The Financial Aid Office at Orange Coast College is here to provide students a better understanding of available financial aid programs and services. We are committed to administering our programs with integrity and professionalism. We value and take pride in the diversity of our students and the support we provide in promoting student success.
QLess Financial Aid Line
QLess is a new Online Check-In System. The QLess system allows you to save your spot in line while giving you the opportunity to do other important things.
QLess Flyer.pdf
Announcements:
ATTENTION
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available for Fall 2018-2019.
Appeals
Spring 2018 appeal process is now open until April 20, 2018.
Financial Aid Workshops
There will be staff available to provide students with assistance completing the 2018-2019 FAFSA in room MBCC 139. Financial Aid Fridays.pdf
Important Notice:
Year-Around Pell Grant
Eligible students can receive year-around Pell Grant
Return of Title IV Policy
What is Title IV Aid?
Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended in 1998, (Title IV, and HEA program) establishes general rules that apply to federal student financial assistance programs. For purposes of Return of Title IV funds, these programs include:
Pell and Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity (FSEOG) Grants, Direct Loans, Direct Plus Loans and Perkins Loans.
What Return of Title IV Funds Means to Financial Aid Recipients
This publication provides information about the Orange Coast College Return of Title IV Funds (Return) policies that apply to any student who cancels enrollment, withdraws, or is dismissed. These policies apply to student that discontinue enrollment in all classes, on or after the first day of the term. When you withdraw, two separate calculations must take place:
- A refund of fees must be calculated by the Admissions and Records Office.
- The Financial Aid Office must calculate the Return.
If you cancel your registration prior to the first day of classes, this policy will not apply to you. Also, if you drop some but not all of your classes, these policies will not apply; however, you should notify the Financial Aid Office because your continued eligibility may be affected.
You earn all of your financial aid when you have participated in more than 60 percent of your scheduled enrollment for the semester. The Return of Title IV funds calculation counts the number of days from the first day of class until the last date you were enrolled and compares that to the total calendar days of your scheduled enrollment for the semester. This includes the first day of classes through the last scheduled day exams, including
- weekends and holidays, and excluding any scheduled breaks of at least five consecutive days.
- If you have not completed more than 60 percent, the amount of your financial aid you are allowed to keep and the amount that must be repaid will be calculated.
*Based upon the date you discontinue enrollment you may receive a full or partial refund of your fees. This refund will not impact the Return calculation, but does affect the amount of money you may owe back to the College for withdrawing.
Return of Title IV Funds (Earned versus Unearned Aid)
Within 30 days from the date the Financial Aid Office has determined you are withdrawn, we must calculate the amount of financial aid you have earned. Any aid received in excess of the earned amount is considered unearned. The unearned financial aid must be returned to the respective federal programs no later than 45 days from when the student separated from Orange Coast College. The calculation is based upon only the amount of Title IV Aid for which you were eligible.
Calculating Earned Financial Aid
The amount of earned financial aid is calculated on a daily basis from the first day of classes. The process uses calendar rather than business days. Earned aid is determined by taking the number of days attended before your enrollment ended divided by the total number of days in the semester (first day of instruction until the last day of finals, excluding breaks of 5 consecutive days)
Late or Post-Withdrawal Disbursement
Student may be eligible for a late or post-withdrawal disbursement if they have accepted aid that did not disburse at the time of withdrawal from Orange Coast College.
If eligible, the Orange Coast College Financial Aid Office will send notification of the action required to either accept or decline a portion, or all, of the late disbursement. If no response is received within approximately two weeks of notification, the award will be canceled.
Unofficial Withdrawal
The Orange Coast College Financial Aid Office reviews posted grades every semester. If a student receives all non-passing grades or does not follow the process of officially withdrawing from the college and as a result they are determined to have unofficially withdrawn. Students are notified via Orange Coast College email through the OCC portal if they are considered an unofficial withdrawal. Per Federal Return to Title IV regulations, federal financial aid is canceled and adjusted using the 50% point (mid-point) of the semester as the withdrawal date.
Calculating Return of Title IV Aid Amount
Once the earned and unearned aid percentages are determined, the next step is to calculate the dollar amount of unearned aid that must be returned. The Return amount is determined by multiplying the unearned aid percentage by the total of all Tile IV aid received.
