A wide variety of financial assistance programs are available to both full-time and part-time degree/certificate seeking students. Since the extent of support and qualifying conditions are changed periodically by sponsoring agencies, the list that follows should be thought of as representative only. Current information is found online on the Finanacial Aid Webpage. Additionally, inquiries concerning the most recent information should be addressed to the Office of Financial Aid at CNCC.
Decisions on financial aid will not be made until after the student has been accepted for admission to the college. Students must have a high school diploma or the equivalent to receive Title IV aid.
Students applying for financial aid should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online on the Federal Student Aid Website. Filling out the FAFSA will determine if you are eligible for a federal grant, work-study, and loans. As the FAFSA has gone to prior, prior year for tax purposes you no longer have to wait until your taxes are done to complete it.
Approximately 30% of all financial aid applicants are pulled for verification and will be asked to provide additional documentation to the Financial Aid Office. Financial aid recipients, with files completed by May 1st, will receive first consideration for financial assistance. Applications received at the college after that date will be considered for any funds still available.
For financial aid purposes, full-time status is 12 credits and above, three-quarter-time status is 9-11 credits, half-time status is 6-8 credits, and less-than half-time is 5 credits and under. These definitions are the same for all semesters, including summer.
Course to Program - Federal Title IV aid is only available for courses that pertain to the student’s declared degree/certificate. Courses taken that do not pertain to the student’s degree/certificate will not be covered by financial aid and financial aid will be adjusted accordingly. Contact the Financial Aid Office before the census/drop date of classes with questions.
Grants and Scholarships
Federal Pell Grants
Federal Pell Grants are to help undergraduate students pay for their education after high school. It is the largest need-based student aid program. The Department of Education uses a standard formula, established by Congress, to evaluate the information students report when they complete the FAFSA. The formula determines Student Aid Index (SAI). Students with an SAI below a certain amount, will be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, assuming they meet all other eligibility criteria. Federal Pell Grants are pro-rated when a student is below full-time status. A student’s lifetime eligibility for a Pell Grant is 600% or approximately 6 years, once this is met there will be no further Pell Grant eligibility. Once a student receives a bachelor’s degree they are no longer eligible for a Pell Grant.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants
Students demonstrating significant financial need, as determined by completion of the FAFSA, may be eligible for a Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG). Priority is given to non-resident students with an SAI of negative 1500. The value of an FSEOG at CNCC may vary from $200 to $2,000 per year.
Institutional Grants and Scholarships (Based on availability of funds)
CNCC has a variety of scholarships and grants available for both new and continuing students at all CNCC campuses. All applicants must have a high school diploma or the equivalent, and must be planning to enroll in a financial aid eligible degree or certificate program. The applications can be obtained directly from the Financial Aid Office or by accessing the “Scholarship Central” link under “Admissions” on the CNCC website on the Scholarship Central Webpage.
CNCC Vice-President’s Scholarship (Rangely or Craig Campus)
Applicants for this scholarship must be first-time freshman with a minimum 3.4 cumulative high school GPA, enrolled full-time on the Rangely or Craig Campus; degree-seeking; and have submitted a final high school transcript by August 1.
Annual Award: $2,000.00, renewable upon the completion of 24 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.00. Maximum of two years receipt of scholarship by August 1.
CNCC Dean’s Scholarship (Rangely or Craig Campus)
Applicants for this scholarship must be first-time Freshman with a cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 to 3.39, enrolled full-time on the Rangely or Craig Campus; degree-seeking; and have submitted a final high school transcript by August 1.
Annual Award: $1,000.00, renewable upon the completion of 24 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.5. Maximum of two years receipt of scholarship.
CNCC Academic Transfer Scholarship (Rangely or Craig Campus)
Applicants for this scholarship must transfer in a minimum of 15 credits, they must pertain to your degree, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, enrolled full-time on the Rangely or Craig Campus; degree-seeking and have submitted both a final high school transcript and official college transcript(s).
