Financial Aid

Financial aid consists of grants, scholarships, loans and/or work study that help a student meet education-related expenses. The funds awarded at the College are provided by federal, state and institutional programs. Grants and scholarships are regarded as gift assistance and do not have to be repaid. Loans are available at low interest rates and can be repaid over an extended period after the student leaves the institution or enrolls less than half-time. 

To be considered for financial aid, the applicant must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This form serves as a dual purpose application allowing the student to apply for all sources of financial assistance awarded by NCC, as well as for federal financial aid. To apply for financial aid, please follow the simple steps below:

Rules, Requirements, Obligations and Deadlines When Applying for Aid:

1. To receive financial aid at NCC, you must:
   • Be accepted in a degree or certificate program* prior to being accepted into a degree or certificate program, proof of immunization and proof of high school completion or GED may be required (contact the Admissions office for additional information).
     * Certificate must make a student job-ready.
   • Demonstrate financial need.
   • Be a citizen or eligible non-citizen.
   • Not owe a refund on a Federal Pell Grant or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.
   • Not be in default on a Federal Stafford, Perkins or Federal Direct loan.
   • Be making satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of your course of study (see definition of satisfactory progress under “eligibility”).
   • Register with the Selective Service if you are a male between the ages of 18 and 25.
2. You must re-apply every academic year. Financial aid does not automatically continue from one academic year to the next.
3. Federal programs have limits in the total amount of aid you can receive or the number of years you can receive it.
4. It is your responsibility, if selected for a process called Verification, to make sure all documents necessary to support information on the Student Aid Report (SAR), which is emailed or mailed to the student directly from the U.S. Department of Education, are turned into Inceptia via the Verification Gateway website www.verificationgateway.org/ncc2019.

Eligibility for Aid

In order to be eligible for federal, state or institutional financial assistance from Norwalk Community College, a student must be in “good academic standing” and be making “satisfactory academic progress,” to be determined at the end of each semester in accordance with the standards defined below. Students who do not meet these minimum standards will be placed on probation. If you do not achieve the minimum standards the next semester, you will be placed on Financial Aid suspension. You will be notified via NCC email of this decision and will be given the ability to appeal.

It is important to be aware that in determining progress towards a degree or certificate, the College is required to evaluate the student’s entire academic performance at NCC, not merely the progress he or she achieved while receiving the benefit of student financial aid.

Good Academic Standing

To be in good academic standing the student must maintain a grade point average that satisfies the minimum cumulative GPA and completion pace standards. Not meeting these minimum requirements will place the student on academic probation.

Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Purposes

Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Purposes means that students must successfully complete two-thirds of all credits attempted during their entire time at NCC, whether or not they have received the benefit of financial aid. Grades of W and F are not considered successful completion.

Examples of Cumulative Satisfactory Academic Progress:

Students who take fewer than 15 credits each semester would have to complete the following:

Duration of Eligibility for Financial Aid

Based on the successful completion of two-thirds of all credits attempted each semester, a student pursuing a 60-credit degree program would  attempt up to 90 credits to complete successfully the required 60 credits.

First Degree or Certificate Program

Normally, institutional financial assistance will be limited to an individual’s first degree or certificate program. Request for an additional degree or certificate will depend on the availability of funds after the needs of those in their first degree or certificate program are met. Transfer credits will be counted towards the first-degree concept and will limit eligibility for aid.

Courses Not Eligible for Financial Aid

Students are not eligible to receive Federal Financial Aid for courses which will not count towards the completion of the student’s degree or certificate requirements.  Financial aid cannot be used to pay for audited courses. Financial aid cannot be used to pay for non-credit Continuing Education and Workforce Development courses.

Students classified as special non-degree students are not eligible for financial aid. Students must be enrolled in a degree-granting or certificate Title IV eligible program to be eligible for financial aid. 

You may only repeat one course in which you have received a passing letter grade in your program of study, after that, financial aid will not pay for further attempts of the same class. Financial Aid awards are based upon your enrollment status as of the “Freeze Date” of the semester. Any courses added after that time WILL NOT be covered by financial aid. NCC reserves the authority to adjust your financial aid award at any time to ensure proper compliance with all college, state and federal regulations.

Types of Financial Aid Available

By filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you will be considered for all federal, state and institutional financial assistance programs.

