Financial Aid

How do I apply for financial aid?

1. Apply for Admission

Before your financial aid can be processed, you'll have to apply for admission. Creating an account is easy and can always come back and complete it later.

2. Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA)

What is the FAFSA? The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is a free application to apply for Federal Grants (free money), Work-study (money you earn), and Student loans (money you pay back). Many scholarships require the FAFSA to be completed. Anyone planning on going to college, regardless of their family’s financial status, should complete the application.

Get Your FSA ID and Password: To complete the FAFSA, you will need an FSA ID, username, and password combination that allows you to sign your FAFSA electronically. As you fill out the FAFSA, you can sign up for the FSA ID but also have the option to get it ahead of time. Parents of dependent students will need their own FSA to sign their student’s FAFSA.

Add our School Code: Columbia College School Code 003430. Adding our school code will ensure your FAFSA is sent to CC’s Financial Aid office automatically. 

3. Complete your Financial Aid File

Complete your Financial Aid file: After you submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, you’ll get a Student Aid Report (SAR) that summarizes the information you provided on your application. You can check your Koala Connection (KC) account to see what information is requested of you.

Communication from CC: You will receive email communication if any additional documentation is required in order to complete your Financial Aid File. The email will be sent to your CC email account.

Corrections to your FAFSA: In general, changes to income are not allowable as the FAFSA Is considered a snapshot of the student’s ability to pay. However, if you or your family have experienced a special circumstance that has affected your financial aid situation since reporting your information on your FAFSA, you can speak to a Financial Aid Advisor.

FAFSA Verification

Additional Documentation may be needed to complete your file, often as a result of a process called Verification.

If you are selected for verification, you must submit the appropriate documentation to the CC Financial Aid Office. Documentation requirements may include, but are not limited to:

• CC Financial Aid Verification Worksheet, completed and signed by student and/or parents
  • Links to the Verification Worksheets are available to students through their KC account under the “Financial Aid” tab, select “Eligibility,” then click “Student Requirements,” and select the applicable aid year. Verification worksheet forms can also be downloaded or obtained at the Financial Aid Office.
• Applicable tax transcripts and schedules for student/parent or student/spouse
  • If you did not use the IRS Data-Retrieval Tool, you will need to obtain and submit your tax transcript and or signed 1040 and, if filed, schedules 1, 2 and/or 3
• All student/spouse/parent W-2 form(s) or 1099-MISC form(s) for total income
• Parent verification of non-tax filing, if applicable
• Statement of Educational Purpose
• Other documentation requested by the school

4. Review and Modify your Financial Aid Offers

Financial Aid Offers occur for those students who:

• Have a complete financial aid file
• Have met eligibility requirements (you must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress) and have submitted all required additional documentation.

Notification of Financial Aid Offers: You will receive an email notification with instructions on how to access CC to access your financial aid information to review offers.

Having trouble completing the FAFSA? Check out these helpful tools.

Loans

Federal Loans

Federal Subsidized Direct Loans

The Federal Subsidized Direct Loans are based on demonstrated financial need. The interest and payments are deferred while the student is enrolled. Repayment begins 6 months after the student ceases to be enrolled at least half-time. A student can borrow up to $3,500 as a freshman, $4,500 as a sophomore, and $5,500 as a junior or senior. A student can borrow an aggregate of $23,000 for his or her undergraduate study. The current fixed interest rate for the Federal Subsidized Loan is 8.25%.

Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans

The Federal Unsubdued Direct Loans are non-need-based loans. Interest on unsubsidized Direct loans accrues while the student is enrolled. Repayment begins 6 months after the student ceases to be enrolled at least half-time. If a dependent student does not qualify for a subsidized Direct loan, the dependent student may borrow from this program at the same loan limits as the Federal Subsidized Direct Loans. An independent or qualified dependent freshman and sophomore student may borrow up to $6,000 per academic year. The undergraduate loan limit for an independent or qualifying dependent student who is a junior or senior is $7,000 per academic year. 

Graduate students are eligible for up to $20,500 per year, not to exceed the Cost of Attendance for Columbia College. The current fixed interest rate for the Federal Unsubsidized Loan for undergraduate students is 8.25%, and for graduate students and low-income is 9.50%.

Federal Parent PLUS Direct Loans

The Federal Parent PLUS Loans are loans taken out by parents of dependent undergraduate students, enrolled at least half-time, to help pay for their child’s college expenses. Parents are responsible for repaying Parent PLUS loans. PLUS loans are in addition to the loans taken out by your child, and your PLUS loan will cover the entire cost of tuition, room and board, and other school-related expenses that your child’s financial aid doesn’t cover. The current fixed interest rate for the Federal Parent PLUS Loan is 10.50%. Parents cannot borrow more than the cost of attendance for the child’s education minus other financial aid received.

Federal Graduate Plus Loan

The Federal Graduate Plus loans are federal student loans available to students attending graduate school and professional school. The current fixed interest rate for the Federal Graduate PLUS Loan is 10.50%.

Direct Loan Disclosures

Loan for undergraduate students enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours) or graduate students enrolled in at least three (3) credit hours. Students can get a loan regardless of income, but the federal government pays interest only on need-based subsidized loans while a student is enrolled at least half time. The interest accrues on unsubsidized loans while the student is in school. Interest rates can vary depending on the type of loan and academic year. Students must sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) with the Department of Education, and new borrowers must complete entrance counseling online at www.studentaid.gov.

Classification & Loan Limits

The undergraduate Loan Grade Level is determined by the total number of semester hours earned at Columbia College plus any hours accepted in transfer.

Level	Number of Hours Earned	Classification
1	0-29	First Year
2	30-59	Sophomore
3	60-89	Junior
4	90+	Senior
5	Bachelor's Degree Earned	Graduate Student

For a single semester, your loan eligibility is no more than half the annual amount.

The total outstanding loan debt you can accrue from the federal student loan program is:

• $31,000 as a dependent undergraduate student (only $23,000 of this can be subsidized)
• $57,500 as an independent undergraduate student (only $23,000 of this amount can be subsidized)
• $138,500 as a graduate student.

Alternative Loans

Private Loans

Private (or alternative) loans help bridge the gap between the cost of education and the limited amount of financial aid available through federal programs.

Private or alternative loans are designed to help students who need additional assistance with educational costs. In most cases, it is advantageous for students to pursue Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans and for parents to pursue Federal PLUS Loans (or Grad PLUS Loans for graduate students) before seeking private loans. A major advantage of these federal programs is that the federal government caps the interest on the loans. Additionally, alternative loans typically do not offer the same benefits as federal loans, such as consolidation, service cancellations, and military repayment. To research private loan options, click here.

If assistance beyond what is available through the federal loan programs is desired, there are several private lenders who offer alternative loans to cover educational expenses. Loan approval is generally based on creditworthiness and ability to repay – for students, a credit-worthy, employed co-signer might be required (and is strongly encouraged to get the best rates and terms). 

Applying for a Private Loan
For funds to be available for payment purposes, we recommended that applications be submitted by these priority dates:

• June 15 for the fall semester
• November 1 for the spring semester
• April 1 for summer sessions

Please note that the credit check performed by many lenders expires after 90 to 120 days. Therefore, you should not apply for a private loan more than three months prior to the start of the loan period. However, because of processing time, you should apply as soon as possible within the three month-window.

Loan Certification
CC cannot certify private education loans that overlap multiple academic years or terms. If we receive a request to certify a private loan that overlaps multiple terms and/or academic years, we will place your private loan certification request on hold.

CC reviews your lender’s required qualifications (SAP, enrollment, etc.) before certifying your loan. You must understand and meet your lender’s requirements.

