Financial Aid Eligibility

Enrollment & Financial Aid

Withdrawals & Leaves of Absence

Financial Aid Return of Title IV Funds

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Professional Judgment

Eligibility for all institutional, federal and state aid program, is based on full-time enrollment. This includes CCA merit- and need-based scholarships.

Full-time enrollment is defined as 12 or more units per semester for undergraduate and 9 or more units for graduate students.

For all graduate programs financial aid awards are calculated based on the standard unit requirements for the particular programs. Students enrolled in less than the standard unit requirement will have their scholarships prorated accordingly. Graduate students are also eligible for institutional aid program consideration for summer enrollment.

The Pell and Cal Grants are prorated based on actual unit load for part-time students. At least half-time enrollment is required for the Cal Grant, as well as for the Stafford and PLUS Loan programs and for most alternative loan programs.

Students who drop from full-time to part-time status during the add/drop period will have their financial aid revised as follows:

• CCA scholarships, including merit scholarships, will be withdrawn for all undergraduate students.
• CCA scholarships, including merit scholarships, will be prorated for all graduate students based on their actual enrollment.
• Federal Pell Grant will be prorated as determined by the federal payment schedule based on enrollment status.
• Cal Grant will be prorated based on enrollment status.
• Federal Stafford and PLUS Loans will be reviewed for eligibility based on enrollment status. A student must maintain at least half-time enrollment for loan eligibility.
• Federal SEOG may be withdrawn.
• Federal Perkins Loan may be withdrawn.
• Federal Work-Study may be withdrawn.

Refunds to tuition are credited to the student's account at the time of the schedule change. No refunds will be made to students who are dismissed from the college because of disciplinary infractions.

Students on financial aid who wish to withdraw or take a leave of absence from CCA will be required to meet with a financial aid counselor.

Students who take a leave of absence in the fall semester and plan to return in spring semester are required to contact the Financial Aid Office prior to the start of the spring semester to reactivate their file.

A student who withdraws from CCA will have a financial aid refund calculated based upon the time attended and the date the student withdraws, in accordance with federal regulations.

The Financial Aid Office will calculate the amount of Title IV assistance that the student has earned based on the student's date of withdrawal. If the student received more Title IV assistance than the amount earned, the student and/or institution must return the unearned Title IV funds.

Title IV funds will be returned in the following order:

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford
• Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford
• Federal Direct PLUS
• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal SEOG
• Other Title IV Assistance

CCA will return the lesser of the amount of unearned Title IV aid disbursed or the amount of institutional charges incurred for the payment period or period of enrollment multiplied by the percent of funds unearned by the student.

The student or parent PLUS borrower must return unearned assistance minus the amount returned by the college. The student or parent PLUS borrower must also return or repay the amount of Title IV aid as determined to loan programs according to the terms of the loan and grant programs as an overpayment, subject to repayment arrangements satisfactory to the college or overpayment collection procedures prescribed by the U.S. Department of Education.

These policies pertain to all students, including those who withdraw from the college after the add/drop period and remain liable for all tuition charges and other fees.

Please visit Factors to Consider Before Dropping/Withdrawing for more information.

Federal and state regulations governing student financial aid programs require the college to ensure that each student who is receiving financial aid maintains Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward the student's degree.

For majority of students, the SAP check occurs after grades are posted each spring semester. Exemption for those in programs that are less than 2 years (MDes Interaction Design, and Master of Advanced Architectural Design), SAP checks will be run after grades are posed each semester. Failure to meet the standards of satisfactory academic progress (see Academic Progress) may disqualify a student from additional federal, state and institutional financial aid.

A student may appeal the non-satisfactory academic progress status and be placed on probation for financial aid purposes.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements

To remain eligible for financial aid, students must meet the following requirements:

For Undergraduate Students:

1. Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better (qualitative measure)
2. Complete 80 percent of attempted credits (quantitative measure) -- an "attempted credit" is defined as any credit the student remains enrolled in after the add/drop period, including credits the student withdraws from each term
3. Attempt no more than 150 percent of the credits required to complete an academic program.

For Graded Graduate Students:

1. Cumulative GPA of 2.66 or better (qualitative measure)
2. Pass 80 percent of attempted credits (quantitative measure) -- an "attempted credit" is defined as any credit the student remains enrolled in after the add/drop period, including credits the student withdraws from each term
3. Attempt no more than 150 percent of the credits required to complete an academic program.

