FAQs
Financial Aid Application Process and Forms
- How and when do I apply?
- What if I have questions or problems filling out the FAFSA?
- What happens after I submit the FAFSA?
- I received an email from Department of Education saying my FAFSA was processed and sent to the school, but when I called the Financial Aid Office they said they didn't have it?
- Are tax forms submitted to AHC or to the FAFSA processor?
- Do I have to submit a FAFSA if I want to apply for the California College Promise Grant?
- Do I have to submit a FAFSA if I want to apply for scholarships?
- What does it mean to be selected for verification?
- The Financial Aid Office is asking for additional documents, how can I submit them?
Financial Aid Eligibility
- How do I check my financial aid eligibility?
- Do only full-time students receive financial aid? How are units considered?
- Why is federal financial aid based on both my parents' and my income if I don't live with them?
- Why is financial aid not based on current income? How do I report my circumstances have changed?
- I need a copy of my award notification, how do I go about getting one?
- How much financial aid can I receive once my file is complete, and how is my eligibility determined?
- Will financial aid pay for all of my living expenses while I am going to school?
Freeze Date Information
- What happens if I drop a class/es?
- I sometimes hear "freeze date", what does that mean?
- How Does My Enrollment Affect My Award Amounts?
- What Is the School’s Return of Title IV Policy?
- What Is the School’s Disbursement/Overpayment Policy?
- If I add a class after the date, will I be paid for that added class?
- If I enroll in 12 units by the freeze date, and then later I drop a 3 unit class that I attended after the freeze date, what will my financial aid payment be based upon?
- If I enroll in 12 units by the freeze date, and then later I drop a 3 unit class before the class begins, what will my financial aid payment be based upon?
- If I enroll in 12 units by the freeze date, attend all the classes, and then decide I need to withdraw from all classes, what happens to the financial aid funds I received?
- What if AHC receives my FAFSA/Dream Act application before the freeze date but I don't register for classes until after the freeze date?
- What if I'm enrolled and currently attending classes, but decide to apply and submit my FAFSA/Dream Act application after the freeze date?
- If AHC receives my FAFSA/Dream Act application before the freeze date and I registered in my classes by the freeze date, but I have not finished my financial aid file until after the semester ends, what will my financial aid be based upon?
How and when do I apply?
What if I have questions or problems filling out the FAFSA?
Complete as much of the pre-application worksheet as possible. If you still have questions or problems bring it in or call us so we can help you. You should have tax forms and income information available (and parent's information if you are considered a dependent).
What happens after I submit the FAFSA?
About 2-4 weeks after you submit the FAFSA online you will be mailed a Student Aid Report (SAR). This is a summary of the information you provided on the FAFSA. (If you don't receive a SAR within 6 weeks, phone the processor at (319) 337-5665.) You will be notified by AHC by logging into myHancock of what is needed to complete your Financial Aid file. When all requested documents are received, and information is confirmed, you will receive an award notification posted on myHancock indicating your financial aid eligibility with payment information. The entire process takes approximately 8-10 weeks.
I received an email from Department of Education saying my FAFSA was processed and
sent to the school, but when I called the Financial Aid Office they said they didn't
have it?
Once you submit your FAFSA, it will be processed and the Department of Education will
send you an email stating that your application has been sent to the school. The Financial
Aid Office will download weekly, so it may take about a week- week and a half for
the office to receive your application. Once your application is received at Allan
Hancock College, the Financial Aid Office will send you an email stating that your
application has been received and instructions to check your unsatisfied requirements
by logging into myHancock. It is your responsibility to submit any requested information
necessary to determine your eligibility for financial aid. Once all information has
been submitted, the Financial Aid Office will review your file and submit corrections
if necessary. You will receive an email when your award notification is available
on myHancock.
Are tax forms submitted to AHC or to the FAFSA processor?
If tax information is needed, it will be requested by the Financial Aid Office and
should be submitted to the Financial Aid office.
Do I have to submit a FAFSA if I want to apply for the California College Promise
Grant (CCPG)?
Submitting a FAFSA may determine your eligibility for the CCPG or a separate CCPG
application may be used.
The deadline for the California College Promise Grant:
If you paid your fees prior to eligibility determination, there can be no reimbursements
after the last day of instruction for that academic year.
Do I have to submit a FAFSA if I want to apply for scholarships?
Applying for scholarships is a separate process which may not dependent on submitting
the FAFSA. Each scholarship will have criteria about how to be considred eligible.
Please follow the guidelines closely.
The deadlines for Scholarships:
Scholarship Applications - The General Scholarship Application is usually online at
www.hancockcollege.edu, each fall for the FOLLOWING academic year. Additional scholarships
are offered throughout the year and are announced in the AHC BULLETIN which is posted
in various campus locations including the Financial Aid Office.
What does it mean to be selected for verification?
Verification is checking that the information you reported on the FAFSA is correct.
The Department of Education randomly selects students for verification. If selected,
additional information may be requested to resolve missing or conflicting information.
If the additional information is not submitted to the Financial Aid Office, it will
delay the completion of your file.
The Financial Aid Office is asking for additional documents, how can I submit them?
