Financial Aid

We recognize students often need financial assistance to pursue post-secondary education. Various options are available at Lewis and Clark Community College (L&C) for students who need financial assistance while attending classes. The L&C Financial Aid Office is the best place to start to obtain information regarding scholarships and grants, as well as federal, state and institutional financial aid opportunities. The Financial Aid Office staff is available to assist you in completing application forms and in understanding financial aid programs.

Start the application process early to ensure the Financial Aid Office will have time to perform all the financial aid functions required to assist you in paying for your education. Estimated award letters and letters requesting additional documentation or forms will be mailed to students who list Lewis and Clark Community College's federal school code (010020) on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications. Students are also instructed on how to accept their financial aid awards and view how their financial aid will be applied to institutional charges.

Students who have questions or need more individualized assistance can contact the Financial Aid Office at 618-468-2223. The Financial Aid Office is located on the Godfrey Campus in Baldwin Hall, Room 2450.

Federal and State Student Aid Programs

Federal student aid includes the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study (FWS), the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), and Federal Direct Student loans. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission's (ISAC) administers the State of Illinois Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant that can be applied towards a student's tuition and mandatory fees. Please see the college's website (www.lc.edu) for links to more state aid resources. Each student who reports Illinois as his/her state of legal residence automatically applies for the MAP grant when completing the FAFSA annually. The FAFSA can be completed as early as October 1 prior to the academic year that starts on or after July 1. ISAC will calculate MAP awards only for those Illinois residents who list a MAP eligible school as one of their school choices on the FAFSA. Lewis and Clark students should list the college's federal school code (010020) on the federal student aid application. For priority consideration for state and some federal aid, students are encouraged to apply for financial aid as soon as possible starting October 1st each year.

Federal Pell Grant - A federal grant program designed to provide financial aid to students with need to attend post-secondary educational institutions. Need is determined by the evaluation of your FAFSA application. Even if you are ineligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant, you may be eligible for other programs such as the ISAC Monetary Award Program (MAP) Grant, Federal Work-Study, or one of the loan programs. Award amounts are determined by evaluating your Expected Family Contribution as determined by the FAFSA, the college's Cost of Attendance, and your Enrollment Status.

Federal Work Study - An employment program funded by L&C and federal funds. Students who request Federal Work Study and qualify for this program on the basis of financial need may seek employment opportunities by visiting the Financial Aid section of the college's website to view available job listings and download a work study application. Students are paid minimum wage, and the average work load usually cannot exceed 20 hours per week. Please Note: Additional employment opportunities can be obtained by accessing Career Services under Student Support & Services at www.lc.edu.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) - A federal grant which provides students with financial need a supplement to attend institutions of post-secondary education. Funds are limited and are awarded to students with the most need as determined by the FAFSA. Priority is given to students receiving the Federal Pell Grant and who apply for financial aid before the Financial Aid Office's priority deadline of June 30th each year.

Illinois Student Assistance Commission Monetary Award Program (ISAC MAP) Grant - A State of Illinois grant that provides payment of tuition and mandatory fees only. The MAP Grant is based on need. You must meet ISAC's Illinois residency criteria. ISAC determines annual award amounts based on information reported on the FAFSA.

Federal Direct Loans

• Subsidized - A federally subsidized loan based on financial need for which you are not charged interest while you are enrolled in school at least half-time (6 credit hours).

• Unsubsidized - A non-need based loan in which the interest begins accruing (accumulating) when the loan is disbursed. The interest will be added to the principle balance of the loan, or students may opt to make monthly interest payments thereby reducing the interest on the loan prior to repayment.

The maximum annual loan amounts are:

Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS Loan) - is available to help pay for a Dependent student's educational expenses. These loans are not based on financial need but cannot exceed the student's Cost of Attendance minus other awarded aid. Repayment usually begins 60 days after loan funds have been disbursed but can also be deferred. Contact the Financial Aid Office for additional information.

