- General Eligibility
- Applying for Financial Aid
- Rights & Responsibilities
- Financial Aid Eligibility
- Academic Competitiveness Grant
- Institutional Aid Eligibility
- Miscellaneous
- Montgomery G.I. Bill Benefits
- Satisfactory Progress Requirements
- Probation/Suspension
- Withdrawals and Return of Title IV Aid
- Wyoming National Guard Educational Assistance Plan
The following information is subject to change at anytime, without notice, due to changes in Federal, State, Veterans Administration Regulations or Institutional Policies. Please visit ewc.wy.edu for the most up to date information.
All student financial aid at Eastern Wyoming College is administered by the Director of Financial Aid. Among the available programs are:
Federal |
Institutional |
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State |
Military |
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The college is approved for attendance by those who are eligible for educational benefits provided by the Veteran's Administration. Veterans wishing to use their education benefits must contact the EWC Financial Aid Office. Information is also available on the EWC website: http://ewc.wy.edu/services/finaid/veteran.cfm
General Eligibility Requirements for Federal Aid
To be eligible to receive federal student aid, a student must:
- meet certain requirements. Students must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or eligible ;non-citizen
- Have a valid Social Security number (unless you're from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau)
- Comply with Selective Service registration, if required (see www.sss.gov for more information)
- Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) Certificate or pass an approved ability-to-benefit (ATB) test
- Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program at a school that participates in the federal student aid programs
- You must not owe a refund on a federal grant or be in default on a federal student loan
- You must have financial need (except for Unsubsidized Stafford Loans)
- You must not have certain drug convictions
- be making satisfactory academic progress
Academic Competitiveness Grant
To be eligible for an ACG each academic year, a student must:
- Be a U.S. citizen;
- Be Federal Pell Grant eligible;
- Be enrolled full-time in a degree program;
- Be enrolled in the first or second academic year of his or her program of study at a two-year or four-year degree-granting institution;
- Have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study (after January 1, 2006, if a first-year student, and after January 1, 2005, if a second year student);
- If a first-year student, not have been previously enrolled in an undergraduate program; and
- If a second-year student, have at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale for the first academic year.
First-year undergraduate students will be eligible to receive up to $750. Second-year undergraduate students will be eligible to receive up to $1,300.
Applying for Financial Aid
Whether applying for Federal or Institutional Aid, all students must:
- Complete an EWC Application for Admission
- Submit official high school and college transcripts (sent to Admissions) If you are a high school senior, an official sixth, seventh, or final transcript is required for institutional scholarship consideration.
Applying for Federal Aid
Individuals who plan to apply for federal aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Applications take four to six weeks for complete processing when processed through the mail or two to four weeks via the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The paper FAFSA may be obtained from EWC or from high school counselors. (The FAFSA is also available in Spanish).
It is advisable to submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1 prior to the academic year in which you are planning to attend.
The Financial Aid Office will review the FAFSA results which the Financial Aid Office receives directly from the federal processor. They will follow federal regulations in determining eligibility and awarding grants. Your assistance in forwarding all information requested of you by the Financial Aid Office in a timely manner will enable them to give you priority consideration for Financial Aid. Students will be advised in writing concerning eligibility for federal aid. (If your financial situation or your family’s financial situation has recently changed for the worse because of death, separation or divorce, or loss of job or benefits, you should contact the Financial Aid Office.)
Applying for Institutional Aid
Individuals who wish to apply for institutional aid (specifically scholarships and activity grants) must meet all deadlines and requirements, including satisfactory academic progress as defined in the Satisfactory Academic Policies for Financial Aid.
Institutional Grants and Scholarships have a deadline of March 15 for priority consideration for students enrolling in college for the first time. However, early, qualified applicants may be considered for scholarships at any time. Applications received after the deadline will be considered on a "first-come, first-served" basis. Continuing and transfer students may apply for scholarships by requesting the continuing student scholarship application from the Financial Aid Office after April 1. Deadline to apply is the last day of spring semester, usually mid-May.
Note: As some scholarships are need-based, students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA.
The Eastern Wyoming College Scholarship Committee will determine scholarship awards. You will you be notified only if you have been awarded a scholarship.
