Financial Aid

Financial aid is available to qualified students at Hudson Valley Community College. Financial aid is any grant, scholarship, loan, or employment opportunity with the express purpose of assisting students with education related expenses. Financial aid at Hudson Valley Community College is awarded on the basis of student need and the availability of funds.

Financial aid funding comes primarily from four sources: the federal government, state government, colleges and universities, and private organizations. Descriptions of the aid programs, eligibility requirements, application procedures, and award amounts are summarized on the following pages. Additional financial aid resources are available at www.studentaid.ed.gov and at www.hesc.ny.gov. Hudson Valley scholarship information is available at www.hvcc.edu/scholarships.

Students who wish to be considered for financial aid programs administered by Hudson Valley Community College must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually. The FAFSA may be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. New York State residents who complete their FAFSA online will also have the opportunity to complete their TAP Application in the same session or at www.tapweb.org.

Application Processing

The Financial Aid Office makes every effort to process all applications in a timely manner. We may be required to request additional documentation which can cause delays in processing. The federal Department of Education selects some applicants for a process called verification. The Financial Aid Office will notify students via HVCC email regarding all documents required to complete the verification process. This notification will occur within two weeks of the receipt of the application once the student has applied for admission to the college. Students should submit all requested documentation immediately so processing can be continued. Once all requested documents are received and processed and the student has been accepted into a program, the student will receive an electronic New York State award information letter via HVCC email once final processing has occurred.

Failure to submit required documentation prevents notification of approved awards. Only approved awards can be used as a credit towards payment of the student’s tuition bill. All required documents must be submitted two weeks prior to the student’s last day of attendance for the term in order to meet processing deadlines for federal aid programs. Failure to do so can result in the loss of awards for that term. In some cases, students may qualify for an extension to submit documentation. This extension does not allow for processing of federal student loans.

Verification Procedures

Hudson Valley Community College will follow all verification requirements as outlined in the U.S. Department of Education Application and Verification Guide. For students selected for verification, no Title IV financial aid will be determined until the verification process is satisfactorily completed.

Students selected for verification will be notified via their Hudson Valley Community College email and requested to submit all documents necessary to complete the verification process. The Mastrangelo Financial Aid Center will compare all submitted documents to the information provided on the student’s FAFSA. Any discrepancies will be corrected electronically with the Department of Education. Students will then be notified of their award eligibility via their Hudson Valley Community College email. If awards are adjusted at a later date, the student will be mailed a revised award letter.

Verification and other documents must be submitted and processed prior to the student’s last day of attendance if the student wishes to borrow federal student loans. Processing can take a minimum of two weeks.

The deadline date for completing verification and confirming federal grant eligibility is also the student’s last date of enrollment. (In limited cases there could be an extension of 120 days after the student’s last date of enrollment.)

Failure to submit the required documentation by the deadline may result in a delay or loss of financial aid eligibility.

If Hudson Valley Community College suspects that a student or other individual has misreported information or altered documentation to fraudulently obtain federal funds, all relevant information and evidence will be reported to the Office of Inspector General at:

Office of Inspector General
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1500
1-800-MIS-USED
(1-800-647-8733)

Degree Applicable Credit Hours

Students can only receive federal and state aid for courses that count toward their degree program. An error message will occur when a student schedules a course that is NOT degree-applicable. Students can view their scheduled courses on WIReD. Tuition bills will NOT reflect financial aid credits for courses that are not degree-applicable. Students should review their schedule and tuition bills very carefully for any discrepancies relating to courses and financial aid.

Cost of Attendance (COA)

This is the amount that the Financial Aid Office estimates it will cost a full-time student to attend Hudson Valley Community College for one academic year. The COA is calculated based on rules established by the U.S. Congress. The COA includes tuition and fees, allowances for room and board, books and supplies, transportation, personal expenses and loan fees. A student’s total financial aid assistance (i.e. grants, scholarships, student loans, tuition assistance) cannot exceed their COA.

Students with unusual expenses may request an evaluation of their COA by submitting a letter to the Financial Aid Office detailing the circumstances, amount of expenses involved and providing documentation of the expenses. The COA determines a student’s estimated costs related to attendance at the college. It is not intended to reflect full support requirements. Financial aid provides assistance for educational expenses, not full support. Students should be aware that requests for adjustments to the COA do not in any way indicate that there is financial aid to cover such adjustments.

Financial Need and Expected Family Contribution

Financial aid from most of the major federal programs is based on financial need (except for unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford and PLUS loans). When you apply for federal student aid, using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the information you provide is used in a formula established and approved by the Department of Education called Federal Methodology (FM). The formula calculates your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). This is the amount that you and your family will be expected to have available to contribute to your education. If your EFC is below an amount set by the federal government, you should be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, assuming you meet all other eligibility requirements. Your EFC is also used in an equation to determine how much funding you may need to attend school. The financial Aid Office subtracts your EFC from your cost of attendance.

Cost of Attendance - EFC = Estimated Financial Need to Attend School

If a student has financial need, this need can be filled with grants, federal work study, scholarships and subsidized Federal Direct Loans, depending on the student’s eligibility.

Students who have little or no financial need can receive grants and scholarships for which they are eligible. However, they may have limited or no eligibility for subsidized Federal Direct Loans. These students, in most cases, would qualify for unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan funds.

You can get further information on the EFC formula by contracting the U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-4FEDAID or from their website at www.studentaid.ed.gov.

Estimated Cost of Attendance for Full-Time Students
Fall 2016 and Spring 2017
Living Off Campus

Estimated Cost of Attendance for Full-Time Students
Fall 2016 and Spring 2017
Living with Parent(s)

Federal Financial aid at Hudson Valley Community College is awarded based on full-time enrollment, your EFC and the estimated Cost of Attendance charts below. The Tuition and Fees component of Cost of Attendance will be reduced for any student enrolled in less than fulltime financial aid hours during the fall, spring and summer semesters. Cost of Attendance for students enrolled less than 1/2 time (5 credit hours or less) will not include allowances for room and board or personal expenses. Students must contact the Financial Aid Office immediately to have their tuition and fees reviewed based on part-time enrollment.

