Student Financial Services
Financial aid programs are intended to help students and their families meet the educational costs associated with enrollment and support access to postsecondary education. Assistance may be provided through federal, state, institutional, or private sources in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, or work opportunities, and is awarded in accordance with applicable regulations and eligibility requirements. Financial aid is designed to supplement — not replace — the expected contribution of students and parents toward educational expenses, including tuition, fees, books, supplies, and reasonable living costs. The institution administers these programs to promote equitable access, responsible borrowing, and informed decision-making while ensuring compliance with governing policies and regulatory standards.
Students apply for financial aid annually by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is available by October 1st of each year for the following academic year. Students may apply online at the FAFSA website. Students may also call 1-800-4-FEDAID for assistance in completing the FAFSA. Forsyth Tech’s school code is 005317 and must be listed on the FAFSA. After we receive the FAFSA application results from the federal processor, Student Financial Services will inform students of any required documentation to complete their financial aid files.

Students are encouraged to submit financial aid applications to Forsyth Tech by March 15, prior to the academic year for which aid is requested. Applications received after this date will be processed; however, funding for certain programs is limited and may no longer be available.

Students may complete the FAFSA and apply for admission at the same time; however, financial aid cannot be awarded until all admissions requirements are met, including submitting an admissions application and completing the Residency Determination Service (RDS) to ensure in-state students are charged the correct tuition and fees. Most one- and two-year programs are eligible for federal financial aid, though some programs may not qualify. Even if a program is not eligible for federal aid, students may still qualify for state or institutional funding. The college may choose to use the FAFSA to determine eligibility, so all students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA. Students unsure of their program’s eligibility should contact Student Financial Services for guidance.

Eligibility for Aid
Most financial aid awards are based on financial need, determined by the Student Aid Index (SAI) on the Student Aid Report (SAR) and the student’s cost of attendance. Additional requirements may be set by the funding agency or source. Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the U.S. Department of Education and Forsyth Tech. Each recipient receives an electronic copy of the policy when awarded aid, and a copy is available from Student Financial Services. Failure to meet these standards may result in loss of financial aid, though eligibility can be restored by re-establishing satisfactory academic progress. Recipients must report any changes in enrollment, program of study, or aid from other sources to prevent over-awards. Current students can update their address and phone information in their my.forsythtech.edu account under User Profile > Add New Address or Add New Phone. All other students or those experiencing difficulty should contact records@forsythtech.edu.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Federal regulations require that students receiving financial assistance must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). At Forsyth Technical Community College, Satisfactory Academic Progress is measured using three standards: Cumulative Grade Point Average (cum GPA), Completion Rate - the percentage of credit hours attempted that are successfully completed, and the maximum number of credit hours allowed before graduation from the student’s program. These standards are checked at the end of each term.

Cumulative GPA: A student must maintain at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average. Transfer credits, credits by examination, W, WP, and Pass grades are not counted as part of the GPA calculation. WF and R grades will be counted as F. A class that has been repeated will have the last grade received counted in the GPA.
Completion Rate: Students must complete, with a letter grade of A, B, C, D, or P, at least 67% of all coursework attempted. This includes every course (a cumulative history) on their Forsyth Tech transcript. Transfer courses accepted by the College are included in addition to all courses taken at Forsyth Tech. Hours for each attempt of a repeated course will be included. 

Credit Hour Limitation: Students are required to complete their program of study within a maximum credit hour limitation, excluding up to 30 hours to complete any necessary remedial courses determined by institutional testing. The maximum for a program may not exceed 150% of the number of credits required for the program. For example, a student enrolled in a program that requires 64 credits for graduation may receive federal aid for up to 96 hours. All periods of enrollment, regardless of whether the student received aid, are included. Withdrawals, incompletes, repeated courses, transfer credit, and credit by examination will count toward the 150% credit hour limitation. The college is required to suspend aid eligibility as soon as it is determined that the student cannot meet the 150% requirement.

Incomplete: Incompletes will count as credit hours attempted, but not completed.

