Registering and Paying for Courses

Registration

Once the admissions process is complete, students are eligible to register for classes during the registration times listed on SPCC’s website, www.spcc.edu. New students are strongly encouraged to meet with Academic Advising staff for assistance with program advising and registration. Advising Centers are available at the L. L. Polk campus, the Old Charlotte Highway campus, and the Tyson Family Center for Technology location. Academic Advising is also available virtually to all students. Virtual sessions can be conducted via phone, email, or Teams. Virtual inquiries or appointments can start here: https://spcc.edu/student-resources/advising/register/distance-advising/. All students will register through their online Self Service Portal by visiting selfservice.spcc.edu.

Access to course registration may be restricted if a financial or academic hold has been placed on a student’s record. Some classes require special permission to register. Students are responsible for paying for all scheduled classes by the published due date.

Office 365 Accounts

South Piedmont Community College provides students with an email account through Office 365. This account will be the primary tool for instructors and staff to communicate with students regarding important announcements and official College business. Therefore, the Office 365 account should be accessed regularly so important information and/or dates are not missed. Office 365 accounts are the property of SPCC and may be accessed to verify disputed information.

Office 365 is accessible through this link: https://portal.office.com. Instructions for accessing an Office 365 account will be emailed to the student at the email address listed on the admission application. If that email is not received within 72 business hours after applying, email admissions@spcc.edu.

Schedule Changes

Schedule changes are permitted before the beginning of the term, and through the drop/add date of the term. Dropping or adding courses within the allowable drop/add period will not cause a grading penalty. If courses are dropped within the drop period after the course begins, a 25% course fee is incurred as outlined in the College’s Refund Policy. Courses are allowable to be dropped up to the posted Census Date (10% point). The Census Date for each course is located within the course Syllabus. Students are encouraged to speak with an Academic Advisor regarding course drops and adds. These changes will be made by the student through their online Self Service Portal by visiting selfservice.spcc.edu.

NOTE: If a course has a prerequisite or a corequisite, students are required to meet those course requirements. All prerequisites must have been satisfactorily completed before registering for the course. When dropping a course with a corequisite, both the corequisite and the course requiring the corequisite must be dropped. Refunds are processed according to the State Board of Community Colleges Code 1E SBCCC 900.1.

Tuition And Fees

Tuition for in-state and out-of-state residents is set by the North Carolina General Assembly and is subject to change by the North Carolina General Assembly without notice. Fees are set by the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges, and/or the South Piedmont Community College Board of Trustees and are subject to change without notice.

In-state tuition is $76.00 per credit hour plus fees up to 16 semester credit hours. Out-of-state tuition applies to any student determined to be out-of-state by the Residency Determination Service (RDS) process. Out-of-state tuition is $268.00 per credit hour plus fees up to 16 semester credit hours. The table below reflects the maximum per semester tuition and fees. This amount will vary based on the unique schedule each student creates every semester.

Residency Classification for Tuition Purposes

All students, except Career and College Promise students, must complete the Residency Determination Service (RDS) as part of the admission application. A brief interview will be completed to determine the student’s residency status for tuition purposes. Interview answers will also determine if the student may qualify for any exceptions or waivers for residency purposes. Upon completion of the Initial Consideration, students will be provided a residency certification number (RCN). This number is a unique identifier to that student and the number will never change. The student’s residency classification will be attached to that RCN. Determinations expire after 15 months which may require updates if the student is not continuously enrolled.

A student’s residency information will be verified after RDS is completed, which can take up to seven business days. Students should be proactive in completing the RDS process early and make certain the RCN is included on their application. Failure to complete the RDS process could cause registration delays, payment delays and incorrect tuition charges. If a student appeals their initial classification and receives confirmation that their status has changed, the Admissions Office must be notified immediately by completing the Residency Status Update Request in Student Forms.

SPCC will continue to work with students who have business sponsorships, or are using military benefits or other allowable exceptions. All other residency determinations are made by RDS and not by SPCC.

Most students will only be required to complete the Initial Consideration process. The Reconsideration and Appeal processes are for those students who experience a change in residency (Reconsideration) or who have not had a change in status and believe their residency classification is incorrect (Appeal).