Division Scholarships and Activity Grants will be awarded by division chairs and activity sponsors within the respective departments. Again, you will only be notified if you are selected.
Student Employment
Students must meet the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policies for Financial Aid to receive and maintain federal and institutional work study eligibility.
Federal Work Study will be awarded on a “first-come, first served” basis to eligible students.
leap/fseog
Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) will be awarded to students who are Pell recipients with the greatest need, i.e. students with the lowest “family and student contributions” as reflected on their needs analysis.
SPECIAL NOTE:
If you are transferring to EWC between the fall and spring semesters, please be aware that financial aid does not "automatically" transfer from one school to another. You should contact the EWC Financial Aid Office as soon as you have made the decision to transfer, so we can assist you with the transfer process.
Rights & Responsibilities of Students Receiving Financial Aid Under Federal Programs
Criteria Used for Selecting Recipients of Campus-based Aid from Group of Eligible Applications
Federal Work Study will be awarded on a "first- come, first- served" basis to eligible students.
Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) will be awarded to students who are Pell recipients with the greatest need, i.e. students with the lowest "family and student contributions" as reflected on their needs analysis.
Method of Payment of Aid
Students receiving sany type of financial assistance (federal or nstitutional will have their student accounts credited for one-half of the award at the beginning of each semester for which they are eligible unless otherwise specified by the donor. Grant and scholarship funds from all sources credit first to tuition and fees, unless the specific aid is targeted to other educational costs (i.e. housing). Generally, financial aid funds will be credited to a student's account p.m.based on the number of credit hours in which the student is enrolled on the last day of the Late Rregistration.
After the first day of the semester, credit balances are paid within 14 days after the credit balance occurs. Please be aware that your financial aid award could change based on credit hour load.
Students unsure of whether their change in credit hours will affect their financial aid should check with the Financial Aid Office prior to dropping classes. Federal Work Study/Institutional Employment payments are paid directly to the student after each month of employment.
Financial Aid Eligibility
The Education Amendments of 1987 require that to be eligible for aid a student must be making "satisfactory progress" in his/her course of study. In order to satisfy this requirement and prevent abuse of the intentions of the federal aid programs, the following guidelines for satisfactory progress must be adhered to by students who receive any type of Title IV federal aid (Pell, ACG, FSEOG, FWS, LEAP, Stafford, PLUS). (See Satisfactory Progress RAcademic Policies for Financial Aid requirements further in this section).
Enrollment Status
With the exception of Pell Grants, a student must enroll for six (6) or more credit hours per semester to receive federal financial assistance. Any student enrolling for less than this minimum will be ineligible to receive federal financial assistance.
Length of Federal Eligibility
Due to limited campus-based funds (Federal Work Study, Institutional Employment, Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants), students who have already received a degree from Eastern Wyoming College or another institution shall generally be eligible for Federal Pell Grants or Federal Student Loans only. In some instances, exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Director of Financial Aid.
A student who has attended EWC for more than six semesters will no longer be eligible for institutional aid, with the exception of jobs on campus; however, satisfactory academic progress policies for Financial Aid apply
Institutional Aid Eligibility
Activity Grants
Activity Grants are available to high school graduates with some special ability in men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, golf, rodeo, or livestock judging, and pep/concert band. Peer Counselor Activity Grants are also available for adults who work with other adult students.
First-time students who do not have a high school diploma but who have special ability as determined by the activity sponsor may also qualify for activity grants.
Division Scholarships
Division Scholarships are available to first-time students who meet the requirements as determined by the EWC Financial Aid Policy Committee. EWC students or transferring students meet the Satisfactory Academic Policies for Financial Aid to be eligible for Division Scholarships. Students receiving Division Scholarships must be majoring in one of the majors within the respective Division.
INSTITUTIONAL and FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS
Eastern Wyoming College provides a large number of scholarships for students. Students are encouraged to visit ewc.wy.edu to view the list of scholarships, requirements and application process.
Miscellaneous
Transfer Students
Students who transfer to EWC from other post-secondary institutions shall be eligible for federal aid in accordance with established EWC guidelines. Hours transferred from any prior institution(s) will be counted toward the maximum number of hours permissible for receiving federal aid at EWC. Prior student loan accumulation may affect a student's overall loan eligibility at EWC.
