How Do Students Know Whether They Qualify for Financial Aid?

Once the FAFSA has been submitted online, students will receive an email confirming the FAFSA has been processed. Students will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS). It takes about three days of the form to be processed and sent to college(s) selected. If corrections are required, students may login to their www.studentaid.gov accounts to amend or send a copy of the FSS with the changes to the address listed on the FSS or contract the college and ask them to make the changes.

Students will receive an acknowledgment email or letter confirming the changes made to the FSS. At that point, the Financial Aid office should have received electronically the corrected FSS and then will begin completing and preparing the file for awarding. Students first should check their financial aid account in the student portal to see if their Pell has been awarded. If no award is showing, then students should contact the Financial Aid office if they have not received an award letter within six weeks after the date they completed the FAFSA.

If students qualify for financial aid, award notifications are sent to the student's PHSC email referring them to view the financial aid award on the student portal. Students need to have the following completed prior to receiving the award notification.

• All required forms and documents have been submitted formally to the Financial Aid office
• Students have been formally accepted for admission to the College as degree or certificate seeking students
• Students enroll in an eligible program leading to a degree or certificate. Students must be enrolled in a certificate program that is at least 600 clock hours and at least 16 weeks in length for it to qualify as an eligible program of study. View additional information regarding clock hour programs. 
• Students must enroll in courses toward their declared program of study
• Except as otherwise noted, students enroll for at least six hours per semester
• Students are neither in default on a student loan, nor owe a refund on a grant
• Students make satisfactory academic progress each semester
• Students meet the U.S. citizenship requirement
• Students have submitted to the Admissions and Student Records office an official transcript of their high school diploma or received a GED Certificate
• Students possess a valid Social Security number