Loan Disbursement

• If your loan is certified for both the fall and spring semesters, the first half of your funds will be disbursed in the fall semester. The second half will be disbursed in the spring semester.
• If your loan is certified for a single term, your private education loan will be released in one disbursement.
• Federal regulations require all lenders of private education loans to provide borrowers three business days from the time you receive the Loan Consummation Disclosure Statement to change your mind and cancel your private education loan.
• Your private education loan will be disbursed within 10 business days from the date you receive the Loan Consummation Disclosure Statement. Lenders and schools are prohibited by federal regulations from disbursing funds until the cancellation period has passed.

Private Loan Disclosure
A Columbia College student may apply for a loan through a private lender to meet educational expenses. Private education loans are available only to enrolled students and are designed to fill the gap between other financial assistance received and the annual cost of attendance.

CC does not have a preferred lender list. Look for interest rates and repayment plans that meet your needs, and keep in mind that many of these loans don’t offer flexible repayment plans or consolidation options. With some lenders, adding a qualified co-signer can help you receive a better interest rate.

We encourage you to borrow federal student loans first before considering a private alternative loan. Visit Federal Student Aid to learn more about the difference between federal and private loans.

The amount that you or your cosigner can borrow depends on individual financial circumstances. Other variables include CC’s cost of attendance, financial aid resources, and loan limits imposed by the lender. Your alternative loan and other financial aid cannot exceed your cost of attendance.

Important Note: Pursuant to Section 155 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, (HEA) and to satisfy the requirements of Section 128(e)(3) of the Truth in Lending Act, a lender must obtain a self-certification signed by the applicant before disbursing a private education loan. The school is required on request to provide this form or the required information only for students admitted or enrolled at the school. Please complete the Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification form.

SC Teacher Loan Program

The South Carolina Teacher Loan Program was established by the State of South Carolina through the Education Improvement Act of 1984 to entice talented and qualified students into the teaching profession. This loan is canceled by teaching in South Carolina public schools in an area of critical need.

The loan is canceled at the rate of 20 percent or $3,000, whichever is greater, for each full year of teaching in a critical subject or critical geographic area within South Carolina. If you teach in both a critical subject and a critical geographic area,, your loan will be canceled at the rate of 33.33 percent or $5,000, whichever is greater, for each year of full-time teaching. The subject areas deemed critical at the time you apply, or subsequently, will be honored for cancellation when you begin teaching; a critical geographic area must be deemed critical at the time of your employment. If you decide not to teach, the interest rate will be the interest rate charged on Stafford Loans plus 2 percent. This variable rate is capped at 10.25 percent.

For more information regarding cancellation benefits and current critical geographical and subject needs, visit the South Carolina Student Loan Corporation's website at http://www.scstudentloan.org/.

Note: Because of limited funding, meeting all criteria and deadlines does not mean you will be accepted into the Teacher Loan Program.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be a United States citizen.
• Must be a resident of South Carolina.
• Must be enrolled in good standing at an accredited institution on at least half-time basis.
• Must be enrolled in a program of teacher education or have expressed an intent to enroll in such a program.
• Entering freshmen must have been ranked in the top 40 percent of their high school graduating class and have an SAT or ACT score equal to or greater than the South Carolina average for the year of graduation from high school or the most recent year for which such figures are available.
• Enrolled undergraduate students, including enrolled freshmen, must have taken and passed the South Carolina Education Entrance Exam (EEE) and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale.
• Entering graduate students must have at least a 2.75 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Graduate students who have completed at least one term must have a grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale or better.
• Must be seeking initial certification in a critical subject area if you already hold a teaching certificate.

Loan Amounts
Freshmen and sophomores can borrow up to $2,500 per year. Juniors, seniors, and graduate students can borrow up to $5,000 per year.

Application Process
Applications for the South Carolina Teachers Loan / Career Changers can be obtained in the Financial Aid Office when available, generally around late January or early February for the upcoming academic year. The application may also be downloaded from the South Carolina Student Loan Corporation website. The priority application deadline is April 30. However, because of limited funding, we suggest that you apply as soon as the application for the new academic year is available because these funds are limited by the state each year. Priority is given to renewal applicants. Incomplete applications are not guaranteed priority processing.

#student-employmentStudent Employment

The Office of Financial Aid helps students participate in the most beneficial work experience possible while at Columbia College.

The following describes two programs coordinated through the Office of Student Employment:

 

Federal Work Study (FWS)

Federal Work Study, as its name implies, is a federally subsidized program awarded to students based on financial need. Students are approved to receive Work Study awards as part of their financial aid package. To be considered for FWS, the student must:

• Complete the FAFSA by April 15th 
• Have financial need as determined by the FAFSA

Workship (WS)

Workship is institutionally funded aid awarded to students based on their skills and the campus student work needs. This program also assists students who do not qualify for FWS funds but express a desire to work on campus.

FWS and WS applications must be submitted via Handshake.

Summer Aid

Financial aid is primarily awarded in the nine-month academic year, but specific programs are available year-round to students who attend Summer Sessions.

South Carolina state scholarships may be available to eligible full-time students who have already used aid in the Fall and Spring.

The Federal Pell Grant is available to eligible students enrolled at least half-time. However, students who borrowed the Federal Direct Loan maximum during the academic year are not eligible for additional Direct Loan assistance in the Summer unless they have progressed to a higher grade level with a higher loan limit. As an alternative, students may benefit from the Federal Direct PLUS (for parents or graduate students) or a private loan. Please note that the aid used in the Summer counts against lifetime limits.

To initiate the summer aid process, once you have completed a summer loan application AND finalized your summer registration, you will need to email the Office of Financial Aid of your intent to enroll in summer school at fa@columbiasc.edu.

Students receiving a state scholarship (LIFE or Palmetto Fellows) may request to receive a summer disbursement by completing the Summer Scholarship Request Form. Please note that you will need to be enrolled full-time (12 hours or more) to receive a scholarship stipend after a co-op/internship or if you are requesting to use your LIFE or Palmetto Fellows.

For most types of aid, students must be enrolled at least half-time (currently 6 credit hours for undergraduates, 5 hours for graduate students, 12 hours for scholarships) for the period of the aid request.

Summer Loans

Summer loans will be processed automatically based on the submission of the FAFSA. Students planning to attend the Summer Session in 2025 must submit a 2024-2025 FAFSA (if not already submitted) by the suggested deadline of April 1. 

Students participating in Summer Start should file the 2024-2025 FAFSA for the summer session; we will start processing Summer Start aid in mid-May.

Students or parents applying for a Federal Direct PLUS Loan must complete a loan application/promissory note online at studentaid.gov. If applying for a private loan, students and their co-signers must complete a loan application/promissory note directly with their lender of choice. First-time Federal Direct Loan borrowers must complete a promissory note and entrance loan counseling at studentaid.gov.

Summer State Scholarships

Students with the Palmetto Fellows or the LIFE Scholarship may request to receive a Summer disbursement of their scholarship if they meet the eligibility requirements for their scholarship. 

Summer Disbursements of State Scholarships
A Summer Session scholarship disbursement yields a potential for those eligible students who demonstrate they are on an accelerated track to graduation to earn a degree at a faster pace than on a traditional academic calendar. The availability of Summer awards allows for a decreased time-to-degree alternative, which helps students meet their educational goals at lower costs.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR DETERMINATION OF SUMMER AWARD ELIGIBILITY

• The program for Summer awards applies to Palmetto Fellows and LIFE programs.
• For purposes of Summer awards, Summer Session is defined as the period between the end of the Spring term and the beginning of the Fall term. 
• A student who has been verified as meeting all general and continued eligibility requirements at the end of the Spring semester is eligible to participate in Summer scholarship disbursements.
• A student can only receive a Summer scholarship disbursement at their home institution.

