Finances Reference Guide

2. Paying for College...............................................................
Five Steps of the Financial Aid Process............................
Scholarships........................................................................
FederalWork-Study............................................................
Payment Methods..............................................................
How to Use the Online Student Center...........................
Maricopa Student Refund Program (MSRP)....................
District-wide Contact List: College Cashiers Office........
Glossary...............................................................................
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3. Paying for College
Maricopa Community Colleges’ financial aid staff are there to help students sort through all of the information to make
financially responsible decisions. Part of assisting a student is researching options for financing college courses prior to
registering for semester classes. Planning includes researching, learning, and discussing with experts to understand college
resources and opportunities available to aid you in reaching your educational goals.
There are a variety of resources that can help students pay for college. Many students receive some type of financial aid
(more than one in every three), and typically use a blend of the resources listed below to help fund their education. To
contact a specific Financial Aid Office, students should use this number: 855-622-2332 (toll free). Click on the list below, then
scroll down to view each individual type of financial aid:
In addition to the standard types of financial aid that are mentioned above, there are additional ways that students can
supplement the cost of tuition, fees, and other educational expenses, including...
• Any of the four major credit cards, check, or cash
• Employee Tuition Waivers
• Veteran Benefits (U.S. military, veterans, or veterans’ dependents)
• Job Sponsorship (talk with your employer about benefits)
• Talent Waiver Scholarships (visit your college to learn more)
• Self-fund
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4. Five Steps of the Financial Aid Process
Students who utilize financial aid funding to meet their educational expenses can increase their chances to reach their
goals. There are FIVE basic steps for receiving any form of financial aid (federal, state, institutional, or private):
STEP 1 – The Application Process
Students must complete and submit an application for all forms of financial aid.
• Adhere to deadlines
• Sign and date all documents
• Verify the application is complete before submitting
STEP 2 – Verification (required documents)
Financial aid verification is a process to validate the data provided on the application. It is random and does not occur for
every student. See the Financial Aid Verification 2014-15 page for a comprehensive list of forms used in this process. The
Federal government, college, or scholarship organization can require students to submit additional documents in order to
continue processing financial aid awards (grant, scholarship, or loan).
STEP 3 – Disbursement
Disbursement is when financial aid funds on the student’s award letter are credited to the student’s account in the Cashier’s
Office. Credited funds will first pay the current semester’s tuition, fees, and books. Any remaining funds will be distributed
to the student for other educational expenses.
When it comes to paying tuition, students can balance the cost of tuition with other demands on their income by making
use of the tuition payment plan. The tuition payment plan is open to all students but can be especially beneficial to those
who cannot qualify for federal student aid or loans. These payment plans enable students to make monthly payments
throughout the semester from a checking account or with a credit card.
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5. STEP 4 – Awarding
After a student’s financial aid application is reviewed and verified, and it is determined that the student has met satisfactory
academic progress requirements, she will receive an award notice from the Financial Aid Office. Check your Online Student
Center for your Electronic Award Notification from the Financial Aid Office.
Please Note: Most commonly, students will receive a yearly award for both fall and spring semesters. The funds will be distributed
per semester.
STEP 5 – Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Most, if not all, forms of financial aid have an academic eligibility requirement.
• Be aware of the academic requirements to maintain funding eligibility
• Note that the evaluation of satisfactory academic progress can happen by semester or yearly
Additional Resources
• Funding Your Education - A deep dive into Federal Student Aid.
• U.S. Department of Education Student Aid website - The complete resource on Federal Student Aid.
Not sure if a student might qualify for Federal Student Aid? Advise a student to use FAFSA4caster to estimate his eligibility.
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6. Return to Table of Contents
Scholarships
There are various types of scholarships available from individuals, colleges, private organizations, and charities. The Maricopa
County Community College District (MCCCD) scholarship application allows our students to apply for two types of scholarships
at the same time:
(1) Maricopa Community College District scholarships
Maricopa Community College District scholarships require applicants to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA). Additionally, to qualify for financial aid, including scholarships, students will need to verify lawful presence within the
United States, as well as provide proof of indentity and prior education.
(2) Maricopa Foundation scholarships (privately funded)
Maricopa Foundation scholarships include privately funded opportunities that are open to all MCCCD students and in some
cases, non-Maricopa colleges and universities, as well. A FAFSA and verified lawful presence are not eligibility requirements for
the majority of Maricopa Foundation scholarships.