Code of Conduct

No officer, employee or agent of the college shall enter into a revenue-sharing arrangement with any lender. A “revenue-sharing arrangement” is any arrangement between the college and a lender under which the lender makes Title IV loans to students attending the college (or to the families of those students), the institution recommends the lender or the loan products of the lender and, in exchange, the lender pays a fee or provides other material benefits, including revenue or profit-sharing, to the institution or to its officers, employees, or agents.

No employee of the financial aid office shall receive gifts from a lender, guaranty agency or loan servicer. No officer or employee of the financial aid office (or an employee or agent who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans) may solicit or accept any gift from a lender, guarantor, or servicer of educational loans. A “gift” is defined as any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, or other item having monetary value.

No officer or employee of the financial aid office (or employee or agent who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans) may accept from a lender, or an affiliate of any lender, any fee, payment, or other financial benefit as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or contract to provide services to or on behalf of a lender relating to education loans.

No officer, agent or employee of the college shall assign, through the award packaging or other methods, the borrower’s loan to a particular lender nor shall it refuse to certify, or delay the certification, of any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a particular lender or guaranty agency.

The college may not request or accept from any lender any offer of funds for private loans, including funds for an opportunity pool loan, to students in exchange for providing concessions or promises to the lender for a specific number of Title IV loans made, insured, or guaranteed, a specified loan volume, or a preferred lender arrangement. An “opportunity pool loan” is defined as a private education loan made by a lender to a student (or the student’s family) that involves a payment by the institution to the lender for extending credit to the student.

The college may not request or accept from any lender any assistance with call center staffing or financial aid office staffing, except that a lender may provide professional development training, educational counseling materials (as long as the materials identify the lender that assisted in preparing the materials), or staffing services on a short-term, nonrecurring basis during emergencies or disasters.

No employee of the financial aid office (or employee who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans or financial aid) who serves on an advisory board, commission, or group established by a lender or guarantor (or a group of lenders or guarantors) shall receive anything of value from the lender, guarantor, or group, except for reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred by the employee serving on the board.

Federal Programs

The following federal student aid programs are administered by the Financial Aid Office. For policies that affect financial aid eligibility, please see Policies Affecting Federal Financial Aid Eligibility.

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is awarded to eligible full- and part-time undergraduate students who have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree. The amount of the award is determined by the student’s financial need. The Federal Pell Grant may be used for any college-related expenses and does not have to be repaid (unless the student stops attending classes and it is determined that the student has been overpaid). An undergraduate student can receive 12 semesters (or its part-time equivalent) of fulltime Pell Grant funds.

Application Procedures: Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually. After the application has been processed, the student will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). Based on the SAR information, the Financial Aid Office will determine the student’s eligibility for federal student aid. Once the award is determined, the Federal Pell Grant will be credited to the student’s account and will be disbursed according to the college’s disbursement policy.

Selection of Recipients and Allocation of Awards: In order to be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, the student must be matriculated in an eligible degree program taking degree-applicable credit hours, in good academic standing and making satisfactory academic progress.

Financial need is determined by the information provided on the student’s FAFSA. A formula developed by the U.S. Department of Education and approved by Congress is applied to the application during processing. The formula calculates the student’s Estimated Family Contribution (EFC), on which Pell eligibility is based.

Award Schedule: Federal Pell Grant awards range from $583 to $5,815. The amount of the award will be affected by the student’s EFC and enrollment status. The Pell Grant award is not duplicative of state awards.

Rights and Responsibilities of Recipients: The student must continue to make satisfactory academic progress in his/her program. (See satisfactory academic progress requirements). The student must not owe any refunds from the Federal Pell Grant or any other Federal student aid program, and must not be in default on any student loan. The student must be enrolled in degree-applicable credit hours and continue to participate in classes regularly. The student must not have previously earned the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree.

Please refer to www.hvcc.edu/finaid/disbursed for Pell disbursement information.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

This federal grant is awarded to eligible full- and part-time undergraduate students. The amount of the award is determined by the student’s financial need, and by the amount of funding available to the college. SEOG may be used for any college-related expenses and, as a grant, does not have to be repaid (unless the student stops attending classes and it is determined that the student has been overpaid).

Application Procedures: Eligibility for SEOG is automatically determined for all students who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Application Information can be found online at www.hvcc.edu/finaid

Selection of Recipients and Allocation of Awards: To be eligible for SEOG, the student must: (1) be in exceptional financial need to the extent that without SEOG the student’s education could not be continued; (2) be matriculated in an eligible degree program and enrolled for six or more credits; (3) not owe any refunds from the Federal Pell Grant or any other Federal student aid program, and the student must not be in default on any student loan.

Award Schedule: Awards range from $100 to $1,000, depending upon the student’s financial need, the availability of SEOG funds at Hudson Valley Community College, and the amount of any other financial aid. The average award at Hudson Valley is $250 per semester.

Rights and Responsibilities of Recipients: The student must continue to make satisfactory academic progress in his/her program. (See satisfactory academic progress). The student must not owe any refunds from the Federal Pell Grant or any other Federal student aid program, and must not be in default on any student loan. The student must be enrolled in degree-applicable credit hours and continue to participate in classes regularly. The student must not have previously earned the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree.

Please refer to www.hvcc.edu/finaid/disbursed for SEOG disbursement information.

Federal Work-Study Program (FWS)

The Federal Work-Study Program is financed by federal funds. This program gives the student the opportunity to pay for part of his/her educational expenses by working a part-time job.

Application Procedures: Eligibility for Work-Study is determined for all students who complete the FAFSA. Application information can be found online at www.hvcc.edu/career-transfer/students-alumni/fws.

