Financial Aid - General Information                          

Financial Assistance | General Eligibility | Types of Aid | Verification | Fund Disbursement |Determining Pell Grant Awards | Title IV Refund Policy | Satisfactory Academic Progress | Other Financial Aid Options

Financial Assistance

Heart of Georgia Technical College has several types of financial assistance to help qualified applicants pay for their education. Funds are available through the Federal Pell Grant, the Georgia HOPE Grant, the Georgia HOPE Scholarship, and other scholarship and grant programs.  Students may also be eligible for assistance under the Workforce Investment Act, various Veterans Programs, Special Populations, Georgia Fatherhood Program

or vocational rehabilitation programs.

General Eligibility

To qualify for most types of financial aid, students must:

• Be enrolled as a regular or provisional student in an eligible certificate, diploma, or degree program
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Have earned a high school diploma or equivalent, or demonstrated the ability to benefit from the course of study
• Be registered with Selective Service, if required
• Not be in default on a federal student loan, owe a refund on a previously received grant, or have borrowed in excess of Federal loan limits.  Click here to check the status of a student loan.
• Agree to use any funds received only for educationally related purposes
• Be maintaining satisfactory academic progress in accordance with HGTC policy
• Be at least sixteen years of age
• Certifiy that he/she will not engage in the unlawful manufacture, distribution, possession, or use of a controlled substance while receiving a Federal Pell Grant, Georgia HOPE Grant, Georgia HOPE Scholarship, or other Federal or State aid
• Meet other program requirements

Students pursing associate dgress or diplomas who are required to complete developmental studies courses to improve basic skills will not be eligible for federal financial aid until such time as all prescribed developmental studies courses are satisfactorily completed.  Exempted courses, audited courses, and continuing education courses are not eligible for financial aid.  Student accepted on a special admissions basis will not be eligible to receive financial aid.

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Types Of Aid Available

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is a federally funded Title IV Grant available to students who meet certain income guidelines of postsecondary education.  It was designed to help persons who have not earned a bachelor’s degree pay for their education after high school.  The amount a student receives will depend on the EFC (Expected Family Contribution) shown on the Student Aid Report (SAR), the number of credit hours a student is enrolled, the cost of attendance, and the size of the federal appropriations. At Heart of Georgia Technical College, only students enrolled in degree, diploma, and Pell eligible certificates are eligible to receive this grant, which does not have to be repaid.   Students must not owe a refund to any Title IV Aid Program, be in default on a student loan, or have borrowed in excess of federal loan limits to be eligible.

Federal Work Study

Federal Work Study is a program that provides jobs for students with financial need, allowing them to earn

money to help pay educational expenses.  Students must be eligible for and receiving Pell to participate in the Work Study program.  To be considered for employment, students are required to complete a work study application each fiscal year.  At Heart of Georgia Technical College, Work Study students are paid $7 per hour.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

FSEOG is an award to provide assistance for students with exceptional financial need, as determined by the EFC (Expected Family Contribution) shown on the Student Aid Report.  Award amounts vary and are determined by

the availability of funds.  Students who receive this grant must be Pell eligible.  Generally, awards are not greater than $400 per academic year. 

Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

The Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant is a program that provides assistance for degree seeking students

in their first and second academic year who have graduated from a rigorous high school program of study.  Students must meet all requirements for the Federal Pell Grant, be full-time, be a U.S. Citizen, and be in their

first degree seeking program in order to be considered for ACG.  Maximum award amounts are $750 per academic year for first year students and $1,300 per year for second year students.  To be eligible for second year ACG, students must have a GPA from first year of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Georgia HOPE Scholarship