To receive a Direct Student Loan or to benefit from a PLUS Loan, a student must meet the general eligibility criteria for all Federal Student Aid (FSA) programs (referenced from the Code of Federal Regulations regarding Title IV Federal Student Aid Programs, 34 CFR Section 668.32). Students cannot be on financial aid or academic suspension and receive a federal student loan. Students must maintain at least half-time enrollment status for student loan eligibility.

Per federal regulations, student loans will be prorated for those in their last term of study (34 CFR Section 682.204). All student loan borrowers must participate in loan entrance and exit counseling sessions to review loan terms, obligations, and options for student loan repayment.

The Code of Federal Regulations, in reference to the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program {34 CFR Section 682.602(e) (1)}, provides that a school may refuse to certify a FFEL Stafford or PLUS loan application or may reduce the borrower's determination of need for the loan if the reason for that action is documented and provided to the student in writing, provided the determination is made on a case-by-case basis.

How to Apply for Financial Aid

To apply for federal and state financial student aid programs, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the academic school year they plan to attend. To complete and submit your FAFSA, go to studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa. New students are encouraged to apply for a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) to electronically sign your application at fsaid.ed.gov before beginning the online process. You must apply for financial aid using the FAFSA each school year. You can apply as early as October 1 for the next full academic school year (which usually begins with the fall semester and ends with the summer term).

What Happens After You Apply

Once you have submitted your FAFSA, the Central Processing System (CPS) for the United States Department of Education will process your FAFSA within two weeks. Lewis and Clark will receive the results of your FAFSA electronically. If there is no additional information required, once processing for the school year begins, the Financial Aid Office will calculate an estimated award package, and you will receive an award notification in the mail. You must accept your awards online through Lewis and Clark's website. In lieu of an award letter, you may receive a request for more information or documentation. Once the required documentation is received, verified, and your file is complete, the office will calculate an estimated award package for you. The Financial Aid Office will begin processing award packages in the spring of each year for the following school year.

Some students are selected for verification upon CPS processing of their financial aid applications. The Financial Aid Office will request certain financial documents from you if you are selected for verification.

You have the option to accept or reject any student financial assistance offer on your award package. You can also request a lower loan amount depending on your educational needs. Unlike grants and scholarships, student loan funds must be repaid.

How Financial Aid Eligibility is Determined

The Student Aid Index (SAI) is an eligibility index number used by the Financial Aid office to determine how much federal student aid you would receive if you attended Lewis & Clark. This number results from the information that you provide on your FAFSA® form. To calculate a Student Aid Index (SAI), a need-based analysis takes into account the income and assets of you and your parents or spouse, if applicable. The analysis formula used considers both taxed and untaxed income and any assets and benefits received, such as unemployment or Social Security. The SAI does not include the number of family members in college in the calculation.

Income components considered in the SAI include the following:

• Adjusted gross income (AGI)

• Deductible payments to SEP/SIMPLE/KEOGH/Other

• Tax-exempt interest

• Untaxed portions of IRA distributions and pensions (excluding rollovers)

• Foreign income exclusion

Within guidelines by the Department of Education, we may be able to adjust the data elements that determine your EFC or to your Cost of Attendance (COA) to better reflect your true need. Additional paperwork, time, and documents are required for these processes.

Your award package will specify for which programs you are eligible and the estimated award amount(s) you can expect to receive from the program(s). Your financial aid is packaged using the following formula:

In order to be eligible to receive any federal and most State of Illinois student assistance, you must be enrolled as a regular student. A regular student is one who:

• Has a certificate of graduation from a secondary school (High School Diploma), has an Illinois High School Diploma (formerly GED), or has completed a home school curriculum and is beyond the age of compulsory school attendance (17 for the state of Illinois).

• Is enrolled in an Eligible Career Pathway program or has completed "at least 6 credit hours that are applicable to a degree or certificate offered by Lewis & Clark," as an ATB alternative. Students who were enrolled in an eligible program prior to July 1, 2012, may establish eligibility through grandfathering criteria. See your Financial Aid Advisor for more details.

