Printer FriendlyFinancial Aid Programs
BOARD OF GOVERNORS WAIVER (BOGW)
Enrollment Fee Waiver
The state funded Board of Governors Waiver provides funds to help low income students pay the enrollment fee. The enrollment fee is $20.00 per unit for all units enrolled. The enrollment fee is subject to change based on California legislation. Students can only receive a BOGW during the academic year in which they apply.
You will be eligible for a BOGW if you are a California resident and ANY ONE of the following applies to your status at the time of enrollment:
- You have already qualified for financial aid such as a Federal Pell Grant or a Cal Grant.
- You or your family are receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), or SSI (Supplemental Security Income), SSP (State Supplemental Program) or General Assistance/General Relief.
- You meet the Department of Veterans Affairs eligibility requirement of "certain disabled veterans or the dependents of certain deceased or disabled veterans". You will have to apply to the Department of Veterans Affairs and obtain a letter of certification in order to be awarded a BOGW by this method.
- You are a dependent of a deceased or disabled veteran of the California National Guard. You must submit a letter of certification by the California National Guard Adjutant General's Office.
| Number in Household | Total Family Income in 2007 |
| (including yourself) | (adjusted gross income) |
| 1 | $15,315 or less |
| 2 | $20,535 or less |
| 3 | $25,755 or less |
| 4 | $30,975 or less |
| 5 | $36,195 or less |
| 6 | $41,415 or less |
| 7 | $46,635 or less |
| 8 | $51,855 or less |
Add $5,220 for each additional dependent.
To determine your eligibility for the Board of Governor's Waiver based on the above income standards, you will be considered an Independent student if:
- You do not live with your parents; and
- You were not claimed as an exemption on any Federal income tax filed by your parents in 2007.
FEDERAL PELL GRANT
(Filing deadline: June 30, 2009)
The Federal Pell Grant Program is the largest Federal grant program and is the foundation of your total aid "package." Eligibility is determined by the federal government using a standard formula for all applicants. Grant amounts may range from $445 to $4,731 per year. A Federal Pell Grant is awarded based on full-time enrollment (12 or more units per semester). If you enroll in less than 12 units, your payment will be adjusted accordingly. If you have a bachelor's degree, you are not eligible for a Pell Grant.
Prior to the beginning of each semester, a portion of your Federal Pell grant will be allocated to an account in the bookstore (maximum $800 for California Residents only). The money in your account may be used to purchase books and supplies. The remainder of your Pell Grant will be disbursed in 2 payments per semester. If you choose not to use the bookstore account, your full grant will be disbursed in two payments per semester.
You may be able to purchase a reduced priced bus pass using your Pell Grant funds. Please call the Financial Aid Office on your campus for more information.
Your enrollment status will be determined each semester after the add/drop period and will be the basis for your Pell payment. Classes that are added after the add/drop period will not be counted for Pell grant payment purposes.
Summer Pell Grant
Eligibility for a Summer Pell Grant for the Summer 2008 is based on the following criteria:
- You have a completed financial aid file for the 2007-2008 school year at Miramar College and you are not disqualified.
- You qualify for a Federal Pell Grant and you have a remaining balance available from your 2007-2008 Pell Grant award and you have met all requirements for regaining eligibility due to financial aid academic disqualification.
- You must enroll in and maintain enrollment in at least one class for the Summer 2008 term at Miramar College. Classes taken at ECC, Mesa and City Colleges will be counted towards your total enrollment as long as you have one class at Miramar College. Classes taken at other colleges outside of our District will not be counted.
- To receive the maximum Summer Pell Grant, you must enroll in all of your summer classes for all summer sessions up front by June 30, 2008.
**You will not qualify for a Summer Pell Grant if you do not enroll in or maintain any classes at Miramar College.**
For the Summer 2008 term, the enrollment status for Financial Aid purposes will be different than the college enrollment status. The enrollment statuses are calculated as follows:
| STATUS | ENROLLMENT |
| Full-time | 9 or more units |
| ¾-time | 7 to 8.5 units |
| ½-time | 5 to 6.5 units |
| Less than ½ | 0.5 to 4.5 units |
Important Reminder: Your actual award amount may fluctuate depending on your EFC, remaining Pell Grant eligibility, summer enrollment status, and program. Changes in your enrollment status will result in a change of your Summer Pell Grant award. There is a 2 - 3 day turnaround time for changes to your Pell award for the summer.
