There are several types of financial aid that you may be eligible for. Once you have completed your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the results are received by Anoka Technical College, you will be awarded the financial aid according to your eligibility. You are considered for for gift aid, then work-study (if requested on your FAFSA Application or earned last year), and lastly, loans from one or more of the following sources.

To receive financial aid, the student must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen. Non-citizen who would like  eligibility status determined, should visit the Financial Aid Office. 
• Have a valid Social Security number or for non-citizens, an A-number.
• Be enrolled at Anoka Technical College as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program effective the term in which you wish to receive aid. The student must be a degree-seeking student in order to receive aid. 
• Have no current default status on a federal student loan or owe a refund on a federal student grant.
• Comply with the verification process. One-third of all students are selected for this process by the Department of Education. If selected, Anoka Technical College is required to verify the information reported on the student's FAFSA. If you do not provide the information needed to complete the verification process, you will not be eligible to receive aid. All notifications regarding required information will be sent to your student email address.
• Provide information to resolve any discrepancies identified by the Department of Education, the Social Security Administration, the Department of Homeland Security or the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).
• Meet financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress standards. There are differences in these standards between the Academic Advising Office and the Financial Aid Office, so it’s important to check with both. More info is available at the Anoka Technical College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy web page and the Minnesota State Policy 2.9 page.
• Submit all requested academic transcripts.

At any time after the Anoka Technical College Financial Aid office has received the FAFSA Application for Financial Aid, you may check the status of you financial aid application by following these steps:

1. eServices
2. Enter your STAR ID and Password
3. Choose Financial Aid

Book Charging is a process of adding the cost of books and required supplies to your account (in addition to tuition and fees). At Anoka Technical College, you may charge up to $600 without additional approval.

Who is Eligible?

You may be able to charge your books starting the week prior to course start up until the last day to add/drop a course if:

• You are registered for the term for which you are purchasing books AND
• The total financial aid you will be receiving at your registered credit level exceeds your tuition and fees. If your Direct Loans are needed to exceed your tuition & fees, they must be accepted in order to have the ability to charge books to your student account. You can view your awards and loan status by logging into eServices with your Star ID, password, then clicking on Financial Aid on the left-hand side of the screen.

NOTE: Your approved amount could change depending on your registered credit level or your financial aid eligibility. Changes in your registered credit levels could result in your approved amount being reduced or you could become ineligible for book charging. You may also become ineligible for book charging if you are placed on Financial Aid Suspension due to not meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements. You are still required to pay book and/or required supply charges even if your financial aid eligibility changes.

Your Responsibilities

You will be held responsible for full payment of your books if you become ineligible for financial aid or your aid is not enough to cover tuition/fees and your books.

Failure to pay all charges on your account will prevent you from registering for future courses and a hold will be placed on your academic records at Anoka Technical College. Your debt will also be referred to the Minnesota Department of Revenue for collection, if unpaid.

Other Important Information

Some academic and/or financial aid holds will prevent you from being eligible to charge books to your student account. Contact the Financial Aid Office with questions about your eligibility.

You have the right:

Types of Aid for Summer

Federal Pell Grant, Minnesota State Grant, Minnesota Childcare Grants, loans and work-study are available for summer semester. If you did not reach your annual grant or loan limits over fall/spring a separate award letter will be generated for summer semester AFTER you register for summer courses

Changing Your Schedule - Aid Adjustments

• If you decide to add a course after the 5th day of the term start, your Pell Grant CANNOT be adjusted for the increase in credits.
• If you drop a course and add another course that is the same number of credits after the 5th day of the term start, your Pell Grant will be negatively affected, as your added course will not be recognized.
• If you drop any courses after the 5th day of the term start, you may be required to repay part or all of your summer aid.
• Cancelled courses can also affect your financial aid eligibility.
• Your class schedule must be firm, and you should not make any changes after the 5th day of the term, or risk aid reductions.

You are required to be enrolled in at least six (6) credits (not including W's) at the time of any loan disbursement. If you are not enrolled in at least six (6) eligible credits, loans cannot be disbursed.

Transfer Students

If you are transferring to Anoka Technical College this summer and you have already completed the FAFSA for another school, you will need to go online studentaid.gov to add Anoka Tech's school code 007350. Your summer financial aid will be determined based on the financial aid used fall and spring semester up to annual and/or aggregate loan limits.

Anoka Tech degree-seeking students who will enroll in courses through another institution during the summer may be eligible for financial aid through Anoka Tech. The only courses Anoka Tech will be able to fund are those courses which will transfer back to Anoka Tech to apply toward a degree at Anoka Tech. Students must complete a consortium agreement.

