Office of Financial Aid
Although we offer one of the lowest tuition rates in the state of of Ohio, financing the college experience still presents itself as an obstacle to degree attainment. The Office of Financial Aid at Terra State Community College provides several options for financial assistance to help students overcome financial burdens. This aid includes grants, loans, internal and external scholarships and work study programs. The Office of Financial Aid works hard to administer these programs under policies established by the state and federal governments.
Terra State’s Office of Financial Aid is located on the first floor of Roy Klay Hall, Building A. Assistance is provided to students and parents with general financial aid questions. Please know that due to federal privacy laws we can only provide answers for specific questions about financial aid to students or people listed on the FERPA release with the Record’s Office. To add someone on the FERPA release: 1. Go to my.terra.edu 2. Click on Links. 3. Click on Banner Self-Service. 4. Enter your Username and Password. 5. Click on Student Tab. 6. Click on Student Account. 7. Click on FERPA consent and follow directions. Please email financialaid@terra.edu with any questions.
Financial Aid Eligibility for Federal Student Financial Aid
To receive any type of federal financial aid, a student must:
- Be a United States citizen or an eligible non-citizen;
- Be accepted for admission and be enrolled in the college;
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) as defined in the satisfactory academic progress policy;
- Have a high school diploma or a GED;
- Apply for financial aid and have financial need, based on the FAFSA information;
- Be enrolled as a regular student in an eligible program (please contact financialaid@terra.edu for eligible programs);
- Not be in default on a Perkins Loan (or National Direct Loan), Federal Direct Loan (or Guaranteed Student Loan), PLUS Loan or Supplemental Loan for Students (SLS);
- Not owe a refund on a Federal Pell Grant or Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG);
- Accurately verify income and other application data if requested by the Office of Financial Aid;
- Agree to use any federal student aid received for educational purposes; and
Financial Aid Application Procedures
The starting point to determine financial aid eligibility is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To complete the FAFSA, students should visit https://studentaid.gov. There will be basic instructions provided to gather information to determine eligibility in all financial aid programs sponsored by the Federal government. Based upon the information provided, the United States Department of Education will determine eligibility for federal student financial aid. Upon completion of the FAFSA, notification will be sent providing eligiblity determination. Additionally, the FAFSA will determine whether a student is considered dependent or independent.
The school code for Terra State Community College is 008278. Students who do not have Internet access may complete the FAFSA by visiting the Office of Financial Aid. Computers with Internet access are available there.
Financial aid is awarded for one academic year, summer, fall and spring. Students should reapply for financial aid prior to each academic year. It is highly recommended that you fill out the FAFSA as soon as you can after October 1st each year, to ensure that you do not miss out on available aid. Do not assume you are not eligible for financial aid. Review the information below and apply for financial aid today!
Financial aid application processing may take several weeks. To ensure timely processing, we strongly encourage students to complete the FAFSA no later than six weeks before the start of the term. If the student does not complete the FAFSA in a timely manner they will need to contact the College Cashier’s Office at 419.559.2349 or cashier@terra.edu to make any necessary payment arrangements.
Enrollment Requirements for Financial Aid Recipients
Financial Aid awards are adjusted each semester to correspond to the student’s enrollment status. Enrollment status is evaluated and determined on the 15th calendar day of each session during each semester. Please refer to the academic calendar for sessions.
Enrollment changes before the date could affect award amounts. In order to help ensure all financial aid is received, contact the Office of Financial Aid at 419.559.2344 or financialaid@terra.edu prior to dropping, withdrawing, or adding a class.
The Federal Pell Grant recognizes four primary enrollment levels:
- Full-time (12 or more credit hours)
- Three-quarter time (9-11 credit hours)
- Half-time (6-8 credit hours)
- Less than half-time (1-5 credit hours)
Federal Direct Loans and Parents Plus Loans recognize the following enrollment levels:
- Full-time (12 or more credit hours)
- Three-quarter time (9-11 credit hours)
- Half-time (6 -8 credit hours)
- Students enrolled in 5 or less credit hours are not eligible to receive Federal Direct Loans.
Annual Maximums for Direct Loans
First Year Dependent Student - $3,500 for a subsidized interest loan. Combination of subsidized and unsubsidized interest loan or an unsubsidized interest loan, and an additional $2,000 unsubsidized interest loan
Second Year Dependent Student - $4,500 for a subsidized interest loan. Combination of subsidized and unsubsidized interest loan or an unbsubsidized interest loan, and an additional $2,000 unsubsidized interest loan.
