Financial Aid Terms and Conditions

Find all the information you need to remain eligible for federal, state and Casper College financial aid and continue your Casper College education worry-free. Here, you can learn about Satisfactory Academic Progress, which sets out the minimum standards you need to meet in order to renew any Casper College scholarships you receive. You’ll also find important information on federal policies that can impact your financial aid, including consequences for drug convictions and the process for receiving a federal aid refund if you withdraw from school.

The Casper College Student Financial Assistance Office strives to award students all scholarships and grants first, as eligibility criteria and funding levels allow. Loans are awarded only to help make higher education more accessible for students and are often a necessary resource to help complete a student’s financial aid portfolio. After reviewing this section, please do not hesitate to contact us so that we can answer any questions that you may have. You may email Enrollment Services with your financial aid questions at finaid@caspercollege.edu.

Key Items You Need to Know

Verification Policies & Procedures for Federal Student Aid Applications

Request a tax transcript from the IRS

An applicant will be required to verify (validate by documentation) any and all information provided on the FAFSA if the application is selected for verification. Verification selection can occur in the federal processing and edit systems or in the Financial Aid Office if there is reason to believe that any application information critical to the calculation of the student’s student aid index (SAI) is inaccurate or in conflict with other information.

If an application is selected for verification, the Financial Aid Office will give notice to the applicant. The notice will specify what items of information must be verified and will detail what documents and procedures are required for verification. It will also specify the time period within which the applicant shall provide the required documentation, and will advise the applicant of the consequences of the applicant’s failure to comply within the specified period.

The time period granted to the applicant for completion of required documentation may vary with the complexity of the requirements and with the time remaining in the school term for which funding is sought. Normally, the student is afforded 45 days from the request date to provide verification documents to the Financial Aid Office. Should read: Normally, the student is afforded 30 days from the request date to provide verification documents to the Financial Aid Office. If you cannot complete documentation requirements within 30 days, contact the Financial Aid Office to explain your circumstances and request an extension.

Should the applicant fail to provide required documentation within the specified time period, the application is considered invalid and the applicant will forfeit eligibility for assistance from the federal Title IV student aid programs for the program year for which the invalid application was filed.

If the verification documents provided within the specified time period confirm the accuracy of all application items requiring verification, the application is finalized and, if all other requirements have been met, a letter is sent to notify the applicant. If the verification documents reveal inaccuracies in the application, corrections will be made and submitted electronically by the Financial Aid Office. If incomplete or inadequate verification documents are submitted, the applicant is notified of deficiencies and instructed on how to correct them.

Should review of an application for Title IV student aid indicate that the applicant may have engaged in fraud or other criminal misconduct in connection with his/her application, the Financial Aid Office must refer the student for investigation on all relevant information to the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Education. Examples of such information include (but not limited to) false claims of independent student status, false claims of citizenship, use of false identities, forgery of signatures or certificates and false statements of income.

Dependency, Special and Unusual Circumstances

Beginning with the 2023-2024 academic year, FAFSA applicants who are considered dependent students but cannot provide parental information on the FAFSA due to unusual circumstances can submit their incomplete FAFSA without parental information, but it will not be fully processed until a financial aid counselor reviews their request for a dependency override (Unusual Circumstance Appeal).  Students may request a Dependency Override by logging into myCCinfo and following the link in the required documents section to fill out the request.

Unusual Circumstances

An unusual circumstance is one in which a student cannot enter parental information on the FAFSA because they cannot contact a parent or it would be unsafe for them to do so. Examples of unusual circumstances can include, but are not limited to the following:

• A student is a refugee or asylum seeker who has been separated from their parents.
• A student or their parents has experienced human trafficking.
• A student or their parents are incarcerated.
• A student’s parents have abandoned them or a student is estranged from their parents.2
• A student cannot locate their parents.
• A student’s parents are physically or emotionally abusive.
• A student’s parents are incapacitated and lack the physical or mental ability to support them.
• A student’s parents say they would support the student, but only if the student stopped identifying as LGBTQ.

Examples of circumstances that do not, on their own, qualify:

• A student’s parents do not want to fill out the FAFSA.
• A student has moved out and pays their own bills.
• A student’s parents do not want to pay for a student’s education.
• A student’s parents do not claim the student as a dependent on their taxes.

Special Circumstances

A special circumstance is generally based on the student’s or parent’s financial situation. Students may appeal their SAI, but must submit a complete FAFSA with parent information before the appeal can be processed.

