To determine financial need, students must first apply for financial aid. Many students / families mistakenly think they do not qualify for aid. There is no good excuse for not applying. Additionally, there are a few sources of aid, such as the unsubsidized Stafford and PLUS loans that are available regardless of need. Use the Quick Start Guide below to get started.
Quick Start Guide
Click through the steps below to get started on your application for Financial Aid.
Apply for Admission!
The first step is applying for admission to CFCC. IF you have already applied skip to Step 2.
If you have applied or attended Cape Fear Community College during the past three years, please DO NOTcomplete another application. Doing so will negatively affect your current records. If you are unsure about your last term of enrollment, contact Admissions at 910-362-7557.
Apply for your PIN.
Go to www.pin.ed.gov and apply for a PIN. If you are a Dependent student a parent will need to apply for a PIN too. The PIN serves as an electronic signature. DO NOT SHARE YOUR PIN WITH ANYONE!!
Apply for Financial Aid.
Log onto www.fafsa.gov and click “Start Here” in the center of the screen. Select 2012-13 FAFSA. Complete the entire application using your 2011 Federal taxes, W2s, and other financial information and the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. CFCC’s federal school code is: 005320.
After completing all information, click “Next” on the bottom of page until you see “Submit My FAFSA Now”. When shown, select this option and you will receive a confirmation page. CFCC will contact you via your CFCC email in regards to your FAFSA, typically within 7-10 business days.
If you wish to apply for a student or parent loan, you must first complete the FAFSA and then complete the paperwork located under the Loan Programs tab below.
Helpful Links and Financial Aid Tools
Aid Tools
Financial Aid Tools
FAFSA4Caster To begin exploring your financial aid options and get an early start on the financial aid process, FAFSA4Caster is for you!
CashCourse To manage your money and allow you to plan for your future, check out CashCourse!
www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/completefafsa This federal web site explains how to complete the FAFSA and the purpose of the FAFSA questions.
CFNC Financial Literacy Information To begin exploring financial literacy tools and become acquainted with Money Management
mygreatlakes.org/go/webcasts Great Lakes offers many webcasts on various Financial Aid questions. Attend a live session, and have your questions answered, or watch an on-demand session at your convenience.
Programs
Available Financial Aid Programs at CFCC
General Info
General Financial Aid Information
- Repeated Courses
- General Information
- Rights and Responsibilities as a Financial Aid Recipient
- Financial Aid FAQ’s
- Financial Aid Glossary
- Cost of Attendance
- Payment of Tuition, Fees, Books
- Eligibility Requirements for Financial Aid
- Drug Conviction
- Programs of Study NOT Eligible for Financial Aid
- Terms and Conditions to receive Aid
- Treatment of Federal Funds after withdrawal from CFCC
- Consolidation Loans
- Scholarship Scams
Applying for Financial Aid
Loan Programs
Federal Direct Student Loan Program
- 2012-13 Federal Direct Stafford Loan Request Form
- Exit Counseling (For graduating students and students who withdraw from school)
- Learn the Basics and Manage Your Debt
Federal Direct Parent Loan Program
- Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan Application Steps (complete all steps for the PLUS loan and submit all following forms)
- Federal Direct Parent PLUS Refund Release Form
- Federal Direct PLUS Authorization to Apply Charges Form
- Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan Request Form
- Consent Form to Obtain Credit Report
Alternative Education Loan Program
Forms
Verification Forms
- 2013-14 Independent Verification Form
- 2013-14 Dependent Verification Form
- 2013-14 FAFSA Missing Signature Page (PDF)
Additional Forms
- Consortium Agreement
- 2013-14 Dependency Override Request Form
- 2013-14 Special Circumstances Consideration Form
CFCC Deadline to Submit Required Documents:
Students selected for verification must submit all required documents:
- within 120 days of the last date of enrollment to be considered eligible for a Federal Pell Grant.
- before the last day of enrollment to be considered eligible for the Federal Direct Loan Program; the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity (FSEOG) and North Carolina state grants.
- before they are eligible to participate in the Federal Work-Study Program.
In addition, a valid Student Aid Report must have been received from the federal processor while the student was enrolled.
