Financial Aid

FINANCIAL AID DISBURSEMENT POLICY

This information pertains to students who have received an award letter and are eligible for one or more of the programs listed. 

Check Mailing Schedule

Listed below are the anticipated dates checks will be mailed or applied to student Accounts (for eligible students) from the Eureka campus.   Allow 3-5 days for mailing. You must cash your check within 15 days of receipt.

 

Fall 2009

First payment      Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  August 20, 2009  Â Â 

Second payment      Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  October 15, 2009 

Spring 2010

 First payment    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  January 14, 2010  Â Â 

Second payment      Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  March 11, 2010  Â Â Â Â 

 

If you receive an award letter after the disbursement dates listed above; make-up checks will be mailed on the next scheduled disbursement date (normally every two weeks).

 

Checks will be mailed to the mailing address on record.  You must keep your address current through WebAdvisor or in writing with the Admissions & Records/Enrollment Services Office at your campus.   

What does disbursement mean?

Disbursement is the process of turning your financial aid offer into a payment on your account. You must meet all eligibility requirements in order for the Financial Aid Office to request a disbursement of funds.  If you owe a debt to the college, all financial aid funds will be applied to that debt first and any remaining balance will be mailed to you. 

Program and academic progress requirements

Eligibility requirements and satisfactory academic progress information is available online at

www.redwoods.edu/financial-aid/.   Remember you must meet these requirements each term.

Financial aid payments are not made unless you are enrolled in an eligible AA, AS, Transfer or Certificate program.

Pell Grant

Your Pell check will be based upon your enrollment status (full time, three-quarter time, half time, less than half time) at the time of the calculation, which is approximately five days prior to disbursement.

The second payment of each term will be prorated for the number of units you are enrolled in at that time.  If you dropped classes after the first disbursement, but before the second disbursement, you may not be eligible to receive a second disbursement.

You may be required to repay a portion of your aid if you drop below half-time enrollment (less than 6 units).

Classes added after the second payment of each term will not be funded

Cal Grant/SEOG

Cal Grant and SEOG are disbursed in one payment each term.  Cal Grant amounts are based on your enrollment status at the time of disbursement (minimum 6 units).  Disbursement dates are pending receipt of funds from the State of California.

Loans and other (americorps, BIA, etc).

These programs require an additional application process.  Once processed, loans are normally disbursed in one payment each term; while Americorps awards are normally disbursed in two payments each term.  Checks are mailed on the next scheduled disbursement date after the funds have been received from the funding source, i.e. the lender and/or the award donor.   

Scholarship information

College of the Redwoods offers a variety of scholarships for both fall and spring terms; however, the majority are available in the spring.  Check out eligibility requirements and deadline dates at www.redwoods.edu/district/scholarships

Important Mailing Address Information

Checks will be mailed to the mailing address on record.  You must keep your address current through WebAdvisor or in writing with the Admissions & Records/Enrollment Services Office at your campus.  The Financial Aid Office cannot update your address for you.

Student Responsibility

As a financial aid recipient, it is your responsibility to be informed and understand the requirements to qualify for and maintain eligibility.  CR makes consumer information available to you on our website and in publications such as your Award Letter, policy brochures, the CR Catalog, and in federal/state/agency publications.

 

You must be attending class in order to be eligible for financial aid disbursements.  If you receive a check but do not plan to attend classes, you must return the check to CR.  Failure to do so will impact your ability to receive future financial aid at any U.S college and could affect your credit rating.

You must cash your check within 15 days of receipt.

Financial aid is intended to help with your education-related expenses.  It is not intended to meet the total cost of your living expenses, but is designed to supplement them.

If you completely withdraw (or otherwise do not complete any units) after receiving federal financial aid funds, you may be required to repay all or a portion of the money you receive, depending on the date of withdrawal. Failure to repay federal funds if required will impact your ability to recieve financial aid at any U.S. college and could affect your credit rating.

Change in Financial Situation

If your financial situation has changed substantially from when you filed your FAFSA, please talk to a Financial Aid staffmember about special circumstances.

 

Frequently asked questions about check amounts:

Why didn’t I get a check?

~If you have any type of debt on your CR account, your financial aid will go to that debt first.
~If your address is not current, it may have been sent to a prior address.  You must keep your address current either using WebAdvisor, or through Admissions & Records.
~ You did not meet or maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress as defined by the Financial Aid Office.

 Why is my check less than my award letter?
~ Pell Grants are normally paid in two disbursements each semester; so your award may have been divided in half (the remainder will be paid approximately half-way through the semester).
~You were not enrolled full-time (12 units) at least one week prior to the disbursement.
~ Some grants pay later in the semester (i.e. Cal Grant).
~You receive a Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver (BOG).  This program waives your enrollment fees; you do not receive an actual check.

Why didn’t I get my 2^nd disbursement check mid-way through the term?
~ The same reasons listed above may still apply.
~You dropped classes after the first disbursement, but before the second disbursement.  Your second disbursement will be prorated for number of units you are expected to complete for the semester; this may mean you will not receive a second disbursement.
 

Why didn’t I get paid for the class I added after mid-way through the term?
~ No unit adjustments are made after the second (mid-term) disbursement; you are not eligible for payment for these classes.

I withdrew from all my classes and I received my check; will I have to pay money back?
~ If you did not attend any classes at all, you will owe all of the money back.
~ If you attended classes, but withdrew or stopped attending, you may owe some money back.  We will calculate this amount and notify you if you owe any money.