Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for Financial Aid?
A: For student Loans, Work Study, Pell, and other types of federally funded aid you must complete a FAFSA online at www.fasfa.ed.gov

Do I have to reapply for financial aid each year? If so, why?
A: Yes, you have to apply for financial aid each year. You do this by renewing your FAFSA. Students must reapply for financial aid each year because financial aid eligibility is based on your income for the previous year. Therefore, because you and/or your parents/spouse's income could change from year to year, the FAFSA must be renewed to reflect these changes. Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov to renew your FAFSA online. *You do not have to renew E-HOPE or GSFAPPS applications; however, if you have not completed one and wish to be considered only for the HOPE scholarship and no need-based-aid, you can apply at www.gacollege411.org.

What does being selected for verification mean?
A: The federal processor (U.S. Department of Education) randomly selects 1 out 3 for a process called verification. Georgia Highlands College, or the institution that is attempting to process your financial aid, must compare the information you provided on your FAFSA with actual documents (i.e. federal 1040 tax return(s), verification worksheets, etc.). Corrections must be made if any errors or discrepancies are found before aid can be awarded.

Why did I receive less in the Pell Grant and/or HOPE scholarship than the amount indicated on my award letter?
A: Usually this is due to the student not being enrolled full time. Both of these funds will adjust to the number of hours the student is enrolled in. The amount shown on your award letter is based on the student being enrolled full time (at least 12 hours). The HOPE scholarship book money will adjust as well according to enrollment. ($75 if the student is enrolled in 5hrs or less, $150 if the student is enrolled 6 hours or more).

How will I be notified about the Financial Aid I will receive?
A: Your award information will be posted for you to review on your Banner/SCORE account. Please review the Online Award letter option in SCORE to view all awards made to your account. Please note that the awarding process is 4-6 weeks. You can also check the status of your financial aid on our website, www.highlands.edu/financialaid

What happens to my financial aid if there is more than enough to cover my tuition?
A: Once tuition is paid using the available financial aid, any remaining amounts are sent out by mail only to the student's home address. If a student has paid their tuition prior to their financial aid being complete, the entire amount of financial aid will be mailed out to the student from the school to their home address. *If you are receiving a Stafford loan, make sure you take note of the lender fees deducted.*

How do I receive financial aid for the summer semester?
A: Financial aid is awarded to the student for the entire year. Therefore, the student is responsible for managing their financial aid so that they will have enough to cover summer tuition and fees. *If a student receives the Pell Grant and they were less than full time in the Fall/Spring semesters, there might be additional funds left from the total they were eligible for that can be used for the summer semester. *If a student is HOPE eligible, these funds are available each term of eligibility the student has. Please watch for updates on our website and in our offices regarding any forms that may be required for Summer Financial aid.

How does a dependent student receive financial aid if their parents refuse to give them the information needed to fill out the FAFSA?
A: Federal regulations do not allow schools to award dependent student's federal aid without the FAFSA being completed and signed by both parent and student. Unfortunately, there aren't many options in this situation. Financial Aid Administrators do have the ability to grant dependency overrides in certain situations. However, it should be noted that dependency overrides are only granted in unique or extreme situations, and must be supported by acceptable documentation. Please make an appointment with a Financial Aid Counselor if you feel you could possibly qualify for a Dependency Override.

What will happen if I withdraw from a class or withdraw completely from Georgia Highlands College?
A: If you drop a course(s) after drop/add but are still enrolled in at least one course, no adjustment will be made to your financial aid (which means no repayment of funds is required). If you totally withdraw from school, your aid will be adjusted based on the date of withdrawal = amount of aid earned for the term. You will be required to return the unearned portion of financial aid.
If you are receiving a student loan you must be enrolled in at least 6 hours at the time you receive your loans or it will be returned to your lender. If you fall below 6 hours after you have received your loan and remain under six hours for a period of six months you will have to begin repayment on your loan. However, if you pick back up to 6 hours or more before those 6 months, you will not have to begin repayment.

*Note, however, that withdrawing from a course can affect your academic progress (SAP) which will affect your financial aid.*

* Federal regulations require students to maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in order to receive aid. To maintain progress, students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 and pass a minimum of 67% of all coursework attempted.

What if I apply for financial aid past the deadline?
A: The Financial aid office can still process your application past the deadline but you will be expected to cover all tuition and fees upon their due date and then get reimbursed if you qualify for Financial aid.

Will my financial aid transfer from one school to the other?
A: If you transfer to another institution during an academic year you will need to add that institution’s school code to your FAFSA as well as contact that institution directly for the required documents for that institution.

How long will it take for me to receive my financial aid money?
A: Students should allow approximately 4-6 weeks after the financial aid office has a complete file on them to receive their funds. Students can check on the SCORE to review the status of their financial aid as well as see if there are any outstanding requirements on their file. Students with loans can also go to www.highlands.edu/financialaid to check their loan status.

How is my financial need determined?
A: Applicants applying for need-based aid must submit the FAFSA. When the FAFSA is processed, the federal government calculates the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The EFC is an indication of a family's financial strength, and is a figure that a family is expected to contribute toward the cost of attendance at Georgia Highlands for that academic year. This contribution is deducted from the estimated cost of attendance, resulting in the estimate of your financial need. Please review our Application Procedures on the home page for other information regarding the process for Financial aid at GHC.

What options are available if I don't qualify for need-based aid?
A: Students whose applications result in low need or no need have several options to assist in paying for their Georgia Highlands college education. Students may wish to consider applying for a student loan or review institution scholarships available at www.highlands.edu/fac

Do I qualify for the Georgia HOPE program?
A: You do not have to be a full-time student to receive a HOPE Scholarship or Grant.

HOPE Scholarships are for HOPE Scholars who enroll in GHC associate degree programs. Students who were not HOPE scholars following high school graduation may qualify for the HOPE Scholarship after attempting 30, 60, or 90 college credit hours with a 3.0 HOPE GPA. Once a student has reached one of these designated checkpoints and has a 3.0 GPA, they need to complete the Request for HOPE eligibility review form located on our website, www.highlands.edu/financialaid and submit it to our office. HOPE Scholarship recipients must have a HOPE GPA of 3.0 at 30, 60, 90 and End-of-Spring Checkpoints in order to maintain their HOPE Scholarship. Students with attempted credit hours of 127 hours or more do not qualify for the HOPE Scholarship.

HOPE Grants are for Georgia residents enrolled in Technical Division Certificate or Mini-Certificate programs. There is no age limitation or high school grade requirement. The HOPE Grant will only cover required certificate and mini-certificate level courses. The HOPE Grant may be received for a maximum of 63 paid hours (starting with summer 2003).