SUMMER BOOK CHARGING

For those students who have a completed FAFSA, Anoka Tech supports a summer book charge process:

1. Bring your student ID and your class schedule to the bookstore to charge books to your student account.
2. Bookstore charges are added as a charge on your student account. If the books you charge are not fully covered by financial aid awards, you are responsible for all of the charges. Review your summer award letter to confirm what financial aid you have available based on your registered credits.

AWARDING PROCESS

1. Complete the FAFSA form and provide all requested documents to the Financial Aid Office.
2. Register for summer courses (course registration triggers Financial Aid to review students for summer financial aid).
3. Last day to accept summer loan requests: July 14, 2023. Exceptions do apply; please contact the Financial Aid Office.

You will receive an email to your school email address alerting you when your summer award letter is completed. Check eServices to view your Financial Aid Status online.

Your class schedule must be firm and you should not make any changes after the 5th day of the semester or you risk aid reductions. It is expected that you will attend your registered courses. If you decide to add a late start course after the 5th day of the semester your Pell Grant cannot be adjusted to increase in credits. If you drop a class and add another class that same the same number of credits after the 5th day of the semester, your aid will be negatively affected.

For students receiving state financial funding, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education refund policies will apply.

Reasons for an R2T4 Calculation:  Student financial aid funds are awarded to a student based on the assumption that the student will attend school the entire period for which the financial aid was awarded.  A student who stops attending course(s) must immediately withdraw from courses, and is responsible for understanding the impact of such action on his/her student account. Students may officially withdraw within the course-specific withdrawal time frame by logging into eServices, clicking "View/Modify Class Schedule", selecting the course(s) from which they would like to withdraw and withdrawing from the course(s). Note, password entry will be required to confirm withdrawal from course or course(s). The payment period for each student is determined by the date the course(s) or module(s) start and end. Scheduled breaks of more than five (5) consecutive days are excluded from the calculation.

The College will determine the withdrawal date or last date of attendance for students who stopped attending (i.e. unofficially withdrew) within 30 calendar days from the earlier of (1) the end of the payment period (i.e. defined as “semester” at Anoka Technical College), (2) the end of the academic year, or (3) the end of the student’s educational program. The Department of Education stipulates that a student must be reported within 30 days of withdrawal from all courses.  Any funds to be repaid to the department must be returned within 45 days of the institutions determination the student has withdrawn. 

Financial Impact on Students:  Because the College’s refund policy does not give a refund of tuition and fees past the 20^th business of fall and spring semester (see ATC Student Handbook for refund period for summer semester), it is possible that a student who completely withdraws will be owe money after withdrawing.  If there is an outstanding balance after Title IV and/or state funds are returned and the student’s institutional charges are adjusted (if applicable), the student would then be liable for paying this amount. Students may also be eligible for a partial tuition and fees refund.

Federal and state regulations require that any financial aid recipient who completely withdraws or stops attending courses prior to the 60% point of the semester may be required to repay a portion of any financial aid the student has received.  ATC uses the federal return of Title IV funds rules and calculation tools for any federal aid not earned and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE) refund calculation for any programs specific to Minnesota.  The College returns the unearned share of federal financial aid in the following order:

1. Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loan 
2. Federal Subsidized Direct Loan 
3. Federal PLUS Loan received on behalf of the student 
4. Federal PELL Grant 
5. Federal SEOG Grant

The College returns state financial aid funds in the order specified by the OHE calculation worksheets. 

The College returns the College share of loans and both the student and College share of grants.  The College then bills the student for these amounts. Students are responsible for their share of unearned aid attributable to a loan under the terms and conditions of the promissory note. Grant repayment is made to the college under the repayment guidelines identified in a notice sent to students after the recalculation is complete.

Withdrawal Date or Last Date of Attendance:  Faculty record the last date a student participated in an academically-related activity.  This date, or the student’s official withdrawal date if the student formally withdrew, is used to determine the amount of financial aid funds the student is able to retain.  Students “earn” financial aid in proportion to the time they are attending courses up to the 60% point of the semester. 

If the College is unable to obtain from the faculty the last date of attendance, the College will assume a midpoint withdrawal and calculate the return of funds accordingly. 

To determine the percentage of title IV grant or loan assistance earned by a student we take the number of days that the student academically participated in their courses divided by the amount of days in the payment period to get the percentage of aid earned. The resulting percentage (of courses attended for the term) is then multiplied by the amount of Title IV Financial Aid that was disbursed or could have been disbursed. Initially, we disburse at 100% with the assumption that the student will complete the entire payment period. If the student academically participates past the 60% point they are considered to have earned 100% of their aid. If the student does not academically participate to at least the 60% point of the payment period, the calculation above is used to determine what percentage of aid disbursed will need to be returned or what amount of aid we can offer as a post withdrawal disbursement. Breaks of more than four consecutive business days are excluded.

