AY23 Academic Catalog/Handbook

Contents
Catalog Links

Grants

You Must Apply Annually for All Grants and Loans.

Federal PELL Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is a Title IV Program, based on need, for full-time and part-time students enrolled in a Title IV eligible program, who have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree. The student does not normally repay Pell Grant. The amount of Pell awarded is based on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) shown on the student’s SAR/ISIR (which is the result of completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid - FAFSA), the cost of attendance, and the student’s enrollment and class load each semester.

The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds students may receive over their lifetime is limited by law to be the equivalent of six years of Pell Grant funding (600%).

Students receive their Pell Grant awards on a semester basis. The Pell award is available to help pay for book costs and tuition not covered by other sources, and the amount remaining is paid to the student after balancing is complete for each term.

If the student totally withdraws from school during a semester, the Pell award amount for the withdrawal term is adjusted, according to Federal Financial Aid policy, by multiplying the percentage of days attended by the Pell Award. Students may apply for Pell via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), either online at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa or by completing a paper application and mailing the form to the Federal Student Aid Programs, POB 7654, London, KY 40742-7654.

Pell recalculation is setting a date each term for which the enrollment status of the student will be locked for the term for purposes of determining Pell for the term. Oconee Fall Line Technical College establishes the Pell Recalculation Date as 10 days after the start of full session and 7 days after parts of terms. If you add a class after the Pell Recalculation Date, your Pell Grant amount will not increase.

Each term, the Pell Recalculation Date will occur on the 10th day of the term. A second Pell Recalculation will occur on the fourth academic day of the Late Start B (eight-week) term. A student is only subject to one Pell Recalculation Date, determined by the last class in which the student enrolls and attends. Exceptions to this policy include students failing to begin attendance in class or the college receiving an initial FAFSA for the student. In these cases, Pell must be recalculated. This only applies to Pell funds. Note: The provisions of the new law states that any Pell Grant received will be included in determining the student’s Pell Grant duration of eligibility and Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU).

Students who complete a FAFSA may be selected for verification. If selected, the student must provide documentation verifying that certain items of the FAFSA are accurate. Documents must be submitted via the Verify My FAFSA portal, https://oftc.verifymyfafsa.com. Documentation may include, but is not limited to:

  • Verification worksheet
  • IRS Tax Transcript or IRS Letter of Non-Filing (Must be obtained from the IRS)
  • Low or No Income Form with copies of W-2
  • Social Security Summary
  • Other documentation that provide proof of income or asset(s) value
  • Birth Certification
  • Divorce/Marriage documentation

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a Title IV need-based grant given to students with the lowest EFC who are eligible to receive Pell. FSEOG funds do not have to be repaid. The Department of Education determines the amount of FSEOG allocations that are made available for each institution. These funds are limited each year and, due to the number of eligible students and OFTC’s commitment to assist as many students as possible with this award, funding available for eligible students may run out. Funds awarded to students that did not attend a term are redistributed to eligible students that attend future terms within the academic year.

Georgia’s HOPE GRANT for Diploma/Certificate Programs

Starting with Fall Semester 2013, the checkpoint GPA was reinstated to 2.0. Students must be earning a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 at the end of the semester in which the student has attended 30 or 60 semester hours towards a diploma or certificate for which the student received HOPE Grant funds. The Hope Grant will pay a percentage amount of the standard tuition charges from the previous year. Students with a baccalaureate degree cannot receive the HOPE Grant.

All HOPE programs require students to meet basic requirements. An eligible student must:

  1. Meet HOPE’s U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements;
  2. Be a legal resident of Georgia;
  3. Meet enrollment requirements;
  4. Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements;
  5. Meet academic achievement standards;
  6. Be in good standing on all student loans or other financial aid programs;
  7. Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990;
  8. Not have exceeded the maximum award limits for any HOPE program;

Full-time enrollment in a certificate or diploma program is not required, and students are not required to graduate from high school with a specific GPA; however, they must have a postsecondary cumulative 2.0 GPA at certain checkpoints in order to maintain eligibility.

Georgia College Completion Grant

Georgia College Completion Grant Program provides grant aid to assist eligible students who are within 80% of earning their certificate, diploma or degree.