Examples of Special Circumstances

• Financial changes between base year (tax year reported on the FAFSA) and current year.
• Extremely high medical or educational expenses
• One time disbursement of 401k or investment funds
• Cost of attendance

Independent students do not need to request or fill out a dependency override (Unusual Circumstance Appeal).

Who is an independent student?

In general, students under age 24 must submit their parent’s or guardian’s tax information on financial aid applications to be considered for financial aid, unless they are an independent student. Students are deemed independent students if they meet any of the following qualifications:

• Student is married
• Student is a veteran or member of the armed forces
• Student is an orphan
• Student was a foster youth, ward of the court, or in legal guardianship after the age of 13
• Student is an emancipated minor
• Student is an unaccompanied homeless youth OR an unaccompanied youth who is self-supporting and at risk of being homeless.
• Student has children or others who are legally dependent on them

NSLDS

The National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) database is the U.S. Department of Education’s central record for student aid. It contains data from schools, guaranty agencies, the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) program, and other U.S. Department of Education programs. The NSLDS database provides a centralized, integrated view of federal student aid loans and grants that are tracked through their entire lifecycle from the aid approval through disbursement and repayment (if applicable). If you are a student receiving a Title IV loan or a parent receiving a PLUS loan, your information will be submitted to NSLDS.

Withdrawals Impact on Federal Financial Assistance

Students who alter their enrollment status (drop or add courses) during the course of a semester are subject to having their eligibility for federal financial assistance recalculated and could be required to return some, if not all of their Federal Assistance. Students should review the following explanations carefully.

Automatic Withdrawal

Students who have not attended and/or participated in a class they are enrolled in during the first week of the semester may be dropped from that course at the beginning of the second week. Automatic withdrawal from a course is not guaranteed and students wishing to drop courses should still go through the proper withdrawal process to avoid accruing additional charges. If you have questions about this matter please contact your instructor.

Enrollment Changes Prior to the Census Date

A student’s official enrollment status (12 or more credit hours = full time, 9-11 credit hours = three quarters time, 6-8 credit hours = half time and less than 6 credit hours = less than half time) is measured after the 10th class day of each semester (5th day for the summer semester). This is the “census date”. Assistance that was previously offered for the term will be re-evaluated and either be increased, decreased, cancelled or left unchanged based on the student’s status as of the census date. An increase in hours after this date cannot reinstate assistance lost because of inadequate enrollment on the census date. New awards calculated after the census date are based on the student’s actual enrollment status as of the date of the calculation.

Dropping Out, Withdrawing or Being Expelled

Students who unofficially withdraw (drop out, walk away, etc.), officially withdraw (see Academic Policies section) or are expelled, will have the percentage of aid earned (the amount of federal assistance the student can keep) calculated based on the percentage of the term actually completed. For example, if a student only completes 20% of a term, only 20% of their aid would be considered earned and 80% of their aid would be considered unearned and therefore subject to return. The date used to calculate this percentage is the official withdrawal date, or for those who unofficially withdraw, it is either the mid-point of the term (50% return) or the last day the student participated in a documented, academically-related activity. Students who withdraw after completing at least 60% of the term, will be considered to have earned 100% of their federal assistance. Please note, students who withdraw are still subject to the Standards of Academic Progress (SAP) evaluation.

See Complete Withdrawal Procedures

Non-Attendance

Students must start attending classes to establish eligibility for federal assistance. If a student fails to initiate attendance in some, or all, courses, their eligibility for federal assistance may be recalculated, excluding those courses, regardless of the student’s “enrollment status.” The student would be responsible for the return of all “over-awarded” funds as a result of their never attending the course(s). Students who claim federal funds and never attend any class are subject to referral to the Office Inspector General, Department of Education, for possible federal fraud investigation.

Written examples of return of funds calculations are available in the Enrollment Services Office upon request. The Enrollment Services Office reserves the right to modify or change the above policy as necessary.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards for Federal Student Financial Aid

In accordance with Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and all relevant amendments since, students receiving federal assistance, (i.e. Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, Federal Work Study, etc.) must meet and maintain certain standards of satisfactory academic progress. Although the following information identifies the main factors that must be evaluated, the student should check with the Enrollment Services Office for the most current policy as these standards are subject to revision. Please note the standards provided below are evaluated at the end of each term.

This evaluation includes all terms attempted regardless of whether or not the student received financial assistance.

