Applying for Aid

The process of documenting the information you provided on the FAFSA is called "verification." If your application is selected for verification and you do not provide the documents requested on time, you will not receive federal student aid, and you might not receive aid from other nonfederal sources.

• You may have been selected randomly by the Department of Education
• The submitted FAFSA application has incomplete data
• The data on the FAFSA application appears to contradict itself
• The FAFSA application has estimated information (i.e. tax information entered before filing with IRS).

Being selected for Verification does not mean that you have done anything wrong. This is a process that is required by the Department of Education in order to receive Title IV funds.

Your Student Aid Report (SAR), sent by the Department of Education after your FAFSA has been processed will let you know if you have been selected for Verification. This information will also appear on the "Tasks" and "To Do List" section of your BCTC student self service account.

To view a copy of your SAR, login to your FAFSA.

Verification worksheets are available in your student self service account. Verification worksheets can only be completed online.  In your student self-service account click on the "Task" tile and choose the "Verification Worksheet-21" to begin completing the verification process.

Students can electronically sign and submit verification worksheets. If you are required to complete other forms or submit tax information you may do so by uploading directly to your student portal or by one of the following:

• USPS mail:
  Office of Student Financial Aid
  500 Newtown Pike
  Lexington, KY 40508

• In Person (Newtown Campus):
  500 Newtown Pike, The Den

• Email: bluegrass-financialaid@kctcs.edu

• Fax: (859) 246-4698

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool imports your tax information into your FAFSA. This is the fastest way to complete your Verification of tax information.  If you are not eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, you must submit a copy of your Tax Return Transcript (For the 2020-2021 FAFSA the 2018 Tax Return Transcript is needed).

There are several situations in which you will not be given the option to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. These include:

• The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is not available for use yet. (Typically, the IRS Data Retrieval Tool becomes available for use in early February.)
• You indicated that you will file or are not going to file a federal income tax return. (You will be given the option to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool only if you indicate that you have already completed your federal income tax return.)
• You are not eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
• You do not have a valid Social Security Number.

You can request a Federal Tax Transcript online from the IRS or by calling 1-800-908-9946. You will need your social security number, date of birth, EXACT Street Address as used on the tax return and your Postal Zip Code. Please note that depending on the time of year, tax transcripts can take up to eight weeks to process.

A missing information letter is sent to students who have turned in paperwork but information is still needed to complete the verification process. You should read the documents carefully and submit the requested information immediately.

After all required documents are submitted, the Financial Aid Office will compare them to your FAFSA. Any conflicting information, or "discrepancy", must be corrected to complete your file. A counselor will make changes, or "corrections", to your FAFSA information and send it back to the Department of Education for re-processing.

Verification processing time is unique with each student. During peak times the process may take several weeks. To expedite the process, you should read and complete your forms carefully and submit all requested documents in a timely manner.

Students do not have to be admitted to BCTC in order to file the FAFSA. However, a financial offer will not be made until you have been fully admitted into a degree-seeking program. Students applying for aid for the spring and summer semester must be registered for classes in order to be awarded financial aid.

Online application process: Go to FSA ID  where student and parent each apply for a FSA ID. Then go to FAFSA, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and sign it electronically using your PIN numbers.

You are able to charge books at the Cooper and Leestown Campus Bookstores, or at Barnes & Noble College. Book charges are available for a limited time. Contact the Financial Aid for book charge periods. In order to charge books you...

• Must be registered at least half-time
• Be receiving enough Financial Aid to cover the bill plus the cost of the books
• Our office must have a Financial Aid Bookstore Release (FAB) form on file for you

Generally, students must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours for undergraduate and graduate students) in required course work to receive most types of aid including Stafford Loans. However, a student may receive a Pell Grant for less than half-time enrollment. Summer enrollment requirements can vary.

Full time enrollment (12 credit hours) is required to receive the full Pell Grant award. Students with a semester course load of 1-11 credit hours may be eligible for a prorated portion of their Pell Grant.

The amount of aid you are eligible to receive is determined by the information reported by your family on the FAFSA. The US Department of Education use a formula to determine each student's EFC (estimated family contribution). The EFC is the amount of money the government has determined that a family can contribute to the student's educational costs. The EFC determines grant and loan eligibility.

After the BCTC Financial Aid Office has processed the file an email with be sent to your KCTCS email account. The e-mail will explain your rights and responsibilities, how to view, accept, or decline awards. The e-mail also includes with instructions on how to complete your Electronic Master Promissory Note (if you choose to process a loan). Award information is also available at https://students.kctcs.edu/.

