FINANCIAL PLANNING

The cost of a college education is one of the major financial concerns of the American family. While few people doubt the ultimate value of this investment, many students seeking higher education find it difficult to meet their educational expenses within a concentrated period of time.
SUNY JCC students can begin their college careers with the benefit of the New York State Excelsior Scholarship for full-time study and the Part-Time Student Scholarship for tuition expenses.
College costs are not limited to tuition alone, and students attending JCC may participate in a full range of federal,state, and institutional grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study programs. Students must be accepted and matriculated by the JCC admissions office and meet academic requirements to receive awarded funds.
Eligibility criteria and application deadlines vary for individual sources of financial aid. Details are available at https://www.sunyjcc.edu/admissions/financial-aid. Students can contact the financial aid office in person or by telephone for general questions and assistance, in addition to scheduling personal appointments for special circumstances.

Applying for Financial Aid

Students initiate the application process for all financial aid programs by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov/. The FAFSA application should be filed after October 1 of each year for the following academic year. Due to limited funds for some programs, students who apply for aid by January 1 will receive priority consideration for federal campus-based and institutional aid programs. Late applicants are eligible for federal Pell grants, loans, and some state and miscellaneous scholarship programs.
After filing the FAFSA, New York state and Pennsylvania resident students should complete online applications for state grants and scholarships from their respective state agencies at hesc.ny.gov and pheaa.org. New York state residents anticipating part-time status should download the Aid for Part-time Study (APTS) application from the financial aid web page and submit it to the college prior to the start of each semester.
Students interested in institutional scholarships and grants should complete the JCC general scholarship application and/or the individual scholarship applications at sunyjcc.edu/financialaid.

Awarding and Disbursement of Aid

Federal and state grants and institutional scholarships are awarded on an annual basis, and are disbursed to the student’s account each semester when the student’s financial aid file is complete, the eligibility verification process is finalized, and attendance is confirmed.
Student loans are issued in at least two disbursements to JCC’s business office, and are available to eligible students within the first two weeks of classes each semester. Federal regulations require the exception that first time freshman borrowers wait until 30 days after the first day of classes to receive their first loan disbursement.
Credit for aid that registered students are approved to receive is temporarily applied to their student accounts approximately six weeks before classes begin. After attendance in class is confirmed, aid funds are forwarded to the college on the student’s behalf and applied to his account. The JCC business office issues refunds for excess aid by either direct deposit for those enrolled with Student Choice Refunds. Students not enrolled will receive a paper check via U.S. mail within 14 days of receipt of funds

Grants

The Federal Pell Grant is available to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need, according to federal formulas.
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is for students of academic promise in great financial need, according to federal formulas, and who are Pell grant recipients.
Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants are for students whose parent or guardian died as a result of military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after the events of 9/11. If you were under the age of 24 or were enrolled in college at least part-time when your parent or guardian died, you may receive an award up to the maximum annual Pell grant. This grant does not have to be repaid and is pro-rated for enrollment in less than 12 credits/semester.
The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is available to New York state resident students who enroll full-time (12 hours or more) and demonstrate financial need, according to New York state formulas. Students who were first-time freshmen in the 2006-07 academic year or thereafter, have earned 12 credits or more in each of the two prior consecutive semesters, and have maintained a minimum of a “C” average may be eligible for a reduced Part-time TAP award if enrolled in 6-11 credit hours.
Aid for Part-Time Study (APTS) is for New York state resident students who enroll part-time (less than 11 credit hours) and demonstrate financial need, according to state formulas. Applications are available in the financial aid office and at sunyjcc.edu/financialaid.

The PEP Grant is a financial aid award program for high school students enrolled at JCC through the early admission, or Pre-College Enrollment programs. Applications and program details are available in the financial aid and admissions offices.
Pennsylvania students attending JCC’s Warren Center and Jamestown Campus who are enrolled in an associate’s degree program may qualify for a Pennsylvania State Grant from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. Students must meet financial, academic, and residency requirements to qualify for the award. Students can apply for the grant by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid by May 1 each year.
Veterans’ Educational Assistance programs are available to partand full-time students who are eligible armed forces veterans honorably discharged according to Veterans Administration guidelines. The application process should be initiated at www.gibill.va.gov.
Students with disabilities may be eligible for assistance through the New York State Adult Career and Continuing Education ServicesVocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR) program. Learn more about the program at www.acces.nysed.gov/vr/.
State Aid To Native Americans is available to members of native American families located on reservations within New York state. Applications can be obtained by contacting the higher education representative on one’s reservation.