Unearned Aid Percentage
X Total of all Title IV Funds Received
= Total Unearned Aid
School Portion of the Return
The amount of unearned aid that must be returned by Orange Coast College is a percentage of the institutional charges for the semester. Once the dollar amount of the school portion of the Return is determined, it is compared to
the total amount of all unearned aid. If the school portion is less than the total unearned aid, then Orange Coast College must return the amount of the school portion. If the calculated school portion exceeds the total unearned aid, then Orange Coast College must return the amount of the total unearned aid.
Financial aid will be returned to the aid program from which it came. If returned to a loan program, your outstanding balance will be reduced by the amount of the return. Aid will be returned in the following order:
- Unsubsidized direct Loan
- Subsidized Direct Loan
- Federal Perkins Loan
- Direct PLUS Loans
- Federal Pell Grants
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
- Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant
When you cease enrollment, a balance will be created on your student account at Orange Coast College for the school Return amount. You will be responsible for paying this balance in addition to any other balance created from the student portion of the Return.
Student Portion of Return of Title IV Funds
After the school returns the correct amount of aid, any amount of the total unearned aid that remains becomes the student portion of the Return. The student portion of the Return is calculated by subtracting the amount of the school Return from the total unearned aid.
Total Unearned Aid
(Subtract) School Return Amount
= Student Portion of Return
Depending on the remaining sources of aid after the school Return, the student portion of the Return is distributed back to the aid program from which it was awarded as follows:
- Any amount of the Return allocated to loans is repayable after you leave Orange Coast College and enter repayment according to the terms and conditions of those loans. You will not be billed for these funds upon discontinued enrollment.
- Any amount allocated to federal Title IV grants are subsequently decreased by 50%. This adjustment is an effort to reduce the impact of discontinued enrollment on those students receiving grant funds. Orange Coast College will return these funds on your behalf and you will be responsible for reimbursing Orange Coast College.
Future Aid Eligibility
Withdrawing may affect your eligibility to receive financial aid in subsequent terms. Notify the Financial Aid Office if you are planning to return.
If your loans should go into repayment once you withdraw from school, it is important to make your payments on time to prevent default. If you default on a loan, you would lose your eligibility for any future financial aid.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Withdrawal from school may affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress standing and future eligibility for financial aid.
Board of Governors (BOG) Fee Waiver
The Board of Governors (BOG) Fee Waiver waives your enrollment fees. It will not pay for the following things such as:
- Health fee
- Parking permit
- College Service fee
- Materials fee
Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)
Student information can only be released to the student unless an Information Release Authorization form is on file documenting additional individuals.
Upcoming Dates
| 4/6/2018 | 1st Pell Grant (50%)
disbursement, if not received |
| | Disbursement of all funds if not
refunded |
| 4/13/2018 | FAFSA workshop
located in Watson Hall, 4th Floor room 410 (9:00
am - 12:00 pm) |
| 4/142018 | Freeze
date |
| 4/20/2018 | FAFSA workshop
located in Watson Hall, 4th Floor room 410 (9:00
am - 12:00 pm) |
| 4/27/2018 | 2nd
Pell Grant (50%) disbursement |
| | Disbursement of
all funds if not refunded |
| 5/4/2018 | Disbursement of
all funds if not refunded |
| | FAFSA workshop located in Watson
Hall, 4th Floor room 410 (9:00
am - 12:00 pm) |
| 5/11/2018 | Disbursement of
all funds if not refunded |
| | FAFSA workshop
located in Watson Hall, 4th Floor room 410 (9:00
am - 12:00 pm) |
| | Last day to apply for loans |
| 5/18/2018 | Disbursement of all funds if not
refunded |
| | FAFSA workshop located in Watson
Hall, 4th Floor room 410 (9:00
am - 12:00 pm) |
| 5/25/2018 | FAFSA workshop located in Watson
Hall, 4th Floor room 410 (9:00
am - 12:00 pm) |
| 5/28/2018 | Office Closed
(Holiday) |
Financial Aid Programs
| Pell Grant | Board of Governors (BOG) Fee Waiver |
| Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) | Cal Grant B |
| Work Study | Cal Grant C |
| Direct Loans | Full Time Student Success Grant |
| Afghanistan and Iraq Grant | Chafee Grant |
| | California National Guard Grant |
For additional financial aid information, please view the Coast Community College District site at