Financial Aid | Policies and Guidelines

Email is the standard method of communication used by the Financial Aid Office, we will contact you through your MSJC email account or preferred email on file.  Therefore, we encourage students to check their email regularly.   

We will also provide financial aid information to you on your student portal. You are responsible for checking your financial aid status regularly on the My Apps portal.  We regularly post additional student requirements, resolution of data conflicts, SAP status and status of financial aid awards on the portal.  

We will communicate with you and not your parents.  The FAFSA is your application and—in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)—your account will not be discussed with anyone else (including application contributors, other family members and/or friends) unless you provide explicit authorization to speak with them.  You can find the Consent to Release Form on the Financial Aid Forms page. 

For need-based aid programs, the amount of financial assistance that you can receive is limited to your cost of attendance (CoA) minus your student aid index (SAI).  As a result, your CoA is an important part of your award calculation, and it is influenced by your residency status and level of enrollment.  

Budget Components 

Budgets are based on the California Student Aid Commission’s (CSAC) annual student expense budgets which use figures from a student expenses survey that have been adjusted for inflation or deflation. 

CSAC provides figures for the following categories: 

• Books and supplies (understood to include course material fees); 
• Room and Board; 
• Transportation; and 
• Personal / Miscellaneous charges; 

Four categories are left for MSJC to determine: tuition/fees, out-of-state tuition, and loan fees.  We assign students a housing status that aligns with their dependency status. If this is incorrect, students may submit the Housing Change Form. Changes may impact their financial aid eligibility, resulting in an increase/decrease of their financial aid awards. 

Tuition and Fees 

Tuition and fees are calculated for each enrollment category on the basis of the average student enrollment in the fall semester of the prior aid year.  

Additional mandatory fees, such as health fees, are also included.  

Prior to the aid year, we assume all students are coming full-time. We will continuously check units throughout the academic year and adjust the award amounts based on the number of units for which they are registered.  

Out of State Tuition 

Out-of-state students will pay an additional out-of-state tuition amount that is based on the average enrollment in the fall semester of the prior aid year. 

Loan Fees 

If a student is receiving a loan as part of their financial aid package, the cost of attendance must be adjusted to account for loan fees charged in that process.  MSJC uses a single value for all students in this category: the rounded value of the loan fees paid in the previous year by an independent first-year student who maximizes both subsidized and unsubsidized loans.  For 2024-25, this amount will be $100. 

Other Term Lengths 

If a student attends term combinations other than the standard Fall/Spring, our system will use a multiplier to adjust budget components that aren't related to your level of enrollment. Tuition and out-of-state fees which are calculated by unit load will continue to use the values posted above.  

Less-than-Half-Time Enrollment 

If a student enrolls in less than six units, the cost of attendance used to calculate Pell amounts is the standard nine-month Pell cost of attendance minus the budget components for room/board and miscellaneous expenses.  

Dependency status refers to whether a financial aid applicant is dependent or independent. The federal government sets guidelines for determining whether a student is dependent or independent. This will determine whose information you include on the FAFSA or CA Dream Act application. If you’re a dependent student, you will report your and your parents’ information. If you are at least 24 years old, you are considered an independent student and do not have to provide parental income and asset information. 

If you are younger than 24, you may still qualify for independent status if you are:  

• Legally married on the day the FAFSA was filed;  
• The parent of a child for whom you provide more than half of the support they receive;  
• Living with dependents for whom you provide more than half of the support they receive;  
• An orphan (both natural parents are deceased);  
• A ward or dependent of the court (or were until age 18);  
• A member of the U.S. Armed Forces currently serving on active duty for purposes other than training;  
• A veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces;  
• A foster youth (in a foster youth program sometime after the age of 13);  
• An emancipated child as determined by a court judge; OR  
• Homeless or at risk of homelessness as determined by the director of a HUD approved homeless shelter, transitional program, or high school liaison.  

 If none of the above criteria applies, you are a dependent student even if you live on your own and claim yourself on your own taxes.    

If you are a dependent student and your parents refuse to provide parental information on your FAFSA, you have two basic options for receiving financial aid:  

1. File for an Unusual Circumstances Dependency Appeal in StudentForms. If successful, we will calculate your eligibility based on your income alone.  
2. Request a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan for dependent students without parental support by filling out the appropriate form and submitting it to our office.    

How We Disburse Aid 

The financial aid office awards and disburses aid semesterly.  However, there are different disbursement rules for each type of aid. General disbursement rules: 

• Financial aid funds are generally not available at the beginning of each semester.  Disbursements usually begin approximately 1 week after classes begin.  However, not all students will receive funds on every disbursement date.  Disbursement dates are determined based on the student’s FAFSA/CADAA completion date, the date all required tasks are completed, student enrollment status and eligibility status. Students are encouraged to be prepared to pay for books and supplies out of their own resources.  

• A student can only receive financial aid from one school at a time. If you received financial aid elsewhere, your award here may be cancelled, and you will have to pay back the amount you received.   