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To participate, a student must meet the following requirements by the end of the Spring term in addition to meeting all general scholarship eligibility requirements.

Palmetto Fellows Scholarship 
For participation in Summer scholarship disbursement, at the end of the Spring semester, a recipient must:

• Earn a cumulative 3.0 institutional GPA.
• Earn at least 30 credit hours of nonremedial coursework during the Fall and Spring terms, excluding AP, IB, dual-enrollment, CLEP or exempted credit hours.
• A Summer Session cannot be a scholarship recipient’s first term of enrollment.
• Eligibility for the scholarship enhancement will be determined at the same time.

LIFE Scholarship 
For participation in Summer scholarship disbursement, at the end of the Spring semester, a recipient must:

• Earn a cumulative 3.0 LIFE GPA.
• Earn an average of at least 30 credit hours of nonremedial coursework during the Fall and Spring terms, including AP, IB, dual-enrollment, CLEP or exempted credit hours.
• A Summer Session cannot be a scholarship recipient’s first term of enrollment.
• Eligibility for the scholarship enhancement will be determined at the same time.

General Eligibility Requirements 

• A student must demonstrate having attempted and/or enrolled in at least 12 credit hours over the course of the Summer Session to be awarded. Students who drop below 12 hours at any point during the Summer and after receiving their Summer State Scholarship may lose their scholarship and will owe the College for any incurred expenses previously paid by the scholarship.
• Participating students who are determined to be a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship or a LIFE Scholarship recipient and have met the continued eligibility requirements at the end of the Spring term are eligible for a Fall award regardless of their academic performance over the Summer. Continued eligibility for the scholarship will be reviewed at the end of the following Spring term.

PALMETTO FELLOWS AND LIFE SCHOLARSHIP ENHANCEMENTS
A student who has been determined to have met continued eligibility for the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship or LIFE Scholarship and has met the scholarship enhancement eligibility requirement is eligible to receive the enhancement funds for the Summer Session.

SUMMER ENROLLMENT FORM
Prior to the disbursement of Summer awards, students must complete the following:

• Complete the Summer Scholarship Request Form and choose Summer LIFE or Palmetto Fellows Scholarship.
• Students may be required to meet with someone in the Office of Financial Aid.

Determine Residency  
To receive South Carolina state funds, students and/or parents will need to prove they are a South Carolina resident each year. The residency application should be completed by independent and dependent students.  To complete the residency application, the student must complete the Residency Form.  State funds will not be disbursed without a complete Residency Form.

Financial Aid Policies

Professional Judgement (PJ)

Professional Judgment refers to the authority of a college’s financial aid office to adjust the data elements on the FAFSA (special circumstances) and/or to adjust a student's dependency status (unusual circumstances) on a case-by-case basis. The college does not have the authority to change the need analysis formula itself or to make direct adjustments to the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Instead, the school may adjust the inputs to the formula. The changes to the inputs are dictated by the impact of the special circumstances on the family's income and assets. The standard formula is then applied to the new data elements, yielding a new EFC figure.

There are two different categories of professional judgment:

• Special Circumstances refer to the financial situations (loss of a job, etc.) that justify an aid administrator adjusting data elements in the COA or in the EFC calculation.
• Unusual Circumstances refer to the conditions that justify an aid administrator making an adjustment to a student’s dependency status based on a unique situation (e.g., human trafficking, refugee or asylee status, parental abandonment, incarceration), more commonly referred to as a dependency override.

A student may have both a special circumstance and an unusual circumstance. Financial aid counselors (FACs) may make adjustments that are appropriate to each student’s situation with appropriate documentation.

Appeals will be denied for the following:

• Insufficient documentation
• Requests for expenses outside of the academic year or less than the budgeted amount
• Requests for non-allowable costs (see What Financial Aid can and cannot cover)
• Requests for expenses incurred by family a member or another person
• Requests for allowable expenses paid by external sources (i.e. no duplication of expenses already paid by patient financial assistance, write-off, external or government assistance programs, etc.)
• Living beyond one’s means
• Insufficient credit or co-signer

PJ Authority and Individuals Who May Exercise It

Professional judgment (PJ) decisions are made by the CC Office of Financial Aid on a case-by-case basis as the result of examining a particular student’s unique circumstances. The Financial Aid Director and Associate Director of Financial Aid will have the authority to exercise professional judgment. PJ will only be exercised after any required verification has been completed, all required institutional forms have been completed, and any conflicting/inconsistent information has been resolved. The PJ decision of the Office of Financial Aid is final and cannot be appealed to the Department of Education.

Special Circumstances for Which PJ Adjustments Are Allowed and Resulting Actions Taken

The circumstances outlined as “special circumstances” by CC include but are not limited to: 

• Loss of employment due to termination, layoff, disability, retirement, company closing, or plant shutdown
• Loss of untaxed benefit or income, including worker’s compensation, child support, pensions and annuities, or social security benefits
• Separation or divorce
• Death of individual whose information was reported on the FAFSA
• Documented excessive out-of-pocket medical expenses 

The student should complete the Special Circumstance form in order to be considered for a PJ. Special Circumstance requests to change the income data element due to loss of income will not be considered until after January 1 of the current award year and after the student has filed a federal tax return for the future award year. CC does not project income based on the student’s estimate. Once the student has filed a federal tax return for the future award year, the student should submit the Special Circumstance request form along with supporting documentation to the Office of Financial Aid. If the Special Circumstance is not due to loss of income, the Special Circumstance request form, along with supporting documentation, may be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid without waiting to file a new federal tax return.

After all documentation is collected, the Professional Judgment Committee will evaluate the material for PJ consideration. If the PJ is approved, a correction will be made to the ISIR within the PowerFAIDS or on FAA Access. In addition, the Financial Aid Director will indicate on the Comment screen on the PowerFAIDS system that a PJ has been exercised.The student will be repackaged for financial aid for the fall/spring semesters. A revised award notification email will be generated for the student indicating any new award amounts.

Requests for Special Circumstances Consideration

To make a request, complete the professional judgment for special circumstances form. Once all the forms and the appropriate documentation are received, the request will be considered.

Special Circumstances Acceptable Documentation

Acceptable documentation includes, but is not limited to:

• Tax transcript for both award years (present and future) for true comparison 
• W2s for all (student/spouse/parent as applicable)
• Unemployment records (if applicable)
• Most recent pay stubs (as applicable)
• Disability payments (if applicable)
• Any other benefits received 

Unusual Circumstances (Dependency Override) Authority and Individuals Who May Exercise It

An unusual circumstance PJ or dependency override occurs when a financial aid counselor exercises professional judgment and overrides the Department of Education’s criteria for dependent students. An override may only be granted on a case-by-case basis for students with unusual & exceptional circumstances. These circumstances must show compelling reason for a student to be considered independent rather than dependent. All Financial Aid counselors and the Director have the authority to exercise a dependency override.

Circumstances for Which an Unusual Circumstance Is Allowed and Resulting Actions Taken

The following are some examples of conditions that could warrant a dependency override: 

• Parental abandonment
• Parental drug abuse
• Parental mental incapacity
• Physical or emotional abuse
• Severe estrangement from parents
• Parental Incarceration 
• Human trafficking
• Refugee or asylee status

By Federal Law, the following conditions DO NOT warrant a dependency override:

• Parents refuse to provide information on the FAFSA application or for verification
• Parents do not claim student as a dependent for income tax purposes 
• Parents unwilling or unable to contribute to student’s education 
• Student demonstrates self-sufficiency (lives on their own)
• Student reluctant to request the income information from parents
• Student does not wish to communicate with parents 

The determination of whether or not to approve a dependency override is made by counselors and the Director. The Director will review each case before the final approval is performed. All decisions made on dependency overrides are final and cannot be appealed to the U. S. Department of Education.