Loans

Students interested in federal loans start the application by filing the annual Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Federal subsidized and unsubsidized Direct Loans are available to students enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours and who are in good academic standing.
Federal Direct PLUS Loans are available to the parents of partand full-time students whose financial expenses cannot be met by other funding sources.
Limited short-term emergency loans are designed for partand full-time students who have filed for financial aid and can demonstrate proof of aid eligibility beyond tuition and fees expenses. Students must have valid emergency needs which cannot be met by any other source.

Scholarships

The JCC Unified Student Assistance (USA) Scholarship for top students in JCC’s service area is the best known of the college’s institutional scholarships.
The New York State Excelsior Scholarship for full-time study pays for qualifying students’ resident tuition not met by other federal, state or institutional grants and scholarships.
Application processes and renewal criteria for these and over 70 other scholarships can be viewed at www.sunyjcc.edu/financialaid.

Self-Help (Employment Opportunities)

The student assistant program is an on-campus employment program for matriculated students enrolled in at least six credit hours who have requested consideration for the program and meet the work schedule requirements.
The Federal Work Study (FWS) program is available to matriculated students enrolled in at least six credit hours who have been offered eligibility due to financial need according to a federal formula. Students who have submitted a FAFSA will be contacted if they are eligible to participate in this employment program.

Effect of Withdrawal from College on Federal Student Aid

Students who withdraw from all classes prior to the end of the semester may not be entitled to 100% of the aid they have been awarded. Financial aid is granted on the premise that the student will be enrolled for the entire semester. Students who withdraw from the college may be required to repay a proportionate amount of their federal financial aid. The amount students may be required to repay is based on the time in the semester that they withdraw. Earlier withdrawals will result in larger repayments than those filed later in the semester. Federal regulations require that students who receive Title IV funds (Pell or SEOG grants or student loans) must complete 60% of the semester or session in order to maintain eligibility for their entire grant or loan for that period. Repayment of unearned Title IV funds must be made to the federal programs in the following order: Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans, Subsidized Federal Direct Loans, Federal Direct PLUS Loans received on behalf of the student, Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG Program Aid.
Students are encouraged to consult with the financial aid office if they intend to stop attending classes. Instructions for withdrawal are described under the Academic Information section. Failture to complete the withdrawl process may delay refund of tuition due, pursuant to Section 5002 of the Education Law.

Maintaining Eligibility for Financial Aid

Students receiving federal and/or state financial aid must meet certain academic standards to maintain eligibility to receive aid. These standards are outlined briefly in the charts below. A detailed explanation of these standards is available at www.sunyjcc.edu/financialaid. Students with questions concerning academic eligibility to receive financial aid are encouraged to contact the financial aid office.
Federal and state satisfactory academic progress standards are subject to change based on any new regulations issued by government agencies. Please read “Satisfactory Academic Progress” in the Academic Information section for details on interpreting the charts.

Tuition and Fees Payment Policy

Student bills for tuition and fees should be paid no later than the due dates published each semester in the master schedule. Students are expected to pay their bills in full, or make alternate arrangements as follows, according to semester due dates.
Student bills may be paid by debit/credit (MasterCard/Visa/ Discover/AMEX) card in Banner. The college business office only accepts cash, check payments, and money orders.
JCC also offers an online payment option for student tuition and fees through Nelnet Business Solutions which allows payment in full or in installments with authorized ACH transactions from a bank account, debit card, and most major credit cards. Contact the JCC business office for additional information regarding the online payment process. Students whose bills will be paid by third party agencies or employers must submit payment or written confirmation from the agency/employer to the college business office by the semester due date.
Students expecting grants, loans, or scholarships to pay their bills must apply for those funds. Upon completion of the financial aid disbursement process by the college, eligible students will have their aid credited to their student bills. Students who have not completed the financial aid process as of the semester due date are expected to make a downpayment on their bills and sign a promissory note with the business office. Students expecting financial aid assume the responsibility for payment of their accounts in the event they do not receive sufficient aid to pay the entire amount of their bills.
Students with delinquent accounts may be denied the privilege of registering for additional credit and non-credit courses and the release of grades and/or transcripts. Also, students who do not make satisfactory payment arrangements will be subject to collection efforts that may include the use of a collection agency.
JCC reserves the right to charge the student for any agency or attorney fees necessary for the collection of any amount not paid in accordance with the college’s payment procedures.