• We do not permit any advances. Application review, verification (if the student is selected), and awarding of aid must be completed before we will disburse aid.  

• Any grants you are eligible for are automatically accepted on your behalf.  As a condition of receipt of any federal or state financial aid funds, you agree and accept the Terms and Conditions.  If you wish to decline any funds, please contact the financial aid office.  

• Pell Grants are disbursed in two equal payments, highlighted as major disbursements on the schedule for each term.  Supplemental disbursements are provided if you have not received any funds during the major disbursement dates. 

• Enrollment levels are the same in all semesters at MSJC.  For financial aid purposes, full-time enrollment in summer is considered to be 12 credits just like it is in fall and spring. 

• We disburse aid directly to a student's MSJC account (except work-study payroll checks). The Cashiers Office will pay any eligible charges before refunds are processed. 

• You will only be paid for classes you are actively attending.  Late start classes may be paid on a later disbursement.  Offer letters reflect the maximum amount of funds available to you and are based on full-time enrollment intensity. 

• If you are enrolled less than full-time, your disbursement will be adjusted in accordance with federal regulations based on your current enrollment intensity.  The disbursement amounts allowed are available in the table below. 

Enrollment Intensity 

Awards are based on enrollment intensity.  Students are not necessarily required to enroll in full-time to receive aid. If students are enrolled in less than full-time for the semester, disbursements will be adjusted in accordance with the enrollment intensity. 

Credit Hours	Enrollment Intensity (New)
12 (or more)	100%
11	92%
10	83%
9	75%
8	67%
7	58%
6	50%
5	42%
4	33%
3	25%
2	17%
1	8%

• The aid you receive may vary from award amounts for many reasons, including a change in enrollment status, late start enrollment for courses, loan fees, and/or a change in basic eligibility. 

• Award amounts will fluctuate as you add and drop classes. 

BankMobile Disbursements 

MSJC delivers your refund with BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution, powered by BMTX, Inc. Visit this link for more information: https://bankmobiledisbursements.com/refundchoices/.  If you have a BankMobile Disbursements profile at another school, that profile is not valid at MSJC, you will need to create a profile with BankMobile Disbursements for MSJC.   

To view our third-party servicer contract for refund management, click here. 

Stale-Dated Refund Policy 

MSJC disburses your funds to BMTX, Inc. according to the rules listed above. If you do not claim these funds and you are still eligible to receive them, we will continue to attempt to give you these funds for 30 days from the date of the original disbursement. After that date, we will modify your award and return your funds to their source. 

If BMTX, Inc sends you an EFT (direct deposit) and it is rejected OR if BMTX, Inc. sends you a check and it is returned to sender, we will quit attempting to deliver the funds by 30 days from the time of the rejection/return.  

How is a Foreign BA/BS Degree treated at MSJC? 

For the purposes of financial aid eligibility if you indicate that you have a BA/BS degree you are ineligible for Federal Pell Grant.  

"A student with a baccalaureate or professional degree is ineligible even if the degree is from an unaccredited school or is not recognized by your school. Similarly, a student with a baccalaureate or professional degree from a foreign school usually isn’t eligible for a Pell Grant. But because a foreign degree often won’t translate neatly into the American classification, the school must judge whether it equates to a U.S. bachelor’s degree." 

If you would like to "appeal" your BA/BS status to be eligible for Federal Aid you can have your foreign transcripts evaluated by a NACES.org member. There is a fee associated for a comprehensive report.  

If it is determined that you do not have the equivalent of a BA/BS degree, then you may be Pell eligible (other eligibility requirements are still required). 

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) program provides assistance to exceptionally needy undergraduate students.  

Selection Process 

MSJC receives a limited amount of funds for the FSEOG program each year and follows the process below to select students for awarding. 

By regulation, FSEOG grants must first be awarded to the students with the lowest student aid index (SAI) who are also receiving a Federal Pell Grant. This is known as the "FSEOG first selection group." 

MSJC awards FSEOG to those students who have a -1500 SAI and a Federal Pell Grant. If we have more students than funding, we use a random sort in the process. If all eligible students have been awarded and FSEOG funds remain, MSJC will award FSEOG to other Federal Pell Grant recipients until all funds have been awarded.   

An overaward occurs when the total of all aid received by the student exceeds the student's cost of attendance budget, thereby requiring the financial aid office to reduce or cancel awards in the student’s financial aid package. 

Any overaward that exceeds the cost of attendance beyond the federally allowable tolerance of $300 will require the financial aid office to reduce awards.  

MSJC will not reduce or cancel Pell Grant or Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) awards to eliminate an overaward situation.  In most cases, we will accommodate an additional award by reducing or cancelling student loans and/or federal work-study awards. 

