Policies and Procedures

Attendance

In order to establish your eligibility for financial aid, you must participate in academically related activities for each course for which you are registered.  If you receive a satisfactory grade for the course, your participation in the course is documented by the receipt of a passing grade.  If you receive an unsatisfactory grade for the course (e.g. "F", "NC", "W" or other unsatisfactory grade) your professor(s) must provide documentation to the Financial Aid Office that you participated in academic activity related to the course.  If your professor(s) cannot document your course participation, your financial aid will be adjusted and some or all of the aid disbursed to you may be cancelled.  You will be responsible to repay any aid that was adjusted or cancelled due to failure to attend/participate in class(es).

Academic Progress

Cost of Attendance

A standard estimated cost of attendance (COA) is used to determine financial need. All budget items shown are for nine month full time attendance (tuition/fees reflect 15 credit enrollment). Students attending less than full-time are eligible for financial aid; however, the cost of attendance, family contributions and maximum awards are adjusted to reflect less than full-time attendance.

2009-2010

*The budgets for room/board, transportation, and personal expenses are based on information from the College Board.

Eligibility Determination

Eligibility for financial aid is calculated using a formula called Federal Methodology (FM). FM calculates your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) based on the information that you provide on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Your EFC is the amount you and your family are expected to pay toward your educational expenses. The Federal PELL Grant award is based on the EFC. Other programs are based on need. The college's COA - your EFC = your financial need. Your total need based aid package cannot exceed your financial need. Your total financial aid award cannot exceed the COA.  Additional information on financial aid eligibility is available in audio and video format on the Department of Education's student aid web site.

Over-Award Liability

If financial aid funds are disbursed to you that are later determined to have been based on erroneous information or system errors, you are liable to repay NHCC the amount of financial aid you received in excess of your correct eligibility. Furthermore, if you are administratively withdrawn or dropped from some or all of your courses, you are liable to repay any funds that NHCC is required to return on your behalf.

Special Circumstance Appeals

Financial aid eligibility is based on parental and/or student prior year income. If a family has unusual circumstances, regulations allow us the option to review the financial aid application. Possible reasons for a special circumstance review include: unemployment, divorce, death of a spouse or parent, loss of child support, loss of Social Security benefits, or loss of other income benefits. The circumstance in question must be able to be documented and significantly change the ability to contribute. Appeals are typically a one-time exception. The documentation required will be determined on a case-by-case basis. Start the appeal process by completing the Appeal Special Circumstances form. The financial aid administrator’s decision on a special circumstance review is final.

Student Loan Code of Conduct

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Withdraw from all classes / Return of Title IV funds

A student who has stopped attending classes must immediately withdraw them self from classes. The withdraw process requires students to log on to the registration site and complete the withdraw process by the published deadline. The student is responsible for understanding the impact that withdrawing from classes has on their student account and should contact the Financial Aid Office if they have questions. The outcome of a complete withdrawal depends on when the withdrawal is initiated and the type of financial aid received.  A complete withdrawal may also negatively affect academic progress.

Financial aid recipients who completely withdraw from a semester or stop attending classes prior to the 60% point of a semester are subject to the federal Return of Title IV calculation for federal aid and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education (MHESO) refund calculation for Minnesota State Grant and SELF Loan. The percentage of Title IV aid to be returned is equal to the number of calendar days remaining in the semester divided by the number of calendar days in the semester. Scheduled breaks of more than four consecutive days are excluded. Examples of both calculations are available in the Financial Aid Office.

The responsibility to repay the unearned financial aid is shared by the college and the student. First the college’s share is returned to Title IV programs in the following order: Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan, Federal Perkins Loan, PLUS Loan, Federal Pell Grant, Academic Competitiveness Grant and Federal SEOG. Any remaining unearned aid is then the responsibility of the student and must be collected from the student and returned to the Title IV programs in the order listed above.

NHCC will return its share of unearned Title IV funds no later than 45 days after it determines that the student withdrew or stopped attending classes. Students return their share of unearned aid attributable to a loan under the terms and conditions of the promissory note. Grant repayment is made to the college under the repayment guidelines identified in a notice sent to students after the recalculation is complete.

• Students may also be eligible for a partial tuition and fees refund. Information on the college's tuition refund policy including the dates and refund percentages is located here.

Withdraw from some classes

Withdrawing from even just one credit, can significantly change your financial aid eligibility.

• All or part of your financial aid may be reduced or canceled.
• If you did not regularly attend/participate in class(es), financial aid eligibility will be canceled.
• If you are enrolled less than half time, you will begin repayment on your student loan when your grace period ends.
• You may not meet academic progress requirements for future financial aid.
• You may have a balance due on your account because your financial aid awards may have to be adjusted.
• If you withdraw from class after the tuition refund period ends, you will responsible for tuition payment even if your financial aid is reduced or canceled.
• A hold will be placed on your account until you pay the balance in full and you will not be allowed to enroll in any future semesters or access college services (transcripts, etc.).
• If you have stopped attending class(es), you must immediately withdraw yourself from class(es). Contact the Financial Aid Office if you have questions on your specific situation.

Verification

Approximately thirty percent of financial aid applications are selected to be verified. If your application is selected to be verified, we are required by law to confirm the household size, number in college, adjusted gross income, U.S. taxes paid and certain types of untaxed income and benefits listed on your application. You will need to complete a Verification Worksheet and provide signed copies of Federal income tax forms.  You may also be required to document untaxed income.  If there are errors, we will update your application, recalculate your aid eligibility and send a current award letter within approximately 14 days.

All information required for verification must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office no later than 14 days before the end of your first term of enrollment. If you are selected for verification and plan to withdraw from school prior to completing the verification, contact the Financial Aid Office. Students who do not provide the required verification documents will not receive financial aid.