All students, parents, faculty, staff, and constituents of the North Carolina Community College System should refer to the Residency website at www.ncresidency.org for complete details regarding the North Carolina Residency Determination Service processes and required residency guidelines.

Lab Fees

A per semester lab fee is charged for certain courses with lab hours. The fee amount is contingent on supplies consumed and may vary by course.

Special Fees

Additional fees may be charged for some programs (e.g. equipment fees, liability insurance, etc.). SPCC does not charge a fee associated with verification of the identity of online students. Should the need arise, students will be notified of any fees associated with identity verification at the time of registration through standard venues for curriculum fee notifications.

Textbooks

SPCC uses BibliU to access textbooks and resources for most courses. Course textbooks and resources will appear in the Canvas course on the first day of class and can be found via the Textbook/Materials link in Canvas. Students may also access their materials via the BibliU tile embedded in the SPCC Navigate App. The cost of BibliU is reflected on the student registration statement as “digital course materials” and is charged per resource. This fee is covered by Financial Aid for eligible students. The fee per course may vary by semester. 

BibliU provides access to textbooks, OER (Open Educational Resources), and many courseware resources allowing students to search across all books and resources, annotate as you read, provide feedback for instructors to help them support student learning, and a low cost per resource fee for materials.

Payment of Tuition and Fees

After registering, students can make payments for tuition and fees by credit card through their online Self Service Portal by visiting selfservice.spcc.edu, or by phone by contacting SPCC’s Business Office at 704-272-5355, 704-272-5354, or 704-290-5849. Additionally, payments by check that include driver’s license and phone number may be mailed to SPCC, Attn: Business Office, PO Box 126, Polkton, NC 28135, or a payment plan may be set up with Nelnet Payment Solutions through the online Self Service Portal by visiting selfservice.spcc.edu. Returned checks incur a fee of $25. SPCC accepts credit card payment by phone from the cardholder only.

If payment is not received by the payment due date, then the class(es) will be dropped from the student’s schedule. If this happens, the student would be allowed to register for the class again pending availability and would be required to pay in full for the class(es) at the time of registration.

If a student has made payment by the ten percent point but has an unpaid balance on their student account, the student will receive a bill from SPCC’s Business Office. A first notice is sent, and then a final notice. If the matter is still not resolved within 30 days of the final notice, the account is reported to a collection agency for further collection proceedings. The North Carolina and South Carolina Department of Revenues are also notified of the debt. If it becomes necessary for SPCC to refer an unpaid balance to a collection agency, the student will be expected to pay all fees associated with the collection in addition to the unpaid balance.

Senior Citizen Auditing Provision

Individuals at least 65 years of age or older are eligible to audit courses. The individual must provide a government-issued document with a date of birth as proof of age to the Admissions Office. The student will have tuition waived, but is responsible for paying for any local fees, books or course supplies. The student must complete the admission process and meet any course requisites prior to registration. If the student enrolls in a self-supporting course, this provision does not apply and the student is responsible for tuition. The student should complete the Course Audit Request form located in Student Forms. A grade of “SR” will be assigned but will not count towards credential completion.

Tuition and Fees Paid by Outside Agencies (Third Party Sponsorship)

If student tuition and fees are to be paid by an agency outside the college, students are responsible for ensuring that the College has received proper written authorization from the outside agency. Students may be dropped from classes for non-payment of tuition and fees if an authorization statement from the agency has not been received by the payment due date. Any invoice submitted to an agency will be payable upon receipt. If a sponsoring agency does not pay the required fees, the student will be responsible for all obligated tuition and fees.

Refund Policy

Refunds are processed under the North Carolina Community College System refund policy.

• SPCC will refund 100% of the tuition paid if the College cancels a class or if the student drops class(es) before the first day of the semester.
• SPCC will refund 75% of the tuition paid if class(es) are dropped between the first day of the semester and the 10% point of the course section. If classes are dropped by the 10% point, the student is responsible for paying 25% of the tuition. NOTE: Financial aid may not pay the 25%.
• Tuition refunds will not be granted if a student withdraws after the 10% point of the course section.