Selection of Recipients and Allocation of Awards: In order for a student to be eligible for Work-Study, the student must be matriculated, be enrolled at least half-time in an eligible degree program, and have unmet financial need.

The college makes employment reasonably available to all eligible students. Students may apply for FWS after eligibility is confirmed by the Financial Aid Office. All applications are received by the Center for Careers and Transfer. Qualified applicants are interviewed for a possible placement.

Award Schedule: The Financial Aid Office and the Center for Careers and Transfer work with qualified applicants for a job placent. Students may work up to 20 hours per week during enrollment periods and up to 35 hours per week during non-enrollment periods.

Students are paid $9 per hour and receive a paycheck every two weeks.

Rights and Responsibilities of Recipients: The student must continue to make satisfactory academic progress in his/her program. (See satisfactory academic progress). The student must not owe any refunds from the Federal Pell Grant or any other Federal student aid program, and must not be in default on any student loan. The student must be enrolled in degree-applicable credit hours and continue to participate in classes regularly. An overall GPA of 2.0 must be maintained to participate in this program.

Federal Direct Student Loan

Federal Direct Student Loans are a way for the student to borrow money from the federal government to pay for some of his/her educational expenses. Hudson Valley Community College will use the student’s Federal Direct Loan to pay for school charges, and will disburse remaining money to the student for other educational expenses.

There are three types of Federal Direct Loans:

• Federal Direct Subsidized Loans - These loans are based on financial need. The federal government will defer the interest on this type of loan while the student is enrolled in college as long as the student is in at least 6 credit hours.
• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans - Eligible students may borrow this type of loan regardless of need. There is no deferment of interest during periods of enrollment.
• Federal Direct PLUS loans - Parents of eligible dependent students may borrow this loan to assist with their child’s educational expenses.

Application Procedures: Eligibility for the Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans is automatically determined for all students who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

If the student chooses to borrow a loan, he/she must complete the loan process on Hudson Valley WIReD. The student will be required to complete an online master promissory note and entrance counseling session as part of the application.

The student must complete an exit interview when he/she graduates or stops attending the college.

Loan applications must be submitted in a timely manner. Students should refer to WIReD for loan procedures and deadlines. The loan process may take up to two weeks.

Selection of Recipients and Allocation of Awards: To be eligible for a Federal Direct Loan, the student must: (1) be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien; (2) be enrolled in at least six degree-applicable credit hours and be matriculated in an eligible degree program; and (3) not owe any refunds from the Federal Pell Grant or any other Federal student aid program, and must not be in default on any student loan.

Loan Schedule: A first-year undergraduate student (defined as fewer than 27 degree hours earned) may borrow up to $3,500 per year. Eligibility increases to $4,500 for students defined as second-year students (27+ earned degree hours). Dependent students qualify for an additional $2,000 per year in unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan funds. Independent students qualify for an additional $4,000 per year in unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans. An undergraduate may borrow up to a lifetime limit of $31,000 or $57,500 if the student is considered independent for federal financial aid purposes. Hudson Valley Community College is required to delay the first disbursement of all federal loans for first-time freshman borrowers until the 31st day of the term.

Students who are new federal loan borrowers on or after July 1, 2013 will qualify for subsidized federal loans until they reach their 150 percent maximum eligibility period. This period is measured in academic years and is based on the published length of the student’s program. Once a borrower has reached this limitation, the interest subsidy ends for all outstanding subsidized loans that were disbursed on or after July 1, 2013. The student could continue to receive unsubsidized loans if otherwise eligible. More information can be found at www.hvcc.edu/finaid/loans.

Repayment Terms: The interest rate for the Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loan programs are fixed at 3.76 percent for the 2016-2017 academic year. The interest rate for the Federal Direct PLUS Loan is fixed at 6.31 percent. Additionally, all Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans borrowers are charged an origination fee of 1.068 percent. Direct PLUS borrowers are charged a 4.272 percent origination fee.

There are several different ways to repay a Federal Direct Loan.

• A standard repayment plan has a fixed monthly repayment amount for a fixed period of time, usually 10 years.
• An extended repayment plan may have a lower fixed monthly payment amount, and loan repayment can be extended beyond the usual 10 years.
• A graduated repayment plan usually begins with lower monthly payments, and payment amounts increase at specified times. Payments may be for the usual 10-year period, or they may be extended beyond 10 years.
• Income-based repayment plans set a monthly repayment amount based on the borrower’s annual income. The loan is repaid over an extended period of time, not to exceed 25 years.
• Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE) repayment plans calculate monthly payments each year based on percentage of discretionary income, with a payment period not to exceed 25 years. These plans are good for those seeking Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Students must contact their loan servicer regarding payment plan options.

It is the student’s responsibility to maintain contact with the loan servicer(s). Students can access their loan history and current servicer(s) at www.nslds.ed.gov.

Rights and Responsibilities of Recipients: The student must continue to make satisfactory academic progress in his/her program. (See satisfactory academic progress). The student must not owe any refunds from the Federal Pell Grant or any other Federal student aid program, and must not be in default on any student loan. The student must be enrolled in degree-applicable credit hours and continue to participate in classes regularly. The student must maintain 6 degree applicable credit hours to be eligible.

Please refer to www.hvcc.edu/finaid for Direct Loan disbursement information.

Summer Federal Pell Grants

Application Procedures: Eligibility for a summer Pell Grant is automatically determined for all students who complete the FAFSA. Students who do not wish to receive a summer Pell Grant due to the limited number of award semesters remaining must notify the Financial Aid Office in writing.

Selection of Recipients and Allocation of Awards: To be eligible for a summer Pell Grant, students must be matriculated in an eligible degree program taking degree-applicable credit hours, in good academic standing and making satisfactory academic progress.

Award Schedule: The amount of the award will be based on the Pell Grant schedule for the corresponding academic year, the student’s EFC and the student’s enrollment status.