Athletic Grants
A limited number of athletic grants in varying amounts are available to outstanding high school and transfer athletes. These grants are awarded in all varsity sports supported by the College. At the present time, athletic grants are available for men in baseball, basketball, rodeo, and soccer; and for women in basketball, rodeo, soccer, softball, and volleyball.
Athletic grants are awarded by the CNCC Athletic Department and must be renewed each year, subject to the academic/athletic requirements of the College and those of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA).
CNCC Foundation Scholarship
Each year the CNCC Foundation provides scholarship opportunities to students attending CNCC. Some scholarships are program specific, while others are more general. See the Scholarship Central Webpage for more information. The CNCC Foundation is utilizing AwardSpring management software to facilitate the application process.
State-Funded Student Assistance Programs
The primary purposes of state-funded student financial aid are to provide financial resources to students who would otherwise be unable to pursue postsecondary education and to recognize and recruit outstanding students.
Colorado State Grant (“Colorado’s College Responsibility Program”)
The Colorado State Grant program is designed to assist Colorado residents who have demonstrated the least ability to pay for higher education, as determined by completion of the FAFSA. This grant program is available to students enrolling at least half-time (6 credit hours per semester). A level system for determining eligibility has been established by the State. Level 1: Students with the least ability to pay (Student Aid Index (SAI) students eligible for Pell Grants). The maximum annual award for this group of students is up to $9,000.00, unless the remaining unmet need after other aid funds is less. Maximum award may be adjusted due to state funding.
Loans
Federal Direct Loan Program
Direct Loan funds are obtained directly from the U.S. Treasury. This process involves fewer participants and provides a single point of contact for the school and the student/parents.
The Direct Loan Program allows students to borrow low-interest loans to assist in meeting the costs of higher education. Depending on students’ financial need (cost of attendance less student aid index) , the loan may be subsidized (the federal government pays the interest) or unsubsidized (the borrower pays the interest).
If a student’s loan is subsidized, the federal government pays the interest while the student is enrolled at least half-time and during a six month grace period. If a student’s loan is unsubsidized, interest will start accruing after the initial disbursement. Repayment for interest and principal begins six months after the student has graduated or is no longer enrolled in at least six credit hours. Origination fees will be deducted prior to disbursement of funds. Students must complete a FAFSA to determine loan eligibility.
The loan program also encompasses the Federal PLUS Loan. Parents of dependent students may borrow up to the cost of education minus any other resources, provided they have good credit histories. Origination fees are deducted prior to disbursement of funds. Repayment begins 30 days after the final disbursement for the year. Students must complete a FAFSA.
*Student loans must be repaid, even if the student did not complete their degree or program.
Work-Study Program
CNCC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, which provides work opportunities to numerous students each year. The college adheres to the regulations set forth by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, both of which govern the work-study and student employment programs.
Colorado Work-Study Program
The Colorado Work-Study Program is an employment program designed to allow Colorado resident undergraduate students to earn funds to assist in attending eligible educational institutions in Colorado. Qualifying students average 10 to 20 hours per week and earn between $1,000.00 and $3,000.00 per academic year.
Federal College Work-Study Program
The Federal Work-Study Program, administered by the Office of Financial Aid, provides part-time employment opportunities for qualified need-based students. Students average 10-20 hours per week and earn between $1,000.00 and $3,000.00 per academic year.
Institutional Work-Study Program
A limited amount of funding is available through the institution for students who do not qualify for either Federal or Colorado work-study funds. Students average 10-20 hours per week and earn between $1,000.00 and $2,000.00 per academic year.
Veterans Assistance
Most programs are approved for the training of veterans. All pertinent Veteran Administration (VA) regulations are adhered to, including those pertaining to refunds.
Veterans apply for benefits online on the Veterans Affairs Website. Six to eight weeks after completing the application, the veteran will receive a Certificate of Eligibility and/or an award letter. A copy should be submitted to the CNCC VA Certifying Official at CNCC, 500 Kennedy Drive, Rangely, CO 81648.