• Is enrolled as a degree/certificate-seeking student in an eligible program

• Is enrolled in courses that are applicable to his/her program

• Is a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen

• Has not applied for and is not receiving financial aid at two colleges at the same time; unless the course is needed for degree completion and a consortium agreement is approved by both colleges in which one school will award aid. Student must see the Director of Financial Aid for approval information.

• Has a valid Social Security number

• Is not debarred or suspended from any federal programs

• Does not owe a federal student aid refund

• Is not in default of a federal student loan

Any student receiving federal or ISAC state financial aid is also responsible for knowing, understanding, and complying with the preceding and following information. All information is subject to change and all changes will be publicized by L&C. This information is correct at the time of this printing and complies with all applicable consumer information reporting requirements.

How Your Cost of Attendance is Determined

All students incur comparable direct educational expenses based on enrollment hours. Your indirect expenses are based on your own circumstances, and can vary from student to student. Budget figures, also known as your Cost of Attendance (COA), are allowances derived from average and expected costs. Your costs may be higher or lower than estimated. In some circumstances, the Financial Aid Office may be able to make adjustments to your budget. Budgets are based on an average full-time attendance of 28 semester hours for the fall and spring semesters.

Direct Educational Expenses (All Students)

Indirect Education Expenses for Independent Students

Indirect Educational Expenses for Dependent Students

Budgets will be prorated for students enrolled less than full-time and for summer terms. Budgets can be adjusted if a student is attending the fall, spring, and summer semesters during the academic year.

What is Required After Accepting Your Financial Aid

Once you have accepted your aid, you are expected to maintain satisfactory academic progress standards. If you do not maintain satisfactory academic progress standards, you may be denied financial aid in the future. You are expected to attend class regularly. If you have registered and later decide not to attend classes in a particular semester, you must officially withdraw from those classes. For more information, please see the sections on the college's withdrawal and tuition refund policies.

If you are receiving aid from the following federal and state programs, you must meet satisfactory academic progress standards to remain in good standing for the:

• Federal Pell Grant

• Federal Work-Study (FWS)

• Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized)

• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

• Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students

• Illinois Student Assistance Commission Monetary Award Program (ISAC MAP) Grant

In accordance with United States Department of Education regulations (as dictated by Public Law 94-482 as amended) and Illinois Student Assistance Commission regulations, a student receiving federal or state funded financial assistance must be "making measurable progress toward the completion of his/her course of study" in order to continue receiving financial assistance. The requirement that a financial aid recipient must maintain satisfactory progress should not be confused with the academic requirements as described in the College's Academic Standards Policy. A conceptual difference exists between the two. Good standing or academic probation (warning) means you are allowed by the institution to continue in enrollment according to the academic standards as described in the most recent catalog. Financial aid satisfactory academic progress must be maintained to continue receiving federal and most state financial student assistance.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards for Financial Aid

The financial aid satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards for federal student aid and state grant recipients conform to federal and state regulations. The standards complement the academic standards for all L&C students, encourage the timely completion of academic programs, and promote academic achievement. The standards will look at a student's cumulative progress; in addition to how the student performed in the term for which financial aid is received.

Lewis & Clark Community College has established qualitative and quantitative measures for evaluating the efforts of financial aid recipients pursuing an educational degree or certificate. An assessment of these efforts will occur after each fall, spring, and summer term. Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards are consistently applied to all students who are enrolled in an undergraduate program at all enrollment levels (i.e. Full-time -12 or more credit hours, Three-quarter-time - 9 to 11.5 credit hours, Half-time - 6 to 8.5 credit hours, and Less than half-time - 5.5 or less credit hours) and include the evaluation of successfully completed courses of grades A, B, C, D, and S as well as Remedial courses, Repeats, Withdrawals, Incompletes, Failures (PR, W, I, X, F) and Transfer hours even if federal student aid was never received.

Financial Aid Good Standing: In order to remain in financial aid good standing, a student must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or higher, a pace of progression of 67 percent or higher, AND must not exceed the maximum timeframe of his/her program of study at Lewis and Clark. The financial aid pace of progression is not the same as comparing academic hours attempted or earned as indicated on your L&C transcript and should not be confused as such. The pace of progression is calculated by dividing the total credit hours earned by the total credit hours attempted.

