GCC Catalog 2025-2026 - Flipbook - Page 31
FINANCIAL AID PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES
Census Date and Financial Aid Awards
The census date is a set by the college and typically marks the end of the add/drop period. On this day, the
college takes a “snapshot” of all students’ enrollment which becomes the “official enrollment” that is used for
both reporting and financial aid eligibility.
Generally, the classes you are enrolled in and attending as of census date will determine the amount of
financial aid grant money you will receive. (Loans are not affected by census date.) If you are enrolled and
attending less than full-time as of census date, your aid will likely be less than what was reported to you in
your initial aid offer or email. This is because students are initially awarded based on the expectation of fulltime enrollment. The aid is then adjusted on census date to their actual enrollment.
If you increase or decrease your enrollment level through the enrollment census date, your financial aid will
be adjusted, as appropriate, to ensure that it is the appropriate amount given for your enrollment level.
If you decrease your enrollment after the first scheduled class but on or before the census date, your aid will
be decreased as well to match your enrollment. However, you may owe tuition and fee charges to the school
because of the refund policy. Students in this situation will be responsible for any balance owed the Business
Office.
Additionally, since Pell eligibility begins on the first day of classes and is calculated day to day, a student who
drops all their classes during the add/drop period (and before the census date) will be considered a Return to
Title IV (R2T4)
If you decrease your enrollment level after the census date, your grant aid will not be reduced. This means, for
example, that a student who is enrolled in 14 credits as of the census date, and who later drops a 4-credit
class, will not have his/her aid reduced to the 3/4-time level. Rather, the aid will remain at the full-time level
and for Satisfactory Academic Progress purposes, the student will be held accountable for completing a fulltime course load. If a student has loans, however, and drops below 6 hours, any future disbursements will be
canceled per federal regulations.
Bookstore Charges
Students with anticipated credit balances on their student account, based on anticipated financial aid (Pell
Grant), will be allowed to charge books in advance of receiving financial aid. Items charged in the bookstore
are paid when a student’s aid is disbursed. If for any reason, the student is not awarded enough Financial Aid
to cover the amount of the bookstore charges, the student is fully responsible for repayment of any charges
incurred.
Disbursements
The Financial Aid Office will credit funds to student accounts according to a disbursement schedule set up
each semester. Check the Financial Aid website at www.gogebic.edu/fadates for the dates on which funds will
be applied to student accounts.
As a reminder, the Business Office has up to 14 business days to issue student refunds.
Withdrawals and Return of the Title IV (Financial Aid) Funds
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