Refunds are coordinated through the Bursar's Office and are generally sent weekly. KCTCS delivers your refund with BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution, powered by BMTX, Inc. Visit this link for more information: https://bankmobiledisbursements.com/refundchoicessso/.

The following information is from the Department of Education's publication 'The Student Guide'.

You must be one of the following to receive federal student aid:

• U.S. citizen
• U.S. national (includes natives of American Samoa or Swain's Island)
• U.S. permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551, Or I-551C (Alien Registration Receipt Card)

If you're not in one of these categories, you must be an eligible noncitizen and you must have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) showing one of the following designations:

• Refugee
• Asylum Granted
• Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Status Pending
• Conditional Entrant (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980)
• Parolee (You must be paroled into the United States for at least one year, and you must be able to provide evidence from the USCIS that you are in the United States for other than a temporary purpose and intend to become a citizen or permanent resident.)
• If you have only a Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence (I-282 or I-464), you aren't eligible for federal student aid. If you're in the United States on certain visas, including an F1 or F2 student visa, or a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, you're not eligible for federal student aid.
• Also, persons with G series visas (pertaining to international organizations) are not eligible. For more information about other types of visas that are not acceptable, check with your school's financial aid office.
• Citizens and eligible noncitizens may receive loans from the FFEL Program at participating foreign schools. Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau are eligible only for Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, or Federal Work-Study. These applicants should check with their schools financial aid offices for more information.

Aid does not transfer. You must confirm that BCTC's school code (005244) is on your FAFSA so that we can determine your financial aid eligibility. You will not have to fill out a second FAFSA. Once you have completed your application with the Office of Admissions, we will review your FAFSA. If any additional information is needed we will notify you as soon as possible. To update your FAFSA with BCTC's school code: 005244.

Approximately 30 percent of the student population that applies for student aid is randomly selected for the verification process. It is the federal government's way of making sure students are correctly reporting their information on the FAFSA. Please see "Step 4: Verification" above for instructions and further information of completing the verification process.

When you file the FAFSA, you can sign the form by using your FSA ID or by printing off the signature page and mailing it to the address listed on the printed page. If you (or your parents, if you are a dependent student) failed to sign the FAFSA, you can go back to the FAFSA website and sign the form electronically.

Yes. The application is free and some sources of aid (unsubsidized Direct Loan and Parent PLUS loans) are available regardless of need.

The student may contact our office to request an additional unsubsidized Direct Loan, ($4,000 per academic year for freshman/sophomores.)

Grant Programs: Grants are a form of "gift aid" and typically do not have to be repaid. Grants offered at BCTC are federal and state funded.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) is based on financial need. Funds are limited to Kentucky residents.

Loan Programs: Loans are a form of "self help" aid and must repaid. Loan programs offered at BCTC are federally funded.

Federal Direct Loan is both need based and non need based (Subsidized and Unsubsidized). Repayment of the loan begins six months after you stop attending school at least half-time.

Maximum annual Subsidized limit:

• $3,500 Freshman
• $4,500 Sophomore

Dependent students may borrow an additional $2,000 in an unsubsidized loan. Independent students may borrow an additional $6,000 in an unsubsidized loan.

Federal PLUS Loan is a non need based loan borrowed by the parent on behalf of the student. The yearly loan limit is equal to the cost of attendance less any other financial aid. Repayment generally begins 60 days after the final disbursement for the loan period. Parents may apply for Government Student Loans.

Federal Work Study Program is based on financial need. Students work on the BCTC campus in various areas. Students receive a bi-weekly paycheck. Federal Work Student is a great source for networking and training.

005244

For the need-based subsidized Direct Loan, the federal government pays the interest while you are enrolled at least half-time (six semester hours). However, for the non-need based Unsubsidized Direct Loan, interest does accrue while the student is enrolled and must be paid by the student upon graduation or ceasing enrollment of half time status. Both types of Direct loans have an interest rate that is capped at 8.25%. Repayment begins six months after you graduate or you cease to be enrolled at least half-time (six semester hours).

Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES): Kentucky high school students have a great opportunity to make their education pay with the KEES program. It is administered by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA). Students who make good grades (C+ and above) in high school can earn a scholarship to a Kentucky college. Eligible students will receive official notification of the amount of their award from KHEAA.

KEES are usually received in late September for the fall and mid-February for the spring term. Until disbursement this scholarship is considered anticipated aid towards your bill.

The Financial Aid Office generally disburses aid once a week (usually over the weekend) to your student account. This process will begin after the Financial Aid Census date for each semester. Check your student account in PeopleSoft to see if your financial aid has posted. Disbursed financial aid that is more than your tuition/fees charges and any allowable bookstore charges is considered a refund.