Working Within Your Budget

1. Make Sure You Meet These Requirements

• You must be accepted into a program and your admissions file must be complete
• You must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
• You must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
• You cannot have a defaulted loan or owe a repayment on any previous financial aid award
• State of Georgia Aid only – All male students (ages 18-25) must register with the Selective Service

2. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

A student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for federal and state financial aid, including:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
• Federal Work Study Program (FWSP)
• HOPE or Zell Miller Grant
• HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship

When completing the FAFSA remember to use Georgia Piedmont Tech’s school code: 016582.

More on Federal Aid Eligibility:

3. Finalize Your Financial Aid

After you apply for financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you may be required to submit additional documentation to the Office of Financial Aid at Georgia Piedmont Tech. You will be notified by email which forms are needed.

The files will not be reviewed until all required documents are received.

4. Receive Your Financial Aid

If you are eligible for the Pell Grant and have a credit balance after all tuition and fees have been deducted, you may use the available credit balance in the GPTC Bookstore during the first week of classes. Any balances not used in the Bookstore after that period of time will be sent to you by the refund option you have chosen. Contact the Cashier’s Office for more information regarding refund options.

For active and reserve military, guardsmen, military spouses and dependents and veterans, please visit Veterans Services. 

Keeping Your Financial Aid

Keeping your financial aid is an important part of completing your program of study. Below are some helpful tips that will help keep you on the right track.

The Basics

1. 1. Complete the FAFSA each year.  The FAFSA uses income information from two prior years. Students are able to complete the FAFSA beginning October 1^st of each year. Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to reduce errors and verification selection. The FAFSA covers the fall, spring and summer semesters.
   2. Notify the Registrar’s Office of any changes in your address, phone and email address.
   3. Make sure you check your Georgia Piedmont Student Email account regularly.
   4. Make sure you log in and check your financial aid status on your Banner Web Self-Service account.

   Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

   Federal and state regulations require schools participating in state and federal financial aid programs to have a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy that measures how students are performing academically in their program of study to remain eligible for financial aid assistance.

   There are three components of the SAP policy that all students must meet in order to maintain eligibility. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the SAP standards and how they affect their eligibility for aid. These standards are qualitative, quantitative and the maximum time frame. Students will be evaluated at the end of each semester for compliance with the SAP policy.

   Qualitative Standard (GPA) – In order to maintain eligibility for federal financial aid a student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0. The cumulative GPA includes grades of A, B, C, D, F, WP and WF. Please note that the state requirement for the HOPE Grant is 3.0 as previously noted, at the designated checkpoints.

   Quantitative Standard (Pace of Completion) – Students must complete and pass 66.66% of all courses attempted. To determine the 66.66% pace of completion divide the cumulative number of hours completed by the number of hours attempted. Courses receiving grades of IP, W, WP, WF, F, and I are not completed hours but count as attempted hours.

   Maximum Timeframe – A student may attempt no more than 150% of the number of hours required for their program of study. (Example: A student is enrolled in a program in the catalog that requires 80 hours to complete the program. A student may receive financial aid assistance for no more than 120 hours (80 x 150% = 120).

   Failure to Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements

   Students who do not maintain a cumulative 2.0 GPA and complete 66.66% of their attempted hours, or those who exceed the maximum time frame for completion of the program of study will be placed on SAP Warning. The warning period will allow the student to continue receiving aid for one semester only. If the cumulative GPA and pace of completion are meet the standard at the end of that semester and the student is still within the maximum timeframe, then the student will be considered in good standing and continue to receive aid. If the student is not making SAP at the end of the warning period the aid will be suspended.

   Appeals

   Students on suspension may appeal to the SAP Appeals Committee. The appeal must be documented in writing by submitting a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal and Academic Plan. The appeal committee will only approve appeals if extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control are clearly documented. The strategy/strategies that the student will take to ensure success must be indicated on the appeal form and becomes a part of the student’s Academic Plan for success in completing the program of study. If the appeal is approved the student is placed on Probation Status. The decision of the Appeals Committee is final and students will be notified by GPTC e-mail of the decision.