Withdrawal: All grades of W, WP, and WF will count as credit hours attempted but not completed.

R Grade: An R will count as an attempted credit and as a failure for the purpose of financial aid.

Repeated Course: Repeated courses count as credit hours attempted for each enrollment. If a student has passed a course but repeats it one time after receiving a passing grade, the credits will be counted as part of the student’s enrollment for the purpose of financial aid. Subsequent repetition of the same course will not be eligible for financial aid but will be counted as hours attempted.

Audit or Credit by Examination: Audits and proficiency exams are not covered by any type of financial aid. Students are responsible for all costs incurred with these types of courses. Credit by exam hours count toward credit hours attempted and earned. Audits do not carry credit hours and are not counted as attempts or completions.

Program Change: Students who change programs should be aware that all hours attempted, regardless of the program, will count toward the maximum credit hour allowance unless the student graduates. Students who graduate from one program and wish to earn another associate degree, diploma, or certificate will be allowed to complete a new program; however, they are still required to do so within the 150% credit hour allowance.

Academic Forgiveness: Forsyth Technical Community College sometimes allows academic forgiveness for academic purposes. However, it is not applicable to satisfactory academic progress requirements to maintain financial aid eligibility. Both the grade and the credits will continue to be included in the satisfactory academic progress calculation.

Consequences of failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress: Students receiving financial aid who do not satisfactorily complete either the cumulative GPA or the 67% completion rate will be placed on financial aid warning status. Students will be sent an email through the campus email system. A student who has not met the requirements will have the next enrolled term to reestablish satisfactory academic progress. If a student does not earn the required cumulative grade point average and completion rate at the end of the following term, he/she will be placed on unsatisfactory status, causing financial aid suspension. Federal and state aid will remain suspended until the student enrolls for subsequent semesters/terms, at his or her own expense, and completes the work necessary to regain satisfactory progress. If it is determined that the student cannot complete the requirements within the 150% time frame, the student will be ineligible for financial aid.

Note: Maintaining satisfactory academic progress for financial aid may not be the same as remaining in good standing in the program. Each program has its own requirements. As a result, even though a student may meet satisfactory progress for financial aid purposes, they may not be meeting the requirements necessary to continue in their program. It is the student's responsibility to know his or her program requirements.

Appeal Procedures for Financial Aid Suspension
Students whose financial aid has been suspended due to unsatisfactory progress may appeal this decision. However, the student must be able to document mitigating circumstances. The student will request an appeal from the Office of Student Financial Services by emailing financialaid@forsythtech.edu. The student will receive a link where they will be directed to explain why satisfactory progress was not maintained and what has changed to allow the student to be successful. Appeals may be made if there are unusual situations such as injury to or illness of the student, death of a family member, undue hardship, or other crises. External documentation will be required. The appeal will be reviewed to determine whether reinstatement of aid is justified, and the student will be notified of the decision by email. If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on probation, which will allow another term of financial aid; the student will be given an academic plan that must be met at the end of each subsequent enrolled term or until the student returns to satisfactory progress. The academic plan requires a term GPA of 2.0 and a 75% completion rate; under certain circumstances, different requirements may be set.

Adhering to this plan will not always restore both metrics to good standing simultaneously, although that is required to complete the probation plan. However, any metric restored to good standing (2.0 GPA, 67% completion) without regression, and throughout the fulfillment of the entire plan, it will be considered sufficient, so long as all other conditions of the probation plan are met to restore the other component as outlined. In other words, you will need to continually demonstrate progress in both metrics and specifically follow the plan for the lacking metric until both metrics are fully restored. Additionally, while on probation, the Division of Student Academic Success reserves the right to limit your course load until you are back in good standing.
SAP statuses will always update all enrolled students to ensure the SAP status is captured for all students registered for the term, whether they apply to receive Title IV aid or not.

Denial of the first appeal is not grounds for a second appeal. However, if the first appeal is denied, the student has the right to request a review of their first appeal with a financial aid leadership team member if there is a legitimate concern.

