Financial Aid

SCC offers scholarships, loans, grants and work-study programs that can help make your college education affordable.

How to Apply

Apply for admission to Southeastern Community College

If you have already applied to the college, skip to the next step.

Apply for Financial Aid

Go to fafsa.gov and start your application. If you need a step-by-step guide check out this video.
To complete the FAFSA students will need:
- income information, such as federal tax returns W-2 wage statements, and records of benefits received from sources such as child support and disability for the requested tax year.
SCC College Code: 002964

Wait for SCC Correspondence

SCC will contact you with a financial aid award letter, or a letter requesting additional documents.

Student Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for most financial assistance, students must generally meet the following requirements:

Demonstrate financial need
Have a high school diploma or GED.
Be enrolled as a regular student in an eligible program.
Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
Make satisfactory academic progress as defined by the school.

Entering students must also meet all admission requirements (see program descriptions). Returning students must be in good academic standing. That is, they must be meeting the satisfactory academic progress requirements for financial aid recipients. These requirements are found in the college catalog.

What is the FSA ID and what is it used for?

The FSA ID – a username and password – has replaced the Federal Student Aid PIN that has been used in the past as a student’s personal identifier. The FSA ID can be used to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education websites which include the FAFSA website (www.fafsa.ed.gov). Your FSA ID confirms your identity when you access your financial aid information and allows you to electronically sign Federal Student Aid documents. If you do not already have an FSA ID, you can create one when logging in to complete your FAFSA application. You, and your parents, if you are a dependent student will need to obtain an FSA ID. You can use your FSA ID to sign a FAFSA right away. Once the Social Security Administration verifies your information in one to three days, or if you have linked your previous PIN to your FSA ID, you will be able to use your FSA ID to access the FAFSA website. This is a one-time process and once the FSA ID is set up, you will use this same information each year to complete your FAFSA application as well as to complete any corrections to your application that may be needed.

Remember, the FSA ID is your personal identifier and only the owner of the FSA ID should create and use the account. Never share your FSA ID.

Deadlines

Students should apply as soon after January 1 as possible for aid for the following fall semester. The later the application, the less chance there is of receiving some types of financial aid such as work-study, supplemental grants, and NC aid. Pell Grant can be processed throughout the academic year. Once an application is submitted, it takes 3-5 days for the application to process and to be received by the school.

Dependency Status

Certain questions on the FAFSA will determine whether the student is considered dependent on the income of their parents. If the student feels that they have unusual circumstances that would make them independent, they should make an appointment with the Director of Financial Aid to discuss their situation.

Special Circumstances

If the student or their family has experienced a significant reduction in family income since the prior year income reported on the FAFSA, they may request consideration for financial aid based on the current year situation. Examples of reasons for change are unemployment, divorce, separation, death, disability, high medical expenses, etc. Students should make an appointment with the Director of Financial Aid to discuss their change in circumstances. Additional documentation will be required to support any request for a reduction in income.

Financial Need

Financial aid from most of the student aid programs is awarded on the basis of financial need. The information reported by the student on the FAFSA is used in certain formulas, passed into law by Congress, that calculate the student’s need and eligibility. Eligibility for the Pell Grant program is determined by a formula and depends on a number called the EFC (Expected Family Contribution). If this number is low enough, the student will be eligible for a Pell Grant. The lower the number, the larger the grant award will be. If this number is higher than a certain number, the student will not be eligible for the Pell Grant. There is not a minimum or maximum EFC in determining eligibility for the campus-based aid programs.

The financial need is determined by using the following equation: Cost of Education, less Expected Family Contribution, equals Financial Need.