Rights and Responsibilities of Recipients: The student must continue to make satisfactory academic progress in his/her program (see satisfactory academic progress). The student must not owe any refunds from the Federal Pell Grant or any other Federal student aid program, and must not be in default on any student loan. The student must be enrolled in degree-applicable credit hours and continue to participate in classes regularly. The student must not have previously earned the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree.

Please refer to www.hvcc.edu/finaid for summer Pell disbursement information.

Title IV Disbursement Policy

Federal Pell Grant and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

After tuition and other charges due to Hudson Valley Community College are deducted, the remaining financial aid will be refunded to the student. The college disburses these proceeds in installments. For percentages and disbursement dates, please visit www.hvcc.edu/finaid/disbursed.

Federal Direct Loan Programs

After tuition and other charges due to Hudson Valley Community College are deducted, the remaining student loan proceeds will be refunded to the student. The college disburses these loan proceeds in installments. For percentages and disbursement dates, please visit www.hvcc.edu/finaid/disbursed.

Students should have sufficient resources available to cover educational costs anticipated through at least the first four weeks of classes (e.g. rent deposits, rent for September/January if due on the first of the month, food, transportation, school supplies, etc.). Loan funds for first-time borrowers are disbursed no earlier than the 31st day of the term.

To receive federal student aid, the student must be participating in classes regularly. Financial aid disbursements will be put on hold for students who have all failing grades at midterm. Final grades are reviewed to determine if the student has participated in courses.

U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Educational Benefits

Eligible United States military service members and families are entitled to receive educational benefits for full- or part-time study under the provision of several different programs. They are as follows:

Application Procedures: Application forms are available at and submitted to the Registrar’s office in the Guenther Enrollment Services Center.

Veteran Deferrals: Students continuing use of educational benefits may receive a tuition deferral at the Registrar’s Office. Students who will be receiving benefits for the first time at Hudson Valley must submit a Certificate of Eligibility prior to receipt of a tuition deferral.

VA Work Study: This program provides part-time employment to students receiving VA education benefits who attend 3/4-time or more.Work Study students are paid either the State or Federal minimum wage, whichever is greater. More information regarding this program, including how to apply can be obtained at the Registrar’s Office or on the VA website.

Rights and Responsibilities of Recipients: Educational and vocational counseling will be provided by Veterans’ Affairs on request. A program of education outside the United States may be pursued at an approved institution of higher learning.

Institutions are required to report promptly to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs any interrupted attendance or termination of study on the part of students receiving benefits.

G.I. Bill®is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

New York State Programs

Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (NYSHESC) administers the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). TAP is a grant and does not have to be repaid.

Application Procedures: Students must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) electronically at www.fafsa.gov. Students will be able to link to their online TAP application at the end of the FAFSA session.

If a student does not complete a FAFSA online, he/she will be sent an email with instructions for completing the online TAP application.

If a student provides an email address on his/her FAFSA, NYSHESC will use that address to contact him/her about their TAP application, give processing updates, or award information. Please respond to any requests or instructions sent by NYSHESC. The status of a TAP Award is contingent upon the annual approval of the New York State budget.

The TAP application deadline is June 30 of the academic year for which aid is sought.

Selection of Recipients and Allocation of Awards: TAP is an entitlement program. To qualify, the student must: (1) be a New York State resident and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien; (2) be enrolled full time* and matriculated in an approved New York State postsecondary institution; (3) meet income requirements (see the TAP application for details); (4) be charged a tuition of at least $200 per year; and (5) be in compliance with the academic requirements.

Please note: Students who graduated from a foreign high school and who do not have a prior college degree must take and pass all components of an approved ability- to-benefit test. Please refer to “Academic Qualifications” under “Policies Affecting Aid Eligibility” for further information. More information regarding Ability to Benefit is available online at www.hesc.ny.gov.

*Full-time status for New York State awards is determined by enrollment in 12 or more degree-applicable credits per term. A course in which a grade of “D” (“C” if that is the course’s passing grade) or better was previously earned is not counted toward the 12 hour full-time study requirement.

Undergraduate students may generally receive eight total TAP awards throughout their course of post-secondary study. New York State, however, has limited students to six term awards while enrolled in an associate’s degree program.

Award Schedule: The TAP award is scaled according to the student’s level of study, tuition charge and New York State net taxable income for the previous tax year.

Aid for Part-Time Study (APTS)

APTS is a New York State grant program that provides funding for students attending college on a part-time basis (3-11 degree-applicable credits per term). At Hudson Valley, this grant is awarded only to students who have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average from prior attendance.

Selection of Recipients and Allocation of Awards: Awards will be made to dependent and independent students who meet the income limits set by the New York Higher Education Services Corporation (NYSHESC). See the APTS application available online at www.hvcc.edu/finaid/forms.

Applications must be completed and submitted to the Financial Aid Office by the deadline indicated on the application.

Applicants must be undergraduate New York State resident enrolled for 3 to 11 credits (Note: Part-time status is determined by enrollment in no less than 3 degree applicable hours and no more than 11 credit hours. Courses in which a grade of “D”(“C” if that is the course’s passing grade) or better was previously earned are not counted toward the part-time study requirement.)

After receiving one term of APTS, the student must maintain a 2.0 cumulative average. Additionally, the student is not eligible for APTS if he/she has used all terms of TAP eligibility.

Award Schedule: APTS awards at Hudson Valley Community College range from $100 to $1,000. Awards are determined by the Financial Aid Office based on availability of funds and the number of eligible applicants.

Part-Time TAP

To be eligible for Part-Time TAP, a student must have been a first-time freshman in the 2006-07 academic year or thereafter. A student must have earned 12 credits or more in each of any two consecutive preceding semesters, for a minimum total of 24 credits earned, be a New York State resident enrolled on a part-time basis (6-11 degree-applicable credits), and must have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average.

