4. You are encouraged to sign up on Reg-e to have your financial aid payments deposited directly into your bank account. Otherwise, your Financial Aid check(s) will be mailed to your home address. Your status will only be changed to on campus pick up based on exceptional circumstances and only for the current academic year after which your payment status will be changed back to mail.
5. The Financial Aid Office reserves the right to verify all documents submitted for your file along with information provided on your FAFSA at any time. During the review process, it may be determined that more documentation or information is needed to resolve conflicting information. Until the additional information is provided, no further processing will be done on your file. The final determination of your eligibility may be delayed if corrections are needed or other information is required.
6. You must enroll in and maintain at least one (1) class at San Diego City College (SDCC) or ECC every semester in order to receive aid from SDCC. Only classes in the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) are counted towards your enrollment status unless specifically approved by the Financial Aid Office with a Concurrent Enrollment form. You can only receive aid from one college at a time.
7. If you enroll in less than 12 units per semester your Pell Grant and/or your Cal Grant payments will be adjusted. Pell Grant disbursements will be based on your enrollment status as of a set date each semester, known as the "freeze date". If you add units after these dates or after you have been packaged with aid, you will not receive an increase nor additional payments. If you are awarded during the semester and the semester "freeze date" has passed, your enrollment status will be determined and frozen based on the date of your actual disbursement. Please refer to the Payment Dates section on our website for more information and the specific Freeze date for each semester.
8. The full-time enrollment status for all students is 12 units per semester for Fall, Spring and Summer. Federal regulations do not allow any exceptions including students certified by DSPS for less than 12 units.
9. If eligible, a portion of your Pell Grant will be set aside for use at the SDCCD Bookstores to purchase your books and supplies at the start of each semester. The bookstore award will depend on your enrollment status and the amount of your Pell Grant award. The remainder of your Pell Grant will be paid in two installments during each semester with the 1st disbursement including any unused amounts from the bookstore. Please refer to the Payment Dates section on our website for more information and the exact dates of our main disbursements.
10. If you are only enrolled in all late start classes (classes not starting the first week of the regular semester), your grant and/or loan payments will be disbursed after your late start classes begin. Grant payments made for classes that you never attended may result in an overpayment and/or a reduced second disbursement.
11. Direct Loan payments will be disbursed only after you are officially enrolled in and currently attending six (6) or more units. Late classes that have not officially started will not be counted towards your current enrollment status. You must maintain continuous half-time enrollment (6 units or more) for the entire loan period to receive your loan check. Example: If you drop/withdraw below 6 units in the Fall, your check for Spring may be canceled and you must re-apply for a new loan. If you are a first time, first year borrower, your initial loan payment must be delayed at least 30 days after the start of the semester. Please refer to the Payment Dates section of our website for more information.
12. If you apply for a Direct Loan and you are only enrolled for one semester (Fall or Spring), the maximum loan amount you may receive is 1/2 of the full year amount.
13. If you are a non-resident student and eligible for a Pell Grant, it will be applied to your non-resident tuition and fees. You must pay the balance of any tuition and fees still due within the required timeframe or you will be administratively dropped from all classes.
14. If your legal or mailing address is located in another state and you are enrolled in all online (web) classes, you will not be eligible for federal financial aid. If you feel your status is incorrect, you must come into the Financial Aid Office and provide appropriate documentation to show you reside in California.
15. You must pay all fees including the Health Fee, if applicable, by the payment deadline or you will be dropped from all classes.
16. Your academic history will be reviewed each year you apply for financial aid with the FAFSA, even if you have not received financial aid before. To be in “Good Standing” for Financial Aid, you must meet all of the standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP):
- Have a 67% or greater completion rate based on the total number of units completed versus units attempted in the SDCCD and any transfer work
- Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in the SDCCD
- Have attempted 90 units or less from all colleges attended (an official academic transcript must be received by SDCCD)
- Have not earned an Associates Degree or a higher degree (Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree, Doctorate Degree) from any college (U.S. or foreign)
17. If you do not meet these SAP standards, you will be “Disqualified” from financial aid. The complete SAP standards are published in the SDCCD Financial Aid Bulletin or on our website under “How to Qualify for and Keep Your Financial Aid”. If “Disqualified”, you may file a financial aid appeal if you have extenuating circumstances. An Educational Plan based on your major is required for all appeals.
18. If you owe any type of emergency loan, your financial aid check(s) will be held for pick up at the Accounting Office window at A-114. You must endorse your check and any remaining balance will be refunded to you after deducting the emergency loan amount. This refund process may take one to two business days to be completed after you endorse the original check.
19. You will not be eligible for aid if you owe a repayment or overpayment on a Pell Grant, SEOG, or any other grant from any college.
20. You will not be eligible for any Federal aid if you are in “Default” on a Stafford, Direct, PLUS, SLS, or Perkins Loan or other loans from any institution. You may regain eligibility by providing proof that you have made satisfactory repayment for six (6) consecutive months, consolidated, or paid your loan(s) in full. You may then regain eligibility for federal grants and loans. You must continue to make your monthly payments. You may need to provide proof every year that you have maintained your monthly payments. If you miss a payment, you will become ineligible and you will have to make payments for 12 consecutive months to regain eligibility for any Federal aid.
21. You will promptly notify the appropriate Office(s) of any changes to your information, including, but not limited to:
- Change of name or social security number (Financial Aid and Admissions)
- Change of address or phone number (Make changes in Reg-e)
- Receipt of outside financial aid or resources or receipt of financial aid from another college or agency (Financial Aid)
- Attendance at another college while enrolled at San Diego City College (Financial Aid)
22. Official Academic transcripts from all prior colleges attended are required to determine your financial aid eligibility. You must request transcripts if they are not already on file or if your prior transcripts do not include your most recent attendance.
23. If you receive a federal grant or loan and you drop or withdraw from all classes before the 60% point of the semester, you may owe a repayment. You must repay the amount in full within 45 days of notification or a “Hold” will be placed on your Financial Aid and SDCCD records. If you fail to respond or comply, you will be ineligible for any Federal aid from SDCC or any other college and your repayment will be turned over to the U.S. Department of Education for collection.
24. If you are enrolled in a Self-paced class (open entry, open exit), you will only receive enrollment credit and financial aid for the very first semester of enrollment provided you enroll by the semester freeze date. If you continue the class into the next semester, you will not receive enrollment credit again and the class will not count towards your payment determination for financial aid for the next semester.
This page was last updated on June 16, 2011