Students who wish to qualify for VA educational benefits should be prepared to finance their living expenses for a period of at least sixty days. This is the normal length of time required to complete a veteran’s file in the regional office and for the issuance of monthly payments.
VA Benefits Application Process
In addition to completing the application process, please also submit:
- Military Transcripts
- Certificate of Eligibility (or letter of entitlement from the VA)
- Official transcript from all college previously attended
Please send your completed forms, Certificate of Eligibility and all other documentation to the financial aid office:
Mail or fax completed documents to:
Colorado Northwestern Community College
Attn: Financial Aid Office
500 Kennedy Drive Rangely, CO 81648
Fax: 970-675-3386
Email: cncc.finaid@cncc.edu
CNCC has the following point of contacts for Active Duty Military and Veterans:
It is highly recommended that active duty service members contact their Educational Service Office (ESO) or counselor within their Military Service branch prior to enrolling at CNCC.
CNCC complies with the Department of Education regulations regarding readmission for Service members and reservists under 34 C.F.R. 668.8. For more information contact cncc.finaid@cncc.edu.
CNCC complies with Title 38 Section 3679(e) and will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet their financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under chapter 31 or 33.
VA students’ records must be kept for 3 years following the ending date of the last period certified to VA. Referenced law: Title 38 CFR 21.4209(f)).
The evaluation of previous postsecondary education and training is mandatory and required for VA beneficiaries. For students utilizing Veterans benefits who are approved for transfer credit as a result of this evaluation, the institution will grant appropriate credit, reduce the program length proportionately, notify the student and Veterans Affairs in writing of this decision, and adjust invoicing of the VA accordingly.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Federal and state regulations require that all student financial aid recipients maintain specific academic standards in order to maintain their financial aid eligibility. Except for some private and institutional funds, all forms of financial aid (grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships) are affected by this policy. These standards are applied to a student’s entire academic history at CNCC, including periods when financial aid was not received.
The Financial Aid Office will evaluate student academic progress at the end of each semester based on three criteria:
- Cumulative GPA
- Cumulative Completion Rate (%)
- Maximum Time Frame
Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards
- Cumulative GPA - 2.0 or above
- Cumulative Completion Rate - Students must complete at least 67% of cumulative attempted credit hours. The completion rate is defined as the percentage of the total number of credits completed divided by the total number of credits attempted over the entirety of the student’s academic record at the school performing the calculation. Transfer and remedial credits are included when computing the student’s completion rate.
- Maximum Time Frame - Students will be eligible for financial assistance for up to 150% of the number of credits required to complete their degree/certificate program. (Example - degree is a total of 60 credits a student can receive financial assistance for up to 90 credits.) Transfer and remedial credits are included when computing the student’s maximum time frame.
Students who meet these three academic standards will be considered in Good Standing. Students failing to meet these requirements will be ineligible for financial aid. Reinstatement will be made only after students have met the requirements to be considered making satisfactory progress or an appeal has been approved.
Grades of U, I, W, AW, Z, U/D, U/F, SP, and AU will affect your cumulative completion rate but not your cumulative GPA. Grade of F will affect both your completion rate and your cumulative GPA. Students are responsible for notifying the Financial Aid Office of grade changes that affect their student academic progress standing.
Incomplete grade of “I” will not affect a student’s cumulative completion rate or cumulative GPA. When an incomplete has been granted a student has until the assigned date, if no date is assigned then the course must be completed no later than the end of the next 16-week semester, to complete the course and receive a grade. At the end of the assigned date, or next 16-week semester, the instructor of record will supply a final grade to the Registrar. Once a final grade is received the student’s academic progress will be reassessed.
Repeat course credit hours will affect a student’s earned and unearned credits; the grade will affect the cumulative GPA.
Notification of Satisfactory Academic Progress
Students in “warning”, “alert”, and “ineligible” statuses of Satisfactory Academic Progress will be notified by mail sent to their permanent home address on record at the institution.
Students in “good standing” status of Satisfactory Academic Progress will be notified by email to their permanent email address on record at the institution.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Warning
- Fails to maintain a Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or greater.
