Financial Aid

Students who demonstrate financial need and maintain satisfactory academic progress may qualify for financial assistance. While the primary responsibility for financing an education rests with students and their families, McDowell Technical Community College participates in several federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs designed to assist students in meeting educational expenses.

Financial aid may consist of grants, scholarships, or campus employment opportunities. Awards are determined according to federal, state, and institutional policies and are based on eligibility, enrollment status, and the availability of funds.

Eligibility for Financial Aid

Eligibility requirements for receiving financial aid may change from year to year. Specific requirements are established by the U.S. Department of Education for federally funded aid programs. The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority and the North Carolina Community College System determine eligibility for state funded programs. Any local and/or private scholarship sources determine the eligibility for awarding funds from their respective programs.

Students must be in a program leading to a degree, diploma, or eligible certificate (at least 16 semester hours and/or 38 contact hours in length) to be eligible for federal or state financial aid. Therefore, students enrolled as Special Credit/Undecided are not eligible to receive federal or state financial aid. In addition, any student in default of a student loan or owing a repayment of Title IV funds will not be awarded financial aid. Students must have a high school diploma, adult high school diploma or GED certificate in order to receive federal and/or state financial aid. Official transcripts must be on file with the admissions office in order to be eligible.

All students receiving financial aid must maintain satisfactory academic progress. At MTCC, students must maintain a grade point average of 2.0 and complete 67% of all credit hours attempted. Students that receive financial aid and subsequently withdraw from classes before the end of the semester may be required to repay a portion of Federal or State funds.
(See upcoming section regarding satisfactory academic progress for further explanation.)

Important Information for Pell Grant Recipients Regarding Lifetime Eligibility

In December 2011, President Obama signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-74). This law significantly impacts Federal Student Aid Programs.

Federal law limits the amount of Federal Pell Grant funding a student may receive over their lifetime. Students may receive Pell Grant funds for up to the equivalent of 12 full-time semesters (600%).

This limit is referred to as Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). Students may review their remaining eligibility through their account at StudentAid.gov.

The MTCC Financial Aid Office will attempt to notify students of their remaining eligibility as they apply or reapply for financial aid.

Scheduled Pell Award

The Scheduled Pell Award is the maximum amount a student can receive during the award year if the student attends full-time for a full academic year.

Beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year, the Department will no longer publish a Federal Pell Grant Payment Disbursement Schedule. Instead, each student’s Scheduled Pell Award is:

An automatic Maximum Pell Grant Award (Max Pell);
The difference between the Annual Max Pell and the student’s Student Aid Index (SAI) or;
A Minimum Pell Grant Award (Min Pell).

Actual award amounts depend on enrollment status and eligibility.

Application for Financial Aid

Students applying for Financial Aid at MTCC should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is completed and submitted online at www.studentaid.gov. There is no technical deadline to apply for financial aid at MTCC, but students should apply at least 8 weeks prior to the beginning of their first semester at MTCC. The priority filing deadline for NC grants is August 15th. Funds are limited in some financial aid categories (i.e. Federal Work Study and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)). Therefore, early applicants are most likely to receive assistance if eligible and funds are available. Students may also apply for institutional or foundation scholarships through the MTCC Financial Aid Office.

Student financial aid information is kept confidential within the MTCC Financial Aid Office.

Awarding of Financial Aid

Due to the number of credit and/or contact hours, the following certificates are not eligible for financial aid:

C25800A Accounting Certificate
C35100A Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Certificate Level 1
C40130A Applied Engineering Technology Certificate Level 1
C60160A Automotive Systems Technology Certificate Level 1
C35130A Electrical Systems Technology Certificate Level 1
C25590A Information Systems Certificate
C25590B Information Systems (Advanced) Certificate
C25590E Information Technology Software Development Certificate
C25590F Information Technology Advanced Software and Web Development Certificate
C25590G Information Technology Web Administration and Design Certificate
C25590H Information Technology Web Administration and Design Advanced Certificate
C40350A Mechatronics Engineering Technology Certificate Level 1
C55480A: Public Safety Administration: Emergency & Fire Management Certificate
C55480B: Public Safety Administration: Law Enforcement Certificate
C50420A Welding Technology Certificate Level 1

Nondiscrimination in Aid Awards

As with all programs of the College, financial aid awards are made equitably without regard to age, race, color, sex, handicap, disability, religion, political affiliation, or national/ethnic origin. For further information, see the College’s policies on discrimination in the General Information Section of this catalog.