Requests for Unusual Circumstances Consideration

To make a request, complete the professional judgment for unusual circumstances form. Once all the forms and the appropriate documentation are received, the request will be considered.

Unusual Circumstances Acceptable Documentation

Return the completed Unusual Circumstances form with the following documentation:

• A statement explaining the situation and their request for unusual circumstances consideration.
• A documented interview between the student and the financial aid administrator.
• Submission of a court order or official Federal or State documentation that the student’s parents or legal guardians are incarcerated.
• A documented phone call or written statement from an attorney, a guardian ad litem, a court-appointed special advocate (or similar), or a representative of a TRIO or GEAR UP program that confirms the circumstances and the person’s relationship to the student;
• A documented determination of independence made by a financial aid administrator at another institution in the same or a prior award year; or
• Utility bills, health insurance, or other documents that demonstrate a separation from parents or legal guardians.

Acceptable documentation may also include a documented phone call or written statement that confirms the unusual circumstances with:

• A State, county, or Tribal welfare agency.
• An independent living case worker who supports current and former foster youth with the transition to adulthood or
• A public or private agency, facility, or program servicing the victims of abuse, neglect, assault, or violence.

Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

In determining independence due to homelessness, FACs must consider documentation from the following entities—provided through a documented phone call, written statement, or verifiable electronic data match—to be adequate:

• A local educational agency homeless liaison, as designated by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii)), or a designee of the liaison;
• The director of an emergency or transitional shelter, street outreach program, homeless youth drop-in center, or other program serving individuals who are experiencing homelessness or a designee of the director;
• The director of a Federal TRIO program or a Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate program (GEAR UP) grant, or a designee of the director; or
• A financial aid administrator at another institution who documented the student’s circumstance in the same or a prior award year.

In the absence of documentation from any of the individuals described above, FACs must make a case-by-case determination:

• Based upon a written statement from, or a documented interview with, the student that confirms that they are an unaccompanied homeless youth, or unaccompanied, at risk of homelessness, and self-supporting; and
• Made without regard to the reasons that the student is unaccompanied and/or homeless.

Foster Care Youth

If an institution requires that a student provide documentation that they were in foster care at age 13 or older, FACs must consider any of the following documentation to be adequate in the absence of conflicting information:

• Submission of a court order or official State documentation that the student received Federal or State support in foster care;
• A documented phone call or a written statement from an attorney, guardian ad litem, or Court Appointed Special Advocate;
• Verification of the student’s eligibility for an education and training voucher under the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program under section 477 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 677); or
• A documented phone call or written statement from a financial aid administrator who documented the student’s circumstance in the same or a prior award year.

FACs must also consider a phone call, written statement, or verifiable electronic data match from one of the following sources to be adequate documentation:

• A State, county, or Tribal agency administering a program under part B or E of title IV of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 621 et seq. and 670 et seq.);
• A State Medicaid agency; or
• A public or private foster care placement agency or foster care facility or placement.

All supporting documentation, including documented interviews, used in the financial aid administrator’s final determination must be maintained in the student’s file for a minimum of 3 years after their last term of enrollment. This is in line with standard record-keeping requirements outlined under 34 CFR 668.24.

Professional Judgement During a Disaster, Emergency, or Economic Downturn 

Columbia College has previous guidance from the Department of Education to use statutory authority to exercise professional judgment during a disaster, emergency, or economic downturn.

Financial aid counselors may, during a qualifying emergency:

• Determine that the income earned from work for an applicant is zero, if the applicant can provide paper or electronic documentation of receipt of unemployment benefits or confirmation that an application for unemployment benefits was submitted; and 
• Make additional appropriate adjustments to the income earned from work for a student, parent, or spouse, as applicable, based on the totality of the family's situation, including consideration of unemployment benefits. 

Acceptable documentation of unemployment should be submitted not more than 90 days from the date it was issued. However, institutions may use discretion to accept documentation older than 90 days under an institution’s general professional judgment authority if they do not have reason to believe there is conflicting information.

Further, the Department will adjust the program review selection model to account for an increase in the use of professional judgment by schools during the award years applicable to the qualifying emergency. 

Special Circumstance	Explanation	Person(s) Affected	Required Documentation
Employment Change	Student/spouse and/or your parent(s) had a significant loss of income due to a period of unemployment, a change of job or going from full-time to part-time employment. Loss of employment or substantial reduction in income from work that has lasted at least 6 weeks in.	Student Spouse Parent	IRS Tax Return Transcripts, W-2s and/or 1099 Statements Letter from former employer with the termination date and last pay stub Print out of Unemployment Payment Record Public an/or other type(s) of Assistance Letter (if applicable) Most recent paystubs
Income Loss	Student/spouse and/or your parent(s) earned income but have not been able to earn income because of a disability or natural disaster that occurred.	Student Spouse Parent	IRS Tax Return Transcripts, W-2s and/or 1099 Statements Statement from agency with effective dates of benefits Most recent paystubs
Benefit Loss	Student/spouse and/or your parent(s) received unemployment compensation and/or untaxed benefit but have completely lost the benefit. The untaxed income or benefit must be from a public or private agency, from a company, or from an authorized individual due to a court order.	Student Spouse Parent	IRS Tax Return Transcripts, W-2s and/or 1099 Statements Statement from the agency with an effective date(s) of loss/cancellation of benefits
Separation	Student or parent separated or divorced after filing a FAFSA.	Student Spouse Parent	IRS Tax Return Transcripts, W-2s and/or 1099 Statements Copy of the legal separation document Copy of divorce decree. If not legally separated, proof of different addresses (utility bill, lease indicating period of separation) Lease with dates that include the period of separation Child support received or paid
Death	Death of spouse or parent after filing a FAFSA.	Student Spouse Parent	Copy of death certificate Social Security benefits (if applicable) Most recent paystubs Copy of birth certificate for student if death of parent

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Process Overview and Responsibilities

Each semester students are expected to make satisfactory academic progress towards completing their degree. SAP is based on a students’ grade point average (GPA), the pace at which a degree program can be completed = .6665 (Completion Rate) and the total amount of time allotted to complete a degree program = 150% (Maximum Time Frame Criteria).

Transfer students who were in good academic standing at the college they previously attended will be eligible for enrollment and financial aid. They will fall under the same satisfactory academic progress standards as current students.

Any exception to this policy will be handled based on the information provided and on a case-by-case basis.

Qualitative Measure

The qualitative standards are the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA). All grades attempted will be considered. These include, but are not limited to, courses passed, courses failed, courses from which the student withdrew (officially or unofficially), repeated courses, transfer courses, and remedial/developmental coursework. Qualitative standards required to retain federal, state, and institutional sources of financial aid for full-time students is determined by the standards below. 

Students who appeal and are placed on an Academic Plan must meet different standards described later in this policy.

Qualitative Standards (cumulative grade point average)

Undergraduate Degree

Cumulative Attempted Hours (with transfer credit)	*Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average at Columbia College (GPA)
1 - 17	1.70
18 - 34	1.80
35 - 51	1.90
52 and above	2.00

Master’s Degree

All graduate students must maintain good academic standing throughout their graduate program at Columbia College. Grades of “C” are considered less than satisfactory. Failing grades are considered unsatisfactory: any failing grade will result in automatic dismissal from the program. Failing grades are “F” and “U.”

