Financial Aid FAQs
Our financial aid team is here to answer any and all questions you may have, and we are committed to providing you a high level of service.
To be eligible for federal aid, you must submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the Central Processor by the deadline published on https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa For the 2024-2025 award year that date is June 30, 2025.
SCC does not publish an additional (more restrictive) deadline, but students who are applying for SCC Foundation Scholarships will need to have their FAFSA's submitted by the scholarship application deadline (April 1 for High school seniors and June 1 ).
Iowa residents who wish to be considered for state vocational/technical grants must submit their FAFSA or Renewal Application to the processor by July 1st proceeding your anticipated term of enrollment. For the 2024-2025 award year that date is July 1, 2024.
ATTENTION STUDENTS! Your financial aid will not be automatically renewed annually. You must reapply every year for financial aid. You may do so on or after October 1st.
You must apply for admission to SCC through the Admissions Office. You must complete the FAFSA to be considered for all types of federal financial aid. You must have your application sent to SCC (by listing SCC's school code of 004603 on your FAFSA), and complete and provide all requested documents to the SCC Financial Aid Office.
You must be maintaining satisfactory academic progress as determined by SCC in order to receive any financial aid. For further information concerning satisfactory academic progress see our webpage on "Satisfactory Academic Performance."
The information you provide on the FAFSA is used by the federal government to determine your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). This number represents a yearly dollar amount that the student and the student's family are expected to contribute toward their education. The EFC is printed on your Student Aid Report (SAR). The EFC is compared to your cost of attendance at SCC to determine your eligibility for aid.
Sometimes the income information requested by the FAFSA does not reflect your true financial situation due to special circumstances. These circumstances may include a recent loss of a job, divorce, death in the family or natural disaster. Students who feel they have special circumstances should contact the Financial Aid Office to see if they qualify for special consideration.
There are several other agencies that offer assistance for college expenses. These agencies include WIOA, Vocational Rehabilitation, the Veterans Administration, and Gamm, Inc. These agencies should be contacted as early as possible during your educational planning for additional information on how to qualify for assistance. Students should also check into scholarships that are offered through local churches and organizations. Employers and labor unions may also offer scholarship programs for their employees or members (or for their children).
The SCC Foundation is a wonderful opportunity for SCC students to apply for scholarships. The SCC Foundation Application is available online on the Foundation's webpage.
When you complete every step in the financial aid application process, you will receive an e-mail via your SCC student e-mail account. The e-mail will provide you directions on how to view your Financial Aid Offer via Hawknet. The Financial Aid Offer will suggest the financial aid that may be available to you.
Each term finalized awards are credited to your account automatically, with the exception of the Federal Work-Study programs. Finalized awards normally include grant awards such as Pell and FSEOG. If the awarded amount is more than your tuition account expenses, you may use the surplus in the bookstore and for dorm charges. If your aid is not enough to pay for your entire charges, you are responsible for paying the remaining amount due by the tuition due date.
ATTENTION STUDENTS! Receiving a student loan is not automatic. If a student loan appears on your Financial Aid Offer, and you wish to receive a student loan, you must ACCEPT the offer on Self Service, complete a Master Promissory Note and complete Loan Entrance Counseling.
Southeastern offers a NELNET/FACTS Tuition Management Plan. Students interested in the payment plan may access NELNET/FACTS information online in Self-Service for Students.
Financial aid may be used to pay only for college credit courses that are being taken in a degree or diploma program. Financial aid is not available to pay for audited courses or courses offered through our Continuing Education Department.
A student's Pell award will be recalculated only when there is a change in enrollment status up to the end of the 100% refund period. SCC has utilized one Pell calculation/census date per term. Change in student enrollment levels that occur following the census date (for a student enrolled as of the calculation date) will not have an effect on the student's Pell grant.
An exception to this policy would be noted when a student does not begin attendance in a scheduled course. For students taking any 16-week (full-term) courses, the Pell lock date is the 11th day of the courses (following the last day for 100% refund of the courses). For students taking coursework in a series of modules, the Pell lock date for the course is consistent with the 100% refund date of the last modular course. Flex courses (or J-term) courses are not considered within the calculation of a census date.
Your loan servicer handles your monthly payments and sends communications to keep you up-to-date on your loans. They are there to help.
Find out who services your loans at https://studentaid.gov and log in with your FSA ID and password. Select "Manage Loans" to view federal student loan balances as well as contact information for your loan servicer, payment options and more.