Documents requested by the Financial Aid Office can be mailed, brought into the Santa
Maria office, or taken to the Lompoc Valley Center. They may not be faxed or emailed.
If documents are received by fax or email, they will not be reviewed, and the processing
of your file will be delayed.
How do I check my financial aid eligibility?
Your financial aid status can be checked online through myHancock.
Do only full-time students receive financial aid? How are units considered?
No! You do not have to be enrolledn full-time to receive aid. Eligibility for financial
aid may vary based on your individual status. The following table shares how units
are typically considered.
| For federal student aid purposes, full-time enrollment for programs offered in standard terms is 12 credit hours. Below is a chart of enrollment intensity relative to full-time. Note that enrollment intensity cannot exceed 100% for purposes of Pell Grant proration. | ||
| Enrolled Credit Hours | Enrollment Category | Enrollment Intensity |
| 12 (or more) | Full Time | 100% |
| 11 | Three Quarter Time | 92% |
| 10 | 83% | |
| 9 | 75% | |
| 8 | Half Time | 67% |
| 7 | 58% | |
| 6 | 50% | |
| 5 | Less-than-Half-Time | 42% |
| 4 | 33% | |
| 3 | 25% | |
| 2 | 17% | |
| 1 | 8% | |
Why is federal financial aid based on both my parents' and my income if I don't live
with them?
Who a student lives with does not determine independence. If you do not meet the Independent
Student criteria which has been determined by Federal Regulations, parent and student
incomes must both be used to determine financial aid eligibility. If you are unsure
as to whether you are considered an Independent Student, refer to the 'Student Status'
section of the FAFSA.
Why is financial aid not based on current income? How do I report my circumstances
have changed?
Using a prior year's financial information allows us to accurately verify an entire
year's income. After you receive your Student Air Report (SAR) you may submit an income
appeal found under financial aid forms. Documentation of your changed circumstances
will be required before your financial aid eligibility can be recalculated.
I need a copy of my award notification; how do I go about getting one?
You can obtain your award notification by logging into myHancock. Click on the Financial
Aid tab then click on Financial Aid Award. Select school year and submit. You will
click on award overview tab, and this will show your award notification.
How much financial aid can I receive once my file is complete, and how is my eligibility
determined?
There are varying levels of eligibility. Your award notification will be posted on
myHancock notifying you of your award amounts. The information you provided on the
FAFSA is processed through a series of calculations standardized by the federal government.
The result is your Student Aid Index which is on your SAR. This, along with your enrollment
status, will determine the amount of your financial aid.
Will financial aid pay for all of my living expenses while I am going to school?
Probably not. Financial aid is intended to supplement your current income, not to
replace it. Financial aid is meant to be used for additional expenses associated with
going to school.
What happens if I drop a class/es?
If you are receiving any financial aid other than a Board of Governor's fee waiver
(BOG), dropping classes could result in the student repaying federal funds already
received or could reduce future financial aid funding. It is recommended that you
contact the financial aid office before dropping classes.
I sometimes hear "freeze date", what does that mean?
Freeze date refers to a snapshot of the units enrolled in as of a certain date. For
students who have enrolled in classes and AHC has received their FAFSA/Dream Act application, the freeze date is used to determine
the amount of PELL and Cal Grant funds a student will receive for that semester.
How Your Enrollment May Affect Your Award Amount
What Is the School’s Return of Title IV Policy?
What Is the School’s Disbursement/Overpayment Policy?
If I add a class after the freeze date, will I be paid for that added class?
If you are adding a term 2 class for fall or term 4 class for spring after the freeze
date, your newly added units will be added on your total frozen units.
If I enroll in 12 units by the freeze date, and then later I drop a 3-unit class
that I attended after the freeze date, what will my financial aid payment be based
upon?
You will still be paid for 12 units.
If I enroll in 12 units by the freeze date, and then later I drop a 3-unit class
before the class begins, what will my financial aid payment be based upon?
You will be paid for 9 units. Per the Department of Education, students are not eligible
to be paid for the class they never attended.
If I enroll in 12 units by the freeze date, attend all the classes, and then decide
I need to withdraw from all classes, what happens to the financial aid funds I received?
Repayment calculations will be done to determine if you will be required to repay
funds back to the federal government. The Financial Aid Office will notify you by
mail if repayment is required.
What if AHC receives my FAFSA/Dream Act application before the freeze date but I
don't register for classes until after the freeze date?
If you are not enrolled at the time the FAFSA/Dream Act application is received, then
the units you are enrolled in on the Sunday immediately after your initial registration
will be used to calculate your financial aid payments.
What if I'm enrolled and currently attending classes but decide to apply and submit
my FAFSA/Dream Act application after the freeze date?
If any FAFSA/Dream Act application is received by AHC after the freeze date, the units
enrolled in as of the date the application was received will determine the amount
of PELL, FSEOG, and Cal Grant funds you will receive for the semester.
If AHC receives my FAFSA/Dream Act application before the freeze date and I registered
in my classes by the freeze date, but I have not finished my financial aid file until
after the semester ends, what will my financial aid be based upon?
Per the Department of Education, you will only be eligible to be paid for completed
classes. If you were frozen at 12 units but then dropped 6 units, and completed the
other 6 units, you will only be paid for the classes you completed.