Financial Aid

Financial Aid Application Steps

Many students need financial assistance to reach their educational goals. Please read the steps and information provided on this sheet to assist you in the application process.

Apply for financial aid each academic year you wish to be considered for aid. Although applications are processed year-round, we advise you to apply for financial aid as early as possible to receive notification of eligibility before tuition payments are due. File in the early spring for the upcoming fall semester. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is available after January 1 for the next academic year. The academic year consists of summer, fall, and winter semesters.

Follow the steps and instructions below for processing:

1. Complete North Central s free online Application for Admission at www.ncmich.edu.
Students must be pursuing a degree or certificate program to be eligible for aid. A student must be admitted to the College before an award can be made. Guest students are not eligible to receive financial aid.

2. Apply for a Federal PIN. To access and correct information online, the student and the parent, if their information is required for financial aid, will need a PIN. Request a PIN by going to www.pin.ed.gov

3. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Renewal Application online at www.fafsa.ed.gov or by mail. Filing online is recommended. To obtain a paper application, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 800-433-3243.

4. List North Central Michigan College as one of the student s college choices on the FAFSA by using the College s code, 002299. This permits the Financial Aid office to access financial aid results electronically. If transferring mid-year, indicate the North Central Michigan College code along with the transfer institution code on the FAFSA.

• Approximately one week after the FAFSA is submitted via the Internet or four weeks after a paper application is submitted, the student will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR recaps the information submitted on the FAFSA. Review the information for accuracy and submit any changes on-line or to the Financial Aid office.
• If the student provided an e-mail address on the FAFSA, the Federal Processor will communicate with the student via e-mail. If no e-mail address was provided, correspondence will be by mail.

5. North Central Michigan College will request additional documents if:

• The student is selected for verification. The student will be required to submit income documentation and a verification worksheet. The SAR will contain a message if the student has been selected for this process.
• Other information is needed to establish eligibility or to verify application information.

7. Once the student s file is complete, it will be reviewed and eligibility will be determined. Files are reviewed in the order completed.

8. Review time immediately before the semester begins is a minimum of two weeks.
All students are notified in writing of their eligibility.

9. Inform the Financial Aid office of changes in family or financial circumstances, such as loss of employment, death or disability of a family wage earner, divorce or separation. A re-evaluation of financial aid eligibility may occur.

10. Keep demographic information current with Student Services and the Federal Processor.

Applying for NCMC Scholarships
Through generous donations from the community, NCMC makes available a variety of scholarships. The scholarship application is available on the NCMC website under the tab “Paying for College”, then clicking on “Financial Aid.” Completed scholarship applications should be returned to the Financial Aid Office by May 15. Awards are based on academic excellence and specific scholarship requirements.

Applying for Other Scholarships
Applying for scholarships takes time and exploration on your part. You should begin early and check out any clubs, organizations, and businesses that you may be affiliated with and conduct an internet search through the State at ww.michigan.gov/mistudentaid. Click on Financial Aid Programs, then click on Scholarships. Complete all the requirements specified on the application and meet the deadline date. Applying for scholarships should be free. Check with the Financial Aid Office if you have any questions about the legitimacy of scholarship searches or consultants.

Contacting the Financial Aid Office
Location: Student Services
Office Hours: Fall and Winter Monday - Friday 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Summer Monday - Thursday 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Friday Call for office hours
Telephone: 231-348-6605
Fax: 231-348-6672
Email: ckitely@ncmich.edu
The College catalog and website, www.ncmich.edu have additional financial aid information.

Helpful Links:
www.studentaid.ed.gov ---- U.S. Department of Education (Student Guide, FAFSA)
www.students.gov ---- Student Gateway to the Federal Government
www.nasfaa.org ----- National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
www.finaid.org ---- Financial Aid Information Page, Eligibility Estimator and Scholarship Scams
www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid ---- Michigan Financial Aid Programs and Information
www.ed.gov/offices/ope/ppi/hope/index.html or www.irs.treas.gov ---- Hope and Lifetime Learning Tax Credits