To maintain good standing in graduate programs, students must consistently do “B” quality work or above in coursework and maintain a cumulative 3.00 GPA. A student whose cumulative GPA falls below a 3.00 in any given semester is placed on academic probation. A student will be dismissed for academic reasons if her/his cumulative GPA is less than 3.00 at the end of the following consecutive semester. Consecutive semesters are fall/spring/summer. The College requires a final cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 (“B”) for receiving the master’s degree.

Quantitative Measure

Course Completion Rate

Quantitative standards measure the rate at which the student is completing their degree. This rate is calculated by dividing the number of earned credit hours by the number of attempted hours. (Earned / Attempted = Completion Rate). If the calculation results in a decimal, the institution will use standard rounding rules. For example, if result is 66.65% the course completion rate will be rounded to 67%. Students are required to complete 2/3 (66.65%) of attempted credit hours.

Maximum Time Frame

Regulations state that students must complete their program within 150% of the published length of their program of study. For example, the minimum number of credit hours required for an undergraduate degree at CC is usually 126 credit hours. Therefore, undergraduate students are allowed to attempt a maximum of 190 credit hours (126 x 150% = 190) while pursuing their degree and continue to receive financial aid. The required number of credit hours may vary based upon degree and when the student started their program of study; therefore, the maximum number of credit hours that a student may attempt will also vary in some cases. The 190 credit hour maximum time frame still applies, regardless of the number of times a student changes majors or if he/she is pursuing multiple majors or degrees. The hours included in the evaluation will only include the hours for their current major, regardless of how many times they change majors. Students may appeal their status, if their aid is cancelled and they are pursuing multiple majors or degrees. If at the time when SAP is reviewed at the conclusion of the spring term or any other term it is determined that a student has exceeded the maximum number of attempted credit hours based upon their degree, the student is no longer eligible for financial aid.

Attempted hours include all registered hours per semester whether the student earns a grade or receives credit. Attempted hours include withdrawals, incompletes, and transfer credits. For repetitions, only the credit hours for the highest grade are included in the attempted hours. Any exception to this policy will be handled based on the information provided and, on a case-by-case basis. 

Academic Renewal

CC Financial Aid uses the overall cumulative grade point average (GPA) when evaluating the qualitative measure of satisfactory academic progress (SAP). Academic renewal policies are also factored into the equation. Academic renewal occurs when students appeal to have grades/credits from a past period, in which they did not do well, removed. This gets excluded from the student(s) academic record. In accordance with Title IV SAP regulations, CC Financial Aid does not allow for academic amnesty/renewal; therefore, if the financial aid office opted to use only the school's calculation of attempted and earned units, which omits terms approved for academic renewal, it would not truly be cumulative.

Cumulative is defined as the total amount of all grades received regardless of academic renewal. 

Treatment of course and grades in determining Satisfactory Academic Progress

Withdrawals (WD) count toward total hours attempted for the Cumulative Completion Rate and are included in the GPA calculation, only administrative withdrawals do not count against the GPA.

Incompletes (I) or No Grade (NG) count toward total hours attempted for the Cumulative Completion Rate but are not included in the GPA calculation.

No Credit (NC) is assigned to audited courses. The hours are not included in the attempted hours or the GPA calculation.

Transfer credits accepted by the College count toward the Cumulative Completion Rate and will not count in the GPA calculation.

Repeated courses count toward total hours attempted for the Cumulative Completion Rate. The highest grade is included in the GPA calculation. Federal student aid is available for only one retake of a passed course.

Change in Majors: Only courses counting toward a student's program of study (major) count toward maximum timeframe. Students are allowed a maximum of three times to change major.

Failing (F) grades count toward total hours attempted for the Cumulative Completion Rate and are included in the GPA calculation.

Satisfactory (S)/Unsatisfactory (U) are Pass/Fail credit hours that count toward total hours attempted for the Cumulative Completion Rate. Successfully completed courses are included in the total hours earned. The grades are not included in the GPA calculation.

Summer School

Summer School is considered a period of enrichment. Therefore, students are encouraged to attend summer school to improve their academic status. If summer school is attended, a SAP evaluation will be performed at the end of this term. 

Satisfactory Academic Progress SAP Cycle

When a student does not meet SAP at the end of a semester for the first time, they return to the college under a warning status. If students are not meeting cumulative standards after the second consecutive semester, the student is suspended. When a student is suspended, they may appeal once to the Office of Financial Aid to reinstate their financial aid eligibility. If the appeal is approved, the student will return under a probation status with an academic plan. If a student does not meet the terms of their academic plan or cumulative SAP standards while on probation, they are suspended. Students who subsequently meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards will restart the Satisfactory Academic Progress cycle.

Warning status is failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress after one semester of enrollment. Students are still eligible to continue to receive financial aid.

Suspension status is failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress after two consecutive semesters or who failed to meet their academic plan. A student who has earned suspension status may not receive further financial aid at the college until he or she meets the requirements of the SAP Policy.

Probation status is assigned to a student who has NOT met SAP standards but has an approved appeal for one semester or the length of their Academic Plan.

What happens when the appealed probation semester is complete?

A student may regain or lose eligibility following the appealed probation semester. The status for the semester following the appealed probation semester will fall into one of the categories below: 

1. Stay in an appealed probation status. In order to remain in appealed probation status, a student must meet his or her academic plan requirements. Students who remain in an appealed probationary status will continue on their established academic plan.

2. Move back to a suspension status. If a student does not meet either:

   1. the required pace of completion or GPA for the semester or

   2. the requirements of his/her academic plan the student's status will return to suspension and federal aid will be cancelled for future semesters.

                Students who move back to a suspension status will not be eligible for financial aid and no longer have the option to appeal.

3. Move to a satisfactory status. If a student meets the overall GPA and Cumulative Completion Rate (while meeting maximum timeframe conditions) for satisfactory academic progress. Students who move to a satisfactory status will no longer be on probation and are now meeting cumulative SAP standards. 

Writing the Appeal

You may appeal this suspension once, if you experienced an extenuating circumstance that impacted your academic progress. This means that you experienced something that was out of your control and was not common to the entire student population. For example, having a busy part-time job would not qualify for a SAP appeal. 

Examples of these extenuating circumstances include:

• The death of an immediate family member or close relative (i.e., mother, father, grandparent, sibling, or immediate family such as a related aunt or uncle).

• A serious injury or illness (physical or mental) that requires medical intervention.

• Significant, unanticipated family obligations due to medical issues or illness.

• A catastrophic loss due to fire, flood, or natural disaster that affects the student’s academic attendance or performance.

• An involuntary call to active military duty.

• An unsafe or abusive environment.

• Any undue hardship that prohibits the successful completion of coursework.

Appealing a financial aid suspension is not the same as appealing an academic suspension. Even if an academic suspension is lifted, it does not automatically remove the financial aid suspension.

Circumstances for which appeals will not be accepted:

• Lack of knowledge/understanding of the SAP Policy at CC.

• Medical appeals for illness/injury/hospitalization that do not coincide with the semester(s) of sub-standard academic progress.

• Work/scheduling conflicts (including voluntary overtime).

• Acclimation issues regarding being in a college setting.

• If you’ve previously submitted a SAP appeal with the same extenuating circumstance(s) and you are still not meeting SAP requirements.

Quality Appeals

Appeal submissions are stronger when they detail the problems that have occurred in the past and the plan to ensure that a reoccurrence does not happen. Showing an awareness of what has gone wrong in your academics (coursework not completed satisfactorily, GPA concerns, or both) and detailing a plan for success in the future will always be looked at more favorably.