These overaward provisions pertain to students who receive funds under any of the following need-based programs: 

• Federal Pell Grant 
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) 
• Federal Work-Study 
• Federal Subsidized Loan (FFEL or Direct) 
• Cal Grant 

Overpayments 

An overpayment occurs when a student is paid more than that for which they are eligible.  If a financial aid overpayment is made as a result of a student’s error or failure to report requested information, the student is responsible for repaying the amount of the overpayment. The Financial Aid Office may reduce the student’s federal award(s) in a subsequent enrollment period during the same award year the overpayment occurred.  If the overpayment amount cannot be satisfied by deducting the amount from a future disbursement, the student is responsible for making direct restitution. 

As required by federal regulations, the Financial Aid Office will report the overpayment to the Department of Education via the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) within 30 days from the date when the overpayment was created. An indication of an outstanding overpayment will be recorded on future output documents generated by the Department of Education and may prevent the student from receiving certain types of financial aid funding. 

If you have a grant overpayment of $50.00 or less, you do not have to repay the funds and the overpayment will not be reported to NSLDS. This amount is program specific, not cumulative: if you had to return $150.00 in Pell funds and $40.00 in FSEOG, you would have to return the $150.00 but not the $40.00. 

Reduced Enrollment
If a student drops units after receiving a grant disbursement, the student MAY be required to repay a portion or all of the grant.  

For example: 

• If a student starts the semester with 12 units, is paid full-time on the first disbursement and then drops to 6 units, they will not receive ANY additional financial aid payments as the student already received aid for the 6 units.  
• If a student starts the semester with 12 or more units, is paid full-time on the first disbursement and then drops to 9 to 11.5 units, they may receive an adjusted final disbursement based on three-quarter time enrollment. 
• If a student starts the semester with 12 or more units, is paid full-time ($3,697.50) for their disbursement and then drops below 6 units, they would owe $1,848.75 back for the reduction in enrollment status.  
• If a student starts the semester with 12 units, is paid full-time on the first disbursement, is only eligible for grants at full time (12+ units), then drops to 9 units, the student now owes ALL of the grant amount that was disbursed because they have to be in 12 units or more to be eligible for the grant. 
  
• If a student starts the semester with 9 units, is paid ¾ time, is only eligible for grants at ¾ time (9 to 11.5 units) then drops to 6 units, the student now owes ALL of the grant amount that was disbursed because they have to be in 9 to 11.5 units to be eligible for the grant.  
• If a student starts the semester with 6 units, is paid ½ time, is only eligible for grants at ½ time (6 to 8.5 units) then drops to 3 units, the student now owes ALL of the grant amount that was disbursed because they have to be in 6 to 8.5 units to be eligible for the grant. 

*If you have to drop a class(es) after receiving grant funds to attend those classes, be sure to contact financial aid to see how that reduction in units will affect your financial aid eligibility and if you will owe funds back. 

Students who completely withdraw from MSJC prior to completing the term may be required to repay all or a portion of any Title IV aid received. The amount that must be returned is calculated based on the percentage of the term that was completed prior to the student withdrawing from all classes (instructors may drop a student for non-participation). 

A complete withdraw can be categorized as an official withdrawal or an unofficial withdrawal: 

• Official Withdrawal: If you completely withdrawal (stop attending) all of your registered classes after the semester as started 
• Unofficial Withdrawal: If you do not successfully complete the semester with at least one passing grade. It is your responsibility to drop your classes, if you stop attending. 

According to the day you completely withdraw from all your classes, the Financial Aid Office will determine the part of the grant that you have "earned". Your enrollment status on this day will determine the amount you have "earned". 

Example: Say you receive a grant of $2,114.00. If there are 122 days in the term and you drop out on the 31st day then, you earned 25% of your grant.  The Financial Aid Office will calculate what portion of your grant you earned and did not earn.  $2,114.00 grant x 25% = $528.50 (earned) and; $2,114.00 grant x 75% = $1,585.50 (unearned).  

The college will pay back some of the unearned portion of the withdrawal on your behalf depending on the enrollment fees you were charged (including tuition, transportation fees, health fee, and any other mandatory enrollment fees, if applicable).  You will, however, owe these funds back to the college.  If you enrolled in 12 units at $46/unit, plus $6 transportation fee, and $20 health fee and any other mandatory fees = $578 x 75% (unearned) = $433.50 (college share). 

You will also have to pay back the unearned amount of the grant to the Federal program(s), minus the college share, times 50%.  $1,585.50 (unearned) - $433.50 (college share) = $1,152.00 you must pay the Federal program(s).  However, 50% of the amount of aid you could have been paid is protected, so you may only owe the college the portion paid back on your behalf. 

Don't worry if you don't understand, the Financial Aid Office will calculate the amount for you. 

If you received less of the award than you were eligible for, or that you "earned", you will receive a "post-withdrawal" disbursement. 

If you received Federal Work Study money and withdraw, you do not owe your earnings back. You always get to keep the salary you have earned. 