Application Procedures: The application process is the same as the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP).

Accelerated Study

To be eligible for an Accelerated Study TAP payment during a summer term, a student must have been a full-time student during the prior spring term. A student is eligible only upon earning 24 degree-applicable credits in the two terms prior to the accelerated study term. This criteria must be met each time an accelerated award is sought. Transfer credits are not applicable.

Application Procedures: The application process is the same as for the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP).

Veterans Tuition Awards (VTA)

These New York programs are eligible for veterans matriculated at a degree-granting institution in New York State. Awards are available for full-time and part-time study.

Application Procedures: Students must first establish eligibility by completing the New York State Veterans Tuition Award Supplement. In addition, students must apply for payment each year by completing the Free Application for Federal State Aid (FAFSA) and the New York State TAP application.

Selection of Recipients and Allocation of Awards: Funding is available for New York State residents discharged under honorable conditions from the U.S. Armed Forces and who are:

• Vietnam Veterans who served in Indochina between February 28, 1961 and May 7,1975.
• Persian Gulf Veterans who served in the Persian Gulf on or after August 2, 1990.
• Afghanistan Veterans who served in Afghanistan during hostilities on or after September 11, 2001.
• Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who served in hostilities that occurred after February 28, 1961 as evidenced by receipt of an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medal or Marine Expeditionary Medal.

To qualify, student also must:

• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Have graduated from a U.S. high school, earned a GED or passed a federally approved “Ability to Benefit” test.
• Not be in default on a student loan guaranteed by HESC or any repayment of state awards.
• Be in good academic standing
• Have at least a “C” cumulative average after receipt of two annual payments

Award Schedule: Funding for this program is based on the approval of the New York State budget. Awards will be set at $6,195 or tuition, whichever is less. If a TAP award is also received, the total combined award cannot exceed the student’s total tuition cost. Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33) benefits are considered duplicative of any VTA awards the student may have received. Undergraduate students are eligible to receive awards for up to eight semesters (four years) of study.

More information can be found online at www.hesc.ny.gov.

Policies Affecting Federal Financial Aid Eligibility

Matriculation

To be eligible for state or federal financial aid, a student must be accepted into a major and pursuing courses toward that degree or certificate.

Academic Qualifications

To be eligible for federal financial aid (includes Pell Grant, Work Study, SEOG and Federal Direct Loans), a student must have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent (i.e. New York State GED or homeschooling).

Exception: students who were enrolled in an eligible educational program of study before July 1, 2012 may be considered federal aid eligible if they previously passed an approved Ability to Benefit (ATB) test or successfully completed at least 6 degree-applicable credit hours. The student must provide appropriate documentation to the Financial Aid Office.

Students seeking New York State financial aid (i.e. TAP or APTS) who do not have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent must pass an independently administered examination approved by the Department of Education. Students who have a foreign high school diploma or were homeschooled are also subject to this requirement.

The testing deadline for New York State aid eligibility is the last day of the add/drop period for the effective term.

The Department of Education also has established that institutions use a passing score (cut-score) that is one full standard deviation below the mean for the examination.

Effective Nov. 1, 2015, COMPASS and ASSET tests will no longer be approved tests by the Department of Education. The college will be administering the ACCUPLACER exam beginning on this date.

The college’s current placement test, ACCUPLACER, has been approved as a measure of the ability of a student to benefit from post-secondary instruction.

The minimum passing scores for such students on the ACCUPLACER test are:

Reading Comprehension: 55
Sentence Skill (Writing): 60
Arithmetic: 34

Students must obtain a passing score on all components of the tests to be eligible for New York State financial aid programs.

Prior to Nov. 1, 2015 the college’s former placement tests, ASSET and COMPASS, were approved as measures of the ability of a student to benefit from post-secondary instruction.

The minimum passing scores for such students on the ASSET test were:

Writing Skills: 35
Reading Skills: 35
Numerical Skills: 33

The minimum passing scores for such students on the COMPASS test were:

Writing Skills: 32
Reading Skills: 62
Pre-algebra: 25

Course Selection

State and federal financial assistance is available to assist students in pursuing their program of study. To receive New York State scholarships, a full-time student must be enrolled in at least 12 credits that are required for the student’s degree program. Students receiving part-time New York State scholarships must be registered for less than 12 credits and the aid will be based only on the coursework that is required of the degree program.

All courses attempted also will count toward the calculation of credits for the maximum timeframe standard (150 Percent Rule) under the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy.

Good Academic Standing

Students must meet the college’s good academic standing requirements as outlined under Policies and Procedures to be considered for financial aid eligibility. Additionally, students must meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements as outlined below. To receive federal financial aid, a student must meet the federal satisfactory academic progress requirements. To receive state financial aid, a student must meet the state academic progress requirements.

Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress

The following tables outline the satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards for Hudson Valley Community College.

To be eligible for federal Title IV student aid, a student must demonstrate satisfactory academic progress. Under federal law and regulation, the college is required to establish, publish and enforce minimum academic standards for the continued receipt of federal Title IV student aid. A satisfactory progress policy must include both a qualitative measure and a quantitative measure of the student’s progress. At Hudson Valley Community College, the qualitative standard is measured using the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA)¹ as calculated by the Registrar’s Office, and the quantitative standard is measured using the student’s percentage of overall credit hours earned (overall credit hours earned divided by overall credit hours attempted) or, based upon the percentage of credit hours earned in the term (term credit hours earned divided by term credit hours attempted). Additionally, a measure of maximum timeframe (150 Percent Rule) is performed as a part of the policy (see SAP Measurement Standards). Students must meet the minimum requirements of the SAP policy to retain eligibility for federal Title IV student aid.

The Title IV student aid programs affected by the satisfactory academic progress policy are the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Work-Study Program, and the Federal Direct Loan Program (including the Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students). Additionally, many scholarships and alternative funding sources may have specific requirements regarding satisfactory academic progress.