For Pass/No Credit Graduate Programs: (MFAComics, MFA Film, MFA Fine Arts, & MFAWriting)

1. Cumulative GPA of 2.66 or better (qualitative measure)
2. Pass 100 percent of attempted credits (quantitative measure) -- an "attempted credit" is defined as any credit the student remains enrolled in after the add/drop period, including credits the student withdraws from each term
3. Attempt no more than 150 percent of the credits required to complete an academic program.

Maximum Time Frame for Receiving Aid

A student has a limited time frame to complete all degree requirements and remain eligible for financial aid. As defined by federal regulations, the maximum time frame is 150 percent of the published program length for degree completion.

The maximum number of credits a student can attempt in order to complete their program and remain eligible for financial aid.

• BA (requires 120 credits) 120 x 150 percent = 180 max attempted credits
• BArch (requires 165 credits) 165 x 150 percent = 247 max attempted credits
• MFA (requires 60 credits) 60 x 150 percent = 90 max attempted credits
• Dual degree and MArch graduate students with varying credits for program completion will have their eligibility determined based on their specific degree requirements.
• BA/BFA to BArch: Students who change from the BA or BFA program to the BArch program, or vice versa, will have their maximum time frame for aid eligibility adjusted accordingly.
• Students who change majors within a BA/BFA degree program will be required to complete their degree requirements within the time frame defined above to remain eligible for financial aid.

Extensions

While receiving an extension in a course or courses has no adverse effect on a student's overall GPA, note the courses a student receives an extension in count as attempted credits.

These attempted credits will be included in determining whether a student is making Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid purposes.

The Financial Aid Office may review the student's academic progress upon completion of the class to determine eligibility for future financial aid on a case-by-case basis.

Course Withdrawal

While withdrawing from courses has no adverse effect on a student's overall GPA, note courses a student withdraws from after the add/drop period count as attempted credits.

These attempted credits will be included in determining whether a student is making Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid purposes.

Appeal Process

Students who are not making SAP are considered ineligible to receive financial aid. Students may appeal for reconsideration of eligibility for financial aid.

Failure to maintain the minimum GPA or failure to complete quantitative measure of credits attempted per your program in establishing Satisfactory Academic Progress may be due to circumstances beyond the student's control.

If such mitigating circumstances can be documented for the specific term(s) when the progress standards were not met, the student may submit a completed SAP Appeal form with all required documentation.

An appeal must be based on significant mitigating circumstances that seriously affected the student’s academic performance.

Examples of possible mitigating circumstances are:

• Extenuating medical circumstances
• Extenuating personal circumstances
• Death in the immediate family

To submit a SAP appeal, you will need to create a request of “Financial Aid - Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal” through your CCA Workday account by following instructions listed on this page.

To appeal for reconsideration due to significant mitigating circumstances, students must submit the following:

• SAP Appeal Form
• A detailed letter explaining the circumstances that caused failure to meet the minimum academic requirements for financial aid
• Supporting documentation of the circumstances cited, e.g. medical documentation
• An academic plan approved by your academic advisor demonstrating how you will achieve satisfactory academic progress

Students who have attempted more than 150 percent of the required credits for program completion may also appeal for reconsideration. To appeal due to excessive credits attempted, students must submit the following:

• SAP Appeal Form
• A detailed letter explaining the reason for excessive credits attempted
• An academic plan approved by your academic advisor demonstrating how you will achieve program completion

The Financial Aid SAP Appeal Committee will review the appeals. The committee’s decision will be based on the individual circumstances as detailed on the form, letter of explanation, supporting documentation, and approved academic plan.

If an appeal is approved, students must comply with the academic plan specified on the appeal in order to remain eligible for financial aid in future terms.

Submission of the SAP appeal does not guarantee approval. Students are responsible for payment of their tuition and any late fees they may incur regardless of the appeal process.https://www.cca.edu/admissions/tuition/#section-estimated-cost

Professional Judgment Policy

The purpose of professional judgment is to ensure that no student will be denied an education because of special or unusual family circumstances beyond their control. In order to reflect the unique circumstances of each family, the campus aid administrator may review BOTH the objective and subjective situations involved. To render a decision about the family’s ability to pay for post-secondary education the aid administrator is allowed to use his/her professional judgment.