VA Pending Payment Compliance

In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e), this school adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA. Jamestown Community College will not:

• Prevent nor delay the student’s enrollment;

• Assess a late penalty fee to the student;

• Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding;

• Deny the student access to any resources available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution, including but not limited to access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities.

However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:

• Produce the Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class;

• Provide written request to be certified;

• Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies.

Tuition and Fees Refund Policy

Reduction of student tuition and fee charges for class registration and refunds of payments are determined by the date official withdrawal forms are completed by the student and received by the registrar’s office.

Fall and Spring Semesters
Students withdrawing from college or who reduce their credit load to part-time status are entitled to a reduction of tuition and fee charges and refund of payment as outlined for the fall and spring semester 15-week class schedule. Charges for courses with alternate schedules in the fall and spring sessions will be pro-rated accordingly. Students who withdraw from any or all classes shall be liable for payment of tuition and are eligible for refunds according to the following schedule:

*Students participating in drop/add procedures during the first week of classes are not assessed charges for dropped classes required for course scheduling changes.

Summer Sessions

Students withdrawing from summer courses are entitled to a reduction of tuition and fee charges and refund of payment as outlined for the six-week class schedule. Charges for courses with alternate schedules in the summer will be pro-rated accordingly.

*Students participating in drop/add procedures during the first two days of the summer sessions are not assessed charges for dropped classes required for course scheduling changes.
Examples of how refunds are calculated are available upon request from the business office.
For all instructional periods, amounts reduced for students who received Title IV assistance for the period of enrollment will be returned and allocated in the following order to:

1. Federal Direct Loans (unsubsidized, subsidized)

2. Federal Direct PLUS Loans

3. Federal PELL Grants

4. Federal SEOG Program Aid

5. Required refunds of other federal, state, private, or institutional assistance

6. The student

Students may be responsible for unpaid charges after refunds have been returned to the financial aid award programs.
Students receiving federal Title IV assistance and state aid may have their awards reduced if they withdraw from JCC or stop attending classes prior to the scheduled end of any semester. As a result, JCC will return funds to the appropriate programs as listed above, and students may be responsible for repayment of some or all of their awards. Students are advised to file their course withdrawals promptly and to consult with the financial aid and business offices if they intend to stop attending classes. Explanation and examples of refund calculations for all semesters are available upon request from the business office.
Exceptions to the college’s refund policy are considered under extenuating circumstances. Students may appeal a refund calculation by completing the online appeal form for further reduction of tuition and fees with supporting documentation to JCC’s business office.

Certificate of Residence

For tuition purposes, New York residency means that the student has lived in the state as a permanent resident for the immediate 12 months prior to the start of a semester. Students who have not lived in New York state for 12 consecutive months are assessed non-resident status.

The residence for the period of time students have served active military duty is deemed to be their permanent address prior to enlistment. Those students currently serving active military duty and attending classes are considered New York state residents.
New York State Education Law 6305 requires JCC to have a current certificate of residence on record for each student account every academic year. Students who have lived in New York for at least one year are required to submit certificate of residence documentation at the following times:
Students who pre-register earlier than 60 days prior to the start of classes are mailed an affidavit for a certificate of residence with instructions. Students registering for classes within 60 days of the start of classes are asked to complete an affidavit upon registration. All students are required to complete the certification process as follows:

• Students living in Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Allegany counties must complete the top portion of the form and return the notarized affidavit to JCC’s business office. JCC will complete the certification process with these counties by mail.

• Students living in other counties in New York state must complete their specific counties affidavit and present it with proof of residency to their county treasurer’s office. The county treasurer will issue a fully completed certificate of residence which should be forwarded to the JCC business office.

Faculty Student Association Fees

All students attending classes on campus pay a Faculty Student Association fee. The fee amount is based on the total number of credit hours for which each part-time student is registered. The fee is a flat amount if the student is enrolled in twelve or more credit hours (full-time).These fees are used to finance a variety of non-academic activities and services, including cultural events; intercollegiate sports; speakers; noontime programs; exhibitions; access to the Total Fitness program on the Jamestown Campus, the Olean YMCA-JCC facilities through the Cattaraugus County Campus, and fitness center access at the North County Center; music and theatre programs; recreation and intramural programs; and student club and student government activities. The funds are administered by an employeestudent board of directors.
A student identification card is issued to each on-campus student and entitles the holder to free or reduced admission to all sports, cultural, and entertainment events supported by FSA fees.