¹ Fresh Start and credit exclusions do not affect the cumulative GPA for the measurement of academic progress.

SAP Measurement Standards

Qualitative Standard:The qualitative measure of satisfactory academic progress follows the college’s measure for good academic standing (from the Retention Table). These requirements are outlined in the tables below. Please note that for academic progress purposes, academic probation is considered a warning period for academic standing. Students measuring in academic probation are considered to be meeting the qualitative requirement of the satisfactory academic progress policy.

Quantitative Standards: (Students must meet A, and B or C below)

(A). Maximum Timeframe Standard: (150 Percent Rule): To quantify academic progress, the college is required to set a maximum timeframe in which a student is expected to complete a program. At Hudson Valley Community College, the maximum timeframe cannot exceed 150 percent of the published length of the program, measured in credit hours attempted. For example, students in associate’s degree programs where the published length of the program is 60 credit hours can receive federal student aid through the point when they reach 90 attempted hours (one and one-half times the published length of program). The maximum timeframe evaluation for transfer students will consider both those credits attempted at Hudson Valley Community College and those accepted as transfer credit by the college.

The calculation of maximum timeframe is based on the cumulative student record at the college. If the student has already completed a program or has changed majors, the student may submit an appeal of the ineligibility decision. See the section on Appeal of Ineligibility Decision below. Unless granted a waiver, students whose credit hours attempted exceed 150 percent of the published length of their program will no longer be eligible for federal Title IV aid.

Students who are new federal loan borrowers on or after July 1, 2013 will qualify for subsidized federal loans until they reach their 150% limitation. Once a borrower has reached this limitation, the interest subsidy ends for all outstanding subsidized loans that were disbursed on or after July 1, 2013. The student could continue to receive unsubsidized loans if otherwise eligible.

(B). Percentage of Overall Credit Hours Earned Standard: Under the quantitative measure of academic progress, the student’s percentage of overall credit hours earned must meet or exceed the minimum percentage requirement for each increment on the chart below. “Attempted” credit hours include all credit coursework included in the student’s academic history at Hudson Valley Community College, including all accepted transfer credits. “Earned” credits include all attempted credit hours for which a passing grade has been received. In this measurement, withdrawals (including official, unofficial, and administrative), grades of “incomplete,” failing grades, excused medical (EXM), instances of no grade submitted (NGS), and instances where courses are still in progress (IP) at the time of grade submission will be treated as attempted and unearned. Repeated credit courses will be counted as attempted credit hours for each attempt, and will be counted as earned credit hours only once (when and if the student earns a passing grade). Non-credit remedial courses will not count as attempted or as earned. Please note that the minimum percentage of overall credit hours earned differs depending upon whether a student is in an associate’s degree program or a certificate program. Both tables are illustrated on the following pages.

(C). Percentage of Term Credit Hours Earned Standard: Students who meet the qualitative requirement, as well as the quantitative requirement in (a) above, but do not meet (b) above, under certain conditions may have their progress evaluated based upon the student’s current term performance. Measurement conditions under this standard depend upon the student’s current academic progress status. If a student is currently in unsatisfactory academic progress, the student must attempt at least six non-remedial credit hours in the current term to be evaluated under this standard. A student meeting those criteria must earn at least 75 percent of the attempted credit hours in the term to be placed in satisfactory academic progress. If a student is currently in satisfactory academic progress, the student must take at least one credit-bearing course in the current term to be evaluated under this standard. A student meeting those criteria must earn at least 75 percent of his/her term credit hours under this standard.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Table for Associate Degree Programs

* The number of overall attempted credit hours is the sum of all attempted credit hours at Hudson Valley Community College and all transfer credit hours accepted by the college.

**The Percentage of overall credits earned will be rounded to the nearest percentage (i.e. .745 will be rounded up to .75 but .744 will be rounded down to .74)

Satisfactory Academic Progress Table for Certificate Programs

* The number of overall attempted credit hours is the sum of all attempted credit hours at Hudson Valley Community College and all transfer credit hours accepted by the college.

**The percentage of overall credits earned will be rounded to the nearest percentage (i.e. .745 will be rounded up to .75 but .744 will be rounded down to .74)

Federal Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress Status - Students who meet or exceed the minimum cumulative qualitative and quantitative requirements will be considered to be maintaining satisfactory academic progress.

Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Status - Students who measure below the minimum cumulative qualitative and/or quantitative requirements will be placed in unsatisfactory academic progress. Students who measure in this status are ineligible for federal student aid. Students may regain eligibility for federal student aid by making up their deficiencies in such a way that in subsequent evaluations they measure at or above the minimum academic progress requirements (see section below on Regaining Eligibility for Federal Student Aid).

Transitioning to the New Policy

Under the college’s academic standing/ progress policy effective prior to Fall 2002, students who were suspended or dismissed in Spring 2002 were advised that if they sat out for one year they could return to the college in good standing and receive aid. In order for the college to uphold the conditions of the old policy, after one year’s absence, the student’s academic progress status will be changed to reflect satisfactory academic progress. These students will be eligible for financial aid in their first term back, but will have to meet the requirements of the new satisfactory academic progress policy by the end of the term in order for them to continue their eligibility for federal student aid.

Timing of Evaluations and Evaluation Process

The college will measure academic progress at the end of each term in which Title IV aid is awarded to students (i.e. fall, spring, summer). Academic progress will be measured for all students, both matriculated and non-matriculated, who are registered in the term being reviewed. Evaluation of progress will occur shortly after final grades are posted by the Registrar’s Office. Notices of ineligibility will be sent to students from the college. At the time of evaluation, grades listed as I (incomplete), F (failure), Z (absent without withdrawal), W (withdrawal), IP (in progress), EXM (excused medical) and/or NGS (No Grade Submitted) will be considered attempted and unearned. If a student’s academic record is changed subsequent to the evaluation, the student must submit a written request to the director of financial aid for re-evaluation of the ineligibility determination. The most common situation leading to such a request is the successful resolution of “incomplete” or “late” grades. For a grade change or course completion to be considered in the academic progress calculation, the coursework leading to the grade change must be completed prior to the first day of classes in the effective term.

