Policies & Information

For the purpose of determining financial eligibility a student who enrolls in an eligible program at Eastern Florida State College must be attending the institution for the purpose of:

• Obtaining a BAS, AA or AS degree; or
• Obtaining a certificate that has required course work of sufficient length to be eligible.
• Only coursework that is required for the declared major will be funded.

In order to comply with Federal regulations, financial aid can only be used for classes that apply toward the student’s degree/certificate program. Financial aid does not cover prerequisite courses needed to continue on with upper-division coursework. Students should carefully plan their schedules to complete any prerequisite coursework within the framework of their degree program. The Office of Financial Aid reserves the right not to cover any coursework it deems to be upper-division prerequisites.

TITLE IV FEDERAL AID RECIPIENTS: REGULATORY CHANGES AFFECTING STUDENTS WHO BEGAN VOCATIONAL CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS FALL 2011 (OR AFTER)

• Applies ONLY to students who began these programs FALL 2011 forward and those who have stopped out and returned.

•Vocational programs will be evaluated in Clock hours (hours of attendance/seat time).  1 vocational credit = 30 clock hours.  For example, a student who schedules 15 vocational credits for spring 12 should be registered for 450 clock hours for that semester.

• If a student is paid for 450 clock hours no more aid will be given until all 450 clock hours are completed with passing grades of C or better in all classes.

• All CTC programs will be packaged per semester. Sap will be reviewed after grades are in for that term and  if the  student is enrolled in the required amount of clock hours (450 or remaining if >225 clock hours).

• Scheduled clock hours determine eligibility for the first disbursement period of Title IV aid in an academic year.   
Example: Student enrolls for 450 clock hours. All students must attend 50% of the clock hours in their program during the academic year before they may receive their second disbursement. At this time you must be meeting Standards of Academic Progress.

• Title IV aid will only pay for the total number of clock hours in their program.  Once the student has received Title IV aid for the total hours in the program no more Federal Aid will be available.  Therefore, it is not possible to repeat courses or labs in these programs with Title IV aid – only at the student’s expense.

• For any semester of enrollment with clock hours totaling less than the full-time equivalent in clock hours (450 per semester), all Title IV aid eligibility must be prorated. Proration multipliers are derived from the number of clock hours enrolled for the semester as a percentage of the number of clock hours in the full-time equivalent academic year.  For all vocational certificate programs, the minimum academic year contains 900 clock hours (450 per semester).

For example: Maximum awards are multiplied by the proration percentage. So if a program is 1200 clock hours the student may receive aid such as:

• Full time aid for the 1st 450 clock hours
• Full time aid for the 2nd 450 clock hours if the 1st 450 clock hours was completed with C or better grades
• Prorated aid for the last 300 clock hours if taken in the next award year, if the student takes the 300 clock hours in the same academic year, then no more aid remains for a payment in this award year

If you have questions or concerns, stop by the Financial Aid Office and we'll be happy to explain the Vocational Certificate Program Regulations.

Students are not eligible for federal or state student aid if in default on a Federal Perkins Loan, a Nursing Loan (NL), a Federal Stafford Loan/GSL, any other federal or state loan program, or owe a refund on any Federal Pell, FSEOG, FSAG received for attendance at any institution.

Priority for funding is given to full-time students, and awards are based on full-time enrollment. Full-time enrollment is 12 credit hours for Fall, Spring, Summer A and/or Summer B. Audited classes are not calculated as part of total enrollment.

Enrollment Status:
Full-time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  12 or more credit hours

Three-quarter time . . . . . . . . . . . . .  9 to 11 credit hours

Half-time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 to 8 credit hours

Less than half-time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 or fewer credit hours

Audit classes do not qualify for federal or state aid.

If any of the following circumstances apply to you or your family, check with your campus financial aid office after you receive your Student Aid Report:

• Divorce of parents, or you from your spouse.
• Death of a major wage earner.
• Loss of employment of a major wage earner

Entering your correct Social Security Number and EFSC ID number on all forms at the EFSC Financial Aid office and with the Registrar is extremely important. An error can result in your not receiving a financial aid award or delay you receiving aid.

You must file your FAFSA with your name as it appears on your Social Security Card.  If your name does not match the name on your Social Security Card, we strongly urge you to visit your local Social Security Administration Office to update your records.  The Social Security Administration can be contacted by calling 1-800-772-1213 or by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov.

A recipient of Federal Title IV financial aid who withdraws from school during a payment period or period of enrollment in which the student began attendance will have the amount of Title IV funds he/she did not earn calculated according to federal regulations. This calculation will be based on the student’s last date of attendance.

The period of time in which Title IV financial aid is earned for a payment period or period of enrollment is the number of calendar days the student has been enrolled for the payment period or period of enrollment up to the student's last date of attendance divided by the total calendar days in the payment period or period of enrollment. The percentage is multiplied by the amount of Title IV financial aid for the payment period or period of enrollment for which Title IV financial aid was awarded to determine the amount of Title IV financial aid earned. The amount of Title IV financial aid that has not been earned for the payment period or period of enrollment must be returned.

The amount of Title IV financial aid earned and the amount of Title IV financial aid not earned will be calculated based on the amount of Title IV financial aid that was disbursed for the payment period or period of enrollment upon which the calculation was based.

A student will have earned 100% of the Title IV financial aid disbursed for the payment period or period of enrollment if the student last attended after completing 60% of the payment period or period of enrollment.

If the amount of unearned Title IV financial aid disbursed exceeds the amount that is returned by the school, the student (or parent, if a Federal Plus loan) must return or repay, as appropriate, the remaining grant and loan funds. The student (or parent, if a Federal Plus loan) will be notified of the amount that must be returned or repaid as appropriate. The student will not qualify for further federal aid until the repayment is satisfied.

Students that do not successfully complete any classes with a passing grade will be monitored at the end of each term for unofficial withdrawals. If it is determined that the punitive grades are a result of an unofficial withdrawal, the Return of Unearned Title IV Funds calculation will be applied to awards received and the student will be required to repay grant and loan funds as appropriate.

Students wishing to withdraw must follow the College’s official withdrawal policy. Students withdrawing from all courses are subject to repayment of financial aid monies received.

Refund Policy
Fees will be refunded in full for:

1. Credit hours dropped during the drop/add period.
2. Courses cancelled by the college.

Unofficial Withdrawals

Students that do not successfully complete any classes with a passing grade will be monitored at the end of each term for unofficial withdrawals. If it is determined that the punitive grades are a result of an unofficial withdrawal, the Return of Unearned Title IV Funds calculation will be applied to awards received and the student will be required to repay grant and loan funds as appropriate.

• Complete application correctly and submit it on time.
• Read all materials sent to you from EFSC and other agencies awarding aid.
• Read, understand and keep copies of all forms you sign.
• Know and comply with the rules governing aid you receive.
• Provide additional documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by EFSC.
• Comply with the provisions of any promissory note and all other agreements you sign.
• Complete, if required, loan entrance orientation and exit interview.
• Use aid only for expenses related to attending EFSC.
• Notify the Office of Financial Aid of changes in financial circumstances or residency status.
• Keep your local and permanent address current with the Office of Records and Admissions.
• Register for the appropriate number of hours and attend classes.
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress.
• Provide up-to-date academic records to Office of Records and Admissions.
• Provide High School transcript to Office of Records and Admissions.
• Declare a major.
• Make sure your program is eligible for funding.

Take appropriate Placement Tests.