2011-2012 Award Acknowledgement Information

The information below is intended to inform students who have been awarded financial aid for the 2011-2012 academic year.

Dear Bluegrass Student

You have submitted the 2011-2012 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) listing Bluegrass Community & Technical College (BCTC) as a school of choice. Our office has been able to calculate your financial aid eligibility for the 2011 fall and/or 2012 spring semester(s) based on the information you provided. Please take a few moments to thoroughly review this information regarding your Financial Aid at BCTC. If you have decided not to attend BCTC, please send us a letter that includes your name, student ID#, date and signature stating that decision.

If you drop a class before that session begins, your financial aid will be adjusted accordingly. Dropping below half-time may result in cancellation of some aid awards. It is strongly recommended that if you drop classes with the intention to add others, that you drop and add classes on the same day. If you have been awarded the Pell Grant, it cannot be increased if you add a class after the Financial Aid census date. You will be responsible for repaying any funds you are not eligible to receive as a result of a change with enrolled hours or in your financial aid data.
Our office will be using your campus email address to communicate with you. Please frequently check your KCTCS email account for important notices. Please be advised that any paper mail communication will be sent to your address on file in our PeopleSoft processing system. Review your address information to make sure it is accurate.
Financial Aid is an annual process. Please re-apply by completing the new year FAFSA after January 1st of each year.

Rights and Responsibilities

The following is information that you, as an applicant for Federal Title IV Financial Aid, should read and understand.

The Financial Aid Office reserves the right on behalf of BCTC and the criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education to review, change and cancel an award at any time because of changes in financial and/or academic status.
Commitment of financial aid is tentative and contingent upon receipt of funds from the loan, grant, and/or scholarship program from which aid is awarded.
If a student completely withdraws from school during the semester, a portion of the total amount of federal Title IV aid disbursed to him/her must be returned to the financial aid programs. The portion that must be returned is based on the percentage of time the student remains enrolled in school. Refunds from BCTC due to a student’s withdrawal from the college become the property of the loan, grant and/or scholarship program from which aid was awarded.
You must reapply each year for financial aid to determine your eligibility for financial assistance.
All required documents must be received before the last day of the term for which you are enrolled before you can receive any federal funds.
If you receive more funds than you are eligible, you may have to repay or cancel certain funds.
The Financial Aid Office cannot guarantee the arrival or disbursement of funds. You should come to school prepared to pay initial expenses such as books, parking, housing, food, etc…

Viewing / accepting / declining your aid: Please visit the KCTCS PeopleSoft Self-Service online system to view and accept or decline your awards. You may access PeopleSoft Self-Service at https://students.kctcs.edu. Once completed, your financial aid award will be automatically updated.

How to Access Student-Self Service

Go to https://students.kctcs.edu
Select “LOGIN HERE” under the KCTCS logo in the upper left corner
Enter your User ID and Password
Your User ID is the same as your KCTCS e-mail username (example: jsmith0004) and your KCTCS e-mail password
Select “Self Service”, “Student Center”, “Finances”, then “Accept/Decline Financial Aid”
Read the Aid Year Description and then select an Aid Year. (2011-2012 for Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Summer 2012)

To accept an offered award such as a Loan, you must check "Accept" and then click "Submit". If you want to accept less than what you are offered, you can adjust the amount after you have checked "Accept". Once you are finished making adjustments, you can click "Submit" to finalize these changes.

You must accept your Fall/Spring or Fall only awards aid by Friday, November 18, 2011. You must accept your Spring only awards by Friday, April 20, 2012. Aid that has not been accepted by the above date(s) may be canceled. Canceled aid cannot be re-processed after this date.

