Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

How do I receive my financial aid?

Check the status of your application on the Forsyth Tech student portal regularly;

Send verification form (if required) and supporting documents as soon as possible, and

Register for required number of credit hours each term.

Enrollment Intensity Chart

What is enrollment intensity?

Enrollment Intensity is the percentage of full-time enrollment at which a student is enrolled, rounded to the nearest whole percent. For example, if full-time enrollment is 12 credit hours and the student is enrolled in 7 hours, the enrollment intensity would be 7 ÷ 12 × 100% = 58%.

This is used to determine disbursement eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant and the NC Next Scholarship. The Next NC Scholarship requires a minimum of 6 credit hours to disburse any portion.

Financial aid is paid only for classes that you attend. If you are taking courses that begin after the first official day of the semester (a course that starts mid-term, for example), payment for that coursework will be reflected at a later date after that course actually begins and your attendance has been confirmed. For more details on payment dates, feel free to contact the Office of Student Financial Services.

If your financial aid award is not enough to cover your tuition in full, you will receive a bill during the semester for the remaining amount.

Are there any courses that I cannot receive financial aid for?

The following courses are not counted toward enrollment status when determining financial aid eligibility:

• BSP Courses
• Economic Workforce and Development (continuing education)
• Audit courses or courses classified as Special Credit
• More than 30 hours of developmental or refresher course work
• Passed courses repeated more than once
• Courses registered for after the census date of the term
• Courses outside of the curriculum graduation requirements

Please contact Michael Glontz if you have questions about financial assistance for economic and workforce development courses at 336-757-3701 or via email by clicking here.

What if I am taking courses at another school?

If you cross enroll with another institution, you must complete a consortium agreement form and submit appropriate documentation before your aid will be paid. If serving as the visitor school, Forsyth Tech will review how many credits the student is taking at each school to determine whether to enter into an agreement. When serving as the home school, the student must be enrolled at Forsyth Tech at least half-time (at least 6 credit hours), and the coursework taken at the visitor school must be acceptable for the student’s Forsyth Tech graduation requirements. Students wishing to study abroad may inquire with the Office of Student Financial Services to determine whether a course would qualify.

What if I stop attending or withdraw from any of the courses that I am taking?

You must attend your class(es) to be eligible for aid. Students who stop attending all courses and/or officially withdraw from all courses and are receiving federal financial aid or state grants are only eligible for the portion of financial aid that corresponds to the amount of time they attended as prescribed by federal and state regulations. You may have to repay some of the funds that you received any time you stop attending or withdraw from a course before completing the course.

What if I need to purchase books?

Total Aid Funds Scheduled to be Paid

Less Tuition and Fees charges for the Term

= Eligible amount available for charging books

If your financial aid is enough to cover tuition and textbooks, you may begin charging required textbooks and supplies several days prior to the first day of class.  (See Important Dates for more information)

Take a photo ID and a copy of your class schedule to the bookstore for assistance with bookstore charges or order textbooks online by following instructions on their webpage.

How is a “credit balance” amount determined?

Total Aid Funds Scheduled to be Paid

Less tuition, Fees, Books, charges for the Term

= Credit Balance

If the total aid funds are less than the amount owed, you are responsible for paying the difference.

If any financial aid funds remain after those charges are paid, the remaining credit balance is disbursed to you through BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution, powered by BMTX, Inc.

 Where does my credit balance go?

When it comes to receiving financial aid refunds and other credit balances, Forsyth Tech delivers your refund with BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution powered by BMTX, Inc.

More information on BankMobile Disbursements or visit this link: http://bankmobiledisbursements.com/refundchoices/

It is your responsibility to select a refund preference with BankMobile Disbursements.

It is your responsibility to maintain your address and phone number, and bank account information via the BankMobile Disbursements website.

If your do not receive your funds, contact The BankMobile Disbursements Team or the Cashier’s Office

When will I receive my funds?

Class attendance is checked before disbursement; see important dates for more information.

Loans are disbursed in one installment for each term and require confirmation of attendance of at least 6 credit hours at the time of each disbursement.

Funds from the Federal Direct Student Loan Program will be released after they have been received from the lender and your eligibility has been verified.

New Freshmen Loan borrowers cannot receive their first disbursement until AFTER the 30th day of the first term enrolled.

Funds from scholarships and other programs cannot be paid until the funds have been received from the sponsor.

What if my aid has not arrived by the tuition payment deadline?

If your application for financial aid is still being processed and you have submitted all the requested items, you will receive an automatic deferment of tuition payment.  If you are offered loans, you must accept the loans and complete the MPN, and entrance counseling requirements for your file to be considered complete.

What if I need emergency financial assistance or assistance with childcare?

Forsyth Tech Cares is a comprehensive approach for connecting students, staff and faculty to the resources and support services they need. They will be able to provide critical support by answering questions, connecting them to emergency financial assistance, and making sure they are doing okay mentally and emotionally.

For more information, visit Forsyth Tech Cares.

How do I retain my eligibility?

Complete the FAFSA each year as soon as it becomes available for the next year.

Each aid program has its own renewal criteria.

Federal regulations require that students receiving financial assistance must maintain satisfactory academic progress. The guidelines can be found at this link:  Satisfactory Academic Progress.

For other programs, check with the awarding organization.

What if I need to work?

• Complete the FAFSA and a Federal Work Study (FWS) application;
• Awarded based on financial need;
• Forsyth Tech is given limited funds but all efforts are made to place interested students;
• Student works on campus (or in off campus community service job) while in school;
• Funds are paid monthly based on hours worked.

