First-Year Promise Students
Hancock Promise Awarding:
Awards will be posted only once all of the requirements for establishing eligibility for the Hancock Promise are met. Establishing eligibility requirements can be found under the High School Senior and Adult School Student tab on the Hancock Promise home page.
Summer Tuition and Fees- Hancock Promise awards will begin posting 1-2 weeks after summer classes have started
Fall Tuition and Fees- Hancock Promise awards will begin posting 4 weeks after fall classes have started*
Winter/Spring Tuition and Fees- Hancock Promise awards will begin posting 4 weeks after spring classes have started*
*Any students enrolled in late-start classes (Term 2 and Term 4) to meet the 12 units minimum requirement, can anticipate awarding to begin 2 weeks after the final courses have started.
Maintaining Eligibility for the first year of the Hancock Promise:
Complete between May and October
An SEP is a comprehensive semester-by-semester plan in Degree Works listing all courses
you will need to complete in order to reach your educational goal.
To schedule your SEP appointment, call the Counseling Department at 1-805-922-6966 ext.3293 or visit:
Hancock Promise students are required to complete an English AND a Math class in their first year as a Hancock student if it is required by their program of study at Allan Hancock College*. AHC will verify enrollment in the required courses in order to continue receiving the Hancock Promise in the Spring semester.
Students who are required to fulfill this step should speak to a counselor to discuss which of these scenarios fits their academic goals best.
Enrollment scenario 1:
Summer/Fall- Student enrolls and successfully completes English and Math between the summer and fall semesters. The English and math requirements in
the first year are now complete after the fall semester.
Enrollment scenario 2:
Summer/Fall/Spring- Student enrolls and completes English or Math in the first semester (summer/fall). Student enrolls and successfully completes
English or Math in the spring semester. The English and math requirements in the first year
are now complete after the spring semester.
Enrollment scenario 3:
Spring- Student enrolls and successfully completes English and Math in the spring semester. The English and math requirements in the first year
are now complete after the spring semester.
Please note, for students in enrollment scenario 2 or 3, the Hancock Promise awarding process will verify enrollment in the required second course (English or math) and will not award for spring if the requirement is not met.
*If the student's stated program of study does not require English or Math, there is nothing the student has to do. The Hancock Promise program will automatically review for waiver of the English/Math requirement.
Students who do not match the posted enrollment scenarios, including those who are fulfilling the English and/or math requirement using AP course credit or need to retake their English and/or math, should meet with a counselor to discuss their situation before the start of spring classes.
Registration opens early Nov. for winter* and spring semesters. Classes fill quickly, so register early!
Check My Registration Date on myHancock under the Registration tab for your registration date.
Promise Reminders:
- When you register, refer to your comprehensive student education plan, available in Degree Works under the "Plans" tab.
- Check your financial aid status for outstanding documentation requirements, disbursement dates, Satisfactory Academic Progress, and other important information about your financial aid file.
- You must register for at least 12 units each semester, both fall and spring.
- You must complete one English and one math class during the first year if required by the program of study
*Winter is not required, but Hancock Promise will cover any tuition and fees for courses taken in this term.
Questions about registration? Call Admissions & Records at 1-805-922-6966 ext. 3248.
RENEW THE FAFSA OR DREAM ACT APPLICATION (October 2026– March 2027)
To complete the FAFSA or the CA Dream Act
Cash for College Workshops to help you complete your financial aid application
After applying for financial aid, log onto your myHancock portal to check your financial aid status for outstanding documentation requirements, disbursement dates, Satisfactory Academic Progress, and other important information about your financial aid file.
Questions about financial aid? Please call the Financial Aid Office at 1-805-922-6966 ext. 3200.
STEP A. COMPLETE YOUR FINANCIAL AID FILE
Registration opens in April 2026 for summer and fall semesters. Classes fill quickly, so register early!
Complete Your:
To ensure your funding for books and supplies is available by the beginning of the semester, please complete your file by April 2026 for summer or June 30, 2026, for fall. You may complete your file at any time throughout the year, but your funding may be delayed significantly. Follow the steps below as soon as possible so your eligibility can be determined.
- Go to hancockcollege.edu
- Log in to your myHancock portal
- Scroll down to “My Financial Aid” and click “View My Financial Aid.”
- Choose the Award Year: “Summer 2026 to Spring 2027”. You will see your unsatisfied requirements/documents
- If you have a Financial Aid Task, you will need to make an account before you can continue
- Double click at each of the required items and complete each task/requirement listed. You may need to print, scan, and upload and/or email these documents to finaid@hancockcollege.edu.
If you need assistance in completing your financial aid file, contact us via email at finaid@hancockcollege.edu
STEP B. REVIEW YOUR FINANCIAL AID AWARD(S):
- Go to hancockcollege.edu
- Log in to your myHancock portal
- Scroll down to “My Financial Aid” and click “View My Financial Aid.”
- Choose the Award Year: “Summer 2026 to Spring 2027”. If you have any unsatisfied requirements/documents, you can see them here.
- Click on the “Award Offer”.
Note: There are certain federal eligibility requirements for financial aid, and students
must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress
-
STEP A. HANCOCK COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
Apply today for a college scholarship! Thousands of dollars are available to students just like you. Visit www.hancockcollege.edu/scholarships for details. -
STEP B. SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION OF SANTA BARBARA
Apply online at www.sbscholarship.org.
Registration opens late April 2026, depending on your priority registration status for summer and fall semesters. Classes fill quickly, so register early!
Check My Registration Date on myHancock under the Registration tab for your registration date.
Promise Reminders:
When you register, refer to your first semester plan, which can be found in Degree
Works in your "Plans" tab.
Check your financial aid status for outstanding documentation requirements, disbursement
dates, Satisfactory Academic Progress, and other important information about your
financial aid file.
You must register for at least 12 units each semester, both fall and spring.
You must complete one English and one math class during the first year if required
by the program of study
Questions about registration? Call Admissions & Records at 1-805-922-6966 ext. 3248
There may be some instances where students are unable to complete a Hancock Promise requirement and may want to consider filing an appeal.
HANCOCK PROMISE YEAR 1 ELIGIBILITY APPEAL
Hancock Promise Year 2 (HP2):
As students are completing their eligibility requirements for the first year of the Hancock Promise, they will also want to keep in mind requirements for the Second-Year Promise Student (HP2) Eligibility Requirements.
Students must have been awarded the Hancock Promise in their first year in addition to meeting the following eligibility criteria for the second year (please reference the webpage linked above for more details):
- Complete English 101 with a "C" grade or better*
- Complete a 100 level 3-unit math course with a "C" grade or better*
- Complete 24 or more units
- Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 by the end of the spring semester.
- Comple a Comprehensive Student Education Plan (CSEP)
- Submitted a 2025-2026 FAFSA/CADAA