Example: If a student academically participates in 30% of their course(s) for the term and receives a disbursement of $2,960 in Pell Grant and $3,500 in Subsidized Loans, the College would multiply the federal aid received by 30% to determine the amount of aid earned for the semester (Pell $2,960 x .30 = $888, Loans $1,050). Then the College would subtract the amount of aid earned, from the aid received and return the difference in Title IV funds to the Department of Education (or State of MN for state funds) on behalf of the student. The student would then have a balance placed on their student account at the College and the student would owe the College the difference between the aid they received and the aid they earned for the term.

Examples of both calculations are available in the Financial Aid Office at the student's request.

If a financial aid eligible student withdraws from courses prior to disbursement, a calculation is completed to determine the amount of earned aid for the term.  This disbursement may help to reduce a student’s balance for the withdrawn term.  This disbursement is called a Post-Withdrawal Disbursement.  Students eligible for a Post-Withdrawal disbursement will have funds applied to their account in this order: Pell, Iraq/Afghanistan Service Grant, SEOG, Direct Subsidized Loan, Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Perkins Loan, Direct PLUS Loan.

Any Post Withdrawal Disbursement (PWD) will be calculated through CPS. The student/parent will be notified of any PWD eligibility within 30 days of the determination of the last date of attendance.

If a student qualifies for a Post-Withdrawal Disbursement, any grant funds the student is eligible to receive, based on the return calculation, will be applied to the student’s account within 14 calendar days of the determination.  If a student qualifies for a Post-Withdrawal Disbursement from loan funds, a letter will be sent to the student (or parent in case of a Direct Plus Loan) stating the amount of the loan disbursement the student is eligible to receive.  The student must then reply within 14 calendar days to give authorization for the disbursement. Exceptions will be allowed in relation to the 14 calendar day guideline if a student provides in writing within a reasonable timeframe after the letter is sent. If written authorization is not received, the loan will be cancelled, and updated with Direct Loans.

R2T4 Calculation for Late-start and Nonstandard length classes: 

• If a student withdraws from a full standard term course and has a late starting module, a signed intent to enroll will need to be received within 7 calendar days or an R2T4 calculation will be completed. If we receive confirmation later from an instructor that the student is engaging in academic activity, the R2T4 calculation will be undone.

• If a student is still enrolled at the time a module ends, no R2T4 calculation is completed. If it is determined at any point that all academic activity ceased prior to the end date of a module, a R2T4 calculation will be processed.

• An R2T4 calculation will be performed when a student stops academically participating from all courses before the 60% point in the semester.  

Time frame for the Determination and Calculation:  Weekly, the Financial Aid Office runs a variety of reports to determine students who officially withdrew from all courses.  Once all potential R2T4’s are determined for the week we utilize the tool created by MinnState which is pre-populated with data that we review for accuracy. Once we have determined that the information is correct, the tool will perform the R2T4 calculation. 

During the semester, the College may obtain knowledge that a student dropped out (i.e. unofficially withdrew).  The Financial Aid Office follows CFR Part 668.22 C(c) guidelines to determine unofficial withdrawals: 

• The date as determined by the institution, that the student began the withdrawal process prescribed by the institution. The student initiates this process by either completely withdrawing themselves from courses or the instructor providing a LDA based on the student ceasing to participate in courses for a period of time where a passing grade cannot be earned.

• The date, as determined by the institution, that the student otherwise provided official notification to the institution, in writing or orally, of his or her intent to withdraw or the date that an instructor reports a LDA to the Financial Aid Office for a student that has ceased academic activity for a period of time where a passing grade cannot be earned. 

• If a student does not return from an approved leave of absence as defined in CFR Part 668.22 paragraph (d) of this section, the date used is the date the institution determines the student began the leave of absence

For unofficial withdrawals we will determine the date that a student withdraws without providing notification to the student no later than 30 days after the end of the earlier of the: 

• Payment period or period of enrollment

• Academic year in which the student withdrew

• Educational program from which the student withdrew

Notifying Students:  The Financial Aid Office performs the calculation and scans a copy into Perceptive Content to archive. The Financial Aid Office then returns the funds and runs Aid Applied which is then given to the Business Office with a prepared letter for the student outlining the reason for the return. The Business Office runs Funds Applied and ensures that the activity on the student’s account is correct. The Business Office then generates an invoice and mails the invoice and letter from the Financial Aid Office to the student.  

Responsibilities:  The Return of Title IV calculation process is shared by the Financial Aid Office and the Business Office.  The Records/Registration Office works with faculty to obtain last date of attendance information and grade clarification.  The Financial Aid Office performs the calculation based on the grade and LDA information entered into ISRS.  The Financial Aid Office returns the funds on the student’s behalf.  The Financial Aid Office and Business Office work together to notify the student of the amounts returned and the amount the student owes.  