Grades A, B, C, D, and S are passing grades and are considered course completions. Grades X, I, PR, W, F and repeats are not passing grades and are treated as non-completions when calculating SAP and are considered attempted hours. Blank grades (due to late grade reports) are also calculated as noncompletions. When a blank grade or an incomplete is reported, students need to notify the Financial Aid Office when the actual grades are entered on their records. If warranted, the student's status can be upgraded. Remedial, prerequisite courses, and transfer hours are included in SAP and are considered attempted hours.

Financial Aid Warning: A student who is receiving financial aid and who fails to maintain a cumulative 2.00 or higher GPA and/or a pace of progression that will ensure graduation within the maximum timeframe of the student's program by earning at least 67 percent of all credit hours attempted through each semester or summer term, will be placed on financial aid Warning. This status is a warning to students who need to improve academic performance in order to graduate in the required timeframe with the required GPA. While on financial aid Warning, a student may continue to receive financial aid.

To End a Warning Status: If a student brings his/her cumulative GPA to 2.00 or higher and pace of progression to 67 percent or higher while on Warning, he/she will be placed back in Financial Aid Good Standing.

Financial Aid Suspension: A student will continue to receive financial aid during his/her first semester on financial aid Warning. At the end of that semester, the cumulative GPA must be 2.0 or higher and the cumulative pace of progression must be 67 percent or higher in order to avoid financial aid suspension.

Financial Aid Suspension and the Maximum Timeframe: Per federal and state financial aid regulation, a student must be able to complete an eligible program within a maximum timeframe. The maximum timeframe consists of 150 percent of the total number of credit hours needed for completion of a program. This regulation includes all federal aid programs and ISAC MAP. All credit hours attempted are considered when calculating this Financial Aid Suspension status: hours attempted at Lewis and Clark, hours transferred from other colleges, hours withdrawn, and hours repeated. A student's suspension status applies whether or not financial aid was received for any of the attempted credit hours. Credits granted for Illinois High School Diploma courses and continuing education courses are not counted toward the maximum timeframe.

While on Suspension, a student cannot receive any type of federal or state financial aid. If a student has been suspended from financial aid and wishes to have his/her financial aid reinstated, he/she can seek the following options:

1. Bring the cumulative GPA to 2.0 or higher and the cumulative pace of progression to 67 percent or higher without the use of financial aid.

2. Appeal to the Financial Aid Committee explaining the mitigating circumstances which interfered with successful completion of his/her studies and what has changed.

If a student appeals his/her financial aid suspension status to the Financial Aid Committee and the appeal is approved, the student will be reinstated for financial aid and placed on Financial Aid Probation for one semester or must follow an academic plan that ensures the student will meet SAP by a specific point in time. Many students will be restricted by the number of credit hours and the types of courses that can be taken in a semester. The student must adhere to this educational plan to receive aid. In some cases, the Financial Aid Committee may consult with Academic Advising concerning educational plans for student success. Once a student has been reinstated for financial aid through the appeal process, if the student successfully maintains a 100 percent semester pace of progression AND at least a 2.0 semester GPA, while on the academic plan, the student will remain on Financial Aid Probation, though the cumulative GPA may still be below 2.0 and/or the cumulative pace of progression may still be below 67 percent. If a student does not continue to make progress by successfully maintaining a 100 percent semester pace of progression AND at least a 2.0 semester GPA after his/her appeal has been approved, the student will again be placed on Financial Aid Suspension.

Financial Aid Appeals

Students have a right to appeal their financial aid suspension status to the Financial Aid Committee:
Appeal to the Financial Aid Committee with documented, mitigating circumstances or family hardships, explaining why you are not meeting the standards. Explain your circumstances in a letter addressed to the Financial Aid Committee in care of the Financial Aid Office. Your letter can be typed or handwritten and should be no longer than one page. The Financial Aid Committee will assess your appeal based on the documentation you provide. You will be notified in writing of the Committee's decision.