Special Circumstances refer to the financial situations (loss of a job, etc.) that justify an aid administrator adjusting data elements in the COA or in the SAI calculation. CCA will consider exercising professional judgment on a case by case basis for the following categories of special circumstances:

• Separation from employment due to layoff, termination or disability
• Reduction in income (less than income reported on tax return used in current year FAFSA or CADAA)
• Excessive non-reimbursed medical and/or dental expenses (if they exceed the 11% income protection allowance already allowed by the federal EFC calculation)
• Loss or reduction of untaxed income source (disability benefits, welfare benefits, child support)
• Separation or divorce which occurred after applying for financial aid
• Death of a parent or spouse which occurred after applying for financial aid
• Other documented special circumstances

Unusual Circumstances refer to the conditions that justify an aid administrator making an adjustment to a student’s dependency status based on a unique situation, more commonly referred to as a dependency override. CCA will consider exercising professional judgment for the following categories of unusual circumstances:

• Human trafficking, as described in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.)
• Legally granted refugee or asylum status
• Parental abandonment or estrangement
• Student or parental incarceration
• Determination of unaccompanied homeless youth
• Dependency determination for students unable to provide parent data
• Awarding of Direct Unsubsidized loans only for dependent students without parent support
• Other documented unusual circumstances

In addition to special or unusual circumstances, CCA may choose to exercise professional judgment, as allowed by the Department of Education, for the following situations:

• Adjustment of income for during a disaster, emergency, or economic downturn
• Adjustment of income when exempted foreign income, if added to the adjusted gross income (AGI), would make the student ineligible to receive the maximum Pell Grant award
• Refuse or reduce Direct Loan funds

Professional Judgment Procedure

Students and/or parents may request a review by submitting a CCA Petition form, along with required documentation. Verification will be performed, based on the student’s current dependency status prior to professional judgment changes. CCA Financial Aid management and/or counselors will conduct a review and document the circumstances and judgment outcomes in individual student files. The student’s record should reflect what additional documents are required (if any), what specific data elements are to be changed and the reason for the changes. Documentation and sufficient notes should be made in the file allowing another individual reviewing the file to easily understand the reason(s) changes were made.

The decision is final. The institution will adhere to the following:

1) Professional judgment will be applied on a case by case basis.

2) Professional judgment will be documented.

3) Generally, changes to the student aid index for campus-based aid and Direct Loans will also be applied to Pell Grants and institutional aid.

4) Adjustments made to a student’s student aid index at another institution will not be accepted at CCA without re-evaluation and documentation.

Once a professional judgment decision has been finalized, the Director submits a professional judgment change electronically to FPS through Workday, or directly in FPS, if needed.

Disclaimer: Nothing written in these policies and procedures shall limit the financial aid administrator from exercising professional judgment in areas not covered or from requesting different documentation than that listed. Before requiring any specific documentation, the aid administrator will determine why it is specifically needed and how it will assist in making a professional judgment decision.

Dependency Override Policy

Dependency Override is to ensure that no student will be denied an education because of unusual family circumstances. To render a decision about the student’s independence, CCA will evaluate BOTH objective and subjective situations and request impartial third-party documentation. CCA will consider exercising dependency override on a case-by-case basis for the unusual circumstances listed above.

Dependency Override Procedures

Students may request a review by submitting a CCA Dependency Petition form, along with required documentation. Verification will be performed, based on the student’s current dependency status prior to a dependency override. CCA Financial Aid management and/or counselors will conduct a review and document the circumstances and judgment outcomes

in individual student files. The student’s record should reflect what additional documents are required (if any), what specific data elements are to be changed and the reason for the changes. Documentation and sufficient notes should be made in the file allowing another individual reviewing the file to easily understand the reason(s) changes were made.

The decision is final.

For consideration of PJ, for the purpose of a dependency override, the student must be able to document the details of the estrangement with at least two references familiar with the family situation. At least one of the references must be from a third-party who is not a family member.

Dependency overrides performed at another institution will not be accepted at CCA without re-evaluation and documentation. Once a professional judgment decision has been finalized, CCA submits a dependency override change electronically to FPS through Workday or directly in FPS, as needed.