Provide students with this video (left) for a brief tutorial on how to create an application within our Scholarship Databases.
Before applying to any opportunities, students should also review this tutorial (center) on tips for successfully completing a
scholarship application (right).
Does a student require further assistance? Direct her to...
1. Call the Maricopa Financial Aid Answer Center at 1-888-994-4433
2. Email questions to Scholarship Administrators at MCCCD:
• District-specific scholarship: scholarships@domail.maricopa.edu
• Foundation-specific scholarship: foundation.scholarships@domail.maricopa.edu

7. Federal Work-Study
Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a grant that students work off and is part of their financial aid award eligibility. In order to be
employed in a work-study job, a student must have a FWS award. Some colleges award FWS upfront in a student’s award
notice and others, once the student finds a FWS job. Although Work-Study should be treated as any other job, it does have
some distinctions:
Remind students to bring an up-to-date resume, or submit by email where required. If they need assistance with job search
techniques, advise them to meet with a Career Services Advisor.
Inform Students of these Seven Steps of Obtaining Federal Work-Study (FWS):
1. Go to the Financial Aid Office to verify her eligibility for the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program
2. Visit the Career Services Office to review the current work-study job openings.
3. Apply to the department(s) of your choice.
Please Note: This step does not apply to students who have already been awarded FWS, or have previously received verification from
Financial Aid.
Remind students to bring an up-to-date resume,
or submit by email where required. If they need
assistance with job search techniques, advise
them to meet with a Career Services Advisor.
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8. Payment Methods
Students have four easy ways to pay their tuition, fees, and other educational expenses:
1. Online payments (and view bill) using the Online Student Center
2. Financial aid and scholarship funds (pays automatically when awarded)
3. Payment at the college cashier’s office
4. Monthly payment plan (Nelnet Business Solutions)
Online Payments
Using the Online Student Center, students can check their class registration status, find out how much tuition they owe, see
when their tuition is due, check financial aid, and pay for their classes all in the one convenient place.
Financial Aid Funds
In order to ensure that a student’s classes are not dropped on the payment due date...
• he/she must have a current financial aid award for the semester in which they are enrolled
• he/she needs to ensure that there is enough financial aid funding per semester to cover tuition and fees
A student can view his/her financial aid award by logging in to the Online Student Center and navigating to Financial Aid >>
Award Summary. Encourage each student to read all instructions and check her To Do List for details.
Be aware that financial aid funds will NOT pay tuition and fees right away. Financial aid will update the student’s account during
the Financial Aid Disbursement Process (STEP 4). Students that do not meet the minimum Standards of Academic Progress
(SAP) may not be awarded or may have their federal student aid cancelled due to prior semester/term grades.
1. Log in to the Online Student Center
2. Scroll down to Finances
3. Select Payment Options under Account Summary
4. Use tabs at top of page to review summary, activity, charges
due, payments, pending financial aid, and make a payment
5. Select Pay by Credit Card
6. After being directed to the Touchnet Website follow the steps
to make a credit card payment
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9. College Cashiers Office
The cashier's office provides students with several payment options and can answer any questions concerning tuition and fee
charges, payments, or refunds. Cashier's offices accept payments in person, on the telephone, or by mail. Payments made by
telephone will require a credit/debit card, and for payments sent by mail will require a check or money order. Tuition and fees
are due at the time of registration or by the specified due date for the class. The $15 registration fee and any associated class
fees must be paid by their respective due dates. For details about locations, hours of operation, tuition, fee payment options,
and mailing addresses, see the links for college cashiers offices on the right. Please Note: Paradise Valley Community College does
not accept telephone payments
Monthly Payment Plan
Why should a student choose a monthly payment plan?
Please Note: If the registration fee is returned for any reason, the agreement will be terminated.
There is a $30 fee for all returned payments.
If a student wants to set up an account, direct them to these detailed instructions about setting up a payment plan. If she
already has an account, suggest she view the agreement history and update information at FACTS.
Has a student asked to view her financial aid processing
information? Suggest the tutorial above.
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10. MSRP - Money Network
A student will need to enroll with Maricopa’s Student
Refund Program via Money Network® if he/she re-
ceives any of the following types of student refunds:
• Financial aid
• Book advances
• Scholarships
• Cash payment
• Check payment
• Payment plan payments
Disbursement of financial aid is a federal process.