Refunds will not be made in the amount of $5 or less.

Short Term and Non-credit Refund Policy

Registration fee refunds are not issued except under the following conditions:

• If a student officially withdraws from a course prior to the first scheduled class meeting, a 100% refund is issued.
• A 75% refund of registration fees is granted if a student officially withdraws between the first day of the course and the 10% point of the scheduled hours of the class section. This applies to all course sections except those that begin and end on the same day. Refunds are not issued after the start of a section that begins and ends on the same calendar day.
• A 100% refund will be issued for a class which is canceled because of insufficient enrollment.

Military Tuition Refund

Upon request by the student with appropriate documentation, the College will grant a full refund of tuition and fees to military affiliated students called to active duty or active duty personnel who have received temporary or permanent reassignments as a result of military operations taking place outside the state of North Carolina that make it impossible for that student to complete their course requirements during the current semester or term.

Death of Student Refund

In the event of a student’s death during a semester or term, all tuition and fees the student paid that semester or term may be refunded to the estate of the deceased.

Financial Aid

To apply for financial aid, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Any of the following methods may be chosen to file a FAFSA: (1) Log in to https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa and apply online (strongly recommended); (2) Complete a PDF FAFSA obtained online or in our office, which must be mailed in for processing; or (3) Request a paper FAFSA by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or 334-523-2691. Hearing impaired students may contact the TTY line at 1-800-730-8913.

Students should always list South Piedmont Community College’s school code (007985) on the FAFSA to ensure that the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs receives their application.

Information entered into the FAFSA is reviewed according to federal guidelines. This ensures that all applicants are treated fairly and equitably. Income, assets, family size, and marital status are used to determine financial need. Once a student’s eligibility for financial aid has been determined, an award letter will be available for viewing or printing in the student’s Self Service account. Financial aid covers the cost of tuition, fees, and books (not to exceed the eligible amount). Each semester, any remaining financial aid balance will be sent to a student’s current mailing address as listed with the SPCC Registrar’s Office unless the student is enrolled in direct deposit, which is strongly recommended.

NOTE: Students who withdraw or stop attending before the 60% point of the semester have not earned their awards and will be required to repay unearned financial aid funding. Additionally, students receiving North Carolina state aid who withdraw or stop attending classes on or before the 35% point of the term will have their aid prorated.

The FAFSA is available beginning October 1 of each year for the upcoming academic year.  Note that the 2024-2025 FAFSA was an exception, with availability coming in December 2023.  An academic year consists of the fall, spring, and summer terms. Each academic year, students must complete or renew the FAFSA. Students are encouraged to apply at least eight (8) weeks prior to registration for the semester they intend to enter college. If eligibility for financial aid has not been determined or a student’s file is not complete before the tuition payment deadline for each semester, the student will be responsible for payment of tuition, fees, and all other applicable charges. Payment deadlines are published in college calendars and generally occur 30 days prior to the start of each semester.

Student Responsibilities

To receive Federal Financial Aid and State assistance, a student must:

• Demonstrate financial need as determined by a completed FAFSA
• Have an official high school diploma or a high school equivalency on file with the College
• Be enrolled in an eligible academic program
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards
• Be a U. S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
• Have a valid Social Security Number
• Not be in default on a federal student loan and no money is owed on a federal student grant as a result of an over-payment

Courses not eligible for federal financial aid include, but are not limited to:

• Special Credit (undeclared major)
• Credit by Examination (test-out)
• Audited courses
• High school programs (Career and College Promise, Early College)
• Certificate programs that are less than 16 credit hours in length
• Non-credit courses/Continuing Education courses

Types of Financial Aid Available

Federal Financial Aid

• Federal Pell Grants are based on financial need as determined by the FAFSA. Pell grants are for college undergraduates who have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree.

• The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant is a grant for students with exceptional financial need. It is awarded on a first-come/first-served basis, so students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA as early as possible. 

