First, federal funds must be ordered once Student Aid Reports have been processed and the U.S. Department of Education provides authorization. Usually the initial disbursement is 6-8 weeks into the semester.
Subsequent disbursements are made periodically throughout the term.
With the exception of some scholarships, which are restricted to full-time students, students enrolled for at least 6 credits receive consideration for most types of financial aid provided at Virginia Western. PTAP, a state grant program, is available to students taking less than 6 credits.
This is a tax credit, which can be taken by eligible students for tuition paid during the freshman and sophomore years, up to a maximum of $1,500.
Only the financial aid office staff at VWCC has access to this confidential information.
The custodial parent must complete the FAFSA. If that parent is remarried, information from the step-parent also is needed. The non-custodial parent is not required to report information.
Several questions are asked on the FAFSA to determine whether you are a dependent or independent student. For independent status, your answer needs to be "yes" to at least one of these questions. It is possible, in exceptional circumstances, for the school to override the criteria. If you are dependent but feel that you have an exceptional circumstance, you need to present this to the Financial Aid Officer.
Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is the amount you and your family are expected to contribute toward your education. For dependent students, this amount is derived from income and asset information provided by you and your parents. For independent students, it is derived from your own income and asset information (and that of your spouse, if married).
If you have a credit balance on your account (after tuition and textbook charges have been paid) you will be mailed a check 6-8 weeks into the semester.
You do not get paid. You then simply need to cover your education-related expenses through other resources.
The SAR allows you to review the processed FAFSA information and results. If changes or corrections are needed they can be made at FAFSA on the web. If you listed VWCC on your application, we will receive your information electronically. In this case, you should just keep your Student Aid Report for your records.
Since financial need represents the difference between the total cost of attending VWCC and the ability of you and your family to contribute, a significant change from one year to another results from a significant change in one of these two variables. Although the cost of attending VWCC typically increases from year to year, it does not do so in a drastic way. Therefore, there probably was a change in your family's financial situation (your income, your parents' income, number in household, etc.).
These two offices are located in different locations and are separate from one another administratively. The Financial Aid Office awards grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study. The Financial & Administrative Services sends bills and collects payments for college charges not covered by aid.
Complete the Special Income Reduction form which is available in the Financial Aid Office. Answer all questions and submit requested documentation to the Financial Aid Office for review. Be as detailed as possible, including reasons for the reduction. Please note that total-year income must be included, and not just income since the change of income occurred.
Our Title IV School Code is 003760.
Your Data Release Number is a four-digit number assigned to your application by the U.S. Department of Education and printed on the top right corner of your Student Aid Report (SAR). Anyone wanting to receive or change your FAFSA information must have your DRN in order to do so. Do not give out your DRN to anyone unless you have agreed to give him or her access to your FAFSA information.
A PIN is the code that you need to sign your FAFSA electronically; retrieve your Renewal FAFSA information over the Internet, file your Renewal FAFSA using the FAFSA on the Web site, access the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) web site and view information about other federal student aid you may have received. Your PIN is similar in purpose to the PIN you use to access your bank account. To protect the privacy of the information you are submitting, you must keep your PIN secret. If you need a PIN, have lost or forgotten your PIN, or if you think someone else knows your PIN, you can request a new PIN.
Students should log onto My VWCC. Awards are determined daily throughout the award year. Students must set their online preferences to the current award year. They then should be able to view their awards when these have been made. An award letter will also be emailed to the student's VWCC email account.
Awards are based on the expectation of full-time enrollment. However, the awards will be adjusted after the last day for a tuition refund. Adjustments may take several weeks. After awards have been adjusted, they will be posted to tuition/fees. If there is any remaining balance, a residual balance check will be issued to the student approximately 6-8 weeks into the semester.
You can enroll without an award if you are able to make payment on your own. If you are later eligible to receive an award, the funds will be provided to you as a retroactive award and a residual check will be mailed to you. If you cannot enroll without an award, you should continue to check My VWCC daily to see if an award has been posted.
We use VW Alert to immediately contact you during a major crisis or emergency.