   How to File an Appeal…

   1. Gather documentation that support the circumstances that affected your progression
   2. Log into your Banner Web account
   3. Click on Student Services & Financial Aid tab
   4. Click on Financial Aid, then My Eligibility for the Aid Year
   5. Click on the SAP Appeal requirement
   6. A new browser opens for your GPTC Student Forms account page
      • For first time users: Click the Create Account link to enter/confirm your information, and click Create Account button.
   7. Complete and submit your appeal and upload your supporting documents
   8. Meet with your advisor to complete an Academic Plan; the task appears after the appeal has been submitted.

   Students on Probation status will be reviewed at the end of each semester to determine if they are meeting the appeal conditions.  Students who do not meet the conditions of their academic plan will have their financial aid suspended.

   Georgia Piedmont Technical College SAP Policy

   Course Withdrawals and Failing Grades

   Students who withdraw from one or more courses, and those who receive Ws, WPs, WFs or F grades for the term, may be required to repay some portion of the student aid funds they received during the term. It is important for students to be aware of their financial responsibilities when withdrawing from and/or failing classes.

   Federal financial aid regulations have created a Return of Title IV Funds Policy. This policy states that students who withdraw or cease attendance; and those who fail or have a combination of all failing grades during a term will be reviewed to determine if their financial aid awards should be reduced.

   Upon withdrawal, the Office of Financial Aid will calculate, from the number of days in the term that the student was enrolled prior to withdrawal, the percentage of the term that the student completed. This percentage will be applied to the amount of aid received for the term with the student being able to retain only the amount of aid for the percentage of the term actually completed. The unearned portion of the financial aid award must be returned to the federal, programs that have been awarded. If excess financial aid funds have been refunded to the student, a portion of these funds may also need to be returned to the financial aid programs awarded. This may result in large sums being owed to both Georgia Piedmont Technical College and federal financial aid programs.

   Students considering withdrawal from classes should consult the Office of Financial Aid prior to initiating the withdrawal process. Withdrawal can have a significant impact on a current financial aid award, as well as future financial aid eligibility (see the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy).

   Unofficial Withdrawals Students who cease attending all classes and do not formally withdraw during a term may also be subject to the Return of Title IV Funds Policy referenced above. In all cases, the official withdrawal procedures should be followed. Students who stop attending classes before the end of the term will be treated as an unofficial withdrawal.

   Withdrawal & Aid Eligibility

   Withdrawing from Class

   Return of Military Tuition Assistance Disclosure 

Institutions are required to verify all FAFSA applications selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education. If a student has been selected for verification, eligibility is tentative, pending completion of the verification process.  The verification process is completed through GPTC Student Forms using the steps below:

1. Log into your Banner Web account
2. Click on Student Services & Financial Aid tab
3. Click on Financial Aid, then My Eligibility for the Aid Year
4. Click on the Documentation Needed requirement
5. A new browser opens for your GPTC Student Forms account page. *For first time users* Click the Create Account link to enter/confirm your information, and click Create Account button.
6. Review and complete all required tasks

After all tasks have been submitted, this process could take 7 – 10  business days, depending on the completeness of forms, possibility of additional documentation needed, and number of student files ahead of you. Students may monitor the status of their account on Banner Web and GPTC student email.

Tasks should be submitted as soon as possible.  Tasks submitted after the semester priority date may result in financial aid not being awarded by payment deadlines.

• Fall semester: July 15
• Spring semester: November 1
• Summer semester: March 1

The Cost of Attendance (COA), or budget, is an estimate of the educational expenses that you may incur while attending Georgia Piedmont Technical College for the academic year.  The COA amounts vary based on residency and housing.  Tuition and fees are the only expenses that must be paid directly to Georgia Piedmont Technical College.

COAs are based on 15 credit hours of enrollment per semester for fall and spring as well as Georgia residency.

 

Resident of Georgia	Off-campus	With Relative
Tuition	$3,210.00	$3,210.00
Fees	$818.00	$818.00
Books & Supplies	$1,470.00	$1,470.00
Housing	$14,787.00
Food	$4,122.00	$4,122.00
Miscellaneous	$3,150.00	$3,150.00
Transportation	$3,006.00	$3,006.00
Total	$30,563.00	$15,776.00

 

Non-Resident of Georgia	Off-campus	With Relative
Tuition	$6,420.00	$6,420.00
Fees	$818.00	$818.00
Books & Supplies	$1,470.00	$1,470.00
Housing	$14,787.00
Food	$4,122.00	$4,122.00
Miscellaneous	$3,150.00	$3,150.00
Transportation	$3,006.00	$3,006.00
Total	$33,773.00	$18,986.00