TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID
FEDERAL or STATE GRANTS – Grant money is “given” to a student, usually because of financial need.
LOTTERY TUITION ASSISTANCE – South Carolina state grant, “given” to a student based on criteria determined by the state government.
FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS – Loans are borrowed money that must be repaid.
WORK STUDY PROGRAM – Money a student earns by working at a college job.
SCHOLARSHIPS – Scholarship money is awarded because of exceptional academic achievement, outstanding skill or talent and/or financial need.
LIFE SCHOLARSHIP
OTHER PROGRAMS
GRANTS
Grants – Aid that does not have to be repaid
Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
This federally funded grant will provide assistance to first and second-year undergraduate students who are pursuing an associate or bachelor’s degree. The ACG is in addition to the student’s Pell Grant Award.
Requirements to receive an ACG include the following:
- Must be eligible to receive a Pell Grant.
- Must be a U.S. citizen.
- Must have successfully completed a rigorous high school program, as determined by the State Department of Education.
- Must be enrolled full-time.
- Must complete at least 24 credit hours and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 to receive second year award.
Federal Pell Grant –
This grant from the federal government helps pay educational costs. Student’s eligibility is determined by family income and size, as well as other factors on the FAFSA. This information is also used to compute the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). As the EFC increases, the amount of the award decreases. If the EFC is zero, the student is eligible for the maximum Pell Grant.
Requirements to receive a Federal Pell Grant include the following:
- Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
- Must have a high school diploma or GED certificate.
- Must be admitted into a program consisting of at least 16 credit hours.
- Must not have bachelor’s degree or higher degree.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) – An FSEOG is for undergraduates with exceptional financial need (students with the lowest EFCs) and gives priority to students who receive Federal Pell Grants.
Requirements to receive an FSEOG include the following:
- Must be eligible for a Pell Grant and have an EFC between 0-200.
- Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
- Must have a high school diploma or GED certificate.
- Must be enrolled in a minimum of three credit hours in a valid program consisting of at least 16 credit hours.
- Must not have bachelor's degree or higher degree.
What is the difference between the FSEOG and Federal Pell Grant?
The U.S. Department of Education guarantees that each participating school will receive enough money to pay the Federal Pell Grants of its eligible students. There is no guarantee that every eligible student will be able to receive an FSEOG; students at each school will be awarded an FSEOG based on the availability of funds at that school.
South Carolina Need-Based Grant (SCNBG)
This is a state grant, and the award is based on financial need.
Requirements to receive a South Carolina Need-Based Grant include the following:
- Must be a South Carolina resident.
- Must have a South Carolina high school diploma or GED certificate.
- Must be enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours in a valid program consisting of at least 16 credit hours.
- Must not have an associate degree or higher.
- Must not have a criminal record or a drug-related conviction.
- Other program requirements apply.
Greenville Tech Vocational Grant – This institutional tuition grant is given to the top vocational high school students each year. This grant applies to the cost of tuition only for one academic year and is valued at $500 per semester. Recipients must be recommended by their career center or vocational high school.
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SC Lottery Tuition Assistance (LTA) - South Carolina Lottery Tuition Assistance (SCLTA)
This South Carolina state grant has award amounts which are subject to change. The award is applied to tuition and fees, not books. If students have enough grant funds to cover the cost of their tuition and fees they will not receive SCLTA. If grants cover only a portion of tuition and fees they will receive SCLTA not to exceed the uncovered portion of their tuition and fees nor the maximum of the SCLTA for which they are eligible.
To be eligible for lottery funds, a student
- Must be a South Carolina resident.
- Must complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- Must be admitted in certificate, diploma or associate degree program.
- Must be enrolled in at least six credit hours.
- Must maintain Reasonable Academice Progress (RAP).
- Cannot owe a refund or repayment of a state grant, a Pell Grant, or an FSEOG.
- Cannot be in default on a loan under the Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loan, or William D. Ford programs.
- Cannot be a LIFE scholarship recipient.
South Carolina Education Lottery
SCLTA Progression
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Federal Stafford Student Loan Program - Under this program, students receive a low interest loan. Dependent students may borrow up to $3,500 for the first year of undergraduate study and up to $4,500 for the second year. Independent students may borrow up to $7,500 for the first year of undergraduate study and up to $8,500 for the second year. Dependency is determined by the U.S. Department of Education via the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Loans originated after July 1, 2006, will be at a fixed interest rate of 6.8 percent.
Requirements:
- Must complete loan counseling online at http://mapping-your-future.org.
- Select your lender. Click here for a lender comparison list. Then sign your Master Promissory Note (MPN) by going to the lender website and following the steps to completion. For some lenders, you will need your Federal PIN number to electronically sign the MPN. For MPN instructions, click here.
- Cannot be in default on other student loans
- Bankruptcy is an issue to discuss with FA Officer prior to loan approval
- Must be U.S citizen, eligible non-citizen
- Have a South Carolina High School Diploma or GED Certificate
- Must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours in a valid program consisting of at least 16 credit hours.