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is awarded to students who demonstrate financial need based on the information provided on the FAFSA. This grant may be combined with other forms of aid in order to meet your educational costs. The amount of this award assumes that you will attend college on a full-time basis. If, however, you decide to take fewer than 12 credits (part-time), the grant will be adjusted accordingly. Students can receive a Federal Pell Grant for a lifetime eligibility usage of up to 600% (the equivalent of six full-time academic years). 

Supplement Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

The FSEOG is awarded to those who have demonstrated extreme financial need. Must be registered for at least six credits.  First preference goes to students who receive a maximum Federal Pell Grant. 

Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program

On-campus and community service jobs are available for students who have financial need, as determined by the College and the Federal Government. The Federal Work Study program provides jobs for those who have financial need and who want to work and earn a salary to cover part of their educational expenses. Under this program, students may work up to 15 hours per week while classes are in session. They receive bi-weekly paychecks with a $10.10 hourly rate of pay. Students are placed in different positions on-campus, and these positions are determined by the needs of NCC. These FWS positions are not permanent.
Note: Participation in the Federal Work Study program is limited to students who are working towards their  degree or certificate Title IV eligible programs at NCC.

Federal Direct Student Loan Program

The Federal Direct Student Loan Program offers low interest, fixed rate loans to students attending an eligible school on at least a half-time basis (six credits or more each semester). Repayment of a Federal Direct Student Loan begins six months after the borrower leaves school or drops below half-time status with different repayment options, one being the Standard Repayment option that allows up to 10 years to repay your Direct Loan.

The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan Program holds all of the same provisions as those available in the Federal Direct Subsidized Loan Program, including annual and aggregate loan limits as well as interest rate. However, interest is due and payable while the borrower is in school.

Since Norwalk Community College is a two-year institution, these are the only amounts applicable to our student population. Students are advised to wait for complete review of their eligibility for other forms of financial aid before submitting Direct Loan applications. The Federal Direct Plus Loan is a fixed rate loan available to parents of dependent students. The interest rate for Direct Loans changes annually every July 1st. Parents may borrow the remainder needed by the student, that is, cost of attendance, minus financial aid.

Roberta B. Willis Scholarship

Awards are made to Connecticut resident students who are enrolled in a degree program and demonstrate financial need. Must be registered for at least six credits.  Students must meet additional conditions as directed by the State of Connecticut. The Office of Financial Aid will determine if students meet said criteria.

Norwalk Community College Grant

NCC grants are awarded to Connecticut residents who are enrolled in a degree program and demonstrate financial need. Must be registered for at least six credits.  These funds will be awarded to assist in covering tuition, fees and books.

Financial Aid Refund Policy

Withdrawal from all your courses during the first two weeks of any semester will result in the cancellation of all financial aid. Withdrawal from all courses after the first two weeks of the semester will be subject to the Return to Title IV (R2T4) calculation, if receiving federal funds. With this calculation, you may be responsible for balances owed to NCC, as well as the repayment to the  U.S. Department of Education for any excess financial aid you may have received. If a student does not officially withdraw, but stops attending classes, professors will report the student’s last day of participation. The latest date reported will be utilized for the Return to Title IV  calculation. Once the amount of the refund that must be returned to the Student Financial Aid programs has been determined, that amount will be  refunded  back to the programs, in the manner that is prescribed by federal regulation.  

Tuition, Fees and Refunds  

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are approved by the Board of Regents for Community Colleges for each academic year. The Enrollment Guides, published each semester, list the current tuition and fees charges. The fees include applicable student activity and college service fees.

Your college education at NCC is supported by the State of Connecticut. This permits the College to have low tuition and fee charges.

Tuition and fees for General Fund courses vary from those charged for Continuing Education and Workforce Development, Summer Session and other Extension Fund courses.

Continuing Education and Workforce Development and Summer Session courses are offered through the Extension Fund. Full payment of tuition and fees is usually required at the time of registration. Payments can be made by cash, check, American Express, Mastercard, Discover or Visa credit card. The College’s Deposit Program allows you to register early for classes and to pay only the fees due; the full tuition is due later. The fees are nonrefundable. Please refer to the schedule of classes for specifics.  

Refunds

In order to offer a complete program of studies, it is necessary for the College to contract and incur certain costs. Even if a student withdraws, college service, student activity and application fees are non-refundable. All requests for tuition refunds must be made in writing to the Records Office. Refunds for charge card transactions are processed in the same manner as cash or check transactions.