Additionally, the maximum timeframe evaluation will be completed at the end of each term. If at the time of evaluation the student has attempted less than 150 percent of the course work required for his/her program, the student will be considered eligible under the maximum time frame standard for Title IV aid for the following term. If, however, the student has exceeded the maximum number of attempted credit hours for his/her program, the student will no longer be eligible for federal financial aid programs (grants or loans) for any future term in the program.

Appeal of Federal Aid Ineligibility Decision

Appeal for Unsatisfactory Academic Progress Status - A determination of ineligibility for federal student aid may be appealed based on mitigating circumstances which occurred in the reviewed term. A mitigating circumstance is defined as an exceptional or unusual event beyond the student’s direct control, which contributed to or caused the academic difficulty. Examples of mitigating circumstances may include a student becoming very ill or seriously injured, or a death in the student’s immediate family.

An appeal of the ineligibility decision may be made through the college’s academic waiver process, which begins in the Center for Counseling, located in the Siek Campus Center. Complete documentation of the circumstances that led to the academic difficulty must be submitted as part of the appeal process. Appeals are due by noon on the first day of classes in the effective term.

Students receiving a waiver of academic standing requirements and students in good academic standing who receive a waiver of academic progress requirements will be placed in satisfactory academic progress for the effective term only. This is considered the student’s financial aid probationary period. Students will then be required to meet academic standing and academic progress requirements at the end of the effective term and in all subsequent terms.

Appeal for Maximum Timeframe (150 Percent Waiver) - A student may appeal their ineligibility for federal Title IV aid due to reaching the 150% maximum timeframe. Appeals must be made in writing to the director of financial aid by noon on the first day of classes in the effective term. The 150% waiver can be found online at www.hvcc.edu/finaid/forms.

Regaining Eligibility for Federal Student Aid

A student who loses eligibility for federal student aid due to unsatisfactory academic progress may regain eligibility by successfully completing credit courses such that the student meets the requirements of the satisfactory academic progress policy standards. Such courses taken at Hudson Valley Community College must be funded without benefit of Title IV student aid and under no circumstances will aid be paid retroactively for those courses once eligibility has been re-established. If these courses are completed at Hudson Valley Community College during the fall, spring or summer term, the student’s academic progress will automatically be measured at the end of the term.

Remedial Coursework

In determining federal aid eligibility, the credit hour equivalent of remedial courses is counted toward enrollment status.

Enrollment Status and Repeat Coursework

A student must be enrolled at least half-time to receive aid from Stafford and PLUS loan programs and Federal Work Study (FWS). The Pell Grant does not require half-time enrollment, however, enrollment status does affect the amount of Pell Grant a student receives. Half-time enrollment is defined as being enrolled in at least 6 credit hours per semester. Full-time enrollment is defined as being enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester.

Enrollment status can include repetition of a previously passed course one time only. The repetition cannot be due to the student failing other coursework. For this purpose, passed means any grade higher than an “F”, regardless of any school or program policy requiring a higher qualitative grade or measure to have been considered to have passed the course. Below are two scenarios in which a student can receive federal aid for repeat coursework:

• If a student receives an F or W grade, they can repeat the course with the benefit of federal aid until the course is passed with a grade of D or better.
• If a student passes a course with an A, B, C or D grade, they can repeat that course ONE time only.

Please note: Satisfactory Academic Progress and 150% rules apply. The highest grade is calculated in Grade Point Average. Withdrawals do not count as a retake for the course. College policy states a student can only repeat a course two times, unless an exception is approved by the student’s academic department.

Important: A student CANNOT receive federal aid for repeating a previously passed course due to the student failing other coursework. Example: Student is taking a series of courses (this is common in Health Science programs). Student passes a course(s) early in the series but then fails a subsequent course. Student may choose (or be required by the academic department) to repeat the previously passed course(s) in the series. The repeat of the previously passed course(s), will NOT count in enrollment status for federal student aid.

Return of Title IV Aid

Under the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, federal student aid (Pell, SEOG and Direct Loans) must be recalculated for students who withdraw from or stop participating in all of their courses before completing more than 60 percent of the term. This calculation is required under the Return of Title IV Aid regulation. Students who have all grades of “F” at midterm will have all aid held until final grades are verified.

Official Withdrawals: If a student officially withdraws from all of his/her courses before completing more than 60 percent of the term, his/her federal financial aid will be recalculated based on the student’s withdrawal date. The percentage of financial aid eligibility will be directly related to the percentage of the term completed. For example, if a student completes 10 percent of the term, he/she will be eligible for 10 percent of his/her financial aid. If he/she completes 30 percent of the term, he/she will be eligible for 30 percent of his/her financial aid.

Unofficial Withdrawals: If a student does not formally withdraw from all of his/her courses but stops participating in his/her courses before completing more than 60 percent of the term, the student is considered unofficially withdrawn from the college and his/her aid will be recalculated under the Return of Title IV Aid regulation. In the case of an unofficial withdrawal, the effective date of withdrawal will be 50 percent of the term.

Tuition Liability: If a student officially or unofficially withdraws after the end of the college’s refund period, the student is liable for all of his/her tuition and fees, even if the student’s financial aid is decreased. If the student’s financial aid previously covered his/her bill, but no longer covers it after the Return of Title IV Aid calculation, the student will be expected to pay his/her outstanding tuition and fees. Further, if the student receives a disbursement of financial aid, and the Return of Title IV Aid calculation shows that the student was not entitled to the funds, the student will be billed for the funds, and the overpayment information will be forwarded to the U.S. Department of Education. It will be the student’s responsibility to repay the funds before he/she is eligible to receive any further federal student aid, even if the student attends another college. This overpayment will appear on the Student Aid Report (SAR) until the overpayment is repaid.

