There are three basic steps used to determine the amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive.

Step One: Determining Your Student Budget

Step Two: Determining Your Eligibility

Step Three: Determining Your Financial Aid Package

Important Things You Should Know

A student budget that includes standard fees and costs is assigned to all financial aid recipients. The budget is based on data provided by the California Student Aid Commission and the Chancellor's Office for California Community Colleges.

Standard student budgets are constructed recognizing the different costs for students living at home or living away from home. An additional $159/unit for enrollment fees is added to the budget for out-of-state students.

Budget Adjustments
If you have additional expenses such as childcare, elder care, disability related expenses (which are not paid by an outside funding agency), or uninsured medical or dental expenses, please let us know. Also, if you must purchase a computer, or supplies required for programs that are in excess of the standard budget allowance, you may request adjustments to your budget.

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A: Financial Need
The Expected Family Contribution (EFC-located on the upper right hand corner of your SAR) is the amount of money you and your family are expected to contribute toward your educational costs. Your EFC is calculated based on the information you reported on your FAFSA. Your financial aid eligibility is the difference between your student budget and your EFC. Funds are limited and often it is not possible to meet students' full financial aid eligibility.

B: Academic Progress
To receive financial aid, you must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress. Federal regulations require that academic progress be monitored for all periods of enrollment whether or not you have received financial aid. Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA, meet the unit completion requirements for their enrollment status, and not exceed the maximum time frame for their program. Financial aid checks will not be processed for students who do not maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Please read the Standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress.

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Awards are based on student eligibility, enrollment status, and application deadlines. Once your file has been reviewed and your eligibility has been determined, the Financial Aid Office will award you any grant and work-study funds you are eligible to receive. If you need to borrow student loan funds, you must complete the loan application process.

What If My Financial Situation Has Changed?
The Financial Aid Office recognizes that your circumstances can change. If you or your family's financial situation has changed, you are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid Office.

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SAP and Your Financial Aid - Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Your Rights and Responsibilities

SAP and Your Financial Aid

2007-08 Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy

The Financial Aid Office is required to measure your academic progress toward a Certificate of Proficiency, Associate, or Transfer degree program. Financial aid is not available for Skills Certificate programs.

SAP standards are measured at the end of Fall and Spring semesters and apply to periods of enrollment whether or not your have received financial aid. Financial aid requirements are different than and separate from Admission & Records'. You must meet Minimum Standard Requirements and not exceed your Maximum Time Frame.

These standards apply to:
Pell Grant, FSEOG, Work-Study, All school certified Student loans, Cal Grant, and EOPS/CARE. They do not apply to the Board of Governors enrollment fee waiver (BOG).

When your academic progress is evaluated, your status will either be Satisfactory, Probation, Suspension, or Ineligible.

Students who have met Minimum Standard Requirements will be Satisfactory.

Students who have not met Minimum Standard Requirements will be placed on Probation.

• You are still eligible for financial aid consideration while on Probation.

Students who do not meet Minimum Standard Requirements at the end of their probationary semester, will be placed on Suspension for the next term.

• You are not eligible for financial aid consideration while on Suspension. You must complete the Appeal Process to be reconsidered for eligibility.

Students who reach or exceed the Maximum Time Frame for their program will be placed on Suspension.

• You are not eligible for financial aid consideration while on Suspension. You may complete the Appeal Process to be considered for eligibility through the completion of your program.

Minimum Standard Requirements

Maximum Time Frame Requirement

What if I'm placed on Probation?

How do I avoid Suspension?

What if I'm placed on Suspension?

The Appeal / Reinstatement Process

Other important info

What If I Withdraw From Cabrillo?

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Minimum Standard Requirements

• Maintain a Grade Point Average of at least 2.0 and,
• Complete ALL the Required Units you attempt each semester.
  
  Listed below are the unit completion requirements for each enrollment status. This is the minimum number of units you must complete each semester.

Grades of A, B, C, D and CR are considered complete.
Grades of F, NC, W, MW, I, and RD are considered NOT complete.

Units attempted are defined as the number of units that will appear on your permanent academic record.

If you do not meet Minimum Standard Requirements you will be placed on Probation.
If you are already on Probation and do not meet Minimum Standard Requirements you will be placed on Suspension.

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Maximum Time Frame Requirement

If you exceed the Maximum Time Frame for your program, your status will be Suspension.

Students who have reached the Maximum Time Frame of units attempted may submit an appeal. The appeal process for Maximum Time Frame includes a SAP Quiz, a written appeal and a complete Educational Plan which you must submit with your appeal.

If approved, you will be given a specific length of time to complete your program based on your Educational Plan. During this time, you MUST meet Minimum Standard Requirements. If not, your status will be Ineligible and you will no longer be able to receive financial aid at Cabrillo College except for the BOG Enrollment Fee Waiver.

If denied, you will need to complete your program without the benefit of financial aid. There are no exceptions, no further appeals, and you will not be elilgible for Reinstatement.

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What if I'm placed on Probation?

• You must meet Minimum Standard Requirements
• You are still eligible for financial aid consideration

If you do NOT meet the Minimum Standard Requirements during your probationary semester, you will be placed on Suspension.

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How do I avoid Suspension?

• Meet Minimum Standard Requirements and
• Do not exceed the maximum time frame for your program

  Tip: Take a manageable course load.

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What if I'm placed on Suspension?

• You can still receive a BOG enrollment fee waiver;
• You cannot receive additional financial aid unless you submit an appeal and it is approved.

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The Appeal/Reinstatement Process

Suspension Appeal Process

Students who have been suspended due to unusual circumstances (i.e. health, family, or adversity) may submit an appeal to the SAP Committee if the unusual circumstances have been resolved. Documentation may be requested. The Appeal Process includes a SAP Quiz and a written Appeal. You must pass a SAP Quiz before you can submit your Appeal. This information will be mailed to you.