• The Federal Work-Study Program provides on-campus jobs for students who meet eligibility requirements and wish to earn part of the cost of attending SPCC. Work-study employment is available on a part-time basis (usually 10-20 hours per week). Students who are interested in a work-study job with the College must complete a FAFSA and indicate a interest in work-study.  Available positions are listed on the College’s student employment page by Human Resources.

North Carolina Financial Aid

• The Next NC Scholarship may be awarded to students who are North Carolina residents enrolled in at least six (6) credit hours per semester in an eligible curriculum program. Eligibility is based a completed FAFSA; students from households with an annual Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $80,000 or less and students with a Student Aid Index (SAI) at or below 7,500 are eligible.
• North Carolina Community College Childcare Assistance provides childcare assistance to students who have custody or joint custody of their children and are enrolled in a minimum of six (6) seated in-class credit hours for the semester. Applicants must be eligible for financial aid through the FAFSA, and be making satisfactory academic progress.
• North Carolina Targeted Assistance Program includes the Less Than Half-Time Funds and High Demand Low Enrollment Funds. The Less Than Half-Time funds provide funding for students who are enrolled less than half-time in certificate, diploma, or associate degree programs. Students must complete the FAFSA and have an SAI between 801 and 4,000 and be enrolled in less than six (6) credit hours. High Demand Low Enrollment funds are awarded to students who enroll in low-enrollment programs of study that prepare the students for high-demand occupations in local communities. High demand programs are selected on an annual basis and funding amounts vary.

• The Golden LEAF Scholarship is designed to assist North Carolina residents at community colleges. Recipients must be from designated NC counties and demonstrate financial need.

• The Short-Term Workforce Development Grant Program is a financial aid program for eligible Workforce Continuing Education students pursuing high-demand, family-sustaining wage credentials identified as N.C. Workforce Credentials at either the Essential or Career level. These credential pathways may consist of a single WCE course or a series of courses. The list of eligible credentials is available at https://nccareers.org/credentials.

• The SECU Bridge to Career Program was designed as a workforce education program to help remove financial barriers for students seeking to obtain state regulated or industry-recognized credentials. Students must be NC residents, enrolled in a short-term training program that leads to a state-regulated or industry recognized credential that is offered through SPCC’s Continuing Education division, not be a director, employee, or family member of an employee of SECU or the SECU foundation.  Students must also be one of the following:

  •  

    Unemployed or underemployed adult

  • A member of the NC National Guard

  • Military Veteran or spouse of a Veteran

  •  

    Under-served population in a specific workforce or area

• Finish Line Grants are grants of up to $1,000 awarded to community college students who are on the cusp of completing their education or training and are faced with an unanticipated financial hardship that may prevent them from doing so. Too often, financial emergencies like unexpected healthcare costs, childcare expenses or car breakdowns prevent students from completing their programs. Finish Line Grants are awarded to students facing these unforeseen challenges. They can be used for course materials, housing, medical needs, dependent care, or other financial hardships that students face through no fault of their own

Scholarships

Scholarships are available from institutional, state and local sources.  SPCC Foundation Scholarships are typically awarded based on donor criteria, financial need, academic performance, and/or time of application. Students applying to receive these scholarships must complete the FAFSA and the SPCC Online Scholarship Application accessible through the Award Spring platform.

Forgivable Education Loans for Service (FELS)

The Forgivable Education Loans for Service Program was established by the North Carolina General Assembly to assist qualified students who are committed to working in North Carolina in designated critical employment shortage professions. The program is designed to be flexible so that it will respond to current as well as future employment shortages in the State. Additional information and updates about the application process are available at www.cfnc.org/FELS.

North Carolina Assist Loan Program

The NC Student Assist Loan is designed for students from or studying in North Carolina who need help bridging the gap between financial aid and their total cost of education. Additional information and updates about the application process are available at https://www.ncassist.org/apply/#. 

Alternative Loans

South Piedmont Community College is not affiliated with and does not maintain a preferred lender agreement with any private loan company or program. The Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs will provide student selected loan companies with certification information in accordance with unmet need and enrollment status as determined by a completed FAFSA application and college registration.