1. Enrollment Status: Students must be admitted and in an eligible degree or certificate program to be eligible for aid. In addition, loan applicants must be enrolled for six or more credit hours.
2. Census Date: Students must finalize their class registration by the end of business on this day. The student’s enrollment status will be measured and aid eligibility cancelled, reduced or increased, as necessary. The Census date is the 10th class day (fifth day of each summer session) of the term.
3. Grade Point Average (GPA): Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least a 2.0.
4. Satisfactory Progress Ratio: Students must successfully complete on a cumulative basis at least 67 percent of the courses they attempt.
   Satisfactory progress ratios are calculated by dividing hours earned by hours attempted. For example, if 12 hours are attempted and 9 hours are earned, the ratio is 9/12 = 75 percent. Grades of A, B, C, D and S qualify as earned and attempted hours. Audits, incompletes, withdrawals, drops, F’s and U’s are attempted hours but are not earned. Repeat courses count as attempted each try, but count as earned only once. Additional restrictions exist on multiple repeats.
5. Maximum Hours Attempted (Maximum Time Frame): Federal regulations require students to complete their program of study within a reasonable time frame. The time frame is defined as 1½ times the minimum credit hours required to complete a program. For programs requiring 64 credit hours, the regulations would allow up to 96 credit hours to be attempted. The student should determine the number of credit hours required for their selected program. All hours attempted, whether on aid or not, are counted. Transfer students hours earned at other schools are included in this count. If at any point it is determined that the student can no longer complete their program by this maximum hours, the student is no longer eligible for federal assistance.

Eligibility Status

Satisfactory: Satisfactory status is achieved when all criteria explained above are being met.

Academic Plan: Students who are meeting the requirements established under their academic plan will be considered in good standing and will remain in this status until they are back to satisfactory standing or have completed their program of study.  Students who fail to meet these terms will return to suspension or max hours status.

Max Hours: students whose attempted credits exceed 150% of the published length of their program will be considered ineligible for federal financial aid. Attempted credits are any credits for which the student enrolled, whether or not the student received federal financial aid, and include withdrawn, incomplete, failed, and repeated courses.

Financial Aid Warning: A student on Financial Aid Warning may receive Title IV funds (possibly lose other assistance) for one payment period. During this payment period, the student must meet the required standards to avoid Financial Aid Suspension.

Financial Aid Suspension: Students on Financial Aid Suspension cannot be paid Title IV federal assistance.

Mitigating Circumstances

Federal regulations allow students whose failure to meet the required standards was caused by certain mitigating circumstances to submit a written appeal for reconsideration by the college.

Mitigating circumstances can be one or more from the list below:

1. the death of a relative of the student;
2. an injury or illness of the student; or
3. other significant extenuating circumstances, to submit a written appeal for reconsideration by the college.

For a request to be approved, the circumstances must be serious and mostly beyond the student’s control. If the request is approved, an academic action plan will be created for the student. The student must agree to and follow the action plan requirements to continue receiving funding until they once again meet the overall progress standards. The “Request for Reinstatement of Financial Aid” form can be obtained from the Enrollment Services Office.

Title IV Code of Conduct

The Higher Education Opportunity Act requires that all educational institutions participating in Title IV programs develop and comply with a code of conduct that prohibits conflicts of interest between financial aid personnel and educational loan lenders. In order to be in compliance with this requirement, Casper College has adopted the following code of conduct:

1. Neither Casper College as an institution, nor any individual officer, employee, or agent of Casper College will enter into any revenue sharing arrangements with any lender.

2. No officer, employee, or agent of Casper College will be allowed to solicit or accept gifts from a lender, guaranty agency, or loan servicer. For purposes of this prohibition, the term “gift” refers to any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, or other item having a monetary value of more than a nominal amount.

3. No officer, employee, or agent of Casper College will accept compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide services to a lender or on behalf of a lender, relating to educational loans. This “compensation” includes any fee, payment, or other financial benefit (including the opportunity to purchase stock).

4. Casper College will not request or accept any assistance with call center staffing or financial aid office staffing from any lender.

5. Casper College will not assign through award packaging, or other means, any first-time borrower’s loan to a particular lender. Casper College will also not refuse to certify or delay certification of any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a particular lender or guaranty agency.

6. Casper College will not request or accept any offer of funds to be used for private education loans from any lender in exchange for providing the lender with a specified number/volume of Title IV loans or a preferred lender arrangement for Title IV loans.

7. No officer, employee, or agent of Casper College will derive any material benefit from serving on an advisory board, commission, or group established by a lender, guarantor, or group of lenders or guarantors. However, such individuals may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in serving on such an advisory board, commission, or group.

This code of conduct applies to all officers, employees, and agents of Casper College who have responsibilities with respect to student educational loans.