Progression Standards
Progression Standards
Important Information
News and Announcements
- Spring 2013 Graduates – The financial aid office will hold group Exit Counseling sessions for student loan borrowers on both the Downtown Campus and the North Campus starting in late April. See dates below to choose a session to attend. Downtown students will email Stacie Dziak at sdziak@cfcc.edu and North Campus students will email Lauren Wilson at lwilson@cfcc.edu to schedule their session. The session dates and times are as follows:
Downtown (CFCC Library Rm L-202) North (McKeithan Center Rm 334)
1. Tuesday, April 30, 3:00 p.m. 1. Tuesday, April 30, 10:00 a.m.
2. Thursday, May 2, 11:00 a.m. or 4:00 p.m. 2. Thursday, May 2, 3:00 p.m.
3. Tuesday, May 7, 10:00 a.m. or 3:00 p.m. 3. Tuesday, May 7, 11:00 a.m.
4. Thursday, May 9, 11:00 a.m. or 4:00 p.m.
- 2013-2014 FAFSA’S — The financial aid office will begin processing 2013-2014 FAFSA’S in mid April. Students will be notified via CFCC email after that date if additional data is required to complete the financial aid application or if a 2013-2014 award has been made.
- **2013-14 FAFSA’s** — The financial aid office has contracted with College Foundation, Inc. (CFI) to help complete the verification process of the FAFSA. College Foundation School Services will be contacting some students selected for verification and requesting the data needed to complete the required verification. Please watch for e-mails from verification@cfiss.org and respond quickly. The Financial Aid Office at CFCC may also contact the student via e-mail to request additional documents required to complete the application process. Please NOTE the origin of the e-mail request and respond quickly to either CFI or the Financial Aid Office at CFCC.
- CFCC’s FAFSA priority date for Summer 2013 – It is strongly recommended that new applicants submit a 2012-13 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by April 12 and submit all requested supporting documents by April 30 for Summer 2013 financial aid consideration. We will continue to review and process applications received after the above dates but will not guarantee that aid will be finalized in time to avoid your having to pay out of pocket for tuition and fees and books and supplies. The student is responsible for all charges in the absence of a financial aid award. Payment can be made by cash, check, debit card, MasterCard, VISA, American Express and Discover. WebAdvisor is available for making payments by debit and credit cards. Students may also enroll in the automatic monthly Tuition Payment Plan provided by Nelnet Business Solutions. To learn more about the Tuition Payment Plan, please visit http://cfcc.edu/businessoffice/paymentplan/. Make appropriate arrangements to pay to avoid having your summer schedule of classes canceled.
- CFCC’s Summer 2013 Stafford Loan Application priority date is May 1, 2013 – The Financial Aid Office will continue processing loan applications received after this date, however, the student may be responsible for tuition, fees, and books. FAFSA must be complete before loans can be processed.
- Financial Aid Eligibility and 2nd Mini Session Registration, 2012-13 Academic Year – Students attending the full 16-week session and/or the first mini session are allowed to register for 2nd mini session classes during the first eight days of the full 16-week spring semester. The classes in which students enroll during this period of time will qualify for financial aid if the student is otherwise eligible. Students attending ONLY 2nd mini session classes can register for the 2nd mini session up to the day before the 2nd mini session begins to qualify for financial aid if the student is otherwise eligible.
- New Verification Process for 2012-13 Financial Aid Applications — Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, financial aid offices can no longer accept signed copies of federal tax returns (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ) from financial aid applicants and parents for FAFSA verification purposes. Click the link below for more information about options if you are chosen for the verification process.
- Email Correspondence — ALL student correspondence from the Financial Aid Office is sent via e-mail. Students should check their CFCC e-mail accounts frequently for important information from the Financial Aid Office, including documents required to complete the application process and award notices. New applicants should allow 4 business days in the creation of a CFCC email account
- Bookstore Charging – Students who charge textbooks and supplies against a pending financial aid award in the CFCC Bookstores will be limited to a $60 per credit cap on charges. As an example, a student enrolled in 12 credits will be allowed to charge a total of $720 in required books and supplies. The intent of federal financial aid is to assist the student with individual educational expenses. The privilege of charging bookstore purchases against pending financial aid is a courtesy extended to CFCC students. Future purchases will be monitored and the privilege of charging may be revoked if charges are deemed to be excessive. Students enrolled in allied health, cosmetology, and culinary programs may be exempt, depending upon their exact purchases. Exceptions to this procedure can only be granted by staff members in the Business or Financial Aid Offices. Exceptions will only be granted for the purchase of required text books.
**If a student decides NOT to attend CFCC after registering for classes, s/he MUST complete paperwork for an official drop BEFORE the first day of the semester. Failure to do so will result in the student’s being charged for tuition and fees. All financial aid will be removed. **