- Has a Cumulative Completion Rate of less than 67% .
Students maintain their financial aid eligibility while on warning but must bring their Cumulative GPA and Cumulative Completion Rate above the stated standards to avoid ineligibility in subsequent terms.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Alert
A student will be placed on Satisfactory Academic Progress Alert if attempted 110% of the number of credit hours required for their degree or eligible certificate program. This is your official alert notice that once you receive 150% you will be Ineligible for Financial Aid.
Satisfactory Academic Ineligibility
A student will be placed on Satisfactory Academic Progress Ineligibility if:
- Student failed or withdrew from all of their classes in one semester or period of enrollment
- After a warning term the Cumulative GPA is below 2.0.
- After a warning term the Cumulative Completion Rate is below 67%.
- Student has attempted more than 150% of the required number of credits for a degree or certificate. If at any point in time it is determined that a student cannot complete their program of study within 150% of the program length, student will be ineligible for aid.
Rights of Appeal
If a student is placed on Financial Aid Ineligibility, they have the right to submit a written appeal to the Financial Aid Office. The financial aid appeal form can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office.
Appeals must explain any mitigating circumstances that prevented the student from successfully completing their coursework and must be accompanied by supporting documentation. Some examples of mitigating circumstances are medical issues, mental health issues, death in the family, birth of a child, or divorce/separation.
The appeal must also explain why the circumstances no longer exist and what the student will do to ensure that they will meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards in the future.
Appeals must be received at least two weeks prior to the end of the term in order to be considered for reinstatement for the current term, appeals can take up to two weeks to review. It is the responsibility of the student to submit an appeal in a timely manner if they wish to have their ineligibility reconsidered and aid reinstated.
Appeal decisions will be emailed to the student’s college assigned email address. Students with a successful appeal will be placed on “probation” for one payment period, during which time the student may receive financial aid funds. At the end of the “probation” period the student must be in “good standing” to continue to receive financial aid funds. If after the “probation” period the student has not met the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards the student will lose their financial aid eligibility.
By student request, any student appeal that has been denied, can be sent to the Vice President of Student Services for review. The decision of the Vice President is final.
Return of Title IV Funds
Federal regulations require a return of Title IV funds if a student received federal financial assistance and withdrew or ceased to attend for any reason on or before completing 60% of the enrollment period. The percentage of Title IV aid to be returned is equal to the number of calendar days remaining in the enrollment period divided by the number of calendar days in the enrollment period. Scheduled breaks of more than five consecutive days are excluded from the total number of calendar days.
The office of financial aid is required to calculate how much federal financial aid a student has earned if that student:
- Completely withdraws, or
- Does not complete all modules (courses which do not span the entire length of the payment period).
For students enrolled in modules: A student is not considered as withdrawn if the Office of Financial Aid obtains a written confirmation at the time of the withdrawal that they will attend a module that begins later in the same enrollment period. The newly added courses will also count as a positive confirmation of future attendance if the student registered for the course or courses at the time of a withdrawal. Dropping courses in a later module while still attending a current module is also not considered to have withdrawn.
The official withdrawal date will be either the date the student begins the withdrawal process or the date the student provides official notification of intent to withdraw. The unofficial withdrawal (for a student with a failing grade) will be reported by the instructors based on the last date of attendance.
Official and Unofficial Withdrawals
The official withdrawal date will be either the date the student begins the withdrawal process or the date the student provides official notification of intent to withdraw. The unofficial withdrawal (for a student with a failing grade) will be reported by the instructors based on the last date of attendance.
Return of Title IV Calculations
| Percentage of Title IV Aid Earned |
Amount of Title IV Aid Earned |
Amount of Title IV Aid to Return |
| Days Attended / Total Days in the Enrollment Period = % Completed |
Total Disbursed Aid x %Completed = Earned Aid |
Total Disbursed Aid - Earned Aid = Amount to be Returned |
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- If the percentage completed is higher than 60%, the student has earned all the Title IV funds for the period.
