• Steps to Apply for Financial Aid
• Financial Aid Information
• Types of Financial Aid
• Miscellaneous
• Policy for Complete Withdraw
• Financial Aid Definitions
  
  

Steps to Apply for Financial Aid

• Apply for admissions to an eligible program at St. Cloud Technical College.  Only students accepted into an eligible program are eligible for financial aid.  Click here for additional Admissions information.

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

• The Federal Processing Center will send you a Student Aid Report (SAR) once your FAFSA has been received and processed.  Check your SAR to ensure that your information is correct.

• In addition to the FAFSA, you also need to complete the SCTC Financial Aid Application. This application is used to determine possible Minnesota State Grant eligibility.

• Check the status of your financial aid. 
  
  In addition to the FAFSA, separate applications are required for the student loans and the Child Care Grant.  The Child Care Grant has limited funds and is awarded on a first come first serve basis.  Be sure to complete your application as soon as possible.
  
  If you are interested in receiving work-study funds, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

Financial Aid Information

The student and his/her family have the primary responsibility to pay for a student’s education.  Financial Aid is intended to supplement the difference between the cost of education and the expected family contribution.  Several financial aid programs are available to help you meet your educational expenses.  The Financial Aid Office can help you determine the financial aid programs for which you are eligible.

You must be admitted to a program at St. Cloud Technical College (SCTC) that leads toward a degree or other recognized diploma.  The Financial Aid Office determines your eligibility by applying federal guidelines.

For more information, call (320) 308-5961 or 1-800-222-1009, or e-mail the Financial Aid Office.

Types of Financial Aid

GRANTS and SCHOLARSHIPS-Grants and scholarships are gift aid which you do not have to pay back.

Federal Pell Grant:
Undergraduate students may apply for the Federal Pell grant by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Pell grants vary and grant recipients must be enrolled in an eligible program and maintain satisfactory academic progress in their course work.

Minnesota State Grant:
Minnesota residents may apply for the Minnesota State Grant by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Grant amounts vary and recipients must be enrolled in an eligible program and maintain satisfactory academic progress in their course work

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG):
This federal program is designed for students who have exceptional financial need.  Funds are limited and are distributed under the discretion of the Financial Aid Office.

Post Secondary Child Care Grant:
This is a grant for Minnesota residents to help offset the cost of daycare to attend college.  Funds are limited and awarded based on application date and income basis (income amount includes all taxed and untaxed income).

For additional child care information, go to www.ChildCareFinancialAid.org

SCTC Foundation:
The SCTC Foundation awards various scholarships to students. 

WORK-STUDY-Work-study is need based employment through the Financial Aid Office.

Federal Work-Study (FWS) and State Work- Study (MNWS):  These programs employ students both on and off campus.  Pay is determined in accordance with the minimum wage laws.  These programs provide for up to 20 hours of employment per week.  Total work-study earnings are limited; the Financial Aid Office sets the limit.

LOANS-Loans are financial aid that must be paid back.

Federal Stafford Loan: Whether or not students qualify for a grant, most students can get help to meet their educational expenses by borrowing money under the Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan or the Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, as long as the student is in a program that leads toward a degree or a diploma.  Loan limits vary per academic year of education.

Federal PLUS Loan Program:  The PLUS Loan Program for undergraduate students can be used by the parents of dependent students who are in need of additional funds for the education of their children.  This program allows parents to borrow up to the cost of education minus other aid.

Student Educational Loan Fund (SELF):  The SELF program is a long-term, low-interest educational loan provided by the State of Minnesota.  SELF is for students who cannot obtain financial aid from the existing need based programs.  The Minnesota Office of Higher Education (MOHE) is the only lender in the program.  The program is unique to Minnesota.  The amount that a student may borrow depends on other loans the student may already have borrowed and is limited by state regulations.  The student must have a credit worthy cosigner in order to apply for the SELF loan.

Miscellaneous

Special Tax Credits: Congress and the President adopted the Taxpayer Relief Act (TRA) of 1997 in the summer of 1997.  Beginning with 1998 income tax returns, students may be eligible to claim either the Hope Scholarship Tax Credit or the Lifelong Learning Tax Credit.  We recommend that you consult with your own tax professional to see if you qualify for the credit.

You can also visit the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators for more information.

Policy for Complete Withdraw

If you ever consider withdrawing from ALL of your classes, please be aware of the following:

Federal regulations require repayment of federal aid based on a pro-ration of days of attendance.  The regulations will financially impact any aid recipient if he/she withdraws from college prior to the 60% point in a semester.  A student who withdraws during the first 60% of a semester will owe tuition and fees according to the institutional policy for the days attended, and the student may have to repay a portion of the federal aid he/she received. 

The following chart outlines the regulations:

Federal regulations specify that the college must use the date the student inquires about withdrawing as the official withdrawal date.  For example, if the student inquires about withdrawing on Monday and says that he/she will withdraw on Friday, Monday is the official withdrawal date. 

St. Cloud Technical College will automatically return both the institutional and student un-earned portion of grant funds.

If a student receives a “0” GPA for the term, the student will be considered to have unofficially withdrawn from college.

If you wish to completely withdraw, please contact the Admissions Office at (320) 308-5089.

Financial Aid Definitions

What is Financial Aid?

Financial Aid is money that is available to help students finance the cost of an education.  Financial aid comes in the form of grants and scholarships (money that you do not have to pay back), loans (money that you must pay back), and college work-study (money you earn through employment).

What is Financial Need?

Financial need is the difference between the cost of education and the expected family contribution calculated by the Federal Processing Center.

What is the Cost of Education?

The cost of education includes tuition, fees, a room and board allowance, books, supplies, a transportation allowance, and a personal expense allowance.

What is Expected Family Contribution?

An amount, determined by a formula called Federal Methodology, that indicates how much of your resources and your family’s resources should be available to help pay for school.  The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is used in determining your eligibility for federal and state financial aid.  If you have unusual expenses that may affect your ability to pay for school, be sure to notify your financial aid administrator.

What is the FAFSA?

The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  This is the form that starts the application process for all types of financial aid: grants, loans, or college work-study.  This form needs to be completed for every award year.

What is the Award Year?

The award year for SCTC starts with the Fall Semester, followed by Spring Semester and Summer Terms.  Summer is awarded separately from the Fall and Spring semesters.

[ return to top ]