Year-Round Pell Grants

Beginning with the 2017-2018 academic year, students may be eligible to receive 150% of their yearly scheduled Pell Grant award for the year. To be eligible for additional Pell Grant funds, the student must meet the following criteria:

Must be eligible to receive Pell Grant Funds based on a valid and completed financial aid application.
Must be enrolled in an eligible degree, diploma, or certificate and taking classes within that program.
Must be meeting satisfactory academic progress.

The additional Pell Grant funds received cannot exceed 50% of the student’s yearly scheduled Pell Grant Award. Additional funds will be determined on a student-by-student basis and specific to the award year.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards

Federal regulations require that institutions of higher learning establish minimum standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) that students must meet in order to receive federal/state financial aid. This progress is measured qualitatively and quantitatively. At McDowell Technical Community College, the records of students are evaluated at the end of each semester, including summer. In order to accurately measure a student’s progress, the total academic record must be considered. This includes classes transferred from other institutions, developmental/remedial and curriculum classes. All classes transferred in from other colleges must be in the student’s program of study at MTCC. These classes are counted as attempted and completed in the SAP calculation. Incomplete grades that are not finalized with a passing grade will be considered an ‘F’ Grade and calculated into the GPA accordingly. Students that withdraw from a class will receive a “W” and will not have their GPA negatively affected; however, the students' completion rate will be lowered. All grades are used in the calculation of overall GPA for SAP purposes, even if the class is retaken and a better grade is received. In this circumstance, both classes will be part of the calculation.

To be eligible for financial aid, students must meet the following minimum guidelines:

Qualitative: Maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0
Quantitative: Complete a minimum of 67% of cumulative credit hours attempted. Successful completion is defined as receiving a grade of A, B, C, or D.
Time Frame: Must complete a program of study in a timeframe not to exceed 150% of the length of the program for full-time students.
Transfer credits used toward the student’s program of study will be considered for maximum time frame.

If a student fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress standards by either quantitative and/or qualitative measures, he/she will be placed on Warning for the following academic term. For the student to continue to receive aid while on Warning, the student must sign a Statement of Academic Warning.

Once the warning status is granted, the student will receive aid for the upcoming semester and must agree to complete all classes with a grade of ‘C’ or bet- ter. Failure to do so will result in suspension of Federal and/or State financial aid. If the student is unable to meet the minimum overall academic standards despite successful completion of all classes in the semester of warning, he/she may complete the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Request to continue financial aid eligibility. The student will be counseled of the probability of this situation prior to being awarded aid for future terms. Additionally, if a student does not meet the requirements set forth in the Statement of Financial Aid Warning, he/she must appeal via the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Request to apply for future financial aid eligibility. Appeal decisions are made by the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals Committee and are final. Only one appeal per academic year will be considered.

Financial Aid Appeal

Students who have been unable to bring their completion rate and/or grade point average (GPA) up to the acceptable standards required (67% of attempted courses and 2.0 GPA) after the financial aid warning stage will be placed on financial aid suspension. Students placed on financial aid suspension have a right to appeal this decision. Mitigating circumstances for appeal include, but are not limited to:

Death of an immediate family member
Illness/injury and/or hospitalization of themselves or an immediate family member
Changes in academic program
Other extenuating circumstances that were not foreseeable to the student and affected their ability to meet academic progress standards.

To appeal the suspension of financial aid, the student must submit their MTCC Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal to the MTCC Financial Aid Office. Within this request, the student is asked to explain the circumstances surrounding their current SAP status, identify which appeal category best applies to their circumstances, give a personalized, detailed academic plan and documentation of the circumstances cited. Acceptable documentation could be doctor’s and/or hospital notes, police reports, court documents and statements from witnesses that are privy to the situation. The student is also required to meet personally with their academic advisor about their plan and provide documentation they have done so. The advisor and student will determine how many classes have been completed and how many remain in order for the student to complete their program of study.

Appeals are accepted at any time. Each appeal will be reviewed by the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals Committee (made up of MTCC faculty and staff). Once an appeal is reviewed and a decision is rendered, the student is sent an email to their MTCC student email notifying them of the Committee’s decision and their next steps. Appeals are typically reviewed within 1 to 3 days of receipt by the Financial Aid Office, however during peak processing times, the review may take 3 to 5 days. Please note that incomplete appeals will not be considered.

If the appeal is approved, a contract between the MTCC Financial Aid Office and the student is created by the Director. This contract outlines the requirements of the appeal, which are updated on a student-by-student basis. However, each appeal will state the student must earn at least 67% of all hours attempted in the specific term and earn at least a 2.0 GPA in the specific term.