Disbursement begins after the PELL Census date.
Any changes in enrollment will be assessed and may
cause a revision to a student’s financial award and
disbursement.
Book advances, awarded in the pre-disbursement
process, are a portion of a student’s anticipated
financial aid which allows her to purchase textbooks
and other supplies prior to the start of the semester.
Disbursement is when a student’s financial aid funds are transferred (credited) to the student’s
account in the Cashiers Office to pay current tuition, fees, and books (if applicable). The remaining
funds will be sent through the Maricopa Student Refund Program (MSRP).
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11. Students need to select an option for receiving their student refund:
• The Maricopa ONE Card (prepaid Discover® Card) is the fastest and most flexible way to receive funds.
Review the cardholder agreement before choosing.
• Direct deposit (ACH) transfer to a bank account.
Please note: Paper checks are available for students who do not select an option above. Checks may take up to 7-10 days to receive and
will be mailed to the address in your Online Student Center. Paper checks are mailed and delays may occur due to postal service.
To set up an account, students will need the following information:
• Student ID # (Has the student forgotten his student ID?)
• Date of Birth
• Official Maricopa Student Email Address (Has the student forgotten her Maricopa Student Email address?)
Maricopa Community Colleges is here to help students with this process. For students seeking more information, refer them to
the frequently asked questions section of My.maricopa.edu, to stop by the Cashiers Office on campus, or to call (480) 731-8800.
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12. District-wide Contact List: Cashiers Office
Chandler-Gilbert Community College
http://www.cgc.maricopa.edu/
Phone: 480.732.7312
CGCC Pecos Campus (AGA Building) or
CGCC Williams Campus (BLUF Building)
Estrella Mountain Community College
http://www.estrellamountain.edu/
Phone: (623) 935-8888 Ext. 2
Building: Komatke Hall - Cashiers
Gateway Community College
http://www.gatewaycc.edu/
Phone: (602) 286-8277
Building: Integrated Education Building
Room: IE1214
Glendale Community College
http://www2.gccaz.edu/
Cashier / Fiscal Office
Phone: (623) 845-3589
Building: Enrollment Center (EC)
Cashier / Fiscal Office - North
Phone: (623) 845-4022
Building: GCCN C-124
Hours of Operation:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday 9:00am - 5:00am
CLOSED Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays
Mesa Community College
http://www.mesacc.edu/
Southern & Dobson
Phone: 480-461-7400
Fax: 480-461-7073
Building: KSC 35
Red Mountain
Phone: 480-654-7755
Fax: 480-461-7073
Building: RDM M
cashiers@mesacc.edu
Paradise Valley Community College
http://www.paradisevalley.edu/
Phone: 602-787-7350
Fax: 602-787-7025
Email: cashier@paradisevalley.eduy
Phoenix College
http://www.phoenixcollege.edu/
Phone: 602.285.7522
Fax: (602) 285.7884
pc-cashiers@phoenixcollege.edu
Rio Salado Community College
http://www.riosalado.edu
Phone: 480-517-8334
Phone: 480-517-8330
Fax: 480-377-4704
Email: DL-Rio-Cashier@riosalado.edu
Scottsdale Community College
http://www.scottsdalecc.edu/
Phone: (480) 423-6148
Fax: (480) 423-6189
South Mountain Community College
http://www.southmountaincc.edu/
Phone: 602.243.8007
Cashier Office - Main Campus
7050 S 24th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85042
Phone: 602.305.5627
Guadalupe Center
9233 S. Avenida del Yaqui
Guadalupe, AZ
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13. Glossary
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): the free application which allows for students to simultaneously apply for
the full range of federal aid (i.e., grants, loans, and work-study)
Grant: free money from the federal government; no required repayment
Loan: money lent by the federal government that must be repaid with interest
Maricopa Community College District Scholarships: require applicants to complete a FAFSA and provide evidence of law
presence within the U.S.
Maricopa Foundation Scholarships: privately funded scholarships that are open to all MCCCD students and in some cases,
non-Maricopa colleges and universities as well; FAFSA and lawful presence documentation are not eligibility requirements
Maricopa Student Refund Program (MSRP): the process the Maricopa Community Colleges uses for refunding money to stu-
dents
State Aid: Financial aid from a student’s state of legal residence
Work-Study: a grant that you work off and is part of your financial aid award eligibility
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