Direct Loans

South Piedmont Community College does not participate in the Federal Direct Loan program. Therefore, students are not currently eligible for subsidized, unsubsidized, or parent PLUS loans under the current Federal Direct Loan programs while attending SPCC.

Payment Plans

SPCC has partnered with NELNET Business Solutions to provide an automatic payment plan for students who wish to self-pay by making scheduled payments for school-related charges. The plan offers online enrollment, flexible payment options, and no interest fees. For more information, contact SPCC’s Business Office at 704-290-5849 or visit the online Self Service Portal at selfservice.spcc.edu. A credit/debit card/checking account and $30 enrollment fee are required for plan activation.

Vocational Rehabilitation

Certain students who have mental, physical, or emotional disabilities that limit employment opportunities may be eligible for financial assistance through local Vocational Rehabilitation offices or the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Department of Human Resources, in Raleigh.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

WIOA funds are intended to provide financial assistance to students who are dislocated workers. Assistance may be provided for tuition, fees, textbooks, supplies, child care, and transportation. WIOA award is based upon eligibility, the availability of funds, as well as student satisfactory progress measures that may be imposed. More information about WIOA can be obtained by contacting Union County Community Action at 704-283-1114 (students up to age 24) or NCWorks Career Center at 704-283-7541 (students over the age of 24).

Financial Aid Enrollment Status

A student’s enrollment status has a direct effect on financial aid that can be awarded. Most state and federal grants are prorated based on the enrollment status. Students who are enrolled in 12 or more credit hours are considered to be full-time students. Students who are enrolled in 9-11 credit hours are three-quarter time, 6-8 credit hours are half-time, and students who enroll in 1-5 credit hours are considered less than half-time. Credit hours can only be counted for financial aid purposes if they apply to an eligible program of study and cannot include more than 30 credit hours of developmental courses. Annual awards cover a 9-month period and are split between two semesters (fall/spring). The number of authorized credit hours each semester is used to calculate the actual authorized semester awards. Awarded financial aid can be viewed in the student’s Self Service account.

Note that effective 2024/2025, Pell awards will be based on enrollment intensity per the below chart:

Satisfactory Academic Progress for Students Receiving Financial Aid

Federal regulations require that students receiving financial aid maintain strict academic (Qualitative) and progress (Quantitative) standards while pursuing their educational goals. Students receiving financial aid should note that the college-wide Probation Policy for academic progress contains the same grade point average (GPA) requirements as the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy; however, the SAP policy for students receiving financial aid is stricter than the college-wide Probation Policy for students enrolled in the same educational program who are not receiving financial aid. The SAP policy is applied to all student categories, i.e., full-time or part-time, who receive financial aid within eligible curriculum degree, diploma, and certificate programs established by the school.

Students receiving financial aid are evaluated at the end of each semester to determine progression. Students must meet the Academic Standard (Qualitative), the Program Completion Standard (Quantitative), and stay within the Maximum Time Frame Standard (Quantitative) to remain in a satisfactory status.

Academic Standard (Qualitative)

Students receiving financial aid must maintain a cumulative 2.0 SAP GPA. SAP GPA includes “all” curriculum classes taken at South Piedmont Community College and any accepted transfer credits, regardless of time frame. Classes with a course grade of “I” (incomplete) or “W” (withdrawal) are included in the SAP GPA calculation, calculated as a grade of “F” and count toward the attempted credit hours. All classes that are repeated count toward the SAP GPA and the attempted/completed credit hours.

If a student’s cumulative SAP GPA falls below 2.0, the student is placed on a financial aid warning status and will be notified by the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs. The student then has a warning period of enrollment, which is the next semester the student is enrolled at SPCC, to achieve the cumulative 2.0 SAP GPA. The student is eligible for financial aid during this warning period of enrollment. If at the end of the warning period a cumulative 2.0 SAP GPA is not achieved, the student is no longer eligible to receive financial aid and will be placed in a financial aid unsatisfactory status. The student may regain financial aid eligibility by reaching a cumulative 2.0 SAP GPA through self-pay or outside resources.