Change of Majors
Credit hours accumulated under a previous major(s) at EWC or other postsecondary institutions shall be counted in the maximum number of hours allowed for aid eligibility for the currently sought degree or certificate. Extension of Financial Aid eligibility may be made by the EWC Financial Aid Committee if the student petitions the Financial Aid Committee regarding a change in major.
Satisfactory Progress Requirements Probation/Suspension
Pursuant to Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 668.16, one of the basic institutional administrative requirements is to determine a student’s eligibility for Title IV aid based on reasonable standards for measuring whether students are maintaining satisfactory academic progress in the completion of their educational programs.
Federal Aid Programs
All students receiving Title IV financial aid monies (Pell Grant, Academic Competitiveness Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Leveraging Educational Assistance Program (LEAP), Federal Work-Study Program, and Stafford/PLUS Loans) must meet the following academic standards:
- To be eligible for federally funded financial aid programs, and Institutional Awards at Eastern Wyoming College, all students must initially and continually meet the following qualitative and quantitative requirements for satisfactory academic progress (SAP). The Federal Aid Programs include Federal Pell Grants, ACG, FSEOG, LEAP, Federal Work-Study, and Federal Stafford and PLUS loans. The Institutional Aid Programs include scholarships, activity grants, and institutional work-study.
- Qualitative Measure
Students must have a minimum 2.00 cumulative college Grade Point Average (GPA) to be eligible and to remain eligible for federal financial aid at EWC. GPA requirements for Institutional Awards vary. Please refer to your scholarship award letter for more information. Specific details regarding the Wyoming State Hathaway Scholarship Program, the Academic Competitiveness Grant, and certain donor funded scholarships are available in the EWC Financial Aid Office.
Quantitative Measure
Satisfactory Academic Progress will be reviewed and determined before aid is initially awarded, then at the end of each spring semester during the student’s program of study with the exception of one-year certificate programs or certain donor funded scholarships. The certificate programs and certain donor funds will be checked each semester.
In calculating the quantitative measure, all credit hours attempted will be considered. These include, but are not limited to, courses passed, courses from which the student withdrew, repeated courses, transfer courses, and remedial/developmental coursework. If a student has already received a degree or certificate, only those courses that apply to their new program will be considered in the quantitative measure.
EWC Financial Aid recipients must earn/pass at least 75% of the credit hours attempted during each award year with the exception of Institutional Awards. For Institutional Awards, students must successfully complete a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester. (Exceptions: EWC Part-Time Activity Grants and Institutional Work-Study.)
Transfer and re-entry students must have earned 75% of all credit hours attempted during their last term of college enrollment, even if they did not receive financial aid previously. If their cumulative college GPA is below 2.0 or they have completed less than the 75% of all credit hours attempted, students may be awarded aid on a probationary status. (If we have not received official transcripts, transfer students will automatically be placed on probation.
| Hours Attempted | Must Earn (semester) |
|---|---|
| 12 or more 9 – 11 6 – 8 1 – 5 |
9 – for Federal Financial Aid 7 5 all hrs attempted |
Students may receive financial aid if they have attempted below 150% of the credit hours required to complete their programs. To determine the maximum allowable credit hours for a specific program of study, please refer to the following chart:
- Credit Completion
-
Program Type Total Credit Hours Required Maximum Attempted Hours Allowed for Aid Eligibility AA
AS
AAS
CertificateBetween 64 and 80
Between 64 and 72
Between 62 and 94
31 to 3496 to 120
96 to 108
93 to 141
46.5 to 51Credit hours attempted includes all credit hours pursued, earned, dropped, and failed from all institutions attended. All of these credit hours are counted as attempted even if the student revokedid not receive aid. If a student has already requested an extension to the 150% hour limit, the student is ineligible to request an additional extension for the additional program.
A maximum of 30 credit hours of developmental/remedial courses will be used to determine enrollment status for financial aid. After a student has attempted 30 hours of developmental/remedial credit hours, the student cannot receive financial aid for developmental/remedial credit hours. From that point forward, developmental/remedial credit hours will count in the student’s attempted hours but not in enrollment status or cost of attendance for financial aid purposes.