Consumer Information:

As calculated by the BCTC Financial Aid Office your financial aid package may consist of Federal/State Grants, Federal Student Loans, Scholarships and/or Federal Work Study. All aid was determined by the information you provided on your FAFSA. Information about the aid programs as well as academic requirements for eligibility can be found online at www.kctcs.edu/student/financialaidscholarships. Additional student consumer information and Students Right to Know information can be found online at www.bluegrass.kctcs.edu/SDEM.aspx

Loan Processing:

BCTC participates in the Federal Direct Loan program. If you have never borrowed a student loan at BCTC and accept a Federal Direct Loan, you will also need to complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling.

Loan funds cannot be disbursed until both have been completed. BCTC will receive notification once successfully completed. Both processes may be completed online at https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/ .

Federal Work-Study:

Federal Work Study provides you an opportunity to work and earn money to help with your educational expenses. If you have accepted Federal Work Study additional information will be mailed to your address in PeopleSoft. If you choose to decline this award visit the KCTCS PeopleSoft Self-Service online system to view or decline your awards. You may access PeopleSoft Self-Service at https://students.kctcs.edu.

Book Charges:

Because aid disbursement cannot occur until approximately 3-4 weeks into the semester, the BCTC Bookstore will allow students to purchase books and supplies on credit, if you have enough “anticipated” aid awarded to your Financial Aid and Student Billing accounts for the semester.

You must have more anticipated aid than the cost of tuition and fees for the term.
You must sign a Financial Aid Release authorizing BCTC to release the amount of anticipated aid to the BCTC Bookstore. [One time only- can be rescinded] If you already have a release on file, you do not have to complete another one.
The amount you charge at the bookstore is placed on your student account as a bookstore charge.

Not all students are eligible to charge books; you should come prepared to pay for books and supplies using resources other than financial aid.

Aid Disbursement:

The Financial Aid Office disburses aid generally once a week usually over the weekend to your student account. The disbursement process will begin after the Financial Aid Census date for each semester. The disbursement date represents the earliest date funds can be applied to your account in Student Billing. The Financial Aid Office cannot guarantee the arrival date or disbursement date of funds.

Please check your student account in PeopleSoft to see if your financial aid has posted.
Disbursed financial aid that is more than your tuition/fee charges and any allowable bookstore charges is considered excess funds. Excess funds are refunded through Higher One. Information regarding your Higher One account can be found online at www.higherone.com or by contacting Student Billing at (859) 246-6270. The refund process is coordinated through Student Billing and refunds are generally sent weekly.

Student Support Services:

Are you a first-year college student?
Unsure about what it takes to be successful?
Do you need assistance in improving your study skills or test taking skills?

Student Support Services can help. The program’s mission is to help students improve their academic skills. SSS provides a comprehensive range of services that can help you be successful. It is designed to help students stay in school until they graduate and/or transfer to a four-year institution. This program is serving students at the Danville and Lexington campuses. For more information call (859) 246-6884 (Danville) or (859) 246-6778 (Lexington).

SAP:

In order to continue eligibility for Federal and State aid, you are expected to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward graduation. Federal and State Financial Aid funds will not be disbursed until you have successfully been evaluated for SAP. Failure to meet SAP will result in your aid being canceled for the 2011-2012 academic year. If your program plan is undecided and you have attempted more than 30 credit hours, in order to receive Federal Financial Aid, you must choose an approved program plan or major. Contact the Records Office to update your program plan or major. Additional information regarding SAP is available at the Financial Aid Office or can be found online at the KCTC website http://www.kctcs.edu/Students, click on Cost and Financial Aid.

R2T4:

A student who totally withdraws, ceases to attend classes or receives all failing grades (E, F, W, or Z) will be subject to the Return to Title IV policy. Federal Aid will be returned based on last date of attendance. A student whose attendance is documented by the instructor past the 60% mark of the semester will not be subject to the Return to Title IV Policy. Additional information regarding R2T4 is available at the Financial Aid Office or can be found online at the KCTC website http://www.kctcs.edu/student/financialaidscholarships/index.htm.

Please contact the BCTC Financial Aid Office at (859) 246-6200 if you have any questions about your awards or the aid process. Have a great semester.

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