First Year Independent Student - $3,500 for a subsidized interest loan. $6,000 for an unsubsidized interest loan.
Second Year Independent Stuent - $4,500 for a subsidized interest loan. $6,000 for an unsubsidized interest loan.
A first-year student is a student with 0 - 30 completed credit hours in an eligible program. A second-year student is a student with 31 or more completed credit hours in an eligible program.
The FAFSA determines if a student’s status is Dependent or Independent and determines eligibility for Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized Loans. Subsidized Direct Loans are awarded based on financial need. With a Direct Subsidized Loan, the governmant pays the interest on the loan while the student is in school and during the six-month grace period. Please visit https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency for more information on dependency status is determined.
Unsubsidized Direct Loans are loans with interest that is not paid by the government. The borrower is responsible for the interest on an unsubsidized loan from the date the loan is disbursed, even while the student is in school. Students may defer paying interest while they are in school by capitalizing the interest, which increases the overall payoff amount of the loan.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) can be awarded to Pell-eligible students with at least one credit hour. FSEOG awards are for students who have the most need, based on the FAFSA information.
Federal Work Study (FWS) employees must be enrolled in at least six credit hours and must be in good academic standing (please refer to the satisfactory academic progress policy for criteria). Notification of eligibility does not guarantee the attainment of FWS employment. All student employment is dependent on availability of funding. Students interested in the FWS employment should contact Office of Financial Aid or visit http://agency.governmentjobs.com/terracc/default.cfm for available positions.
Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy
Policy Statement
Terra State Community College (TSCC) shall measure satisfactory academic progress for Federal Financial Aid students whose academic perfromance must be in compliance with current federal regulations.
Policy Details
Federal Student Aid recipients are required to meet quality academic standard to remain eligible for federal student aid.
Quality standards are measured by the cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). Student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 in order to meet SAP standards.
Quantity standards are measured by the percentage of credit hours earned divided by credit hours attempted. Quantity minimums are prorated for certificate programs to ensure that the 150% maximum is not exceeded.
Another quantity measurement is the total credit hours attempted, which cannot exceed 150% of the total required to complete a program of study.
The following final course grades are considered as credits earned: A, B, C, D and S. These final course grades are not considered as credits earned: F, U, W, I and AU. Course withdrawals (W) count as credit hours attempted for federal student aid standards, even though W’s do not count in TSCC’s calculation of cumulative GPA.
Students may not receive federal student aid for credit hours in excess of 150% of the total credit hour requirements to complete a degree or certificate program. Associate degree programs at TSCC vary from 60-65 credit hours. As a result, the maximum ranges are from 90 to 98 credit hours. Students working toward multiple degrees are allowed a maximum of 200 credit hours attempted for federal student aid eligibility. Certificate programs at TSCC also have various credit hour requirements and similar 150% maximums.
Student’s academic progress is monitored before awarding federal student aid and also at the end of the Summer, Fall and Spring terms. Students are notified via email to their Terra State email account if they are ineligible for student aid. Students may regain eligibility by completing courses without receiving federal student aid while improving their academic progress.
The standards of satisfactory academic progress apply to federal Pell grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportuunity Grants, Federal Work Study, Federal Stafford Student Loans (subsidized and unsubsidized) and Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduate students. It does not apply to student aid through the State of Ohio or Institutional scholarships.
Appealing to Regain Financial Aid Eligibility
Students with extenuating circumstances (see chart below) can appeal being suspended from receiving federal financial aid by completing the SAP Appeal form. To do so, you must complete the following steps:
- Meet with an Academic Advisor to complete the academic plan section on the appeal form, including a written explanation detailing the circumstances which led to the current SAP status. This explanation should address each semester that did not meet SAP standards;
- Attach any applicable supporting documentation, per the chart below.
If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on SAP appeal approved status and will be eligible for financial aid. However, in order to continue eligibility, the student must meet all conditions associated with the approval of the appeal. Appeal decisions are rendered within 5 business days, once all necessary forms and required documentation have been submitted to the Office of Financial Aid. Students are notified of the appeal decision via their Terra State email account. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid at 419.559.2344 or financialaid@terra.edu with any questions.