A student may still be eligible for other forms of assistance such as private scholarships or grants, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), and the Department of Human Services Division of Rehabilitation Services (DHS DRS) and some Veterans Educational Benefits.

Repeat Courses and Financial Aid:

• Failed and withdrawn courses can be repeated with financial aid coverage. However, multiple unsuccessful attempts will negatively affect financial aid satisfactory academic progress and could result in increased course costs on the 4th attempt.

• Courses in which a passing grade was received may be retaken only one additional time and be covered by financial aid. Any additional repeats will not count toward enrollment status and will be ineligible for financial aid. (i.e. If a student receives a D in a class and then retakes the class for a better grade, but the retake results in a F or a W, the student cannot receive aid for any further repeats of the course.)

• In addition, if a student successfully passes a course and wants to repeat the course within 4 years of the successful completion, the charges for the course will be the equivalent of the out-of-district tuition rate.

Return of Federal Funds

The law specifies how Lewis and Clark Community College (L&C) must determine the amount of Federal Student Aid (FSA) assistance that you earn if you withdraw from school. The FSA programs administered by L&C that are covered by this law are: Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs), Federal Direct Student Loans, and Parent PLUS Loans.

When a student withdraws during a payment period, the amount of FSA program assistance that he/she has earned up to that point is determined by a specific formula. If you received (or L&C or your parent received on your behalf) less assistance than the amount that you earned, you may be able to receive those additional funds. If you received more assistance than you earned, the excess funds must be returned to the federal government by L&C and/or you.

The amount of assistance that a student has earned is determined on a pro rata basis. For example, if you completed 30 percent of your payment period or period of enrollment, you earn 30 percent of the assistance you were originally scheduled to receive. Once you have completed more than 60 percent of the payment period or period of enrollment, you are considered to have earned all the assistance that you were scheduled to receive for that period.

If you did not receive all of the funds that you earned, you may be due a post-withdrawal disbursement. Lewis and Clark may automatically use all or a portion of your post-withdrawal disbursement for tuition and fees. If any part of the disbursement consists of loan funds, we will request your permission to use that part of the funds to pay tuition and fees or other institutional charges.

If a student receives (or L&C or your parent receives on your behalf) excess FSA program funds that must be returned, L&C must return a portion of the excess. If L&C is not required to return all of the excess funds, you must return the remaining amount. Any loan funds that you must return, you (or your parent for a PLUS Loan) repay in accordance with the terms of the promissory note. That is, you make scheduled payments to the servicer of the loan over a period of time.

Any amount of unearned grant funds that you must return is called an overpayment. You can make arrangements with L&C or the Department of Education to return the unearned grant funds.

The requirements for FSA program funds when you withdraw are not to be confused with the college's Refund Policy. Therefore, you may still owe funds to L&C to cover unpaid institutional charges. L&C will hold you accountable for any FSA program funds that the school was required to return.

If you have questions about your FSA program funds, you can call Lewis and Clark Community College's Financial Aid Office at 618-468-2223 or the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4- FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). TTY users may call 1-800-730-8913. Information is also available on Student Aid on the Web at www.studentaid.ed.gov.

All financial aid recipients are required to view Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards and Return of Federal Funds policies by logging into Blackboard and clicking on the Self Service link in the Student Network.

Student Loan Defaults

If you are currently in default of a federal student loan, you are not eligible for federal or certain state student financial aid. However, you may be eligible for assistance from other agencies. If you have defaulted on a student loan you can rehabilitate your loan and regain Title IV (federal) and state student aid eligibility by establishing satisfactory repayment. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for defaulted federal student loan repayment options. To regain financial aid eligibility, you must submit documentation from the loan servicer, guarantee agency, or Department of Education to the Financial Aid Office once satisfactory repayment has been established. You must continue your payment agreement in order to retain eligibility for student aid.