Program Completion Standard (Quantitative)

All students receiving financial aid must complete at least two-thirds or 67 percent of all curriculum hours attempted at South Piedmont Community College including accepted transfer credits, regardless of time frame. The percentage is determined by taking the cumulative total of credit hours completed divided by the cumulative total of hours attempted. For example, a student who has completed 32 hours and attempted 64 hours has a completion rate of 50 percent (32 divided by 64). Attempted but not completed credit hours include: incompletes, withdrawals, repeated classes, and courses with a grade of “F.”

If a student’s percentage rate falls below 67 percent, the student is placed on a warning status and will be notified by the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs. The student then has a warning period of enrollment, which is the next semester the student is enrolled at SPCC, to earn a 67 percent or more completion rate. The student is eligible for financial aid during this warning period of enrollment. If at the end of the warning period a cumulative 67 percent completion rate is not achieved, the student is placed in an unsatisfactory status and is no longer eligible for financial aid. The student may regain financial aid eligibility by reaching a cumulative 67 percent or more completion rate through self-pay or outside resources.

Maximum Time Frame Standard (Quantitative)

All students receiving financial aid must complete their educational program within 150 percent of the published length of that program. Students who exceed the 150 percent maximum time frame are no longer eligible to receive financial aid at SPCC. The Maximum Time Frame Standard includes all curriculum hours attempted and any accepted transfer credits or developmental credit hours, regardless of time frame. The SPCC college catalog provides a course listing for each educational program and the number of credit hours needed to complete the program. The published program lengths do not include developmental education hours that may be required for individual students. For example, the Automotive Systems Technology degree is 66 credit hours in length; therefore, a student receiving financial aid enrolled in that program may attempt, including accepted transfer and developmental education credit hours, up to 99 credit hours (66 credit hours times 150 percent) and remain eligible for financial aid.

Additionally, students who cannot mathematically complete their program of study by the 150 percent maximum time frame will no longer be eligible for financial aid. Example: A student is in a program which allow for a maximum of 99 credit hours and the student has attempted 90 credit hours and needs 4 additional courses which total 16 credit hours to complete the program. Adding the 90 credit hours attempted to the 16 credit hours still required equals 106 credit hours which is more than the 99 credit hours allowed. Mathematically the student could not complete the program prior to the 150 percent maximum time frame and would no longer be eligible for financial aid at South Piedmont Community College.

Appeal Process for Unsatisfactory SAP Status

Students in an unsatisfactory SAP status may appeal their loss of financial aid eligibility. Appeals must be made at least 10 days prior to the start of the semester in which a student wishes to receive financial aid. Financial Aid Reinstatement Appeal forms are available on the College’s website or in the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs. Student statements on the form and attached documentation must include: (1) the circumstances that rendered them unable to meet the standard(s), (2) what has changed to allow the student to meet the standard(s) and (3) the student’s educational goal and plans to meet that goal. The reinstatement appeal form and supporting documentation can be submitted electronically, in person, by mail, by fax, or via email to the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs. The Vice President for Student Affairs or designee will consider reinstatement appeals and the decision will be final. Students will be notified through email of appeal decisions.

Students who have their appeals granted will be placed on probation and will be eligible for financial aid, provided they meet all SAP requirements and complete the SAP Academic Success Plan. The SAP Academic Success Plan requires that students receiving financial aid successfully complete all registered classes and achieve a semester GPA of 2.5 or higher and meet with a counselor to complete an Academic Recovery Plan. Withdrawing from or failing a class does not constitute successful completion. The Academic Recovery Plan is designed to improve the student’s academic focus and promote student success. Students who follow and complete all requirements within the SAP Academic Success Plan will stay on probation in a continued probation status as long as they successfully complete all registered classes and achieve a semester GPA of 2.5 or higher.

Appeal Process for Maximum Time Frame SAP Status

Students in a Maximum Time Frame SAP status may appeal their loss of financial aid eligibility. Financial Aid Reinstatement Appeal forms are available on the College website or in the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs. Student statements on the form and attached documentation must include: (1) the circumstances that rendered them unable to meet the maximum time frame standard, (2) the student’s educational goal and (3) enrollment plans to complete the desired program of study. The reinstatement appeal form and supporting documentation can be submitted in person, by mail, by fax, or via email to the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs. The Vice President for Student Affairs or designee will consider reinstatement appeals and the decision will be final. Students will be notified through email of appeal decisions.