Based on FAFSA results some students need to be in a certain number of units to be eligible for a disbursement. If the student drops below the units that they are eligible for they may owe ALL of the amount disbursed back when they drop units.  

Department of Education - Defaulted Resolution Group Contact Information

If you would like to contact the Department of Education-Default Resolution Group after MSJC has reported your debt to collections, please allow 15 business days. You may contact the U.S. Department of Education:

• By phone - 1-800-621-3115
• By mail - U.S. Department of Education, Defaulted Resolution Group, P.O. Box 5609, Greenville, Texas 75403-5609
• Online - https://studentaid.gov/ or https://myeddebt.ed.gov/borrower/

Note:  Remember, your withdrawal will also affect a separate policy called Satisfactory Academic Progress. Even after you repay the amount you owe due to your withdrawal and the "Return of Title IV Funds", under the policy stated above, you will still be responsible for meeting the terms of Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to receive aid at MSJC the following semester.  Please refer to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy or call the Financial Aid Office for more information.

Download the SAP Policy

Federal and State regulations require that students seeking financial aid must demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward a published degree objective and ensure progress toward the degree for all periods of enrollment whether or not the student has received financial aid.  Students are responsible for submitting official transcripts for all previously attempted coursework to Enrollment Services.  For transfer students, only credits from other institutions that count towards the current program of study will be included. 

Maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is one of many Federally mandated criteria viewed in determining a student's eligibility for continued receipt of their financial aid.

SAP Frequently Asked Questions

How Your Contribution is Determined

If you are borrowing for the first time through the Federal Direct Loan Program at MSJC, you must complete both Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note (MPN) before we can disburse your loans. 

Federal Direct Loan Exit Counseling 

If you drop below six units enrollment, graduate, petition to graduate, or leave MSJC (even if you plan to transfer to another school), MSJC will flag you as someone who needs student loan exit counseling.  

We will send you an email to your MSJC student email address within three weeks of this flag being set that will provide you a link to the exit counseling on the studentloans.gov site. When you receive that notice, you must do the following: 

• Complete exit counseling; AND 
• Update your contact information;    

Student loan exit counseling helps you understand your rights and responsibilities as a student loan borrower.  Completing this process will help inform you of your options and give you the means to ensure that you avoid going into default. Defaulting on a student loan has serious consequences including poor credit ratings, loss of repayment option, wage garnishment, and legal action. 

If you have any trouble making payments, contact your servicer immediately! If you do not know who your server is, log onto nsldsfap.ed.gov or contact The Financial Aid Office and we’ll help you find that information! 

Financial Aid is year-round. To be considered for both the Federal Pell Grant and the California College Promise Grant, students are encouraged to apply for both the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 academic years.

Summer California College Promise Grant

The California College Promise Grant program is available for qualified California residents and verified AB540 students that meet all eligibility criteria. The CCPG covers tuition for the summer, fall, and spring term. You will be responsible for paying other student fees at the time of registration or risk being dropped from your courses.

To be considered for Summer 2024 California College Promise Grant, students must submit their 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA or DREAM Act Application CADAA.

Summer Pell Grant

Pell Grant eligible students can receive up to 150% of their scheduled Pell award each year. What does this mean for you? Summer is considered a "cross-over" period, which means that it begins in one academic year and crosses over into another.

At Mt. San Jacinto College, Pell Grant eligible students are initially reviewed for remaining eligibility under the 2023-2024 award year. Students who have zero remaining eligibility from the 2023-2024 award year and have been determined Pell eligible from the 2024-2025 award year, will be re-reviewed after July 1, 2024.

To be eligible to receive a Summer 2024 Pell Grant, you must meet all the following criteria:

• You must have a completed financial aid file for 2023-2024 and/or 2024-2025 award year at Mt. San Jacinto College.
• Be in an eligible Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) status.
• A student who received 100% of their 2023-2024 Pell Entitlement prior to the Summer 24 term:
  • Must be enrolled in at least 6 units to be eligible for up to 150% of their scheduled award.
  • Students enrolled in less than 6 units will only be eligible for a summer Pell grant if they did not use 100% of their eligibility prior to the summer term.

If you are a current Pell Grant recipient, and your financial aid file is complete, you will be sent a Revised Award Notification. Your financial aid awards will be available to view by logging into your Student Self Service Account. Payment will be adjusted based upon your enrollment.

Enrollment Status

Awards are based on enrollment status; however, enrollment status calculation for 2023-2024 academic year differs from that of 2024-2025 academic year.  Students are not necessarily required to enroll in full-time to receive aid. If students are enrolled in less than full-time for the semester, disbursements will be adjusted in accordance with the enrollment status.