Disbursement of Federal/State Funds

Financial Aid credit balances will be disbursed for students who have complete financial aid files, no later than the sixth week of a semester. All tuition and fees must be paid before any remaining financial aid is disbursed to the student. Student aid awards based on late starting classes will not be disbursed until those class refund periods have ended. A credit balance may be comprised of the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Direct Loans, and/or scholarships. Students may charge books and supplies to their student accounts if they have available funds.

What To Do With Your Financial Aid Refund

By signing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you have certified that you will use federal and/or state student financial aid only to pay the cost of attending an institution of higher education. You are expected to use the financial aid funds you receive for the costs of attending L&C as listed in the "Cost of Attendance" budget.

Student Rights

You have the right to know and should understand the following:

Available financial programs - This information is found in the L&C Catalog and Student Handbook, on the Federal Student Aid website (www.StudentAid.gov), and in Illinois Student Assistance Commission publications and on their website (www.isac.org). Current publications are available in the Financial Aid Office. See the Financial Aid section under How to Pay for College on the college's website (www.lc.edu) for more information.

Cost of Attendance - Cost of Attendance (COA) budgets are found in the current L&C Catalog and Student Handbook. Certain academic programs require additional tools and/or supplies that are not purchased through L&C or the college bookstore. Contact the appropriate program coordinator for a program syllabus that will list required tools and/or supplies, estimated costs, and possible sources of procurement. If you are in an academic program that requires additional tools and/or supplies, your COA budget may be adjusted to reflect these costs.

Determination of satisfactory academic progress - Policy about how L&C determines if you are making satisfactory academic progress and what happens if you are not is printed in the current L&C Catalog and Student Handbook, available on the college website, and accessible through the Self Service Financial Aid link in Blackboard. Satisfactory progress is monitored every semester.

Explanation of programs in the student aid package - Information about all financial aid programs can be found in the current L&C Catalog and Student Handbook, on the Federal Student Aid website (www.StudentAid.gov), in ISAC brochures, and on ISAC's website (www.isac.org).

Financial Aid Deadlines - Can be found on application forms, the current L&C Catalog and Student Handbook, and in the Financial Aid Office. A student who fails to complete the verification process and/or submit all required paperwork and/or documents by the end of a term for which aid is sought cannot receive that aid, unless the student is continuing into another term within the same academic year.

Financial aid distribution process - Information about how financial aid is distributed, how decisions regarding financial aid are made, and the basis for those decisions is available in the current L&C Catalog and Student Handbook, the Financial Aid Office, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

Financial aid student loan repayment - You must be aware of what portion of student aid received must be repaid, what portion is grant aid, and what portion must be earned (work-study). If the aid is a federal student loan, you should know the rate of interest and total amount borrowed. For repayment procedures, deferment criteria, the length of time for repayment, and when repayment is to begin, please contact your loan servicer through nslds.ed.gov. Further information is available in the financial aid section of L&C's website, the U.S. Department of Education (studentaid.ed.gov/sa/repay-loans), or the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

Financial need determination process - Information about how financial aid is determined including costs for tuition and fees, room and board, travel, books and supplies, personal and miscellaneous expenses, etc., is found in the current L&C Catalog and Student Handbook, is available in the Financial Aid Office, can be found in federal and state publications, and is available on the Web.

L&C's accrediting and licensing organizations - This information is printed in the current L&C Catalog and Student Handbook, available on the college's website, and materials are available for inspection. Contact the College Administration if you wish to review these documents.

L&C's faculty, services, and facilities - Information about L&C's instructional, laboratory, and other physical facilities, faculty, special facilities and services for individuals with disabilities, and the drug abuse referral program can be obtained through the appropriate offices on campus.

L&C graduation rates and licensure rates for all students and athletes, athletic program revenue and costs, on campus crime rates, and drug and alcohol abuse consequences and prevention programs. - Refer to the college's website and other L&C literature and brochures on these topics.

L&C's refund policy - The general L&C refund policy is printed in the current L&C Catalog and Student Handbook. The refund policy that affects all Title IV (federal) student aid recipients is also printed in the Catalog and Student Handbook and available on the college's website. A "Return of Title IV Funds" calculation must be performed for all Title IV recipients who totally withdraw before completing 60 percent of the semester of enrollment for which he/she was awarded. Refunds are made to the federal aid program(s) and only apply when a student withdraws from all of his/her classes.