If your appeal is approved, you will regain your financial aid eligibility. Eligibility is not retroactive.

SAP Quiz Deadlines
Fall 2007: December 7, 2007
Spring 2008: May 23, 2008

SAP Appeal Deadlines
Fall 2007: December 14, 2007
Spring 2008: May 30, 2008

What if My Appeal is denied?
If your appeal is denied, you may petition for Reinstatement upon successful completion of at least one semester with at least three degree applicable units without benefit of federal or state aid, except the BOG fee waiver. Students denied due to exceeding their Maximum Time Frame are not eligible for Reinstatement.

Reinstatement Process
Reinstatement will only be considered if your Appeal has been denied and you have not exceeded your Maximum Time Frame.

To be considered for Reinstatement the following semster, you must:

• Meet Minimum Standard Requirements;
• Complete three degree applicable units;
• Submit a request for reinstatement in writing to the Financial Aid Office.

If you meet the requirements for reinstatement, you will be placed on Probation and may be eligible for financial aid consideration.

If you do not meet Mininum Standard Requirements at the end of your probationary semester, you will be ineligible for financial aid at Cabrillo College.

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Other important info

Prior College Units/Degrees: All prior units and degrees from Cabrillo and/or other colleges that are included in your permanent academic record will be counted towards the maximum time frame of units attempted.

Bachelor's Degree: If you have a Bachelor's degree, you must meet with an academic counselor and submit an Educational Plan for your academic goal at Cabrillo College.

Remedial/ESL Courses: If you are required to take remedial and/or ESL courses in order to meet your educational goal, your maximum time frame can be extended. Remedial coursework is limited to 30 funded units.

Course Repetitions: You may repeat courses in accordance with Admissions & Records' policy and the Cabrillo College Catalog.

If you have any questions regarding these Standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress, please contact the Cabrillo College Financial Aid Office.

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What If I Withdraw From Cabrillo?

Repayment
If you receive federal financial aid and withdraw from ALL of your classes before completing more than 60% of the semester, you will be required to return any unearned federal funds. The Financial Aid Office will calculate the amount. Federal Work-Study earnings are excluded from the calculation. Students who plan to completely withdraw should file an Intent to Withdraw form.

Your withdrawal date will be:

• the date you notify the Financial Aid Office that you intend to withdraw, or
• the midpoint of the semester if you leave without notifying the college, or
• your last date of attendance in class.
• Students who receive all F's or NC's will be considered unofficially withdrawn and the 50% mark will be used.

Within 30-days, we will notify you of any funds you may owe, or offer you any earned funds which were not disbursed.
Using your withdrawal date, the Financial Aid Office will calculate how much of the federal aid you have earned.

You have 45 days from the date you withdraw to:

• Repay the unearned federal aid in full to the College, or
• Set up a satisfactory repayment arrangement with the Department of Education.

Grant overpayments will be reported on day 46 if you fail to pay the overpayment and a national hold will be placed on your student aid eligibility.

To determine if you were eligible to receive federal funds even though none were disbursed, the Financial Aid Office must have:

• received your valid SAR with a calculated EFC, and/or
• originated your loan request and you are a first-year, first-time borrower that has completed the first 30 days of the semester.

If you did not receive all of your earned federal aid and your withdrawal date has been determined, we will send you a letter offering the aid. You will need to respond within 14 calendar days indicating whether or not you want the funds. If you request the aid, a check will be mailed to you within 90 days of the College's determination that you withdrew.

Fraud
Any individual who fraudulently manipulates the financial aid programs or process for personal gain will be reported to the Department of Education any individual committing fraud on an application for financial aid.

Cases of suspected fraud, including knowingly misrepresenting family or financial application information, purposeful certification of false statements as true and correct, or intentional falsification or misrepresentation on, or alteration of documents used in the financial aid process that results in the receipt of aid, will be reported for possible collection of funds and/or prosecution.

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You Have The Right To:

• Know what financial aid programs are available;
• Know the deadline for submitting applications for each of the programs available;
• Be informed of financial aid policies and procedures;
• Know how your financial eligibility was determined and what resources (such as your income, assets, parental contribution and other resources) were considered in the calculation of need;
• Know what portion of your financial aid must be repaid, and what portion is gift or aid received from work;
• Know how the Financial Aid Office determines whether you are making satisfactory academic progress and what the consequences are if you are not;
• Request an explanation of the various programs in your financial aid package;
• Know the terms of any loans you receive, and your deferment, cancellation and forbearance rights.

You Have The Responsibility To:

• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress
• Complete all application forms accurately and submit them on time;
• Provide correct information. Misrepresentation of information on financial aid applications is a violation of federal law and may be a criminal offense (see section on Fraud);
• Report any change in the information used to determine your eligibility, including name, family size, or financial resources;
• Return all documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by either the Financial Aid Office or the agency to which you submitted your application, in a timely manner;
• Read and understand all forms that you are asked to sign and keep copies of them;
• Accept responsibility for all agreements that you sign;
• Perform the work that is agreed upon in accepting a Federal Work-Study award in a satisfactory manner;
• Notify the Financial Aid Office immediately if you withdraw from school or reduce enrollment below six units.
• Be aware of repayment procedures;
• Attend an Entrance Loan Workshop prior to applying for a loan and an Exit Interview prior to receiving your second disbursement, graduation, dropping below 6 units, or leaving Cabrillo;
• If you are a recipient of a student loan, notify your lender and the Financial Aid Office of changes in your enrollment status;
• Repay all loans including the interest on those loans;
• File all required student loan deferment or cancellation forms on time.