Credit Hours	Enrollment Category (Old)	Enrollment Intensity (New)
12 (or more)	Full-Time	100%
11	Three-Quarter Time	92%
10		83%
9		75%
8	Hal-Time	67%
7		58%
6		50%
5	Less-than-Half-Time	42%
4		33%
3		25%
2		17%
1		8%

Important facts:

• Every student’s eligibility is different. Your actual Summer Pell Grant may vary depending on your EFC/SAI, your remaining Pell Grant eligibility, your summer enrollment status and your Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (PLEU).
• Payment will be adjusted according to enrollment status.
• Disbursements will be made in one lump sum.
• Your PELL Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) will also be increased.
• Failure to make Satisfactory Academic Progress during Summer 2024, could result in a loss of eligibility for Fall 2024.
• Withdrawing from classes will result in paying back funds, please review our Repayment Policy return to Title IV (R2T4)/withdrawal policies and repeatability of coursework policy still apply for the summer 2024 term.

Summer 2024 Disbursement Schedule

Awarded By	Disbursement Date	Pell Grant Year
Friday June 14, 2024	Wednesday June 26, 2024	2023-24 Pell Recipients only
Friday July 5, 2024	Wednesday July 17, 2024	2023-24 Pell Recipients
Friday July 19, 2024	Wednesday July 31, 2024	2023-24 & 2024-25 Pell Recipients

*Disbursement Dates are Tentative and subject to change.

As a financial aid recipient at Mt. San Jacinto College, you are responsible for understanding and agreeing to the following terms and conditions of your financial aid award:  

A.  GENERAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

As a financial aid recipient, I understand and agree that I must promptly report to the Financial Aid Office any changes in my financial, marital, residency, or academic status.  Any additional earning or funding resources not included in my award offer from any other outside sources may result in changes of my award and/or require repayment of financial aid awards already advanced to me during the academic year.    

B.  REGARDING NOTICE OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

I understand that all financial aid awards are contingent upon the availability of funds. This award has been based on the documented information I submitted at the time I applied for aid.  It is my responsibility to inform the Financial Aid Office if that information changes.  If I receive additional resources during the academic year, I am expected to report this to the Financial Aid Office.  By accepting financial aid, I agree to allow the Mt. San Jacinto College Enrollment Services to release system access and/or hard copy of my transcript to the Financial Aid Office, the California Student Aid Commission, and/or any non-university sources aiding me.  

C.  GENERAL CONDITIONS OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 

1. Revisions: Mt. San Jacinto College reserves the right to revise the student’s Financial Aid award.  Modification of this offer may be required due to lack of necessary state or federal funding, satisfactory academic progress, corrections, changes in the data reported to the institution by parents and/or students, unintended error, students change in units, change in residence, or other reasons consistent with MSJC’s procedures. You must be enrolled for the completion of each term to receive full financial aid award entitlement and agree that if you withdraw or cease to complete the required number of units you must arrange with the Financial Aid Office to repay any aid advanced for which you are no longer eligible. 

2. Verification: I understand the Financial Aid Office reserves the right to verify all documents submitted for my file and all information provided on my FAFSA at any time. During the review process, it may be determined that more documentation or information is needed to resolve conflicting information. Until additional information is provided, no further processing will be done on my file. The final determination of my eligibility may be delayed if corrections are needed, or other information is required. To the best of my knowledge, the information collected in my student aid application and with the Enrollment Services Office is accurate and complete. 

3. Enrollment: I understand the award amount(s) indicated on my award letter is based upon full-time enrollment (12 units or more). Students enrolled less than full-time may expect a reduction in aid.  Late start classes starting after the first disbursement or any additional classes will be paid on the subsequent disbursement. Payment will be adjusted according to enrollment status.   

4. Overpayment: You will be considered to have received an overpayment of financial aid funds if:
   1. Payments made to you are based on incorrect information on your financial aid application
   2. Payments are made to you, and you already have a bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent from a foreign country)
   3. Payments are made to you after you are no longer enrolled in the required number of units
   4. Payments are made to you while you are in default on a student loan, and/or you owe a refund on a federal grant
   5. Payments are made to you when you receive financial aid from Mt. San Jacinto College and from another institution during the same enrollment period

I will not be eligible for aid if I owe a repayment or overpayment on a Pell Grant, SEOG, or any other grant from any college. I may regain eligibility by providing proof that I have paid my overpayment in full or I have provided proof that I have made satisfactory arrangements to repay my overpayment.

5. Satisfactory Academic Progress: I understand that my financial aid eligibility is contingent upon meeting and maintaining satisfactory academic progress according to Mt. San Jacinto College standards. I acknowledge that a copy of the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy is available on the Financial Aid website. I agree to read these standards and follow the policies outlined within. The school uniformly applies these standards to all aid applicants at the end of each semester to determine eligibility. 

6. Loan Default: I will not be eligible for any Federal aid if I am in “Default” on a Stafford, Direct, PLUS, SLS, or Perkins Loan or other loans from any institution.  

7. Federal Work-Study:  If you have been awarded Federal Work-Study, you must find a job placement within 4 weeks of being awarded. You MUST work to receive the dollar amounts awarded.  The Financial Aid Office reserves the right to cancel your Federal Work-Study award if you drop below the required units, your cost of attendance no longer displays financial need, or you are no longer meeting Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). 