Depending on your eligibility, a portion of your Summer Pell Grant will be available for use at the San Diego Community College District bookstores. The maximum amount that will be available at the bookstore will be $350.
The bookstore account will be available from May 27, 2008 to June 26, 2008. The balance of your Summer Pell Grant will be disbursed by check based on your enrollment status as of June 30, 2008. Checks will be mailed on July 7, 2008.
Classes added after June 30, 2008 will not be counted towards your Summer Pell Grant eligibility. If you drop or withdraw from all of your Summer classes, you may be required to return a portion of funds based on the date you dropped or withdrew from classes. You will be notified by mail if you are required to repay any funds.
FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY GRANT (FSEOG)
(Priority deadline: April 15, 2008)
The Federal SEOG program is designed to assist students with the lowest family contribution by supplementing other financial aid sources. Grant amounts may range from $100 to $600 per year. If you have a bachelor's degree, you are not eligible for FSEOG.
FEDERAL WORK STUDY (FWS)
(Priority deadline: April 15,2008)
FWS gives you the opportunity to earn part of your financial aid by working in an assigned job, either on or off campus. The salary received is at least equal to the current minimum wage, but many FWS jobs pay more than minimum wage. Federal Work Study differs from the other programs in that you are allocated a certain amount of money to earn. As you work on the job, you submit time cards for the hours worked, just as you would at a regular job. Once a month you receive a paycheck for the hours worked. Once you have earned the amount allocated in your Federal Work Study award, your job ends. Federal Work Study awards may range from $1,500 to $5,000 per year.
ACADEMIC COMPETITIVENESS GRANT (ACG)
The Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant is a new program designed to provide additional grant money to students that have completed their state's high school graduation requirements on or after January 1, 2005 and have completed a rigorous high school curriculum as designated by their state. The high school is responsible for certifying completion of the rigorous high school curriculum. The ACG grant is limited to the first two academic years of College. Eligible students must be US Citizens, enrolled in 12 units (full-time), and be receiving Pell Grant funds at the same time. The grant amount may range from $375 - $750 for 1st year students and from $650 - $1,300 for a 2nd year student. Eligibility ends once the student has completed 48 units of college work. If you have a bachelor's degree, you are not eligible for an ACG Grant.
CAL GRANT A
This program, administered by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), helps low and middle income students with tuition/fee costs. You must be a California resident as of March 2, 2008. Grant recipients are selected on the basis of financial need and grade point average (GPA). Cal Grant A funds are not available until you transfer to a four year college. If you enroll at a community college, CSAC will reserve your grant until you transfer. New Cal Grant applicants must have their GPA sent to CSAC by the March 2, 2008 deadline. If you have a bachelor's degree, you are not eligible for a Cal Grant. Community college students have an additional opportunity to apply by having their GPA sent by September 2, 2008 and enrolling at a community college.
CAL GRANT B
This program, administered by the California Student Aid Commission, helps very low income students attend college. You must be a California resident as of March 2, 2008. If you are transferring to a 4-year institution you may be considered for a special Cal Grant B. Grant amounts may be as much as $1551 per year. New Cal Grant applicants must have their GPA sent to CSAC by the March 2, 2008 deadline. If you have a bachelor's degree, you are not eligible for a Cal Grant.
CAL GRANT C
(Filing deadline for new applicants: March 2, 2008)
Cal Grant C is another program administered by the California Student Aid Commission for California residents who are enrolled in a vocational program and are from a low- or middle-income family. You must be a California resident as of March 2, 2008. Grant amounts range up to $576. New Cal Grant applicants must have their GPA sent to CSAC by the March 2, 2008 deadline. If you have a bachelor's degree, you are not eligible for a Cal Grant.
CHAFEE GRANT PROGRAM
The Chafee Grant is a federal program that is administered by the California Student Aid Commission to provide financial assistance to prior Foster Youth. The applicant must be certified by the State Department of Social Services of their Foster Youth status until age 16. The grant has no citizenship requirement; however, non-citizens without a valid Social Security Number must call the CSAC for additional steps and information. The program awards a maximum of $5,000 per academic year. Renewal applicants must maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the school.