Financial Aid Probation/Suspension
It is the student’s responsibility to request that the Financial Aid Office re-evaluate their academic record to determine if financial aid eligibility has been re-established. Should the student choose to �sit out� or attend another school for a period of time, the student is still subject to meeting the conditions listed below for the semester in which the student re-enrolls at EWC:
- If a student is deemed ineligible for financial aid due to less than a 2.00 cumulative GPA, the student will be ineligible until the cumulative GPA reaches 2.00.
- If a financial aid recipient is deemed ineligible due to not earning 75% of the credit hours attempted for the increment, the student must complete the following procedures: (a)earn the deficient number of credit hours at EWC at their own expense and maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA. The student must submit a request in writing by completing the appeal formalso not have attempted the maximum credit hour limit for their particular program of study.
Financial Aid Appeals
If a student feels there are mitigating circumstances, the student may appeal the adverse determination that the student has not met the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements due to the 2.00 cumulative GPA requirement or 75% passing rate. Mitigating circumstances may include such examples as personal injury, death of a family member, illness, etc. Documentation such as doctor�s note, hospital records, etc. should be provided. Students are allowed a maximum of two financial aid appeals at EWC. Students will no longer be eligible for financial aid at EWC after two appeals. All appeals must be submitted on the Financial Aid Appeals form, available in the Financial Aid Officeor on the EWC website (ewc.wy.edu), and should include complete and appropriate supporting documentation. Properly submitted appeals will be considered by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee.
Incomplete appeals will not be considered.
If the student’s appeal is approved, SAP will be reviewed at the end of each semester. He/she must earn 75% of all hours attempted for the semester AND maintain a 2.00 for the semester. Once the student’s cumulative GPA reaches 2.00, and/or the student earns 75% of all hours attempted per semester, SAP will be reviewed at the increments stated in the EWC SAP Policy.
If the student’s appeal is denied, he/she may NOT receive federal financial aid until he/she has earned the deficient number of hours and/or a 2.00 cumulative GPA at THE STUDENT’S OWN EXPENSE. He/she may NOT appeal again to gain approval. The appeal committee decision is final.
Extension to 150% Credit Hour Limit: If a student feels there are mitigating circumstances as to why the student should be allowed to exceed to the 150% hour limit, the student may appeal to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. Students may request this extension only one time at EWC. Students must meet all Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements in order to request the extension to the 150% credit hour limit. They may NOT have been granted a financial aid appeal and request the extension.
All requests must be submitted on the Extension Request form, available in the Financial Aid Office or on the EWC website (ewc.wy.edu) and must include complete and appropriate supporting documentation. Properly submitted requests will be considered by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. Incomplete requests will not be considered.
*These policies are subject to revision at any time, without notice, due to changes in Federal Regulations or Institutional Policies.Policies*
Withdrawals and Return of Title IV Aid
According to federal regulations, colleges must determine the amount of federal student financial assistance (SFA) a student earns if he or she completely withdraws, either officially or unofficially, from all classes. The date of a student's withdrawal from EWC will generally be the date of the student's notification to the Office of the Dean of the student's intent to withdraw. However, the College may use an earlier last documented date of attendance at an academically related activity if this date more accurately reflects the student’s withdrawal date than the date the student begins the school’s withdrawal process or notified the school of his or her intent to withdraw. When a student fails to officially withdraw from EWC, the withdrawal date will be assumed to be the mid point of the semester or the last date of documented activity.
The amount of assistance that the student earned is determined on a pro-rata basis. That is, if the student completed 30 percent of the payment period, the student earned 30 percent of the assistance he/she was originally scheduled to receive. Once the student has completed more than 61 percent of the payment period, he/she is considered to have earned 100% of his/her federal assistance.
Any loan funds that the student must return, the student (or the parent for a PLUS Loan) must repay in accordance with the terms of the promissory note. If the student is responsible for returning grant funds, the student must make arrangements with EWC or the Department of Education to return the funds. Any amount that the student has to return is considered a grant overpayment.
Written examples of return of funds calculations are available in the Student Financial Assistance Office upon request.
Wyoming National Guard Educational Assistance Plan
Subject to available state funds, all current members of the Wyoming Army or Air National Guard are eligible to have full in-state tuition and fees paid. Contact the Veterans Affairs Officer located in the Testing Center.