8. Disbursements: Eligible MSJC students will receive their financial aid disbursements via BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution, powered by BMTX, Inc.  The Office of Financial aid reserves the right to review, modify, and/or cancel financial aid awarded at any time during the year due to changes in your financial status, including but not limited to, eligibility for financial aid and/or Satisfactory Academic Progress.  In addition, your financial aid awarded may be void, cancelled or modified if the aid awarded was based on any error in determining eligibility or the amount of financial aid awarded, whether or not the error was made by you or the Mt. San Jacinto College Office of Financial Aid.  Students who fail to cash financial aid refunds that were issued as a paper check by the check's expiration date, will have the funds returned to the aid program in which the refund was created.

9. Return of Title IV Funds:Federal aid recipients who withdraw or are dropped from all classes are subject to federal regulations regarding the Return of Title IV funds. Students who withdraw or are dropped from all classes prior to completing more than 60% of the enrollment period are subject to these rules. Based on the date of complete withdrawals or drop, the Mt. San Jacinto Financial Aid Office will determine the amount, if any, of “unearned” federal financial aid received by the student. If the student received more financial aid than the amount earned, the student will be billed for the overpayment. In accordance with Federal Refunds & Repayment Regulations, if you withdraw from your classes after receiving your financial aid funds, you may be required to repay all or a portion of the financial aid you received. Please check with the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from classes. If you do not attend your classes, you will need to repay all or part of the financial aid you have received.  You may not receive federal aid at more than one school during the same semester.   

If you have been awarded a Federal Pell Grant, or any other type of aid, it will be automatically accepted in the award letter. If you do not want to accept the award(s), you may contact the Financial Aid office to cancel it.   

YOU MUST INFORM THE FINANCIAL AID OFFICE IF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS APPLY TO YOU:  

1. Address – Enrollment Services has an address/email on file that was indicated at the time of application to the college.  If your email or mailing address changes be sure to update your contact information by logging into Self-Service.
2. Increase in resources – If you receive any additional resources during the academic year, you are obligated to inform the financial aid office so that the financial aid office may perform a reevaluation of your aid eligibility. 
3. Scholarships - You must report scholarships received to the Financial Aid Office. Please submit a copy of your outside scholarship award letter and check to:

Mt. San Jacinto College
Attn: Cashier Office
41888 Motor Car Parkway
Temecula, CA  92591

I have read and understand the terms and conditions of receiving Financial Aid.  Acceptance of all or part of the aid listed on my award letter demonstrates student access to this information and acknowledgement of the rights and responsibilities described herein.  This award has been made based on the FAFSA application information I have provided to the college.  If there are any changes in my situation, my financial aid package may be modified accordingly. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT STATEMENT 

I declare that I will use any Federal and/or State financial aid funds I for expenses connected with my education only. By receiving financial aid, I am accepting these terms and conditions. 

YOUR RIGHTS

• You have the right to know the correct procedures for applying for student financial aid, your cost of attendance, and the types of aid available
• You have the right to know how financial need is determined, what the criteria are for awarding aid, how academic progress is determined, and what you must do to continue receiving aid
• You have the right to know the type(s) and amount(s) of assistance you will receive, how much of your need has been met, and how and when you will receive your aid funds
• You have the right to request a reevaluation of your financial aid eligibility for unusual circumstances, not reported on the initial Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), that you feel might affect your eligibility
• You have the right to review your financial aid records and the contents of your student financial aid file, in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (link)
• You have the right to request a reevaluation of any decision concerning your financial aid award
• You have the right to request that the Financial Aid Office correct any records that you believe are inaccurate
• You have the right to be notified by the Financial Aid Office about your eligibility for financial aid
• You have the right to be informed of any changes made to your financial aid award
• You have the right to know the method by which financial aid disbursements will be made to students and the frequency of those disbursements
• You have the right to know the method the school provides for eligible students to obtain, or purchase required books and supplies
• You have the right to know the general terms and conditions that are applicable to any federal work-study employment provided to a student as part of the student’s financial aid package 

We are required to monitor transfer students through the National Student Loan Data System database (NSLDS).   NSLDS is the national database of information about loans and grants awarded to students under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965.  Once we post a student to the monitoring list, we must sit seven (7) days until we can distribute their funds. This process must be done even if you did not receive financial aid at any other school. There is no action needed by the student during this process unless notification is provided that funds are pending or have received at another institution. Students are not eligible to receive any federal student aid until this process is completed. 

If you did receive financial aid at another school during the same year you are attending or planning to attend MSJC College, you must have any pending aid disbursements canceled at your previous school to ensure an accurate award package at MSJC. 

If funds are pending or have been received from a previous institution during the same academic year you will be notified via email and required to resolve any payments with that institution before MSJC can finalize any further payments.  