If an appeal is approved, and the student does not meet the requirements of the academic plan in a subsequent term, financial aid will be terminated until the student has returned to satisfactory status or graduated. Students can sometimes submit a second appeal, provided the circumstances differ from the first. Students terminated from an academic plan must wait one term before submitting a second appeal. Students are permitted a maximum of two appeals during their enrollment at Forsyth Tech for reinstatement of financial aid following an Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) determination.

Students who lose eligibility due to exceeding the maximum timeframe are granted a separate allowance of up to two appeals specific to that determination. All second appeals are final and will exhaust all avenues of the appeal process.

For the full policy, visit our Satisfactory Academic Progress webpage.

For students receiving financial aid, Satisfactory Academic Progress notifications will be sent to the Forsyth Tech e-mail address after grade posting in the fall, spring, and summer. Students may access this e-mail via TechLink.

If at any time during the year students have questions about financial aid or their SAP standing, they should contact the Office of Student Financial Services.

Courses Not Eligible for Aid
The following courses are not counted toward enrollment status when determining financial aid eligibility:

• MAT 050, RED 050, ENG 050
• BSP Courses
• Economic Workforce and Development (continuing education) 
• Audit courses
• No more than 30 hours of developmental or refresher coursework
• Passed courses repeated more than once
• Courses registered for after the census date of the full term are not eligible for the federal Pell Grant
• Courses outside of the curriculum for graduation requirements

Disbursement of Aid
Students approved to receive financial assistance will receive an email directing them to TechLink to review the types and amounts of aid awarded for the entire academic year. The disbursement schedule of all funds for the academic year is posted on TechLink under College Services > Financial Aid> Important Dates, on the financial aid page of the Forsyth Tech website, and in the Guide to Financial Aid, which is linked to the online award letter. Courses may not be considered for disbursement until they have actually begun, and class attendance has been verified through Forsyth Tech’s formal attendance process.

Important Note: Tuition, fees, books, and supply charges will be paid automatically, after class attendance has been verified, for students who have received an award letter from the Office of Student Financial Services. Decals and/or malpractice insurance may not be paid with a financial aid award, as these charges must be paid before the first day of class. Students are responsible for the out-of-pocket cost of parking decals and/or malpractice insurance.

Refund Policy - Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid are responsible for being familiar with the information found in the College Catalog regarding tuition refund guidelines. Also, students receiving federal financial aid are subject to the Return of Title IV Funds Policy, as described below.

Return of Title IV Funds Policy
Students who receive federal financial aid are expected to complete each term in its entirety. All students receiving federal financial aid who withdraw before the 60 percent point of the term will have the “unearned” portion of their financial aid returned to the Department of Education. In some instances, the student will be indebted to the school, the Department of Education, or both, and may risk the loss of financial aid eligibility if a balance owed to the Department of Education is left unpaid. Students who initiate withdrawal procedures after attending at least 60 percent of the term are deemed to have earned 100 percent of the federal financial aid received for that term and no repayment will be required. Students who are considering withdrawal should contact the Office of Student Financial Services.

In the January 24, 2024 Federal Register, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) waived the requirement that an individual who was considered "affected individual" under the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students (HEROES) Act in the September 29, 2017 Federal Register return or repay unearned grant funds for which the student was responsible as the result of an R2T4 calculation. ED states in the Federal Register, "For a student who withdraws from an institution because of the student’s status as an affected individual, the Secretary is waiving these statutory and regulatory requirements so that a student is not required to return or repay any overpayment of grant funds based on the Return of Title IV Funds provisions."

For additional information on the Return of Title IV Funds Policy, including sample refund calculations, students may contact Student Financial Services, Allman Center, Main Campus.

Note: All policies and regulations pertaining to federal and state aid are subject to change to meet regulations as amended by the U.S. Department of Education, North Carolina state board code, or other regulatory entities.

