Financial Aid
OUR MISSION To insure access to higher education by awarding financial aid according to federal guidelines to students who do not have the family resources. In a timely manner, review student applications, process awards and disbursements of financial aid according to federal, state, and institutional guidelines. Counsel students on the types of financial aid available, loan counseling/debt management, academic support, budget counseling and referrals to other sources of funds. Disseminate financial aid application information to students, parents, agencies, and community-based organizations. APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID (school code: 005389)
Financial aid is financial assistance to help students of any age meet their educational costs. Gateway Technical College uses the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine if a student is eligible for federal grants, student and parent loans, work-study, and state grants. Approximately 95% of students who apply for financial aid receive some sort of assistance. WHEN TO APPLY Spring Semester - Apply by November 1 TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE There are three major types of aid available to Gateway students. They include: The types of financial aid available to Gateway Technical College students are grants, work study, and loans. This includes: Eligibility Requirements Financial aid information is subject to change at any time due to change in federal, state, or sponsoring agency regulations. Financial aid and other services and benefits offered by the Wisconsin Technical College System Board and Gateway Technical College are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis as required by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Governor’s Executive Order #9, and Executive Order 11236 as amended by Governor’s Order #9, as set forth in the College’s Affirmative Action Plan. How is the amount of my aid determined? The Cost of Attendance (COA)*, also known as the Student Budget, minus your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) equals your Financial Need. The EFC is the number that appears on your Student Aid Report (SAR). The COA includes tuition, fees, room and board, books and supplies, travel, and personal and incidental expenses. Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy Financial Aid programs require students to make satisfactory academic progress (SAP). The student’s complete academic record from 1982 forward at Gateway is used to determine if the student meets the progress standards. This includes terms for which the student did and did not receive financial aid. The SAP policy consists of these components: Grades of F, W, R and I are considered attempted but not completed. Transfer credits accepted by Gateway will be counted in the number of credits attempted and completed. Failure to meet the standards at the end of each year will result in Financial Aid denial. Financial Aid may be reinstated for future terms if Qualitative and Quantitative standards are met. Financial Aid Appeals Students who are denied financial aid based on the criteria of the SAP policy may appeal for reinstatement of financial aid. Hardship situations that affected a student’s progress must be explained and documented by the student. If applicable, the student must clearly explain why official withdrawal procedures were not followed. Examples of mitigating circumstances may include but are not limited to illness, severe injury, loss of childcare, or change of work schedule. If academic hardship exists, it is very important that students work closely with their instructors and the Financial Aid department. The Financial Aid Committee reviews appeals. Based on the committee’s review, the appeal may be approved, approved on probation, or denied. In limited cases, the committee’s decision may be appealed to the Director of Financial Aid. When normal appeals procedures can not be followed, SAP appeals may be reviewed by the Director of Financial Aid or designee. Revisions or modifications to this policy may occur after the publication of this document. Contact the Financial Aid Office for additional information or assistance. Financial Aid Check Disbursement Policy If you receive federal and/or state funding, your funds will be applied to your student account. You will be able to charge certain expenses to this account. Expenses include tuition, fees, and bookstore charges. After classes begin and your attendance is verified, Gateway will apply your award to your account. If your award exceeds your expenses, excess funds will be available to you on the GatewayPlus card. Please remember, your financial aid award is based on your stated enrollment level. If your enrollment level changes from what your award was based on, your aid funds will be adjusted to reflect your change in tuition costs. Return of Federal Financial Aid Funds If you withdraw or dropout of all Gateway Technical College classes prior to 60% of the semester's end date, you will be required to return some of the federal aid that was disbursed. The amount of aid you could keep is proportional with the amount of time you attended classes to the total days in the semester. Failure to attend any classes would mean a 100% return of all aid. Gateway will also repay to the federal aid funds a proportional part of your tuition that was originally paid with federal aid. These funds would then need to be repaid to Gateway Technical College . Any return of tuition will go to the following funds in priority order: (1) Stafford Loan (unsubsidized), (2) Stafford Loan (subsidized), (3) PLUS Loan, (4) PELL GRANT, (5) SEOG GRANT, (6) TIP GRANT. When aid is returned, the student will owe a balance to Gateway. Payments should be made at the cashier’s office. Students are reminded to notify the Financial Aid Department if you decide to withdraw so that a correct calculation can be made.
For more information about the
Gateway Plus Card, the prefered
method for financial aid disbursment,
click here.
All students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Renewal FAFSA. Students are encouraged to apply on-line by accessing FAFSA on the WEB. Completing one of these forms allows Financial Aid to determine eligibility for all forms of financial aid. Students are urged to file the FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1. Several grants and Federal Work Study (FWS) are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis and these funds are quickly depleted. Students can also pick up the FAFSA from area high schools and libraries. If you need help completing the FAFSA, a Student Service Associate is prepared to assist you.
Summer Semester - Apply by March 1
Fall Semester - Apply by July 1
This attachment could be a link for COA.
Updated: 7/14/2009 | Comment about this page.