The HOPE Scholarship is a state funded award which pays tuition, fees (except for the $35 quarterly technology fee), and provides a book allowance of either $50 (for 5 credit hours or less per quarter) or $100 (for 6 credit hours or more per quarter).  A student must be a Georgia resident, not be in default on a Federal student loan or owe a refund on a Federal grant, not have borrowed in excess of Federal loan limits, and not have had a drug conviction within the past 12 months.  In addition, a student must have either (1) graduated from high school in 1993 or thereafter from a HOPE eligible high school as a HOPE Scholar or (2) have a 3.0 GPA after attempting 45, 90, or 135 degree level quarter credit hours.  At Heart of Georgia Technical College, degree level students are eligible to receive this grant.  Consideration for eligibility ends after a student attempts 190 degree level hours OR after a student receives payment from the HOPE Scholarship and/or Grant for 190 combined hours.  Students must apply either online or through the financial aid office on or before the last day of the quarter or the last day of attendance, whichever comes first, in order to be eligible for the quarter.

Georgia HOPE Grant

The HOPE Grant is a state funded award which pays tuition, fees (except for the $35 quarterly technology fee), and provides a book allowance of either $50 (for 5 credit hours or less per quarter) or $100 (for 6 credit hours or more per quarter).  A student must be a Georgia resident, not be in default on a Federal student loan or owe a refund on a Federal grant, not have borrowed in excess of Federal loan limits, and not have had a drug conviction within the past 12 months.  At Heart of Georgia Technical College, diploma and certificate level students are eligible to receive this grant.   Consideration for eligibility ends after a student receives payment for 95 credit hours OR after a student receives payment from the HOPE Scholarship and/or Grant for 190 combined hours.  Student must apply either online or through the financial aid office on or before the last day of the quarter or last day of attendance in order to be eligible for the quarter.

Georgia Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Grant (LEAP)

The LEAP Grant is available to provide educational grant assistance to residents of Georgia who demonstrate substantial financial need (greater than $2,000) to attend postsecondary institutions in Georgia.  Students must be a Georgia resident, enrolled full time, be Pell eligible, maintain satisfactory academic progress, and cannot be

a transient student or have borrowed in excess of federal loan limits.

Georgia HERO Scholarship

The Georgia HERO (Helping Educate Reservists and their Offspring) Scolarship program was created to provide educational grant assistance to members of the Georgia National Guard and U.S. Military Reservists who served

in combat zones or the children of such members of the Georgia National Guard and U.S. Military Reserves. 

Eligible students can complete an application in the Financial Aid office.

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Verification

Students who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (Pell application) may be selected by the Department of Education for verification. This verification procedure is in compliance with the latest published Student Financial Aid regulations. If selected, the student must provide documentation that certain elements of the SAR or ISIR are accurate. Students who do not provide requested documentation cannot be considered for federal funds. Documentation may include, but is not limited to:

• Verification Worksheet
• Signed copy of student's Federal Income Tax Return
• Signed copy of parent's Federal Income Tax Return
• W-2's of student, spouse, or parent
• Student's Social Security Card
• TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) benefit report
• Child Support Printout
• Copy of divorce or separation document
• Statement for the Social Security Administration on total benefits received the year
• Other documents that provide proof of income or asset value
• Birth Certificate
• Alien Registration Card
• Passport

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Fund Disbursement

Students may authorize HGTC to deduct their tuition and fees from their quarterly award. The balance of the award will be paid directly to the student during the quarter. Notices will be posted around campus stating the date the checks will be mailed to students.  Students should make sure that the HGTC has their correct address on file in the admissions office before checks are printed.  Click here for a student information change form.

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Determining Pell Grant Awards

Students who are registered in a Pell eligible program will be paid Pell according to credit hours. The following formula is used to determine the amount of Pell:

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Title IV Refund Policy

Title IV funds are awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded.    If a recipient of a Title IV grant withdraws from school after beginning attendance, the amount of the Title IV grant assistance earned by the student must be determined.  The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 require that schools participating in Student Financial Aid (SFA) programs use a statutory schedule to determine the amount of SFA Program funds a student has earned when he or she ceases attendance based on the number of days the student was in attendance.  Title IV recipients become eligible for their quarterly Title IV Grant award after attendance through the sixty percent point of the quarter.  If a recipient of Title IV aid totally withdraws or stops attending all courses prior to attending sixty percent of the quarter, the amount of Title IV aid earned must be recalculated as follows:

This percentage is then multiplied by the Title IV aid initially awarded for the quarter to determine the amount of aid earned.