If the appeal is denied, the student will be advised of what they need to do in order to be eligible to appeal in a future term. Students in a “terminated” status are unable to appeal until they have successfully completed (with a grade of D or better) at least 6 hours, paid out of pocket at their expense.

Students attempting to regain financial aid eligibility remain ineligible for financial aid assistance until the appeal process is completed and a definite decision has been made. Students are informed of their responsibility to pay tuition, fees and book expenses until that time.

Title IV Repayment Policy

Federal regulations require McDowell Technical Community College to recalculate a student’s eligibility for federal financial aid if the student withdraws from all courses before completing 60% of the semester.

Students begin earning federal financial aid on the first day of class attendance. If a student withdraws from all classes before the 60% point of the term, a portion of the financial aid received may be considered unearned and must be returned to the U.S. Department of Education.

If a student withdraws after the 60% point of the semester, the student is considered to have earned 100% of the federal financial aid awarded for that term.
This policy applies only when a student withdraws from all courses in a term. Students who drop one or more courses but remain enrolled and continue attending at least one course are not considered fully withdrawn for purposes of the Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) calculation.
However, enrollment changes may affect a student’s financial aid eligibility. If a student withdraws from one or more courses, the Financial Aid Office may be required to recalculate the student’s financial aid award based on enrollment status and the student’s last date of attendance.

If a student withdraws from courses before financial aid has been disbursed, the award may be adjusted to reflect the reduced enrollment. If a student withdraws after financial aid has been disbursed, the college will determine whether an overpayment has occurred based on the student’s last date of attendance. In some cases, the student may be responsible for repaying a portion of the financial aid received or for charges associated with the withdrawn course(s).
When a student fully withdraws, the Financial Aid Office will perform a Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) calculation based on the student’s last date of attendance. This calculation determines:

The amount of financial aid the student earned
The amount of financial aid that must be returned

If unearned funds must be returned, the college will return its required portion to the federal aid programs. The student may be responsible for repaying a portion of the financial aid received.
Students who owe a repayment will be notified by the college and may be required to repay funds to McDowell Technical Community College and/or the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to repay required funds may result in:

A balance owed to the college
Loss of eligibility for future federal financial aid
Restrictions on registration or receipt of official transcripts

Additional information regarding the Return of Title IV Funds policy is available through the MTCC Financial Aid Office.

Verification Policy

Verification is the process of confirming the accuracy of student-reported data on the financial aid application. Only a portion of MTCC’s student population will apply for federal/state financial aid. A percentage determined by the Department of Education (Ed.) will be selected and verified. All applications flagged by Ed. are verified. MTCC will also request verification if there is conflicting information or a discrepancy and situation warrant investigation.

The following person(s) may be excluded from verification:

Death of the student
Student ineligible to receive Title IV aid due to a reason other than verification
Student eligible to receive only unsubsidized loans (MTCC does not participate in the Federal Student Loan Program)
Applicant verified by another school (letter from other school confirming verification process was completed is necessary)
Both parents are mentally incapacitated (dependent student)
Both parents and custodial parent are deceased (dependent student)
Parents residing in country other than US and can’t be contacted by normal means (dependent student)
Parents can’t be located because student does not have contact (dependent)
Spouse has died or is mentally incapacitated (independent student)
Spouse residing in country other than US and can’t be contacted by normal means (independent student)
Spouse can’t be located because student does not have contact (independent student)
Students have documents lost or destroyed due to natural disaster

Verification Process:

When the student and/or parent applies for federal/state financial aid via studentaid.gov, a consent is displayed at the beginning of the FAFSA form. The student and any contributors to the FAFSA must provide consent and approval to have the IRS transfer your federal tax information into the FAFSA form. All contributors (including the student) must provide consent and approval even if they don’t have a Social Security Number, didn’t file a tax return, or filed a tax return outside the US. If the student or any other contributors do not provide consent and approval, the student will not be eligible for financial aid.

The following items can be directly imported from the IRS to the FAFSA:

Filing status
Adjusted gross income (AGI)
Taxes paid
Income earned from work
Exemptions
Information from appropriate schedules

In addition, the following items are also imported if filing 1040

Education credits
IRA deductions
Tax-exempt interest income
Untaxed IRA distribution
Untaxed pensions

There are three active verification tracking groups. Students selected for verification will be placed in one of these tracking groups by Ed.