What is a Federal Direct Student Loan?

This a loan offered by the US Department of Education.  It is included in most award packages.  In addition to accepting the loan, you must also complete a Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling before you can receive the loan.  You must begin repaying your loans once you graduate or reduce your enrollment to less than 6 credit hours per term.

• Interest rate is determined each spring
• Each loan has a fixed interest rate for the life of the loan.

Subsidized Loan

• Government pays the interest on this loan until you enter repayment.
• Maximum: $3,500 for Freshmen, $4,500 for Sophomores
• Awarded based on financial need

Unsubsidized Loan

• Student must pay all interest. This starts as soon as you receive the funds;
• Combined Maximum (Subsidized & Unsubsidized):
  • Dependent: $5,500 for Freshmen, $6,500 for Sophomores
  • Independent: $9,500 for Freshmen, $10,500 for Sophomores
• Not need based;
• May use to offset student aid index contribution (SAI).

What is a Parent Loan?

Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) is a loan program for parents offered by the US Department of Education.

• Yearly loan limit for parents is students cost of attendance less estimated financial aid
• Loan proceeds sent to school in at least two payments
  • Interest rate is determined each spring.
  • Each loan has a fixed interest rate for the life of the loan.
• Parents must begin repayment 60 days after the final disbursement for the loan

What are my obligations as a loan recipient?

You must repay your loan(s) with all accrued interest and deducted fees;

Your loan(s) must be repaid within 10 years after you stop attending school.

You must notify your lender (or current holder) in writing if you:

• Change your name, address, or phone number
• transfer to another school
• drop to less than half-time or withdraw
• change your graduation date

You must attend an exit interview before you leave Forsyth Tech;

You must repay your loan(s) even if you do not complete your education, you are not satisfied with your education or cannot find employment.

Can I postpone repayment of my loan(s)?

Postponements are known as deferments;

They may be applied for at any time during your grace or repayment period,

contact your lender or the USF financial aid office for a listing of current deferment options;

Forbearance is used when you are willing to repay your loan but are financially unable to due so.

The lender may allow you to temporarily stop making payments, extend your payment period, or allow you to make smaller than scheduled payments.

For additional information, click here.

What happens if I don’t repay my loan(s)?

If you fail to pay your loan you will be considered in default and the following could result:

• Your default will be reported to a National Credit Bureau
• Your entire loan (including interest) may become immediately due and payable
• Your Federal and State income tax refunds may be withheld
• Your wages may be garnished
• You will be ineligible to receive any additional Federal or State aid
• You will deprive others from having funds available to borrow
• You will get calls from bill collectors.

Forsyth Tech Refund Policy

To request a tuition fee refund, you must officially withdraw from a class by submitting a Course Drop Request (for degree seeking or special credit programs) or Request for Refund form (if registered for a continuing education course).   Refunds are generally mailed at the end of each month.

• A 100 percent refund may be given if the student officially withdraws prior to the first day of a specific course. If Forsyth Tech cancels a course, any portion of tuition that the student paid for the canceled course will be refunded in full.
• A 75 percent refund may be given if the student officially withdraws from the course(s) prior to, or on, the official census date of the course. Please visit Course Schedules – Forsyth Tech and search for your specific course to find the census date.
• Dropping on or after the first day of class will result in a 25% tuition refund penalty.
• No refunds will be given to students who drop a section, after the census date of the section.

Please Note: If a course contains the pre-fix of SEF, the above refund policy does not apply.  You may receive a full tuition fee refund by officially withdrawing from the course one working day (24 hours) before the first class meets. Also, Continuing Education courses that are online, follow a Course Drop Date instead of the Census Date.

Additional Information regarding this policy:

• Student activity fees, Malpractice Insurance and CAPS fees will be refunded when courses are canceled, and students are not registered in any other course. If you drop all classes before the beginning of the semester the activity fee will automatically refund.
• Students passing proficiency exams for courses they have registered and paid for are not eligible for tuition refunds.
• Tuition refunds are not transferable to other individuals.
• Late tuition refund requests will not be considered.
• Tuition cannot be held from one semester to a future semester.
• Where a student, having paid the required tuition for a semester, dies during that semester (prior to or on the last day of examinations of the college the student was attending), all tuition and fees for that semester may be refunded to the estate of the deceased.

Military Tuition Refund.  Upon request of the student, each college shall:

Grant a full refund of tuition and fees to military reserve and National Guard personnel called to active duty or active-duty personnel who have received temporary or permanent reassignments as a result of military operations then taking place outside the state of North Carolina that make it impossible for them to complete their course requirements.

The college refund policy is established by state legislative action and therefore, is subject to change without prior notice to students.

Detailed NC Community Colleges refund policy can be found on https://www.nccommunitycolleges.edu/search/content/refund

It is very important that you ask questions, examine your schedule carefully, and please TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for your schedule!

• Check campus location where your classes are offered- be sure it is where you want to be.
• If you schedule classes on more than one campus– make sure you have time between classes to travel between campuses.
• If you need to DROP and ADD during the schedule adjustment period, you must do so in one registration session. That is the only way, your new class, and your old class (if the number of credit hours is the same) will not result in you owing the additional money.
• Please make sure to ask questions and carefully examine your schedule. Failing to assume responsibility for your schedule could result in unwanted financial penalties.

Important Notes:

Do not sign up for more classes than wanted with the intent to drop some after attending the first day of class.