Policy Type: Student Affairs
Policy Title: Financial Aid Eligibility
Policy Number: SA-15

Purpose:
Define eligibility requirements for federal, state, and institutional student aid programs.

Scope:
All students applying for federal, state, and/or institutional student aid.

Definitions:

Ability to Benefit (ATB): Under the ATB provision, otherwise-eligible students — who do not have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent but are enrolled in select Title IV eligible programs at Green River College — may be eligible for financial aid.

Enrollment Status: Enrollment Status is based on the number of quarterly credits, which apply towards a student's eligible program of study, and is calculated quarterly.

  • Federal student loans, federal/state work-study, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG): Minimum six (6) quarterly credits which apply towards a student's eligible program of study.
  • Grants (including Pell, Washington College Grant, College Bound Scholarship, institutional funds): Awards are prorated based on the number of eligible quarterly credits which apply towards a student's eligible program of study.
Enrollment Status Number of Eligible Credits
Full-Time  12 or more 
Three Quarter Time  9 to 11 
Half-Time  6 to 8 
Less Than Half Time  5 or fewer 

FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid must be completed in order to apply for federal financial aid at Green River. FAFSA results are used to determine eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): Students are required to maintain satisfactory academic progress in order to receive financial aid which is mandated by federal and state regulations. See Policy SA-17: Satisfactory Progress for Financial Aid

WASFA: The Washington Application for State Financial Aid is for students who don't meet the requirements of the FAFSA but meet the residency requirements of HB-1079, have DACA status, or other eligibility criteria as determined by Washington Student Achievement Council.

Policy:
Recipients of federal financial aid at Green River must meet the following criteria:

  1. Complete a FAFSA
  2. Have a high school diploma, GED® certificate, recognized HS equivalency, or qualify for Ability to Benefit (ATB) designation.
  3. Not be enrolled in an elementary or secondary school even if simultaneously enrolled in an eligible postsecondary program.
  4. Be enrolled as a regular student seeking an eligible degree or certificate.
  5. Meet and maintain satisfactory academic progress (see Policy SA-17: Satisfactory Progress for Financial Aid)
  6. Meet enrollment status requirements.
  7. Not be in default on a student loan or owe a repayment of federal educational grant funds.
  8. Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or eligible non-citizen.
  9. Register with selective service, if required to do so.

Note: The U.S. Department of Education may have additional eligibility requirements not stated in this policy. Please see studentaid.ed.gov for additional information.

Recipients of state & institutional financial aid at Green River must meet the following criteria:

  1. Complete a FAFSA or WASFA
  2. Have a high school diploma, GED certificate, recognized HS equivalency, or qualify for Ability to Benefit (ATB) designation.
  3. Not be enrolled in an elementary or secondary school even if simultaneously enrolled in an eligible postsecondary program.
  4. Be enrolled as a regular student seeking an eligible degree or certificate.
  5. Make satisfactory academic progress (see Policy SA-17: Satisfactory Progress for Financial Aid)
  6. Meet enrollment status requirements.
  7. Not owe a repayment of state grant funds (for additional state funding)
  8. Be a resident of Washington, as determined by the College's Residency Officer, RCW 28B.15, and WAC 250-18

Procedure:

  1. Review all eligibility edits provided by the Federal Student Aid Central Processing System for each financial aid applicant
  2. Review student's prior higher education enrollment to determine satisfactory academic progress.
  3. Review the registration information to determine program eligibility and enrollment intent.
  4. Review information from the National Student Loan Database and Common Origination and Disbursement System for default, concurrent enrollment, refund of any previous grants, overpayments, and Pell Grant and loan disbursements.
  5. Review Washington Student Achievement Council's databases for eligibility and overpayments

 

Specific Authority

Federal Regulations:
HEA Sec. 484

State Regulations:
WAC 250-18
28B1151012
28B.15.820
28B.92
28B.15.740

Law Implemented:

History of Policy or Procedure
Draft: February 5, 2005
Adopted: January 6, 2006
Revised: August 22, 2012, July 9, 2019, February 7, 2020
Reviewed by: Student Affairs Leadership Team
Contact: Beth Hawes, Director of Financial Aid, 253.333.4978
President's Staff Sponsor: David Larsen, Dean of Enrollment and Completion, 253-833-9111, ext. 3307, dlarsen@greenriver.edu