EXTENDED OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS & SERVICES (EOPS)
The state funded EOPS program is designed for the recruitment and retention of low-income, educationally challenged students who otherwise may not be able to attend college. A student is required to enroll in and complete at least 12 units a semester. EOPS may also provide many supportive services to eligible students such as: grants, book assistance, individual counseling and educational planning, tutorial assistance, financial aid application assistance, transfer assistance to four year colleges, personal growth and academic success workshops, ASB services, and emergency loans. EOPS eligibility requirements and services are explained in more detail on page 19.
WILLIAM D. FORD FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN (SUBSIDIZED)
The Federal Direct Loan is a federal loan program where you borrow directly from the Federal Government.
At a community college you may borrow up to $3,500 as a 1st year student and $4,500 as a 2nd year student. You cannot borrow more than a total of $23,000 as an undergraduate student. The interest rate for new loans is a fixed rate which is currently 6.0 % for loans disbursed from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. New Federal regulations require schools to disburse loans only after the signed Promissory Note has been accepted. You are required to pay loan fees that are currently 2%. The fees are deducted from the proceeds of your loan.
To qualify, a student must be enrolled in at least six units and must demonstrate financial need through the federal methodology using the FAFSA Application. To apply for a Federal Direct Loan, students must complete a mandatory loan entrance counseling session. The counseling session is required even if a student has attended a Stafford Loan workshop in the past. If a student has attended a Direct Loan workshop at San Diego City, or Miramar Colleges in the past, it will not be necessary to conduct another entrance counseling session. You may complete the entrance counseling session on-line at www.dlssonline.com. The Financial Aid Office will be notified when the session has successfully been completed. In addition, you must fill out a Loan Request form from your Financial Aid Office.
You may also be required to submit an Educational Plan and be enrolled at the campus of your declared major. Please ask your Financial Aid Office for more information. The actual loan amount for which you are eligible will be determined by the Financial Aid Office. Remember, you must have financial need to qualify, and you must repay the loan. Checks will be disbursed twice per loan period. If you are a first-time student or borrower, your check will not be disbursed until at least 30 days after the start of the semester.
WILLIAM D.FORD FEDERAL DIRECT LOAN (UNSUBSIDIZED)
The San Diego Community College District does not participate in the Unsubsidized Loan Program.
PLUS LOAN
If you are a dependent undergraduate student, your parents may borrow from the PLUS loan program. The amount borrowed may be up to the Cost of Education (page 8) minus any financial aid. Checks will be co-payable to the parent and the institution. Parents must begin repayment within 60 days of receiving the loan. The interest rate is a variable rate determined on June 1 for the following award year. You must meet all other financial aid eligibility requirements. (Please refer to page 3). Your parents must file a FAFSA application to be considered for a Plus loan.
EXIT LOAN COUNSELING
Federal regulations require that if you cease to be enrolled in at least 6 units with the San Diego Community College District you must attend a loan counseling session. It is your responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Office if you drop below 6 units during the semester. At the time of the counseling session you will be given information about your loan obligations and repayment options. You may complete the exit counseling session online at www.dlssonline.com.
DIRECT LOAN REPAYMENT OPTIONS
There are several different ways to repay a Federal Direct Loan.
- Standard repayment plan has a fixed monthly repayment amount for a fixed period of time, usually 10 years.
- All extended repayment plan has a lower fixed monthly payment amount, and loan repayment can be extended from 12 to 30 years depending on the amount borrowed.
- Graduated repayment plan usually begins with lower monthly payments; then payment amounts increase at specified times. Payments may be for the usual 12-year period, or they may be extended up to 30 years depending on the amount borrowed.
- Income-contingent repayment plan sets annual repayment amount based on the borrower's income after leaving school. The loan is repaid over an extended period of time, not to exceed 25 years. Any amounts not repaid after 25 years will be discharged but the amount discharged must be reported on your tax return.
If you have previously borrowed under the FFELP and your school now participates in Direct Loans, you may have a combination of FFELP and Direct Loans. When your loans enter repayment, FFELP and Direct Loans can be consolidated into either a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan or a FFELP Consolidation Loan.