Grants
Students are encouraged to contact Student Financial Services, Allman Center, Main Campus, for additional information and application criteria for the grants listed below:

Federal Pell Grant
The Federal Pell Grant program is a federal program designed to provide financial assistance to eligible students who attend post-secondary educational institutions. Students may apply at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Students may also call 1-800-4-FEDAID for assistance with the FAFSA. Forsyth Tech’s school code is 005317 and must be listed on the FAFSA. Students should allow at least six weeks for processing. To receive a full Pell Grant, a student must be enrolled full-time; part-time students may receive a portion of their Pell Grant eligibility.

Pell Grant proration is based on the following standards:

• Full-time: 12 or more credit hours (full award)
• ¾ time: 9 – 11 credit hours (3/4 of the full award)
• ½ time: 6 – 8 credit hours (1/2 of the full award)
• Less than ½ time: 1 – 5 credit hours (prorated based on Pell chart payment schedule)

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
The FSEOG is a program funded by federal and institutional matching funds and is awarded to needy students who are eligible for the Federal Pell Grant. Priority is based on the expected family contribution (EFC) on the Student Aid Report (SAR).

Next NC Scholarship
The Next NC Scholarship is funded by the state to provide need-based aid to students who are North Carolina residents. Students must be in an eligible credit program and be enrolled in at least six credit hours per semester. Students must complete the FAFSA and meet all eligibility requirements for this award. This award is subject to prorated amounts for students enrolled in less than 12 credit hours.

North Carolina Community College Childcare Grant Program
This state-funded program assists student-parents with childcare expenses for their children ages 0-12 in facilities that are licensed by the state of North Carolina. Credit program students who are enrolled at least half-time in on-campus coursework and have demonstrated financial need are eligible to apply for this program.

North Carolina Community College Grant (NCCCG)
The NCCCG program is funded by the state to provide need-based aid to students who are North Carolina residents. Students must be in an eligible credit program and be enrolled in at least six credit hours per semester. Students must complete the FAFSA, have a valid expected family contribution (EFC) within a specific range, and meet all other eligibility requirements. These funds are subject to prorated amounts for students enrolled in less than 15 credit hours.

North Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship (NCELS)
The NCELS program is funded by the state and administered by the College Foundation, Inc. to provide need-based aid to students who are North Carolina residents enrolled in at least six credit hours per semester in an eligible curriculum program. Students must complete the FAFSA to apply for NCELS. These funds are subject to prorated amounts for students enrolled in less than 12 credit hours.

North Carolina Targeted Assistance Program
The North Carolina Targeted Assistance Program provides financial aid to students who enroll in low-enrollment programs that prepare them for high-demand occupations.

Loans
Students are encouraged to contact Student Financial Services for additional information and application criteria for the loans listed below:

William D. Ford Direct Loan Program
Direct Loans are low-interest loans for students and parents to help pay for the cost of education. The lender is the U.S. Department of Education, and the program offers several repayment plans to meet the needs of most borrowers. Students must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours) to receive a Direct Loan.  Please note, beginning the 2026-2027 academic school year, student loan amounts will also be prorated when students are attending less than full-time.  

• Direct Subsidized Loans are for students with demonstrated financial need. No interest is due on the loan while the student is enrolled in school at least half-time and during deferment periods,
• Direct Unsubsidized Loans are awarded to students regardless of financial need. Interest is charged on the loan once disbursement is made, although payment on principal is deferred while the student is enrolled at least half-time and during the grace period,
• Direct PLUS Loans are available to parents of dependent students. Interest is charged on the loan once disbursement is made.

North Carolina Community College Loan (NCCCL)
The NCCCL program is funded by the state to provide need-based financial assistance funds for short-term, no-interest loans. These funds are limited to students enrolled in at least six credit hours, are in an eligible program, and meet all other eligibility requirements.

Forgivable Education Loan for Service
The Forgivable Education Loan for Service was established by the North Carolina General Assembly to provide financial assistance to qualified students who are committed to working in North Carolina in fields designated as critical employment shortage areas. You may find details on the Forgivable Education Loans for Service page of the College for North Carolina (CFNC) website.