- Bachelor's degree students are eligible for federal loans.
Federal PLUS Loan Program –This non-need-based loan is awarded to the parents of students. Parents may borrow a limited amount not to exceed the estimated cost of attendance minus other financial aid awarded during the period of enrollment. These loans are made by lending institutions, such as a bank, credit union, savings and loan association or a state agency. Loans originated after July 1, 2006, will be at a fixed interest rate of 8.5 percent.
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Federal Work-Study - Comprised of both federal and college funds, this program is designed to help students who would be unable to pursue or continue their studies unless they earned part of their expenses.
Students in this program work an average of 20 hours per week. The basic rate of pay is $7 per hour. While assignment of Federal Work-Study jobs related to the student’s field of study is desirable, this is not a requirement and often is not possible. Jobs vary and may include working in offices, laboratories and the library, or as peer counselors, teachers’ aides and reading tutors.
Requirements:
- Demonstrate need for gainful employment (under program's Federal guidelines).
- Maintain a 2.0 GPA minimum
- Must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours in a valid program consisting of at least 16 credit hours.
If you are interested in applying for the Work Study program, you must complete an application and submit to the Work Study Coordinator.
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SCHOLARSHIPS
Community Sponsored scholarships – Students should explore scholarships that are sponsored by various businesses in the Greenville area. For more information about each scholarship, contact Sharon Wilson. You can apply by completing the scholarship application, and returning the application to the Financial Aid Office.
Fast Web's free scholarship search includes more than 600,000 scholarships worth more than $1 billion. Fast Web is provided completely free and Greenville Technical College is a proud Fast Web member school. Scholarship Search
The Greenville Tech Foundation, Inc. Scholarships– The Greenville Tech Foundation, Inc., was organized in 1973 as a non-profit corporation for the purpose of seeking community support for Greenville Technical College. Students should contact the Financial Aid Office before the May 1 deadline to apply for scholarships administered by the Greenville Tech Foundation, Inc. Click here to review the details of the Greenville Tech Foundation endowed scholarships that are available for students. To apply, please complete the scholarship application.
Lillian Simpson Scholarship
Greenville Technical College established the Lillian Simpson Scholarship to honor Miss Simpson's outstanding dedication to the students in Greenville County . One scholarship is available to each of the 14 Greenville County public high schools. The scholarship has a value of $500 per semester for one academic year and covers tuition only. To qualify, the high school senior must be:
- Ranked in the top 50 percent of his/her class at the end of the seventh Semester.
- Officially accepted for admission in the curriculum program of choice.
- Officially recommended by the high school counselor.
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Life Scholarship - South Carolina Life Scholarship
Eligibility for this state scholarship is determined on academic merit. This award does not require completing a FAFSA, but it is highly recommended.
Entering freshmen requirements include the following:
- Must be a South Carolina resident.
- Must be a South Carolina high school graduate.
- Must have a 3.0 high school grade point average on a 4.0 scale.
- Must have no felony convictions.
- Must have no drug or alcohol convictions in preceding 12 months/calendar year.
- Must be a full-time undergraduate student in an eligible program.
- Must take 12 non-remedial credits (100-level and below course are remedial).
Additional requirements for continuing or transfer students include the following:
- Must have a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA (all colleges attended).
- Must have completed a minimum of 30 curriculum credit hours in prior academic year (15 credit hours, if enrollment started in January).
- Must have no felony, drug or alcohol convictions in preceding 12 months/calendar year.
The Life Scholarship is the cost of tuition, plus a $300 annual book allowance. Life Scholarships are available for the following semesters
One-year diploma/certificate program — two semesters.
Two-year degree — four semesters.
Four-year degree — eight semesters.
LIFE Scholars will be identified by the Financial Aid Office.
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Other Programs - Financial assistance is also available to eligible students from other government agencies. Students who have lost their jobs should contact their local South Carolina Employment Security Commission Office to see if they are eligible for money through federal or state-sponsored programs. Students with disabilities may qualify for assistance through their local Vocational Rehabilitation office.
Other aid opportunities for students are provided by local fraternal organizations, societies, business firms, high school officials and family employers. For further information, check with the Greenville Tech Financial Aid Office and/or your high school guidance counselor.
The Transitions Program
Robert Gregory, Counselor for the Health Sciences Programs, has taken on the additional duties of the Transitions Program Coordinator/Director. The Transitions Program is designed to help special populations with the extra cost of education beyond tuition and is funded by the Perkins Grant. The special populations are defined as single parents, displaced homemakers, and non-traditional students. The program assists with the cost of daycare while in daytime classes, bus tickets for those in the city without a car, gas assistance for those traveling more than 10 miles to campus, and the cost of books if not covered by the Pell grant. Assistance is also given for the cost of uniforms, tools and equipment needed in their program and licensing and certification exam fees to enter a profession. For additional information, please contact Mr. Gregory. He is located in the Allied Health Building, room 139. For information, call 250-8309.
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