Approved Appeals
Approved appeals require the student to successfully follow the approved academic plan (as completed on the appeal form), which includes:
- Taking only courses listed on the academic plan;
- Not withdrawing from any courses;
- Earning a “C” or better in all courses.
- Incompletes will be considered non-passing grades and will result in loss of Federal Financial Aid eligibility.
Extenuating Circumstances
| The extenuating circumstances that may be considered include: |
Supporting Documentation Required (must be on letterhead, signed and dated): |
| Medical Condition of Self or Immediate Family Member |
- Statement from physician
- Medical documents
|
| Death of Immediate Family Member |
- Obituaries or death certificate indicating relationship to student
|
| Change in Employer Requirements |
- Statement from one’s employer/supervisor
|
| Caregiver Obligations |
- For relationship other than dependent, statement from physician of relationship and obligations of caregiver
- Statement or document from third-party and obligations of caregiver (i.e.: hospital, school, company, etc.)
|
| Change of major |
- Statement indicating new major
|
| Transfer of credits from another institution |
- Copy of Terra State courses and grades (unofficial transcript)
|
If you are suspended from financial aid due to reaching maximum time frame as a resut of; changing your program, graduating but coming back to Terra State Community College to acquire a new credential, or transferring credits from another institution, contact the Office of Financial Aid.
Financial Aid Payment
All federal and state aid is sent directly to Terra State Community College. Financial Aid is posted on the students’ account for payment of tuition, books and eligible fee charges. Awards are disbursed and tuition and fees are charged for one academic semester/term at a time. If financial aid is greater than the tuition and fee charges, students may utilize a certain portion of that credit to purchase educational books and supplies at the Campus Store. Excess funds will be provided to students beginning no sooner than the sixth week of the term. Students should pay close attention to their account via Banner Self-Service. Once financial aid has posted to an account, refunds of any excess aid will be made within 14 calendar days.
First-time borrowers of student loans and students who are attending for one term only and utilizing student loans will receive their student loan in two disbursements as required by the Department of Education.
Return of Federal Student Aid Calculations
Federal student aid is provided to students on a term-by-term basis to make progress towards a degree or eligible certificate program. Financial aid (Title IV funds) is awarded based on the premise that a student will attend school for the entire period for which the assistance is awarded. When a student withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of Title IV funds that the student was originally scheduled to receive. Students, therefore, have the responsibility of attending and being academically engaged in their courses in order to earn all of their aid. Federal regulations mandate that all institutions return certain amounts of unearned aid to the U.S. Department of Education if they completely withdraw from a term and do not earn their aid. If a student never attends classes, all aid will be returned. If a student stops attending classes, or officially (or unofficially) withdraws from all classes during the term, the College calculates the amount of unearned aid and returns it to the appropriate program, i.e. Pell, Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, etc.
For example: a student enrolls full-time for fall semester and receives $2500 of federal student aid. Fall semester has 112 calendar days. The student officially withdraws from all classes on the 56th calendar day of the term. The student earns 50% of the $2500 ($1250). The other 50% has to be returned to the aid program. This may create an outstanding balance owed to Terra State Community College. Students are responsible for repaying this liability to the College Cashier’s Office. Please note that students cannot appeal any charges related to the return of federal aid as returning unearned aid is required by law.
It is recommended that federal student aid recipients consult with a financial aid advisor prior to withdrawing from all classes. Students should contact their instructors to discuss current progress and possible solutions to academic challenges. Students are also encouraged to visit the Academic Service Center to seek out free services (Math Lab, Writing Lab, or tutoring) for help in developing proficiencies in weak academic areas.
Terra State Community College Scholarships
Terra College Foundation Scholarships
The development activities of the Terra College Foundation support scholarships which range in award from $250 to $1000. Please visit http://terra.edu_us/terra_college_foundation/foundation_scholarships.php for a list of all Terra College Foundation Scholarships.
Scholarship Application Procedures
- Apply for admission to Terra State Community College.
- Submit your official high school transcript to the College’s Office of Admissions.
- Complete the ACCUPLACER assessment or ACT college examination. The ACCUPLACER assessment is available free of charge through Terra State.
- Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Terra State’s school code on the FAFSA is 008278. Assistance with applying for FAFSA on the web is available from the College’s Office of Financial Aid.
- Complete the Terra State Community College Scholarship Application on the Terra State student application portal.
