Eligibility

Who is eligible to receive financial aid?

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There are several factors that determine eligibility for Federal Student Aid. The most basic eligibility requirements are:

Legal Requirements

  • Be a U.S. Citizen or Eligible Noncitizen
  • Have a valid Social Security Number
  • Be working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program
  • Not be in default status on a federal student loan or owe the U.S. Department of Education for overpayment of FSA funds from a previous school year

Education Requirements

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  • Have a High School diploma or equivalency [i.e. General Educational Development (GED) or HiSET®)] ~OR~
  • Completed a high school education in a home school setting approved by your district’s Superintendent  ~OR~
  • Qualify through an approved "Ability-To-Benefit" pathway.

Drug Convictions

  • Drug convictions no longer affect federal student aid eligibility. When you complete the FAFSA form, you will be asked whether you had a drug conviction for an offense that occurred while you were receiving federal student aid. If the answer is yes, you will be provided an online worksheet to complete. Please do answer the questions on the worksheet; however, your answers won’t affect your federal student aid eligibility.

Which students are not eligible to receive financial aid at GCC?

  • Dual Enrollment/Early Entrant and Early Transitions students are not eligible to receive financial aid at GCC. Students and parents with questions about financial assistance for these programs can contact the Admission Office for detailed information.
  • Students who are auditing classes will not receive financial aid at GCC for those classes.
  • Classes offered through Workforce Development & Community Education are not financial aid eligible.
  • Students must be enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program (i.e. matriculated) with the college in order to receive any form of student financial aid. Courses that are not credit-bearing are not eligible for aid funding.
  • International students are not eligible to receive federal student assistance while attending GCC. All international students and their sponsors should contact the Admission Office for detailed information about admission criteria and the required documentation.