Other program rights and responsibilities, especially the loan programs - This information is printed in aforementioned sources as well as in and with any additional paperwork or requirements that must be read or completed by the aid recipient.

Portion of financial need met - Information about how much of your financial need is met as determined by L&C is included in the Financial Aid Award Package. Please be aware that need is based on Cost of Attendance (COA) budgets that use allowances and averages; your true need may not be reflected on your Package. Adjustments to the Student Aid Index (SAI) and COA budgets may be possible; see the Financial Aid Office if you have unusual circumstances. Financial Aid award packages may not meet 100 percent of financial need.

Resources considered in the calculation of need - Information about what resources are considered in the calculation of financial aid need such as assets, parental contributions, other financial aid, etc., can be found on the Federal Student Aid website (studentaid.ed.gov). Calculation worksheets that show in detail how aid is determined are also available from the Department of Education, the Financial Aid Office, or the Web.

Student confidentiality - Student information is protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) as amended and will not be released without written consent of the student unless it is needed by another school or agency to determine aid eligibility.

Student Responsibilities

You are responsible for knowing and understanding the following:

Awareness of the college's refund policies. This information is found in the current L&C Catalog and Student Handbook and is also available from the Financial Aid Office.

Communicating changes in enrollment status, name or address. You are to inform the Financial Aid Office and the Admissions and Records Office of changes in enrollment status, name, or address.

Completing applications. You must complete all application forms accurately and submit them on time to the proper agency or office.

Maintaining satisfactory progress. You must maintain financial aid satisfactory academic progress in order to receive financial aid.

Meeting application deadlines. You must be aware of and comply with the deadlines for application and reapplication for aid. You must reapply for aid every academic school year.

Performing assigned work. You must perform the work that is agreed upon when accepting a Federal Work-Study job.

Providing correct information. Incorrect reporting of information on financial aid application forms is a violation of law and may be considered a criminal offense that could result in indictment under the U. S. Criminal Code, state prosecution, and L&C disciplinary action. Read the application directions carefully and ask questions if you do not understand what you have read.

Reading and understanding all signed agreements, documents, and forms. You are responsible for reading and understanding all forms you sign, for keeping copies of each, and for fulfilling the obligations of each.

Repaying all student loans. Federal Student Loan Entrance and Exit Counseling is required for each student borrowing a federally guaranteed student loan. You must repay your loan even if you do not graduate or do not get a job in the field for which you studied.

Returning all required documentation. You must return or provide all documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by either the Financial Aid Office or the agency to which application was made if you wish to receive student financial aid.

Note: Additional information about the topics addressed above appears elsewhere in the current L&C Catalog and Student Handbook, is available in L&C Financial Aid Office, or in official government publications. Be advised that the information in this section is subject to change. This information is provided for your benefit and does not constitute any type of contract with you or obligation to you by Lewis and Clark Community College, the federal government, the state government, private donors, or other agencies. As law and regulations change, L&C will inform students and the public through various media on what those changes are and how they will be implemented at L&C. Law and regulation changes tend to nullify previous policies and procedures; therefore, student use of previously published guidelines, such as found in the Catalog and Student Handbook under which a student matriculates and uses for academic program completion, cannot be used as a defense for not meeting current financial aid standards, deadlines, and procedures if those guidelines have been superseded.

If You Need Further Information

You can contact the Financial Aid Office for more information concerning your eligibility and how to apply for aid at 618-468-2223, or finaid@lc.edu. You may also contact:

U.S. Department of Education: 800-433-3243 (www.ed.gov) TDD number is 800 -730-8913

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

• Federal Student Aid Programs (Pell Grant, Federal Work Study, Federal Direct Student Loans)

Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC): 800-899-4722 (www.isac.org)

• Monetary Award Program (MAP)

• Illinois Veterans Grant (IVG)

• Illinois National Guard Grant (ING)

• Other ISAC administered programs