Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for financial aid, students must:

• Be enrolled at least half time (six credits per semester, except Pell in some cases) in an approved program leading to a degree or certificate. Courses must be needed for degree completion.
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress in their selected course of study
• Not be in default on any student loan
• Not owe a repayment on any student grant
• Be registered with Selective Services (if required)
• Demonstrate financial need
• Have earned a high school diploma or GED 

Students receiving financial aid are normally alerted if the classes for which they register are not financial aid eligible based on degree requirements. This process will help students avoid taking classes not needed for graduation, saving time and money.

Eligible Courses

• Financial aid eligibility will include repeated courses which were not successfully completed. 
• Financial aid eligibility will include repeating a course one time if the student earned prior credit for the course with a grade of a “D” or higher regardless of whether the class was taken at Seminole State or transferred in from another institution.
• Audited courses, continuing education or credit by examination do not qualify for federal financial aid.
• Courses funded through a consortium agreement are included in determining academic progress. All attempted transient enrolled hours at another institution are added to the attempted Seminole State hours, and these hours will affect a student’s completion ratio. 

The following examples demonstrate how this process can affect a student’s tuition, fees and refund.

Pell Grant Example

A full-time student registers for four classes equal to 12 financial-aid-eligible credits and is eligible for a $2,000 Pell Grant. The student’s cost for each class is $300, for a total in tuition assessment of $1,200. The student also charges $500 in books and supplies at the bookstore for a total bill of $1,700. If this student's registration is in 12 hours of required coursework, the Pell will pay the charges in full, which would leave the student with a $300 refund.

If the same student registers for four classes equaling 12 credits, but one of the classes is not required or allowed in the student's program, then the $2,000 Pell Grant will be prorated based on the eligible hours. The Pell will be three-fourths of $2,000 or $1,500. The $1,500 Pell will be applied to the $1,700 in charges, and the student will owe the remaining $200 not covered by financial aid.

Loan Example

With loans, eligibility is not prorated based on enrollment levels. As long as the student has a minimum of six credit hours of eligible coursework, the student’s loan can be disbursed. If a student is registered for six hours, three of which are eligible and three that are not, the student does not qualify for loans.

For a student who registers for 12 hours, six of which are eligible and six that are not, the loan will be disbursed and will pay for all 12 hours if the tuition due shows on the student’s account.