Unusual Enrollment History

Students identified by the U.S. Department of Education as having unusual enrollment history must be reviewed by the Financial Aid Office to determine federal aid eligibility. The Financial Aid Office must determine if there were valid reasons for the unusual enrollment history by reviewing enrollment, college transcripts and financial aid history. Additional documentation from the student regarding failure to earn academic credit will be required. The Financial Aid Office must document the approval or denial of continued federal aid eligibility. The decision is final and cannot be appealed to the Department of Education. Students who are identified with unusual enrollment history must also complete an Identity and Statement of Educational Purpose.

Identity and Statement of Educational Purpose

Certain federal aid applicants are now required to verify their identities and resubmit a Statement of Education Purpose, as was originally provided as part of the FAFSA submission.

The student must appear in person at Hudson Valley Community College to verify his or her identity by presenting valid government-issued photo identification (ID), such as, but not limited to, a driver’s license, other state-issued ID, or passport. The college will maintain a copy of the student’s photo ID that is annotated with the date it was received and the name of the official at the college authorized to collect the student’s ID. Students may also provide this statement via postal mail with an original notarized signature and a copy of valid government- issued photo identification.

High School Completion Status

Certain federal aid applicants are now required to verify their high school completion status (i.e. high school diploma, GED or homeschool). College policy requires that students must submit appropriate documentation to the Admission’s Office to prove their status. The Financial Aid Office must review these documents prior to awarding federal financial aid. Additional documentation from the student may be required.

Effect of Drug Conviction

Persons convicted of drug trafficking or possession under federal or state law may be ineligible to receive federal student aid including grants, loans and work-study programs.

When completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, question 23 asks if the student has ever been convicted of a drug related offense. Failure to answer the question will automatically disqualify the student from receiving federal aid. Answering the question falsely, if discovered, could result in fines, imprisonment or both.

Convictions count only if they were for an offense that occurred during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving federal aid. A conviction does not count if it was reversed, set aside or removed from the student’s record or if the conviction occurred when the student was a juvenile (before age 18) unless the student was tried as an adult.

According to the law, the following chart indicates the period of ineligibility for federal student aid. (A conviction for sale of drugs includes convictions for conspiring to sell drugs.)

A student regains eligibility the day after the period of ineligibility ends or when he or she successfully completes a qualified drug rehabilitation program. Further convictions will make the student ineligible again. Students denied eligibility for an indefinite period can regain it only after successfully completing a rehabilitation program as described below.

A qualified drug rehabilitation program must include at least two unannounced drug tests and must satisfy at least one of the following requirements:

• Be qualified to receive funds directly or indirectly from a federal, state or local government program or federally or state-licensed insurance company.
• Be administered or recognized by a federal, state, or local government agency or court.
• Be administered or recognized by a federally or state-licensed hospital, health clinic or medical doctor.

It is the student’s responsibility to certify to the Financial Aid Administrator that he/she has successfully completed a qualified rehabilitation program.

New York State Satisfactory Academic Progress

New York State academic standards require that a student complete a certain number of credits during each term an award is received, accrue degree credit at specified levels, and maintain a certain grade point average. The requirements are based on the number of state awards received, no matter at what institution, as outlined in the charts below. An Aid for Part-Time Study or part-time summer TAP award counts as one –half of a TAP award. Use of a part–time TAP award reduces the remaining number of awards available on a prorated basis (based on the number of credit hours at the time of each award).

New York State Academic Progress Requirements*

*Academic requirements are continually reviewed by the state and federal governments and are subject to change.

**Students are considered to be in a program of remedial study if they meet one of the following criteria:

1. Placement exam scores indicated the need for remediation for at least two semesters.
2. Enrolled in at least six credit hours of non-credit remedial courses in the first term a TAP award is received.
3. Enrolled in an opportunity program such as EOP.

If a student fails to meet the academic standing requirements outlined above due to extenuating circumstances, New York State allows the college to consider a request for a waiver of the requirements. The student’s situation must be viewed as an exceptional and extraordinary case, meaning the circumstances preventing the student from meeting the requirements were highly unusual and most probably out of the student’s control. The student must be an otherwise serious and successful student. A waiver of the state requirements may only be granted once in a student’s educational career. If a student feels his/her situation warrants use of this lifetime one-time only waiver, the application process begins in the Center for Counseling, located in the Siek Campus Center.

Students must have attained a grade point average of 2.0 at the end of the fourth term in which the student receives state aid. If a student does not meet this requirement due to circumstances that can be demonstrated to have affected the student’s ability to achieve a “C” average at the end of a particular term, the student may request a waiver. Requests for waiver of this requirement are separate from the Waiver of Good Academic Standing Requirements and should be made directly to the Registrar’s Office.

Remedial Courses

In determining state financial aid eligibility, the credit hour equivalent of remedial courses is counted toward enrollment status if the student is required to take the courses based on placement test results. For TAP purposes, first-time TAP recipients must be enrolled in at least 3 credit hours per term that pertain to their degree program. Students who have received TAP previously must be enrolled in 6 credit hours per term that apply to their degree program.

Repeat Courses

Courses in which a grade of “D” (“C”, if that is the course’s passing grade) or better was previously earned do not count toward a student’s enrollment status for New York State grants and scholarships.

Scholarships

The college offers a quality education at a fraction of the cost of most private colleges and universities. Each spring semester, the college and the Hudson Valley Community College Foundation are proud to offer nearly 100 scholarship opportunities that make Hudson Valley even more affordable. Information for both new and currently enrolled students can be found on our website at www.hvcc.edu/scholarships or by contacting the Foundation at (518) 629-8012 or emailing scholarships@hvcc.edu.