Financial aid is financial assistance through the U.S. Department of Education, the State of Michigan, and other sources that are available to cover the cost of your school expenses, including tuition and fees, room and board, books, supplies, and transportation. There are four categories of financial aid: grants, loans, scholarships and college work-study.
2.
Basic Requirements
a.
To receive aid from the federal student aid programs.
1.
Financial Need
Except for some loan programs, you must show you have financial need.
2.
Educational Requirements
You must demonstrate by one of the following means that you are qualified to enroll in postsecondary education:
Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) Certificate.
Pass an approved ability-to-benefit (ATB) test. If you do not have a diploma or GED, you can take an approved ATB test to determine whether you can benefit from the education offered at Wayne County Community College District.
Meet other standards the State of Michigan has established and that the U.S. Department of Education has approved.
Complete a high school education in a home school setting approved under state law.
You must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program.
You must meet the satisfactory academic progress standards set by Wayne County Community College District.
Legal and Other Requirements
• You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
• You must have a valid Social Security Number (SSN) (unless you're from the Republic of Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia or the Republic of Palau). If you need a SSN, you can get more information about applying for one at www.ssa.gov or by calling 1-800-772-1213. TTY users can call 1-800-325-0778.
• You must certify that you will use federal student aid only for educational purposes. You must also certify that you are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal student grant (which could happen if you withdraw from college). When applying for federal financial aid you will certify these items and sign a promissory note to obtain these funds.
You must comply with Selective Service registration. If you're a male, aged 18 through 25 and you have not registered, you can register at the same time you complete your FAFSA, give the Selective Service System permission to register you by means of the FAFSA. You can register online at www.sss.gov or call 1-847-688-6888. TTY users can call 1-847-688-2567.
3.
DETERMINING YOUR FINANCIAL NEED
To determine your financial need for other student aid programs, Wayne County Community College District will use the following formula:
Cost of Attendance
- Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
- Any Federal Pell Grant amount you're eligible to receive`
- Other financial aid that you will receive = Financial Need
4.
EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION
The EFC is a measure of your family's financial strength and indicates how much of your and your family's financial resources (for dependent students) should be available to help pay for your education. The EFC is calculated from the information you report on the FAFSA.
Your EFC is calculated according to a formula established by law. Your family's income (taxable and untaxed), assets and benefits (for example, unemployment or Social Security) are all considered in determining your EFC. Your family size and the number of family members who will be attending college or career school are also considered. Your EFC will appear on the Student Aid Report (SAR) you receive after you file your FAFSA.
