Am I Eligible for Financial Aid?

To receive federal financial aid, you must meet certain criteria that would include financial need, educational and legal requirements.

Financial Need

Aid for the most of federal funding (except loans) are based on financial need. The expected family contribution (EFC) measures the financial strength of your families resources that should be available to pay for your education. Financial need is based on the difference between the cost of attendance (COA) and EFC.

Educational Requirements

1. Must demonstrate one of the following means:
   • Have a high school diploma
   • General Education Development (GED) Certification
2. Must be enrolled as a regular student working towards a certification or degree in an eligible program.
3. Must meet satisfactory academic progress standards set by COCC.

Legal and other requirements

1. Must be a U.S Citizen or eligible non-citizen.
2. Must have a valid Social Security number (unless from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia or the Republic of Palau).
3. Must certify:
   • that you will use federal student aid only for educational purposes.
   • that you do not have prior student loans in default and do not owe money on a federal grant.
4. Must comply with Selective Service registration if you are a male.
5. Have not been convicted for the possession or sale of illegal drugs for an offense that occurred while receiving federal student aid. If yes, you will be eligible for a period of time based on the type and number of convictions.