Financial Aid FAQs

What is Financial Aid? - Video

• Financial aid is money available to assist students with the costs of attending college.
• Financial aid comes from the federal government, state government, the College, and from private sources in the form of scholarships. Grants and scholarships are assistance you don't have to pay back. Federal Work-Study allows you to work and earn money to help pay for school. Loans are borrowed money that you must repay with interest.
• The Federal Student Guide provides greater detail on Federal Student Aid.
• HomeRoom - The Official Blog of the U.S. Department of Education Information regarding updates to FAFSA

Who can receive financial aid? - Video

Federal financial aid is available to anyone who meets the following criteria:

1. Have a financial need as determined by your financial aid application (FAFSA), and reviewed or certified by Las Positas Financial Aid Office.
2. Have a high-school diploma, a GED certificate, or pass an approved ability-to-benefit test given by Las Positas College..
3. Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible certificate, associate or transfer degree program.
4. Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen (i.e. permanent resident, refugee, asylee, parolee).
5. Have a valid Social Security Number.
6. Meet standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
7. Not be in default on an educational loan nor owe a refund to any financial aid office. To track your federal student loans and grants, visit the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Student Access Web Site.
8. Certify that all information you provide on Financial Aid application form is accurate and true, and that federal aid received will be used only for educational purposes.
9. Be registered, or formerly registered, with the Selective Service System, if you are a U.S. citizen or immigrant alien male aged 18 through 26. If you have not yet registered, you can do so at http://www.sss.gov.

Do I have to reapply for financial aid each year? - Video

• Yes. However, once you have filed a FAFSA, you may be able to file a Renewal FAFSA the next year. It will not be nearly as complicated the second, third, or fourth time around.
• The Renewal FAFSA will be sent to the home address you used last year with about 75% of the information on the form preprinted and the same as the information you filed the year before. Be sure to correct any information that has changed since the previous year on CLASS-Web, especially new address, income, and financial data.

Please visit /financialaid/completing_application.php on our Web site.

• You will receive an Award Letter from the Financial Aid Office. This will detail all aid for which you are eligible, for the entire school year.
• You may not receive aid in excess of your cost of attendance.
• The information found on your Award Letter is also available at LPC's CLASS-Web Financial Aid site. Use your LPC PIN to access it.

• You do not have to return the Award Letter to the Financial Aid Office.
• If you do not want to accept a certain award, you must contact the Financial Aid Office.
• You must decline your offered aid if you do not plan to attend Las Positas College, especially if you do intend to receive aid at another college.

• You may request a Review of Unusual Circumstances with the Financial Aid Office that will allow us to reevaluate your financial aid eligibility due to unemployment, loss of benefits, divorce or other special circumstances.
• Verification of your file will first be required to ensure we have accurate information. Then, an Unusual Circumstances (Special Circumstances Petition) form and documents will be required prior to adjusting any data.

• Apply early - Meet the March 2nd Cal Grant Deadline.
• Upload all requested verification and follow-up documentation within two weeks, fully completed, and signed.
• Keep grades up - Meet minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress standards.

• Seek non-work study employment. Use savings. Consider living at home or with relatives to save on rent and utility costs.
• Apply for scholarships. Ask clubs, organizations, churches to which you belong if they have any scholarship funds. You may view scholarship information on the scholarships page.

• The kind of financial aid you receive is based upon your level of need and your application's completion date.
• You will receive an aid package that may be a combination of federal and state grants and/or Federal Work-Study. Grant dollars are limited, so apply early. Federal Work Study jobs are limited too, so you must complete an employment application with the Employment Career Services Center.

What is Federal Work Study (FWS)? - Video

• FWS is a federally funded student employment program established to assist students in meeting their educational costs through part-time on campus positions or in off-campus positions, some of which are contracted community service positions.
• Students use the services of the Employment Career Services Center to assist in finding employment and completing necessary forms. Once you receive your Award Letter take it to the Employment Career Services Center to inquire about your eligibility for FWS.
• Please view the Current Work Opportunities.

• Average annual costs (tuition, books, fees, room and board, transportation, etc.) determined to be necessary to attend Las Positas College.
• These figures are subject to change.

How is my Student Aid Index (SAI) determined? - Video

• The Student Aid Index is calculated using the information you provide on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form.
• The SAI formula calculates the total financial resources of you and your parents (or spouse in some cases) then deducts the minimum amount needed for your family's normal annual living expenses. The remaining amount may, in part, be allocated for college expenses.
• Most of the tax information used to calculate the SAI is transferred directly from the IRS* into the FAFSA form if you provide your consent and approval. *Some FAFSA applicants may need to manually provide their tax information. Learn more about where to find tax information.

• Yes, your financial aid eligibility may change.

• The U.S. Department of Education's web site for federal financial aid programs is: http://www.ed.gov/studentaid/student.html.
• The State of California's Web site for state financial aid is CSAC (http://www.csac.ca.gov/).

030357