When a student completes the FAFSA/CADAA, they are asked a series of questions to determine their dependency status.  Your answers to these questions will determine if you are considered a “dependent student” or an “independent student” for financial aid purposes and whether or not you will need to include parental or spousal (if applicable) information on your application. 

If you are younger than 24, you may still qualify for independent status if you are:  

• Legally married on the day the FAFSA was filed;  
• The parent of a child for whom you provide more than half of the support they receive;  
• Living with dependents for whom you provide more than half of the support they receive;  
• An orphan (both natural parents are deceased);  
• A ward or dependent of the court (or were until age 18);  
• A member of the U.S. Armed Forces currently serving on active duty for purposes other than training;  
• A veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces;  
• A foster youth (in a foster youth program sometime after the age of 13);  
• An emancipated child as determined by a court judge; OR  
• Homeless or at risk of homelessness as determined by the director of a HUD approved homeless shelter, transitional program, or high school liaison.  

Professional Judgement:  Unusual Circumstance Appeal Request 

 Most students entering a postsecondary school straight from high school are considered financial dependent on their parents.  This means their parent(s) (biological or adoptive) must provide information on the FAFSA/CADAA. 

A student cannot be determined to be independent based on: 

1. Parents refusing to contribute to the student’s education, as they do not feel it is their responsibility; 
2. Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or CADAA or for verification due to privacy concerns; 
3. Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes; 
4. Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency and/or no longer live with parents. 

USE OF PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT  

The Higher Education Act allows a Financial Aid Administrator to exercise professional judgment to give an otherwise dependent student independent status if unusual circumstances can be documented. This determination is made on a case-by-case basis and must be supported by documentation provided by the student.  

In some cases, the financial aid office may be able to use professional judgement to override your dependency status if you can prove that unusual circumstances exist in the family such as: 

• Abandonment by parents
• An abusive family environment that threatens the student’s well-being and have left home
• The student being unable to locate their parents
• Incarceration or institutionalization of both parents; 
• Parents lacking the physical or mental capacity to raise the child; 
• Parents hospitalized for an extended period; 
• Unsuitable household (e.g., child removed by court action) AND/OR 
• Any other situation that the Financial Aid Office deems worthy of independent status, see those excluded by regulation (see below). 

STUDENT PROCEDURES 
If you have unusual circumstances and are unable to complete the parent(s) section on the FAFSA/CADAA application, follow these steps:  

• Log into your Student Forms account, select the red "Request" button at the top right of the page.  A "Requests" window will open where you can add a "Professional Judgment: Unusual Circumstance Appeal”.  
  • A detailed statement from the student explaining the extraordinary circumstance(s) detailing
    • The relationship with both biological or adoptive parents to include why you are unable to provide parental information
    • Last time you lived with parent(s)
    • Last time you had contact with parent(s)
    • Last time you were supported by parent(s)
    • How you support yourself 
  • Two (2) signed letters of support from independent sources who can attest first-hand to the extenuating circumstances (at least 1 letter must be from a neutral 3rd party in a professional capacity)  
    • The signed statement should be submitted on letterhead from the person’s place of employment and include their full address and phone number  
    • You may submit police reports and/or court documents in place of one of the letters, if applicable

• The information stated in the Professional Judgment: Unusual Circumstance Appeal must be verified by a disinterested, professional third party who is aware of the student’s home situation and can verify the information the student has provided.  Examples of such a person include, but are not limited to: employer, clergy, social worker, attorney, court official, teacher, counselor, psychiatrist, psychologist, medical professional, law enforcement agent, etc.
• Third party documentation must be a SEPARATE statement on official letterhead. Please include any information of which you have first-hand knowledge and that you feel best describes the student’s situation.  The following is a list of information to include in the letter:
• How long you have known the student
• Your relationship to the student
• The last time the student lived with and/or received financial support from their parents
• State your direct knowledge of when the student last had contact of any type with their parents (please include information regarding both parents)
• Any knowledge of the student's current relationship with their parents
• The steps that the student has taken to establish independence from their parents
• Please include your professional title, name and type of business, business address, telephone number, and where to contact you should any additional information be required

HOW YOU WILL BE NOTIFIED

Please ALLOW 2-3 WEEKS for the review of this appeal and receipt of the decision notification to your student email. If your appeal is approved, the decision notification will outline the conditions of your appeal.  

Verification is the process by which the Financial Aid Office confirms the information on the financial aid application (FAFSA or CADAA) with source documents provided by the student to verify the accuracy of the application’s information.  These policies are to be used in conjunction with the Department of Education and the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) verification guidelines.  Mt. San Jacinto College will verify the information on the FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) or ISIR for all students who complete the application process for federal and state financial aid and who are selected for verification by the Department of Education or the California Student Aid Commission edits.  In addition, MSJC may select files for verification to resolve conflicting information or institutional edits.