Students who have their appeals granted will be placed on a semester-by-semester probationary status and will be eligible for financial aid in their next semester of enrollment. Students granted a Maximum Time Frame appeal must be able to complete their program within three semesters, as outlined by their Academic Plan.  Students who do not complete their program of study during the next semester of enrollment will be required to submit an updated reinstatement appeal form and be reevaluated to insure they are making appropriate progress toward program completion, have completed all registered classes and achieved a semester GPA of 2.5 or higher. Withdrawing from or failing a class does not constitute successful completion and will result in the loss of financial aid eligibility.

Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility

If a student loses financial aid eligibility by failing to meet the Academic Standard and/or Program Completion Standard and after self-pay or the use of outside resources feels that the standards are met, the student must contact the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs to have their SAP status recalculated. If the standards have been met, the student will regain financial aid eligibility for the semester following the semester in which the standards were met provided all other financial aid requirements have been completed.

Pell Grant Lifetime Eligibility

The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds a student may receive over their lifetime is limited by federal law to be the equivalent of six (6) years of Pell Grant funding. Since the maximum amount of Pell Grant funding a student can receive each year is equal to 100 percent, the six-year equivalent is 600 percent. Students who use all of their annually awarded Pell Grant by being a full-time student (12 hours) in each of two semesters would have used 100 percent. Students who used half of their annual awarded Pell Grant by being a half-time student (6 hours) in each of two semesters would have used 50 percent. Pell Grant usage is tracked by adding together the percentages of Pell Grant funding received each award year. Students who reach the 600 percent level are no longer eligible to receive Pell Grant funding.

Return of Title IV Funds

The Higher Education Amendments of 1998 changed the formula for calculating the amount of financial aid funds that may be retained when a student totally withdraws from all classes. If a student receiving Title IV funds officially withdraws from or stops attending all classes before the 60 percent point of the semester, SPCC will recalculate their eligibility for financial aid based on the percent of the semester completed.

For example, if a student withdraws after having completed only 30 percent of the semester, they will have “earned” only 30 percent of any Title IV funds received. The remaining 70 percent must be returned. The Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs will notify the student through their SPCC email account of the repayment requirements and contact information to determine amounts due.

If the calculation results in an overpayment, the student will owe a balance to the College. In that case, the student should make payment arrangements with the Business Office.

Financial aid recipients still enrolled after the 60 percent point of the semester will have “earned” 100 percent of the federal financial aid awarded.

Additionally, North Carolina state aid recipients who withdraw before or on the 35% point of the term will have their awards prorated per state regulations.

Veterans Benefits

Qualified veterans, spouses, and dependents of deceased veterans may be admitted and approved to receive educational benefits, providing they meet requirements established by the Veterans Administration. To qualify, veterans must:

• Have a high school diploma or high school equivalency
• Be enrolled in a specific curriculum program

Certain other requirements may also apply. All previous college coursework must be received and evaluated by the Registrar. All admission requirements must be met before the enrollment certification can be sent to the Veterans Administration. Distance learning courses must be required courses within the veteran’s major to qualify for educational benefits. Contact the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs for a list of programs or classes that are eligible.

NOTE: Test-outs, independent studies, and course audits are not eligible for VA benefits. Classes of 8-weeks, 12-weeks, or any other schedule deviation from 16-week classes may be subject to a pro-rating of monthly benefits from the VA.

The College is approved for the training of veterans under Public Law 16 of the 78th Congress and under Public Law 550 of the 82nd Congress, and Chapter 34, Title 38, United States Code. For more information, contact the Office of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs at 704-272-5300 or via email to finaid@spcc.edu.

Satisfactory Progress for Veterans

A veteran enrolled at South Piedmont Community College is required to make satisfactory academic progress. The measure of academic progress for veterans is the same as for students receiving other forms of financial aid.