Submitting reasons why you need financial aid or arguing against the policy will not assist you. We assume you need aid assistance, or you would not apply for it. However, accepting aid carries with it a responsibility to use funding as intended and move efficiently toward degree completion. Promises in your appeal to do better without an explicit, detailed plan do not demonstrate awareness and revised actions to ensure your success.

Your SAP appeal explanation must include the following:

1. Explain what happened: Why were you unable to maintain satisfactory progress?

2. Explain what has changed: What corrective measures have you taken or will you take to achieve and maintain satisfactory academic progress?

Tips for writing your appeal explanation statement:

Admit the problem: Take a hard look at your situation to determine what has kept you from making satisfactory academic progress. Perhaps you need help with time management or study skills. Admit the problem and explain how you will get help.

Attach any relevant supporting documentation: This may include a doctor’s statement, copy of hospital/urgent care/physician’s bill, obituary, funeral notice, or death certificate. Providing documentation that is not related to your appeal or not providing any documentation will render your appeal incomplete. Incomplete appeals will be denied.

Examples of supporting documentation:

• Obituary/Death certificate

• Documentation from your (or your family member’s) medical provider

• Documentation from your (or your family member’s) insurance provider

• Military orders

• Police report

• Statement from a third party (preferably in a professional capacity e.g. lawyer, employer, health professional, government entity)

You may choose not to appeal your SAP status. In this case, you will not be eligible for any aid at Columbia College until you are once again meeting minimum SAP requirements. This means that you can continue taking classes at Columbia College, but you will be responsible for covering all charges without financial aid. 

If you withdraw from Columbia College with plans to re-enroll, please note that you are still subject to the SAP policy. 

Re-establish Eligibility

Students who have been on suspension cannot merely skip a semester to regain eligibility. To regain eligibility for financial aid, the student may submit a written appeal (see Appeals Process below) in accordance with the appeals process and the Office of Financial Aid approves the appeal. The student is then placed on probation with an academic plan, if the appeal is approved. 

The college reserves the right to deny readmission on the merits of the individual case or, if students are readmitted, to indicate the conditions under which they are to be readmitted. Those students who have been readmitted and who have attended another institution while on suspension at Columbia College must submit official transcripts of such work to the Office of Admissions before readmission consideration will be granted. The maximum time frame guidelines will be applied to these students.

The Appeal Process

A student may appeal their suspension of financial aid eligibility by following this process:

1. Complete the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Application in which the student clearly explains extenuating circumstances which prevented you from meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. The application must include: 

   1. An explanation of what occurred; why did you fail to meet the SAP requirements? 

   2. An explanation of you have resolved these circumstances so that they will not continue to affect your academic performance in the future. What is your plan of action to ensure your academic success?

   3. Supporting documentation related to the appeal.

2. For maximum time frame, the student must explain the number of hours accumulated and submit a degree audit.

3. Submit your completed appeal application and all supporting documents Submit the appeal during the following times:

   1. Second week of August
   2. Last week of December
   3. Third week of May
   4. Third week of July
4. Students will be notified of the decision by mail or email within 48 hours of the decision. The decision of the Financial Aid Office is final

Submit Appeals Form and Supporting Documents to:

Columbia College
Office of Financial Aid
Attn: Satisfactory Academic Progress
1301 Columbia College Drive Columbia, SC 29203
Email To: fa@columbiacollegesc.edu

Academic Plans

Students, who have an approved SAP appeal and require more than one semester to meet SAP cumulative standards, must have an academic plan. The student is required to meet with their academic advisor who will help them determine the following:

• The number of semesters required to meet SAP standards.

• The number of credit hours the student cannot exceed for each semester.

• The minimum GPA for each semester.

Once this step is complete, the student must meet with a staff member of the Office of Financial Aid to sign the final page which may contain additional requirements determined by the Appeal Committee.

Once this information is reviewed with the student, the staff member and the student sign the academic plan. The staff member keeps a copy for the institution and the student keeps the original copy. The copy is maintained in shared folders for the institution. If changes need to be made to the plan due to availability of classes, the student must meet with their academic advisor and bring the adjustments to the Office of Financial Aid to be maintained with the appeal and original plan.

Notices

Students not meeting the SAP requirements will be notified accordingly in writing or via email within 10 working days of grades posting for that term.

Verification

Columbia College performs verification on students that are selected by the US Department of Education. Columbia College verifies information that the US Department of Education requires. The Application and Verification Guide, published by the U.S. Department of Education each year, is used as a reference for verification requirements. Columbia College verifies all students in which the Department of Education selected for verification. Columbia College may select a student for verification that is not selected by the US Department of Education if the Office of Financial Aid receives is a discrepancy or a condition, which is unusual and warrants investigation. 

Upon receipt of the electronic ISIR, a Missing Information email is generated for any student who is selected for verification according to the federal selection criteria. This letter informs the student of additional information, which is required to complete the financial aid application (verification form, student and parent tax transcripts, etc.). If student and/or parent use the Tax Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA and tax data is transferred onto the FAFSA; no Tax Transcript is needed. Students are notified that the majority of financial aid funds are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis and that until the missing items are submitted to the Office of Financial Aid, additional processing of their file is not possible, and no financial aid will be awarded or disbursed. 

Required documentation items are identified and receipt date is maintained in PowerFAIDS, the financial aid automated tracking system. Documentation submitted to the OFA must be legible and appropriate. If the student submits a document, which is not legible, the document will be returned, and appropriate documentation will be requested. Students who fail to submit verification documents will not be awarded Financial Aid. 

Students are notified that they are selected for verification on the Student Aid Report (SAR). The financial aid missing information letter also indicates to the student that he/she has been selected for verification. 

Exclusions

Listed below are certain circumstances where students do not have to complete verification. Counselors must identify and document in the aid folder why the student is not required to complete verification: 

1. Incarceration.

2. Recent immigrant. 

3. Spouse unavailable. 

4. Parents unavailable. 

5. Death of the student. 

6. Not an aid recipient.

Acceptable Documentation & Forms

Collection of documents must be uniform and consistent, across the student population. 

Students selected for verification will be required to submit specific forms to the Office of Financial Aid. Forms that could be required include but are not limited to: 

• Verification Worksheet 

• Parent/Student Tax Return Transcript or Federal 1040 Form

• Parent/Student W-2s 

• Low Income/Non-Tax Filer form 

• Untaxed Income Document 

• Statement of Educational Purpose 

• Unaccompanied Youth Form 

• Parent Plus Waiver Form 

• Statement for Previous Loan Discharge 

• Special Circumstances Form

• Dependency Evaluation Request Form 

• Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form 

Any exception made will be considered on a case-by-case basis and approved by the Director of Financial Aid.

Data Elements to be Verified

V1—Standard Verification Group 

Students in this group must verify the following if they are tax filers:

• Adjusted gross income 

• U.S. income tax paid

• Untaxed portions of IRA distributions

• Untaxed portions of pensions

• IRA deductions and payments

• Tax-exempt interest income

• Education credits

• Household size

• Number in college 

Students who are not tax filers must verify the following:

• Income earned from work

• Household size

• Number in college

V4—Custom Verification Group

Students must verify identity/statement of educational purpose (SEP). 

V5—Aggregate Verification Group

Students must verify identity/statement of educational purpose (SEP) in addition to the items in the Standard Verification Group.

Conflicting & Inaccurate Information

Upon learning of a discrepancy between the FAFSA and verification documents, the school is required to correct the information. 

The Institution is required to update the correct information on the ISIR. The school may do so by submitting corrections through FAA Access to CPS, online. All conflicting information must be resolved before the student can be packaged and have aid disbursed.