V-1 Standard Verification Group

V4-Custom Verification Group

V-5 Aggregate Verification Group

(Tax filers)

(non-tax filers)

Adjusted gross income

Income Earned From Work

US income tax paid

Untaxed portions of IRA distributions

Untaxed portions of untaxed pensions

IRA deductions and payments

Tax-exempt interest income

Education credits Household size

Income from work

Household size

Identity

*This group verifies identity in addition to all the items in V1-Standard Verification Group

All verification groups will complete the appropriate form(s) and provide documentation (forms available in the MTCC Financial Aid Office) and via www.mcdowelltech.edu (under Financial Aid). Forms must be legible and signed by the applicant (independent) or applicant and parent (dependent). Typed signatures are not accepted.

Students selected for verification must submit all required documentation to the Financial Aid Office before financial aid can be awarded. Verification documentation must be submitted no later than 120 days after the student’s last date of enrollment or the federal verification deadline established by the U.S. Department of Education for that award year, whichever occurs first. If all required documentation is not received by the deadline, the student forfeits eligibility for any financial aid that may have been awarded for that academic year.

A student may be eligible for a late disbursement if all verification documentation is received after that time. To be considered for a late disbursement, the Department of Education must have processed a FAFSA Submission Summary with an official SAI while the student was still enrolled.

Documentation of taxed/untaxed income and/or filing status that is seen as conflicting will be requested by the MTCC Financial Aid Office. All independent students or parents of dependent students that claim no tax return has been filed for the year being reviewed, will be asked to provide a written and signed statement certifying for the tax year and the individual is not required to file a tax return and, if applicable, all sources and amount of earnings, other income, and resources for the tax year. For individuals without a SSN, ITIN, or EIN, that they do not have this information.

In addition, any student that is flagged with a ‘C’ code indicating a database mismatch will be asked to resolve the issue prior to aid being processed. Examples of circumstances warranting a ‘C’ code include:

No citizenship verification
Social security number/name discrepancy
Defaulted student loan or one canceled for disability purposes
Unusual enrollment history

Students are initially notified of their verification status via their go.mcdowelltech.edu email address. Students are asked to present all documents to the MTCC Financial Aid Office. After all documents are received and any necessary changes are made, the student is awarded if eligible. The student is notified of eligibility and award amount via their MTCC email and self-service portal.

Referrals to the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Education

If after the application for financial aid is reviewed, it appears that the applicant is purposefully engaged in fraud or other criminal misconduct in order to gain eligibility for Title IV, HEA program assistance or to change their amount of assistance, the MTCC financial aid office is required to and will make a referral to the Office of Inspector General as potential fraud.

Examples of this type of information could be but are not limited to:

False claims of independent student status
False claims of citizenship
Use of false identities
Forgery of signatures or certifications
False statements of income

Additionally, any credible information that indicates an employee, third-party servicer or agent of the institution that serves in a position that administers Title IV or HEA assistance, may be engaged in fraud will be reported to the OIG.
The institution refers to any fraudulent activity that is relevant to the eligibility and funding of MTCC and our students.

Types of Aid

Federal Aid Programs

Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant Program provides the foundation on which the financial aid package is developed. Students begin the financial aid process by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). From this application, a Student Aid Index (SAI) is calculated. This figure is used by the Financial Aid Office to determine the amount of the Pell Grant award. Federal Pell Grant awards can range from $750 to $7,395 per academic year depending on enrollment status.

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a need-based grant awarded to students with exceptional financial need. Priority consideration is given to students who receive Federal Pell Grant funds and have the lowest Student Aid Index (SAI). Funds are limited and awards are made to eligible students until available funding is exhausted.

Federal Work-Study (FWS)

A limited number of part-time employment positions are available to eligible students on campus. The work-study program provides students with an additional means of contributing to their educational costs. When possible, students are placed in an area of work which matches their career interests and skills.

Vocational Rehabilitation

Students with disabilities who require assistance in preparing for, securing, or maintaining employment may be eligible for educational funding through the North Carolina Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Students interested in applying for services should contact the Vocational Rehabilitation office in their county of residence.

State Aid Programs

The NEXTNC Scholarship

The NextNC Scholarship works with federal aid to provide a guaranteed amount of financial assistance with additional state funding provided to students with exceptional need. Students enrolling at a North Carolina Community College with an Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $80,000 or less and a Student Aid Index (SAI) of $7,500 or less, as reported on the FAFSA, are guaranteed at least $3,000 from combined federal and state aid.