Anoka Technical College will verify ALL student applications selected by the FAFSA processor. Verification documents will be requested pf the student upon receipt of the FAFSA. Documents must be received and verification performed before any disbursement of financial aid will be made. If there are errors, we will update your application, recalculate your aid eligibility and send a current award letter to you. Any documents received 180 days after the last date of enrollment (or date published by the Department of Education, whichever one is earlier) will not be processed.

About Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Official Policy for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

• Students can receive federal financial aid for developmental work (below 1000 level) up to a maximum of 30 credits.
• Students must declare an eligible major and degree intent at Anoka-Tech to receive financial aid.
• Students may receive financial aid from no more than one college during each term or period of enrollment.
• Loan Pro-ration:  The loan pro-ration requirement applies to students who plan to complete a degree program or certificate program in an enrollment period that is shorter than an academic year at Anoka-Ramsey.
• Financial aid is awarded to eligible students who have completed the financial aid application process and who are seeking a valid degree, diploma or certificate at Anoka-Tech. Applicants are awarded on the basis of financial need using data from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which must be completed annually.
• Students must be accepted into a program of study (major) that leads to a degree, diploma, or certificate. Students who have not declared a major or have not been accepted into a program of study are not eligible for financial aid. In addition, ineligible majors or courses include, but are not limited to, customized training courses and any programs that are less than 16 credits.
• Applications are evaluated on a first-come, first-served basis beginning in spring of the calendar year prior to the fall semester start and on a rolling basis thereafter. Summer session is considered a trailer or the third semester of the academic year. Financial aid is awarded after the student registers for summer courses.
• Anoka-Tech reserves the right to change awards based on availability of funds, changes in enrollment, academic progress, and/or changes in student eligibility.
• In compliance with federal regulations, our office is annually audited by an independent third-party auditor. Our office also completes self-auditing of our programs to ensure accuracy in our processing.
• Due to federal regulations our policy states that students can only repeat a passed course once and still be covered by financial aid.
• If a student or parents’ (for dependent students) financial situation changes after the completion of the FAFSA, the Financial Aid Office may be able to help. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for additional information. It is our policy to select all students applying for a consideration of special circumstances for verification. You will be notified after a decision has been made.
• A student who does not meet the federal criteria for independent status as listed in the FAFSA may have his/her status changed under extreme circumstances. If the student feels that the parent information is not relevant or the parents are unable to be located, the student may apply for a dependency override with proper documentation. Minimum documentation includes:
• A detailed letter explaining the situation, including why the student feels s/he is unable to obtain parental information. The letter should contain any other information that may be relevant such as when the student last lived with the parent and/or received any financial support from the parent.
• A written statement from two individuals who have first hand knowledge of the situation, such as clergy, school administrator, social worker, or counselor. Letters from family members may be accepted but only if accompanied by a second letter from a non family member.

None of the following conditions, either singly or in combination, will qualify a student for a dependency override:

• Parents refuse to contribute to child’s education.
• Parents are unwilling to provide information on the financial aid application or for verification purposes.
• Student demonstrates self-sufficiency.

You will be notified after a decision has been made.

• to know your financial aid award is based on calculated financial need. As defined by the U.S. Department of Education, financial need is the difference between Anoka tech's cost of attendance (COA) and your ability to contribute towards your education (Estimated Family Contribution, EFC).
• to know the cost of attending the college, refer to budgeting & estimating and the Net Price Calculator.
• to know the deadlines for submitting applications.
• to know the university’s refund and repayment policy.
• to know the university’s satisfactory academic progress policy
• to receive your financial aid award as long as you are eligible and meet your responsibilities.
• to be informed of details of each aid program that you are offered.
• to be informed of the terms of any loan program that you are offered.
• to be informed of the terms of any work program that you are offered.
• to accept, reject or seek adjustments to your financial aid award without prejudice.
• to know how much financial aid you will receive each term and when financial aid payments will be disbursed.
• to privacy of information regarding your financial aid files. Information from your file will not be released to anyone without your permission.
• to seek financial aid counseling.

• to complete an application for financial assistance annually to demonstrate continued need.
• to provide accurate and factual information on all financial aid forms. You must notify the Financial Aid Office of any change in information submitted including your withdrawal from school, your reduction in number of credits, your change in address, name or marital status and your change of financial information provided on application form.
• to accept responsibility for all agreements that you sign.
• to read and understand all financial aid forms and keep copies of them.
• to repay all loans according to the terms outlined in your truth-in-lending and promissory note forms.
• to use your financial aid award for educational purposes and to carefully manage the funds that you receive.
• to refund a portion or all of your financial aid upon full withdrawal from school.
• to maintain a satisfactory level of academic progress.
• to submit forms by the deadlines and to keep your financial aid appointments.
• to work during the summer to supplement your financial aid awards and meet total educational costs.