Student Notification of Verification Changes

When the corrected ISIR is received, final review of the file takes place and an award is made, if applicable. Because the OFA is liable for disbursements made prior to verification, it is the policy of the office not to award nor disburse funds until verification is complete. Columbia College does not allow interim disbursements. Students must complete the verification process before aid is disbursed. OFA policies and procedures are designed to eliminate the possibility of an overpayment from any fund. If, however, an overpayment does occur, a stop order is placed on the student’s records by the Office of Financial Aid and notification is emailed to the student.

Resolving Conflicting Information

Before an award can be made to a student, conflicting information will be resolved. For example: In checking the NSLDS database, the Office of Financial Aid discovers that the student has attended another college but failed to inform the Office of Admissions. The Office of Financial Aid will notify the Office of Admissions of the conflict and place a processing hold on the student’s record. The student will be informed that in order to be awarded financial aid, the academic transcript from the other college must be received by the Office of Admissions. As conflicts arise, they will be addressed, and any other offices involved will be notified. 

Supplemental Institutional Verification Procedures

In addition to the verification procedures required by the US Dept. of Ed., CC performs an internal audit on all files for enrolled students. The internal audit includes, but is not limited to, and evaluation of the following:

1. Loan Limits

2. Pell LEU

3. All C-Codes

4. Overpayments

5. All verification items/requirements

6. All applicable transcripts

 

Award Procedures

The Office of Financial Aid will review the student files for accuracy and completeness. A complete file consists of the following:  a signed FAFSA or Electronic SAR, admittance to the college as an undergraduate or graduate student, and all other documents (tax return transcript, birth certificates, etc.) requested by the Office of Financial Aid. Please be sure to complete all documents requested for your file. Download and complete ONLY the form you need for your file. You may email to fa@columbiasc.edu. Students who must submit additional information for corrections will be sent an updated awarded letter.

Students whose files are accurate and complete will be sent an Award Letter explaining the types and amounts of aid they are eligible to receive, as well as directions concerning how the aid will be distributed. 

All students must complete a FAFSA form to receive federal aid, including Federal Direct Student Loan and or Federal PLUS loan, state aid, and institutional aid. The FAFSA is not required for private loans.

Federal Direct Loans are electronically transmitted to the lender; the "Master Promissory Note" (MPN) can be completed online. Please electronically complete and sign the MPN. The student and PLUS loan MPN must be completed at least once during the student's four-year matriculation.

Students and/or parents obtaining loans from an outside lending agency must contact those agencies for applications, school certification forms, and promissory notes. 

Loan funds from private lenders are sent to the school, via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to the student's account. The lender will not disburse loan funds with a complete and signed MPN or Entrance Counseling. 

If additional scholarship funds come in after award/disbursement of funds, those awards may be adjusted (i.e. reduced or taken away) to prevent an over-award situation.

Award notifications are emailed weekly for students to view the award information in Koala Connection.

Disbursement Procedures

All financial aid disbursements made to students by Columbia College will occur only after the anticipated enrollment information contained on your award letter has been verified with the Registrar's Office. If the enrollment status has changed, the disbursement of financial aid will be delayed. For example, if your award is based on full-time enrollment and you are enrolled part-time, your aid will not be disbursed immediately, and you should notify our office of the change.

You must be enrolled at least part-time to receive a Direct Federal Student Loan. Part-time is considered 3- 5 hours for graduates and 6-8 hours for undergraduates. Satisfactory Academic Progress must also be verified for each award year before aid is disbursed. Year-based financial aid is typically disbursed to the student in two equal installments, one disbursement in fall and the other in the spring semester. The period of enrollment (Full Year/Fall Only/Spring Only) will determine when the disbursements are made to the student account. Aid is typically posted to student accounts the second week of classes.

Most financial aid awards credit to students' accounts. These awards include, but are not limited to, funds from the following sources: 

• Pell
• SEOG
• SCNGCAP
• SCTG
• Life Scholarship
• Hope Scholarship
• Palmetto Fellows Scholarship
• CC scholarships
• PLUS loans
• Direct Student loans

Financial aid will be credited to your account if you have accepted the aid and an accurate record of your enrollment status is in the system. You must sign a promissory note for Direct Student Loans and PLUS loans. Direct Student loans also require completion of one-time entrance counseling to disburse. Some financial aid awards do not credit to student accounts. Federal work-study awards are issued to the student unless otherwise requested.

Institutional scholarships and grants may only be used to pay Columbia College tuition, fees, room and board expenses. You are responsible for paying the balance due by the due date after financial aid has been disbursed. Any financial aid resulting in a credit balance will be distributed to you by the Office of Tuition Accounts within 14 business days. You will receive information regarding the due date of your bill with your statement of account each semester.

Financial aid is not automatically renewable. A FAFSA must be filled out each academic year. Reapplication for financial aid should be made as soon as possible after October 1st.

Withdrawals & Title IV Return of Funds

Federal, state, and institutional aid is awarded and disbursed based on the assumption that a student will attend courses for the entire semester and is therefore eligible for the entire amount of the disbursement. A Return of Title IV (R2T4) funds calculation is performed when a student who is awarded FSA funds withdrawals from a semester of study. The OFA uses software provided by the U.S. Department of Education to complete this calculation. A copy of the student’s unofficial transcript, student account statement, and financial aid record is used in conjunction with this software. A notification will be sent within 30 days of the withdrawal date if any Title IV aid needs to be returned.

The Registrar’s Office is officially designated by the school as the office where students are to provide official notice of intent to withdraw. If a student stops attending classes before completing 60% of the semester, the student is considered to have earned only a percentage of his/her aid equal to the percentage of the semester completed. In such cases, the school must apply federal and state rules to determine how much-unearned aid must be repaid by the student and the school, respectively. If a student receiving Federal Title IV Aid withdraws after completing 60% of the semester, no Title IV Aid will be returned. The student is considered to have earned 100% of the Title IV Aid for the semester. The adjustment of aid may have implications for future aid years, and it is therefore suggested that all students considering withdrawal contact the Financial Aid Office for guidance.

Columbia College has its own institutional refund policy which determines the charges that a student will owe after withdrawing. This institutional refund policy is separate from and does not affect the amount of Title IV aid earned under the Return of Title IV funds calculation.

Title IV Financial Aid includes: 

• Federal Pell Grants
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)
• Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
• Federal Direct PLUS Loans (for Parents and Graduate Students)

The student completes an online form and indicate if their withdrawal will be immediately (on the date the form is complete) or at the end of the term. When the student submits the form, an email is sent to the Office of Financial Aid. The Office of Financial Aid calculate the RT24 within 14 business days of notification from the Office of the Registrar. An additional 14 days will be required for post-withdrawal responses and a revised report will be sent to the registrar and Office of Tuition Accounts. The Office of Tuition Accounts will assess accordingly within 3 business days.

Withdrawal Date

Withdrawal Date is defined as the actual date the student began the institutional withdrawal process, the student’s last date of recorded attendance or the midpoint of the semester for a student who leaves without notifying the College.

Unofficial Withdrawal

Students receiving federal Title IV financial aid, who do not pass any courses and who do not officially withdraw from the College are considered “unofficially withdrawn.” The following procedures are used to determine if students never attend class and/or withdraw unofficially, and to determine repayments due back to aid programs.

At the end of each semester, a report is generated of all students who have Title IV federal aid and who have a semester GPA of 0.00. Those students who have all “F‘s” are assumed to be ‘unofficially withdrawn’.

The last date of attendance as reported by any of the instructors is determined and used in the Return of Title IV Funds calculation.