If funds are remaining after tuition, fees and bookstore charges are deducted from Earned Title IV Funds, a check for the remainder will be issued.  If the amount of Title IV aid earned is insufficient to cover these charges, the student is liable for these charges.  

If a student received Title IV funds for the quarter in excess of tuition and fee charges, he/she will be notified of the amount to be repaid.  The student will be ineligible for further financial aid at Heart of Georgia Tech until the over award is repaid or satisfactory repayment arrangements have been made.  Examples are available in the financial aid office.

Students may refer to the Student Handbook of the Catalog for Heart of Georgia Tech's withdrawal policy.

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Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements (SAP)

To maintain eligibility for receipt of financial aid at Heart of Georgia Technical College, students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Satisfactory academic progress means that the student is proceeding in

a positive manner toward fulfilling certificate, diploma or degree requirements and is measured in quality (Grade Point Average, or GPA) and quantity (completion rate) of work. Student must earn a cumulative GPA of C (2.0)

or better, and satisfactorily complete at least two-thirds (67%) of all course work (credit hours) attempted. SAP includes a student's total academic history while at Heart of Georgia Technical College, regardless of the program of study or the time period in which the course work was taken.

Transfer Students

For purposes of determining financial aid eligibility, transfer students will be considered to be maintaining satisfactory progress during their first quarter of enrollment. After the first quarter, the student will be

responsible for meeting all Heart of Georgia Technical College's satisfactory academic progress requirements.

Maximum Hours

Students will be allowed to receive financial aid for up to one and one-half times (150%) the credit hours

required for their chosen program of study. This includes all credit hours attempted whether or not they are completed or passed. For example, for an 80 credit hour program, the maximum time frame to receive financial

aid is 120 credit hours.

Financial Aid Probation and Financial Aid Suspension

Students who fail to meet the minimum cumulative GPA or course work completion requirements at the end of a quarter will be placed on financial aid probation during the following quarter of attendance. Failure to meet either of the requirements by the end of the probationary quarter will result in the student being placed on financial aid suspension for the next quarter of attendance and the student will remain ineligible for financial aid until the minimum requirements have been met.

Learning Support

Eligible students required to enroll in Learning Support are allowed to receive financial aid for no more than 45 credit hours of Learning Support classes. After a student has taken 45 credit hours in Learning Support, he/she will be required to pay for any additional Learning Support classes.

Grades

Grades of I, W, WP and learning support grades are not used in calculating a student's academic GPA, but are counted toward the two-thirds requirement for maintaining satisfactory academic progress. If a course is repeated due to unsatisfactory grades, all hours attempted will be used toward the one and one-half (150%) credit hour limit, as well as counted toward satisfactory academic progress requirements.

When SAP Determinations Are Made

Satisfactory academic progress determinations will be made quarterly after grades have been issued. All coursework attempted is used to determine satisfactory academic progress, regardless of whether a student received financial aid for the coursework or not.

Student's Right to an Appeal

Students have the right to appeal a finding if they feel there are extenuating circumstances which have prevented them from meeting the specified requirements. Appeals must be written and must:

• specifically address the extenuating circumstances
• include the actions the student has taken to ensure he/she will not lose his/her aid again, and
• contain extensive documentation.

The written statement must be filed with the Financial Aid Office, along with appropriate documentation, within five days of notification of the failure to make satisfactory progress. Appeals will be considered by the Dean of Student Affairs. Under no circumstance will a verbal appeal be considered. The student will be notified of the Dean's decision.

The student may appeal the Dean's decision to the Executive Vice President.  The written appeal must be submitted within three calendar days that the decision was made by the Dean.  The student will be notified within five calendar days, in writing, of the appeal decision. The decision of the Executive Vice President is final.

Heart of Georgia Technical College's Satisfactory Academic Progress policy is consistent with Title IV of the Higher Education Act.

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