Basic Eligibility

  1. Meet U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements;
  2. Be a legal resident of Georgia.
  3. Meet enrollment requirements;
  4. Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements;
  5. Meet academic achievement standards;
  6. Be in good standing on all student loans or other financial aid programs;
  7. Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990;
  8. Student is ineligible while incarcerated.

Program Eligibility

  1. A student must have successfully completed 80% or more of the credit requirements of his or her eligible certificate, diploma or degree.
  2. The student must have a financial aid gap constituting of an outstanding balance with the institution for Direct Costs.
  3. The outstanding balance must consist of Direct Costs incurred for the enrollment term in which the College Completion Grant is awarded.

Georgia’s Zell Miller Grant

Georgia’s Zell Miller Grant is available to Georgia residents who are working towards a certificate or diploma at a Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG) or University System of Georgia (USG) institution.

All HOPE programs require students to meet basic requirements. An eligible student must:

  1. Meet HOPE’s U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements;
  2. Be a legal resident of Georgia;
  3. Meet enrollment requirements;
  4. Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements;
  5. Meet academic achievement standards;
  6. Be in good standing on all student loans or other financial aid programs;
  7. Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990;
  8. Not have exceeded the maximum award limits for any HOPE program.

Full-time enrollment is not required, and students are not required to graduate from high school with a specific GPA; however, a minimum 3.5 cumulative postsecondary GPA at the end of each term is required in order to maintain eligibility. The first term of enrollment will be paid retroactively if the student has the required 3.5 cumulative postsecondary GPA at the end of the term.

High school students in dual enrollment are NOT eligible. Students may lose/gain after each term. There is no limit to the number of times they can lose or gain the Zell Miller Grant, but students must earn the Zell Miller Grant each term. Learning support students will not qualify until after they have regular coursework that would be included in HOPE Grant calculations. Dual enrollment students (after becoming a regular student and after graduating from high school) will not have a HOPE Grant GPA calculated until after their first term as a regular student receiving HOPE Grant. There is no minimum number of credit hours a student must take in order to receive Zell Miller Grant. First term students may be retroactively awarded the Zell Miller Grant after earning a 3.5 GPA.

Georgia’s HOPE Career Grant

Students who are receiving the HOPE Grant and Zell Miller Grant may also be eligible for additional financial assistance from Georgia’s HOPE Career Grant if enrolled in select programs aligned with industries in which there are more jobs available in Georgia than there are skilled workers to fill them. A complete list of eligible programs can be found on OFTC’s website at www.oftc.edu/admissions/financial-aid/hope-career-grant/.

HOPE GED® High School Equivancey Examination Grant

The HOPE High School Equivalency Examination Grant Program provides Georgia residents with an award up to $200 toward the exam fees for a state approved High School Equivalency Examination through the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG).

Basic Eligibility
All HOPE programs require students to meet basic requirements. An eligible student must:

  1. Meet HOPE’s U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen requirements;
  2. Be a legal resident of Georgia;
  3. Be in compliance with Selective Service registration requirements;
  4. Be in good standing on all student loans or other financial aid programs;
  5. Be in compliance with the Georgia Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act;
  6. An incarcerated person who sits for a state approved High School Equivalency Examination is ineligible to receive a HOPE High School Equivalency Examination Grant award.

Program Eligibility
In order for a student to be eligible to receive a HOPE High School Equivalency Examination Grant payment, a student must:

  1. Complete subject area pre-testing in preparation for a state approved High School Equivalency Examination as designated by TCSG; and
  2. Must sit for a state approved exam offered by TCSG utilizing an issued voucher.

Disqualifying Factors

  1. A student is ineligible for payment if he or she received a high school diploma, or equivalent, or completed a home study program prior to sitting for a state approved High School Equivalency Examination offered through TCSG.
  2. A student is ineligible for payment if he or she has earned a college Degree, or the equivalent, including from a foreign institution as indicated by the foreign academic transcript and/or foreign academic transcript translation.
  3. A student is ineligible for payment if he or she began seeking a college Degree or received HOPE Scholarship payment prior to sitting for a state approved High School Equivalency Examination.