If a last day of attendance cannot otherwise be determined, the student is assumed to have attended 50% of the enrollment period and the formula is calculated based on that length of attendance.

The Office of Financial Aid will update the withdrawal date in NSLDS.

Formula Calculation

Title IV Return of Funds is calculated by using the official withdrawal date (retrieved from the Office of the Registrar) to determine the percentage of the semester completed by the student.  The percentage completed is then multiplied by the amount of FSA funds disbursed to the student to determine the amount of aid earned by the student. The amount earned is then subtracted from the total award for that term to determine unearned aid.

Institution & Student Responsibility

All unearned FSA funds must be returned to the Department of Education by CC within 30 days of the official withdrawal date. When a student owes an overpayment of aid due to the R2T4 calculation, either the aid is reduced to repay the overpayment or a series of three letters over a 45-day period are sent to the student requesting repayment of the unearned funds. If the student fails to repay the funds by the requested “due date,” the overpayment is reported to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) and to the Federal Borrower Services (for federal funds). When the student owes any money to the College resulting from the return of unearned financial aid, the Business Office at Columbia College bills the student. If the student does not pay the funds due to the College, a hold is placed on the student’s account and he/she is permitted to register for classes; however, will not receive transcripts until the balance has been resolved.

Institutional Refund Policy

Students who are admitted and register for courses at Columbia College are financially responsible for fees and charges associated with those courses. Students are encouraged to complete all courses for which they register. Guidelines for institutional refunds can be found in section 13.

Post-Withdrawal Disbursements

A post-withdrawal disbursement applies when a student completely withdraws from school and may be eligible to receive grants and or loans that have not yet been disbursed. The amount of the disbursement is determined by a required Return of Title IV calculation when a student completely withdraws from school. A student may not receive any funds as a post-withdrawal disbursement that the school is prohibited from making on or before the date the student withdrew. 

Examples of this include:

• If a promissory note for a Federal Direct Stafford Loan or Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan has not been signed and submitted by the student before the institution performs the Return to Title IV calculation, the loan is s automatically canceled.
• The institution may provide loan counseling information with the notice of eligibility for a post-withdrawal disbursement. However, the institution will not make the disbursement to the student until the student has completed entrance counseling.
• If the student is a first-year, first-time borrower of a Federal Direct Loan and withdraws before the 30th day of the semester, the Federal Direct Stafford Loan or Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan is canceled.

If it is determined that a student or parent is eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement, grant funds will be disbursed first and will be credited to the student's account for current outstanding charges of tuition and fees. For a balance due for charges other than tuition and fees, the institution will seek authorization from the student to deduct those charges from grant proceeds. If a remaining balance exists, the institution will seek the student's or parent's, if applicable, authorization to pay tuition and fees and other educationally related expenses from loan proceeds. If a credit balance exists after the payment of all charges, the institution will refund those funds to the student or parent (in the case of a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan). Any remaining balance due to the institution is the responsibility of the student.

Returning Unearned Funds

Columbia College will return the any unearned Title IV funds for which it is responsible no later than 45 days from the determined date of the student's withdrawal in the following order: 

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans
• Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans
• Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
• Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
• Federal Pell Grants
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
• Other Federal Grants

Requirements and Deadlines for R2T4 Calculations and Return of Title IV Aid

The following list outlines the requirements and deadlines for the return of Title IV funds. 

• Determining withdrawal date: 30 days after the end of earlier of the following (1) Semester (payment or enrollment period), (2) Academic year in which the student withdraws, or (3) Educational program from which student withdrew. 
• Return of unearned Title IV funds: No later than 45 days after the date CC determined the student withdrew. 
• Post-withdrawal disbursement to student’s account: No later than 180 days after the date CC determined the student withdrew 
• Written notification providing the student (or parent) the opportunity to accept all or part of a post-withdrawal disbursement of Title IV loan funds to the student’s account: Within 30 days of CC’s determination that the student withdrew 
• Written notification of student’s eligibility for a post-withdrawal disbursement of Title IV loan funds in excess of outstanding current (educationally related) charges: Within 30 days of CC’s determination that the student withdrew 
• Post-withdrawal disbursement to the student for earned Title IV funds in excess of outstanding current (educationally related) charges: From the date, CC determined the student withdrew… (1) No later than 180 days for loans and (2) No later than 45 days for grants 
• Notification to the student of grant overpayment: Within 30 days of the date CC determined that the student withdrew.
• Referral of student to Debt Resolution Services: As soon as possible.
• Student (or parent) deadline to submit response instructing CC to make a post- withdrawal disbursement: Deadline is given in writing when CC makes the offer of a post-withdrawal disbursement.
• Notification to the student (or parent) of the outcome of a late request for a post-withdrawal disbursement to student: As soon as possible.
• Student’s deadline to return any unearned Title IV funds: (1) For loans, according to the terms of the loan and (2) for grants, within 45 days of the date CC sent or was required to send a notice (whichever is earlier).

Institutional Refunds

Students who are admitted and register for courses at Columbia College are financially responsible for fees and charges associated with those courses. Students are encouraged to complete all courses for which they register. A refund of any portion of tuition will be made only in the case of official withdrawal from the College. This does not apply to summer terms. These guidelines will also apply to institutional and state aid.

Undergraduate (Day & Evening) and Graduate Students

When the Student Has Been Enrolled	Percentage of Tuition Refunded
Through the end of add/drop	100%
Through the next 2 calendar days	75%
Through the next 7 calendar days	50%
Through the next 7 calendar days	25%

 Online Students

When the Student Has Been Enrolled	Percentage of Tuition Refunded
Through the end of add/drop	100%
After the end of add/drop	0%

Scholarship and grant aid from state or institutional sources are subject to the same withdrawal calculations.

Note that in accordance with federal regulations, students receiving federal financial aid funds are subject to Return of Title IV Policy depending on the date of their official withdrawal petition. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Fees are nonrefundable after the end of the drop/add period.

Room charges are nonrefundable according to the terms of the housing contract signed by all resident students.

Unused board, prorated by the week, will be refunded only during the first 28 days of the semester. This applies to students who officially withdraw and to students who leave the residence hall but remain as commuting students.

No refunds are allowed after 28 calendar days of the semester. 

Students cannot receive a refund generated by Columbia College funds. If a student receives gift aid from federal, state, or private sources in excess of what is needed to cover tuition, room, board, fees and books; Columbia College aid will be reduced so that the account balance is zero.

Institutional Refund Components/Charges

The components/charges used in the institutional refund calculation are:

1. Tuition
2. Fees
3. Institutionally provided room & board

The charges on the student’s account are the components used in the calculation and are institutional charges. Therefore, the student’s account documents what the institutional charges are to be used on the calculation. The deadlines for returns are documented above.

The Gramm Leach Bliley Act

The Gramm Leach Bliley Act, also known as GLBA, is a federal law that protects customer non-public personal information, otherwise known as NPI.

How does GLBA apply to Columbia College?

GLBA applies due to the College's financial relationship with students. A critical part of GLBA is the Safeguards Rule, requiring administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for NPI. NPI is any personally identifiable financial information that a customer provides to obtain a financial service or product from Columbia College. NPI includes Social Security number, credit card number, account balance, passport information, tax return information, bank account information, driver’s license number, and date of birth. 

The following tips may be useful when dealing with NPI, though these tips alone do not ensure compliance.

• Access to NPI should be limited to only authorized personnel who require access.
• NPI computers and systems should not be used for non-work-related activities. 
• If collecting NPI online directly from students, automate the transmission.

For more in-depth information about the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), visit the Federal Trade Commission's GLBA Website.