Consideration for funding is automatic once the FAFSA is filed. The FAFSA filing priority date is August 15 for North Carolina Community Colleges. Applicants completing the FAFSA after this date may be denied if insufficient funds are available.

Forgivable Education Loans for Service (FELS)

This program is made possible through the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority and allows students to obtain the degree they want and repay the loan funds by staying in North Carolina in areas with a critical need for more employees, such as nursing, teaching, allied health fields or medicine. Recipients of this loan sign a promissory note agreeing to work in North Carolina after graduation in an approved position for each academic year of funding received. Students should visit www.cfnc.org/FELS for details on requirements and the application process.

Golden LEAF Scholars Program - Two-Year Colleges

This scholarship is funded through a grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation, a non-profit organization hoping to help North Carolina’s economy. Selection factors include the effects of the declining economy on students and their families. Students may apply by completing a Golden LEAF scholarship application. These are available in the MTCC Financial Aid Office.

Less than Half Time Grant

Funds for this grant are provided by the NC Department of Community Colleges. Students must be enrolled for less than six credit hours and fall within specific Student Aid Index (SAI) limits to be eligible for these funds in fall and/or spring semesters. No additional application is necessary; eligibility is determined from the FAFSA.

Targeted Assistance Grant

Funds for this grant are provided by the NC Department of Community Colleges. Students must be enrolled in one of the following programs to be considered for this grant: Machining Technology, Welding Technology, Air Conditioning Heating and Refrigeration (HVAC), Early Childhood Education, Building Construction Technology, and Mechatronics Engineering Technology. No additional application is necessary; eligibility is determined by the FAFSA.

Institutional Aid

The McDowell Technical Community College Foundation provides students with financial support to expand learning opportunities and remove barriers to enrollment. Scholarships are available to pay for tuition, fees, books, required course materials. The MTCC Foundation is committed to ensuring MTCC students have the financial support they need to reach their educational goals.

Scholarship applications can be found online on the MTCC Foundation webpage as well at the MTCC Financial Aid webpage. Priority deadline is July 31 for the 2026-2027 school year.

Veterans Benefits

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits

McDowell Technical Community College is approved by the North Carolina State Approving Agency for the enrollment of persons eligible for education assistance benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). Entitled veterans, participants in the Montgomery G.I. Bill® contributory program, active-duty military personnel in voluntary education programs, active members of the National Guard who are drilling, and eligible spouses and offspring who may be certified to the U.S. DVA Regional Office as enrolled and in pursuit of an approved program of education. This institution has been approved for one semester only of provisional admission. Due to late registration, some students may fail to have all admissions documentation (transcripts or test scores) and may be admitted as provisional students for one semester pending receipt of the required documentation. However, students who fail to submit all transcripts during the second semester will not be re-certified.

Dual Programs

McDowell Technical Community College is approved for Veterans’ Affairs students to pursue dual programs simultaneously. Students desiring a second program must meet with the Veterans’ Certifying Official and their advisor to complete a Dual Program Approval Form and follow the guidelines listed in the college catalog. Students must meet certain criteria to be certified for Veterans’ Affairs benefits while seeking completion of dual programs. Dual programs must be related to a single career field.

DVA Standards of Progress, Attendance and Conduct

Public Law 93-508 requires that each educational institution approved for veterans to receive educational benefits (GI Bill®) must establish written policies that clearly state what is expected of the veteran in the areas of academic progress, class attendance and conduct. Many of these expectations are required of all students, veterans and non-veterans, and are covered in this Catalog and Student Handbook.

Further requirements include that any recipient of veteran’s benefits: (1) who withdraws from all subjects undertaken will have his or her educational benefits terminated from the last date of attendance; (2) who drops any of his or her courses may have benefits reduced; and (3) must maintain a level of satisfactory academic progress. Students are considered to be making unsatisfactory progress if they have not achieved a level of progress consistent with their time in the program. Veterans who are making unsatisfactory progress will be terminated by the Veterans Certifying Official. When performance meets the level of satisfactory progress, the recipient may be recertified. Recipients of DVA benefits need to consult the Veterans Certifying Official before enrolling in telecourses, Cooperative Education classes, Internet classes, or making course substitutions.

Veterans Pay Schedule

For accuracy, a veteran should contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Office in Atlanta, GA, at 1-888- 442-4551 for an assessment of benefits which they may receive. Benefits will vary according to many criteria. A period of six to ten weeks should be allowed for receipt of the Veterans Administration subsistence check. For more information about programs available at this institution, contact the campus Veterans Certifying Official in the MTCC Financial Aid Office.