Financial Aid

While Mt. San Jacinto College subscribes to and supports the philosophy that primary responsibility for funding college expenses rests with students and their families, the college recognizes that some students and/or their families have limited financial resources and are unable to meet all of the expenses associated with higher education without supplemental assistance.

To help accommodate these supplemental student needs, the college provides a variety of financial assistance through the Financial Aid Office.

Available services range from:

Administration of various Federal Financial Aid programs, including Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Work Study (FWS) and Federal Student Loans;
Administration of various State Aid programs, including enrollment fee waivers through the California College Promise Grant (CCPG), Cal Grants, Student Success Completion Grant (SSCG), Chafee Grant for Foster Youth, and other state programs;
Other financial resources, including Scholarships, Promise Program and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Tribal Grants.

Learning Outcomes

Demonstrate the ability to inquire and comprehend financial aid processes through technology, face-to-face contact, and publications;
Demonstrate academic success by taking personal ownership in their educational planning and knowledge of financial aid requirements, policies and procedures;
Students will be able to manage their work schedule, be responsible, and communicate effectively with their employers, co-workers and the public when participating in the Work Study Program;

Applications

Financial aid funds come from appropriations made by the federal and state governments and through scholarship awards made by individuals and other public and private agencies and organizations. Hence, each of these funds must be administered according to different sets of policies, regulations, and/or specific requirements.

To apply for financial aid from Mt. San Jacinto College, students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the CA Dream Act application (for undocumented students). The FAFSA is a multi-purpose form that is used to apply for both federal and state aid programs. The FAFSA is available online at StudentAid.gov. The CA Dream Act application is available online at dream.csac.ca.gov. Students are also required to file a grade-point average verification form with the California Student Aid Commission for a Cal Grant by March 2. Check with the Financial Aid Office for priority deadlines for the FAFSA and the CA Dream Act application.

Student Eligibility

To be eligible for federal grants, you must:

Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen;
Have a valid Social Security Number;
Be working toward a degree or certificate;
Be making satisfactory academic progress;
Must have a high school diploma, GED or equivalency;
Have not yet earned a Bachelor's or professional degree;
Not owe a refund on a Federal grant or be in default on a Federal educational loan; and
Have “financial need” as determined in part by submitting the FAFSA;

Federal Student Aid (FSA) Regulations designate the amount of Federal Pell Grant funds a student may receive over his or her lifetime is limited to the equivalent of six (6) years of Pell Grant funding. Since the maximum amount of Pell Grant funding a student may receive each year is equal to 100%, the six-year equivalent is 600%. This Federal Regulation is not appealable.

To be eligible for California grants, you must:

Be a resident of California or be eligible for AB540, California Non-resident Tuition Exemption;
Be working toward a degree or certificate;
Be making satisfactory academic progress;
Must have a high school diploma, GED or equivalency;
Have not yet earned a Bachelor's or professional degree;
Not owe a refund on a Federal grant or be in default on a Federal educational loan
Have “financial need” based on the criteria for the California College Promise Grant or Cal Grant Program.

Cal Grants are limited to four (4) academic years. To receive the Cal Grant award for students' entire program of study, including after transfer, it is recommended that students complete 15 units per semester or 30 semester units per academic year.

Additional information about financial aid is available on the Mt. San Jacinto College Financial Aid website at Financial Aid.

MSJC Standards of Satisfactory Progress for Financial Aid Eligibility

To promote academic planning and success, Federal regulations require a student to move toward the completion of a degree or certificate when receiving financial aid.

Federal regulations state that Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards must include a review of periods of enrollment in which the student did not receive aid as well as the semesters they did receive aid. All students receiving Financial Aid will be expected to meet standards for academic progress each semester and complete a degree or certificate program within 150% of the published unit requirements for the chosen program of study.

At Mt. San Jacinto College, the limit is ninety (90) units for most programs. Information regarding the standards the student must maintain to be making satisfactory academic progress at Mt. San Jacinto College is available on the Mt. San Jacinto College Financial Aid website.

Financial Aid Refund/Repayment Policy

Federal Law requires students who receive Title IV aid and completely withdrawals or reduced enrollment after receiving a refund are required to pay back all or a portion of the aid received.
Information regarding any return of federal Title IV financial aid funds as required by regulations is available at the Financial Aid Office and on the MSJC Financial Aid website at Financial Aid.