The U.S. Department of Education selects students for verification based on a number of undisclosed factors, including random selection.  The purpose of verification is to make sure that the data on the FAFSA used to calculate eligibility are correct. It does not mean that you have done anything wrong; it just means that the government would like to double-check the information you provided.  The Financial Aid Office will perform additional verifications on all students who have conflicting information on the file. 

The Verification Process: 
In order to confirm the information on the FAFSA, we will ask you to provide specific types of documentation that supports your responses.  This documentation may include tax information, personal statements, benefits summaries, and other information necessary to calculate your financial need properly.  If you are a dependent student, we may also request information from your parents. 

Once we confirm your FAFSA data is correct, we will finish awarding and packaging your file. If we find differences between the data on your FAFSA and the documentation you provide, we will use the latter to make corrections to your FAFSA.  Once the federal government has received and processed those corrections, we will finish awarding and packaging your file. 

Note: occasionally students may be selected for verification by the Department after they have already been paid financial aid. If that happens, we will give you 30 days to provide documentation, otherwise you will be responsible for returning all Title IV financial aid you received to the government. 

Verification Deadlines for 2024-2025

The key application deadline, regulated by the U.S. Department of Education, will be followed at MSJC and can be located in the Department of Education Verification Guide.

Deadline for 2024-2025: Students who fail to turn in all documents required to complete verification by the last day of instruction for the semester of attendance, may be ineligible for 2024-2025 financial aid.

• Fall 2024 – December 6, 2024
• Spring 2025- May 14, 2025
• Fall 2024 & Spring 2025- May 14, 2025

*The deadline is extended for Summer 2025 attendance to July 31, 2025. MSJC reserves the right to cut off applications earlier based on workload.

Notice of Verification Requirements

Students will be notified of the documents that must be submitted through their Student Forms portal to complete the verification process.  Financial Aid Acknowledgement and Missing Information Letters are generated to their MSJC student email account and will direct students to view their Financial Aid Checklist onSelf-Servicefor required documentation and any other actions required to complete the verification process.  *Note:  Students who have not previously utilized Student Forms will be required to register their account .

Subsequent ISIR transaction

If the Financial Aid Office receives another ISIR transaction after the student’s file has already been awarded, the new ISIR transaction must be verified.  Any changes to data elements that result in a change in SAI must be verified by requesting additional documentation and placing a hold on the financial aid disbursement until resolved.

Updating marital status

Professional Judgment

The Financial Aid Administrator may make exceptions to the above guidelines for unusual/extenuating circumstance of the student and/or parent.  All verification requirements must be met before applying professional judgment. Professional judgment cannot be used to waive general student eligibility requirements or to circumvent the intent of the law or regulations.  

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)  

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 C.F.R. Part 99) is a federal law that protects the privacy of educational records of all students enrolled in schools beyond the high school level. FERPA requires that information, written or verbal, regarding student education and financial aid records cannot be released to any person or agency other than the student without prior written consent. Schools must maintain that privacy, primarily by restricting the release of documents and the access provided to those records. Any educational institution that receives funds under any program administered by the U.S. Secretary of Education is bound by FERPA requirements.)  

You are under no obligation to authorize the release of your financial aid information and you may request at any time that individual(s) previously given authorization be removed.

If you do not authorize release of your information to your parents, spouse and/or third party, we may provide only general financial aid information such as the application process, general program eligibility, and deadline dates.

How to authorize the release of information

To release information to anyone other than the student, i.e. parent, grandparent, other agencies or friend, the MSJC financial aid Consent to Release Form (CRF) must be completed by the student in person with a picture ID each academic year.  For student confidentiality, a picture I.D. will be required when a student is requesting information from his/her financial aid file.  All documents contained in student files are the property of the MSJC financial aid office and will not be returned.  Please request and retain copies of all your paperwork before submitting it to our office. 

What your authorization allows

Your authorization allows us to speak to your parents, spouse, and/or third party about information related to your financial aid such as:

• Details of your financial aid application and aid award
• Grades and your academic status as it affects your eligibility to receive financial aid
• Debts owed to the college for overpayment of financial aid

To protect the student’s privacy, no detailed student information will be given over the phone, email, or via the internet.

What your authorization does not allow

Your authorization will not allow your parents or spouse to make certain changes to your financial aid record, such as:

• Changes to your address
• Correcting your income or household information
• Canceling your financial aid

Verification of Aid Forms

To request verification of your financial aid package and the amount of aid disbursed to an outside agency, the MSJC Financial Aid Verification of Aid Form must be completed by the student in person with a picture ID.  For student confidentiality, a picture I.D. will be required when a student is requesting or picking up information from his/her financial aid file. The student may print out a PDF copy of their Offer Letter in Self Service. 

Student Email Accounts

Mt. San Jacinto College students are assigned a free student email account through Microsoft’s Office 365 for Education. An MSJC email account is the only approved method of formal communication between MSJC and students. It is important that students check their student email daily because the financial aid department will use the MSJC student email to communicate with students regarding their financial aid applications, steps to complete their financial aid file, as well as updates and workshop offerings.