- If a student who received financial aid never attends, all disbursed funds will be returned.
Return of Unearned Title IV Aid (34CFR 668.22)
Federal regulations require schools to perform calculations within 30 days from the date the school determines a student’s withdrawal and to return the funds within 45 days of the calculation.
If a student does not pay the balance owed to the institution within 45 days of the date of notification, the balance will be forwarded to the State of Colorado Collections Agency and the student’s records will be placed on financial hold. In addition, any grant funds owed to the government will be transferred and reported as an “overpayment” to the U.S. Department of Education.
Aid programs subject to the repayment calculation will be returned in this order
- Unsubsidized Direct Loans
- Subsidized Direct Loans
- Direct PLUS Loans
- Federal Pell Grant
- Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
Post Withdrawal Disbursement 34 CFR 668.22(a) (3) & (4)
Title IV funds are awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student drops or withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of the Title IV funds that the student was originally scheduled to receive. If the amount disbursed to the student is less than the amount the student earned and for which the student is otherwise eligible they are eligible to receive a Post-Withdrawal Disbursement of the earned aid that was not previously received.
Disbursing Title IV Aid Earned
All post-withdrawal disbursements are applied to the student account first for balances owed to the institution. Any resulting credit balance on the student’s account must be disbursed as soon as possible and no later than 14 days after the calculation of R2T4. 34 C.F.R 668.22 (a) (5) and (6); 34 C.F.R 668.164 (h) and (j).
- Grant funds must be disbursed within 45 days.
- Loan funds must be offered to the student within 30 days, allowing the student at least 14 days to respond for a total of 45 days.
The College will notify the student in writing of any Title IV grant or loan repayment. The letter will inform the student of the dollar amount owed, the program, the method for repaying the funds and to whom, and the consequences of failing to repay the funds.
Assignment of Credit Hours
The institution’s assignment and award of credit hours shall conform to commonly accepted practices in higher education. Those institutions seeking, or participating in, Title IV federal financial aid, shall demonstrate that they have policies determining the credit hours awarded to courses and programs in keeping with commonly-accepted practices and with the federal definition of the credit hour, as reproduced herein for reference only, and that institutions also have procedures that result in an appropriate awarding of institutional credit in conformity with the policies established by the institution. CNCC follows the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and federal guidelines on credit hours. That is, that one credit equals 50 hours of student effort both in and out of class. For a lecture class, that means that for every credit you receive, there must be 12.5 hours of in-class time and 37.5 hours of out-of-class time (homework, reading, preparing for class or exams). All courses including online, hybrid, and accelerated are designed so that you have the opportunity to devote enough time to meet your required course outcomes. When deciding on a course load, you should keep these time requirements in mind.
Federal Credit Hour Definition: A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:
- (1) one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
- (2) at least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other activities as established by an institution, including laboratory work, internships, practicums, studio work, and other academic work leading toward to the aware of credit hours. 34CFR 600.2 (11/01/2010)
Student Records
Students and parents should be aware that all records and conversations between students, parents, and financial aid staff are confidential and that no public announcements shall be made of amounts awarded to individual students.
Students who receive Federal Title IV Financial Aid (Federal Grants and Federal Direct Loans) are considered withdrawn if they do not successfully complete at least one credit hour in each of their periods of enrollment for the term.
A student’s period of enrollment is defined by the start and end dates of all courses for which they are registered. Receiving grades of F, W, U, U/D, U/F or Incomplete is not considered successfully completing. Financial aid recipients who withdraw or stop attending any module (or part of a term) within their period of enrollment may be reported to the Clearinghouse as withdrawn and may be responsible for repayment of their financial aid. Students should check with their Financial Aid Office prior to dropping or withdrawing from courses.
In addition, students who are registered for courses that do not span the length of the regular term, may have financial aid adjustments if they drop or withdraw from any credit hours.
Special Note: If further information concerning grants, loans, and work-study is desired, check out the Financial Aid Webpage online or contact the Office of Financial Aid at 970-824-1125 or 1-800-562-1105 ext. 1125.
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