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Paying for College With Financial Aid

You can apply for a wide range of student aid by filling out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Many students enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program use a blend of financial aid such as student loans, grants, scholarships, and work-study to fund their education.

It’s essential to understand how the various types of financial assistance differ—for example, some you have to pay back with interest while others are considered a gift.

Use the navigation menu on the left-hand side to access detailed information about each type of student aid. Our financial services staff is also available to help you sort through all the information to make financially responsible decisions.

 

Getting Started—The Five Steps

Begin your financial aid journey by following the five financial aid steps below. Before you start, we recommend downloading and printing the Financial Aid Steps checklist to help you track your progress (view this checklist in Spanish).

  1. Federal grants, loans, and federal work-study require you to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Begin by doing the following:
  2. Create a Federal Student Aid account and FSA ID. If you are still listed as a dependent on your parents' taxes, you will need an FSA ID and password for both you and your parents.
  3. Complete your FAFSA form online or download the myStudentAid app in the Apple App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android).
  4. Get your social security number. If you are under the age of 24, your parents' social security numbers may also be required along with federal tax information. We strongly recommend you use the IRS data retrieval tool.
  5. Give the college you will be attending permission to access your information by entering its Federal School Code (found below) on your FAFSA:
    • Chandler-Gilbert Community College—030722
    • Estrella Mountain Community College—031563
    • GateWay Community College—008303
    • GateWay Community College clock hour programs—E00701
    • Glendale Community College—001076
    • Mesa Community College—001077
    • Paradise Valley Community College—026236
    • Phoenix College—001078
    • Rio Salado College—014483
    • Scottsdale Community College—008304
    • South Mountain Community College—015001
  6. At the end of the FAFSA form, you will use your FSA ID to officially sign the document.

You must complete your admissions application for the college you list on your FAFSA before the college can receive your FAFSA material. Visit the campus and its website to familiarize yourself with your chosen college's services and resources.

Note: It can take up to five business days for your FAFSA to be received by your school.

Once you have completed your FAFSA and college admissions application, log in to your Student Center or the My Maricopa Student Portal app. The Student Center gives you access to your Maricopa student email account, Tasks, and class schedule.

You will need to check your Tasks often to make sure you have completed all required items before you can register in courses:

  1. Click on each list item and follow the instructions.
  2. When all To-do List items have been submitted, the status will change to Received.
  3. Receipt of submitted documents usually takes between one to three business days.
  4. Processing documents can take up to 15 business days and, when finished, the item's status will no longer be listed on your To-do List.
  5. Check your college’s financial aid web pages for important dates and deadlines.
  6. Follow up on your pending electronic forms by visiting your eForms portal.

Financial aid awards can consist of a combination of grants, scholarships, work-study, and student loans. When you receive an award package, you must decide which combination of aid is best for you.

  • You must be enrolled in at least 6 credits per semester and meet all other eligibility criteria to qualify for loans.
  • Grants and scholarships (funding that does not need to be repaid) are accepted on your behalf.
  • Remember, you may accept less than the full loan offer if you don’t need to borrow the full amount.
  • If your aid eligibility is sufficient, you may opt in to the book advance program and use a portion of your anticipated financial aid to buy textbooks and supplies up to nine days before classes start.
  • If you do not have enough aid to cover your full tuition and fees, sign up for a payment plan to pay the difference and secure your classes. The payment plan spreads out what you still owe into monthly installments.
  • If you feel you need additional unsubsidized loans, you may request up to your annual loan limit.

During the financial aid disbursement phase, your grants, loans, and scholarships are applied to the balance of your tuition, fees, book advance, and other charges. Any amount remaining will be issued to you in the method you choose from the Financial Account tile in your Student Center.

  • To receive your disbursement promptly, you must first enroll in the Maricopa Student Refund Program and follow the instructions.
  • Refunds are processed following the third week of each semester.
  • Rio Salado students can expect refunds the following Tuesday through Friday after the drop/add period of each semester block start date. This is due to weekly class start dates at this college.

Federal Student Aid requires you to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). This includes maintaining a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) and moving through your chosen program within a set amount of time known as Maximum Time Frame (MTF). Failure to do so may result in the loss of financial aid eligibility.

  • Log in to your Student Center or the My Maricopa Student Portal to see your SAP status. SAP is evaluated at the end of each semester. Non-standard sessions will be evaluated once grades are posted.
  • You are expected to understand your responsibilities in regards to SAP and your Maximum Time Frame. SAP standards are evaluated based on the number of credits attempted and the minimum cumulative GPA for the courses.
  • You must successfully complete two-thirds of all your classes. Grades of I, F, N, W, X, Y, Z, and courses not yet graded are considered attempted but not completed.
  • If you lose your financial aid eligibility due to extenuating circumstances, you may appeal.
  • If your appeal is not approved, you may only regain eligibility by meeting the minimum SAP standards.

Cost of Attendance

Each year the Maricopa Community College Financial Aid Offices establishes standard student budgets based on institutional costs and estimated costs of living. The Cost of Attendance or a student’s budget is determined by many factors including enrollment status, residency status, and living situation. A students’ Cost of Attendance helps determine how much aid a student can receive. These budgets represent an estimate of the Cost of Attendance for Maricopa Community Colleges. By comparing the Cost of Attendance to the student’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC), the Financial Aid Office is able to assess student need, and process financial aid awards within the appropriate regulatory guidelines for each specific aid program. The amount of aid that a student receives cannot exceed the institution’s Cost of Attendance.

Remember, to receive aid, students must be eligible to qualify for financial aid and be enrolled in and participating in an eligible degree of certificate program.

*Note that values will change with less than half time enrollment, clock programs, or students at Rio Salado College.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the yearly application students and prospective students complete to determine their potential Financial Aid eligibility. Your school may have additional requirements you must complete to be eligible for financial aid.

Yes. First get admitted to Maricopa Community Colleges and enrolled in your chosen college. We cannot receive your FAFSA information if you are not in our system. Second, create your FSA ID, which is used to confirm your identity when you complete your FAFSA. Lastly, gather the documents you will need when you complete your FAFSA to make the process easier. If you’re a dependent student, your parents will also need to create an account. So have your them gather the documents they will need to complete the application.

No, completing the FAFSA is free of charge. However, be aware of certain websites that charge a fee to complete the application for you. Make sure you are on the authentic FAFSA website.

Your dependency status is based on 10 questions found in the FAFSA. If it’s been determined that you are a dependent student, you will be required to provide your parents’ information.

You will need to complete a FAFSA annually for the academic year (which starts with the fall term, includes the spring term, and ends after the summer term). The FAFSA may be completed on or after October 1 for the upcoming school year.