loan as a possible way for you to pay your educational expenses. We have calculated the amount of this loan offer based upon the estimated tuition, fees and books for a full-time student for one academic year. You may opt to borrow the suggested amount, borrow less or decline the loan altogether.

There are cases where you may possibly qualify to borrow more than the suggested amount based upon the established federal annual and lifetime loan limits. Keep in mind that our goal is to have every student graduate from the Mount with as little educational debt as possible. We will work with you to identify all other means of paying your educational expenses prior to recommending a loan increase.

Subsidized loans are available for students who demonstrate financial need as determined by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

View award on-line by following these steps:

• Go to mwcc.edu
• Click on the iConnect link at top right of page
• Enter your User Name and Password and click Login
• Under My Apps click on WebConnect
• Click on Student and Financial Aid
• Scroll down and click on Financial Aid
• Click on Award Information
• Click on Awards for the Year
• Select the Academic Year from the drop-down menu and click Submit
• Read and click on Accept from the drop-down menu and click Submit Information

Accept or decline your loan offer:

• You will have the option to accept the full amount, partial amount or decline the loan
• Should you wish to increase or decrease your loan, please contact Student Financial Services to request a loan adjustment form added to your iConnect student portal.
• After you accept the loan you must complete the Master Promissory Note and Loan Entrance Counseling, see step-by-step instructions below.

Instructions To Complete Federal Direct Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note

1. Go to studentaid.gov
2. Sign in using your FSA ID, email, or telephone number used when you created your login, and
3. Click Complete Loan Agreement (Master Promissory Note)
4. You must complete the MPN in a single session
5. Click the start button for MPN for Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans
6. Fill out Personal Information
7. Select State (Massachusetts) and School (Mount Wachusett Community College) then click Continue
8. Personal References-You must list two and will need to provide addresses and telephone numbers
9. Read the Terms and Conditions (Make sure to read all sections)
10. Check the box that confirms you have reviewed the information
11. Sign at the Bottom (First and Last Name) click SIGN & The screen will read: Confirmation: You have successfully submitted your MPN. You may view and print a copy for your records.

Instructions to Complete Federal Direct Stafford Loan Entrance Counseling

1. Sign in using your FSA ID, email, or telephone number used when you created your login, and
2. Click the start button for Entrance Counseling (Required) (do not click on Financial Awareness Counseling, it is not the same)
3. Select school to notify: Select State (Massachusetts) and School (Mount Wachusett Community College) click notify this school.
4. Select student type: you are an Undergraduate student so select the first choice and click
5. Read the information and answer the questions, when finished click continue to the next page (you will be given the correct answer as you go along, all questions identifiable by the green banner.
6. Estimate your funds for the year, enter in your estimated awards, (there is no right or wrong answer, just estimate) If you need assistance to look up your award, follow the accept award Next, estimate your expenses, enter in all of your expenses (there is no right or wrong answer, just estimate)
7. Continue to answer all questions under green
8. When you complete the counseling session the screen will read: “YOUR NAME” you have successfully completed Entrance Counseling!
9. If you wish to keep the financial information and your rights and responsibilities, you may view and print your completed Entrance Counseling.

Download Important Next Steps for Loan Borrowers pdf

IRS Data Retrieval Tool

The best way to verify income is by using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool that is part of FAFSA on the Web. If you have not already used the tool, go to www.FAFSA.ed.gov, log in to the student's FAFSA record, select "Make FAFSA corrections," and navigate to the Financial Information section of the form. From there, follow the instructions to determine if the student and/or parent are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer IRS income tax information into the FAFSA. If you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, be sure to sign and resubmit your FAFSA after transfer has occurred. It takes up to two weeks for IRS income information to be available for the IRS Data Retrieval Tool for electronic IRS tax return filers, and up to eight weeks for paper IRS tax return filers. If you need more information about when, or how to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

IRS Tax Return Transcript

If the student and/or parent are unable or choose not to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool in FAFSA on the Web. then the student and/or parent will need to submit to the school an IRS tax return transcript-not a photocopy of the income tax return. To obtain an IRS tax return transcript, go to www.IRS.gov and click on the "Order a Return or Account Transcript" link, or call 1-800-908-9946. Make sure to request the "IRS tax return transcript and not the "IRS tax account transcript." You will need your Social Security Number, date of birth, and the address on file with the IRS (this will be the address used when the IRS tax return was filed). It takes up to two weeks for IRS income information to be available for electronic IRS tax return filers, and up to eight weeks for paper IRS tax return filers.

You may also visit the IRS Office in the Federal Building in Fitchburg or Worcester to request a tax return transcript in person.

Fitchburg IRS Office Information
(978) 342-0016
Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. (Closed for lunch 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.)
881 Main Street, Fitchburg MA 01420

Worcester IRS Office Information
(508) 793-8227
Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Closed for lunch 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.)
120 Front Street, Worcester MA 01608

Download IRS Data Retrieval Tool pdf