- Scholarship deadlines are as follows: summer semester - April 1, fall semester - July 1, spring semester - November 1.
Presidential Merit Scholarship
Students enrolling in Terra State beginning summer 2023 are eligible to receive a Presidential Merit Scholarship based on their cumulative GPA as reported on their official high school transcript. Scholarships range from $250 to $1000 per semester for full-time enrollment.
This is a last-dollar scholarship that will be applied toward tuition and fees after all Pell grants, FSEOG grants and/or other institutional and external scholarships have been awarded. The amount of the scholarship cannot exceed the total remaining balance of tuition and fees after grants and other scholarships have been applied to the student account and is intended to cover the gap that students may have.
Requirements:
- Student must complete the Terra State application for scholarships.
- Student must complete the FAFSA each year.
- Scholarship is available for six consecutive terms. Summer may be used as an option but is not required when considering consecutive enrollment terms.
- Student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.3 or higher each term.
- Students must be enrolled in at least 9 credit hours per semester.
- Scholarship amounts will be adjusted for students enrolled in less than full-time status (9-11 credit hours).
Founders Scholarship Program
The Founders Scholarship Program is a holistic scholarhip program aimed at building a dynamic and diverse learning environment. This scholarship considers additional factors that enrich the campus community. Scholarships range from $150 to $1000 per semester for full-time enrollment.
This is a last-dollar scholarship that will be applied toward tuition and fees after all Pell grants, FSEOG grants and/or other institutional and external scholarships have been awarded. The amount of the scholarship cannot exceed the total remaining balance of tuition and fees after grants and other scholarships and is intended to cover the gap that students may have.
Requirements:
- Student must complete the Terra State application for scholarships.
- Student must complete the FAFSA each year.
- Scholarship is available for six consecutive terms. Summer may be used as an option but is not required when considering consecutive enrollment terms.
- Student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.3 or higher each term.
- Students must be enrolled in at least 9 credit hours per semester.
- Scholarship amounts will be adjusted for students enrolled in less than full-time status (9-11 credit hours).
College Credit Plus (CCP) Scholarship Program
Being a College Credit Plus student at Terra State has provided you with a great head start on college. You are already a valued Terra State student and we want you to continue your studies with us as a full-time student after you graduate from high school.
Students who continue on to complete a certificate and/or degree at Terra State will be eligible to receive a scholarship each term based on the number of credit hours earned at the point of completing high school.
30+ hours earned = $1000 per semester; $2000 for the year
12-29 hours earned = $750 per semester; $1500 for the year
Less than 12 hours earned = $500 per semester; $1000 for the year
This is a last-dollar scholarship that will be applied toward tuition and fees after all Pell grants, FSEOG grants and/or other institutional and external scholarships have been awarded. The amount of the scholarship cannot exceed the total remaining balance of tuition and fees after grants and other scholarships and is intended to cover the gap that students may have. Students who have graduated with an associate degree are not eligible for this scholarship.
Requirements:
- Student must complete the CCP Transition form with their CCP Advisor or an Academic Advisor.
- Student must complete the FAFSA each year.
- Scholarship is available for six consecutive terms. Summer may be used as an option but is not required when considering consecutive enrollment terms.
- Student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.3 or higher each term.
- Students must be enrolled in 12 credit hours or more each semester.
Veterans Educational Benefits Information
Policy Statement
Terra State Community College (TSCC) students with veteran eligibility through the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) may be certified to receive VA educational benefits.
Policy Details
TSCC is proud to provide service to veterans and their dependents who are eligible for Veterans Education Benefits under many GI Bill® options as well as some that may not be listed here.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill. General questions may be sent to VeteransCenter@terra.edu and will be addressed by one of TSCC’s School Certifying Officials (SCOs).
Change of Program/Objective
Veterans who have used VA benefits in the past and have entitlement remaining may change their original objective or program of study by completing the Request for Change of Program or Place of Training (VA Form 22-1995) online at https://www.va.gov/education/.
- Students should notify the SCO immediately and contact recordsdept@terra.edu to officially change their program at TSCC.
- Although most TSCC degrees and certificates are eligible, some programs are not eligible for VA benefits. Students should check the program for which they wish to switch at https://inquiry.vba.va.gov/.
Change of Course Schedule
Veterans who wish to change their course schedules during the term should meet with their Academic Advisor to understand the options available and consequences that will occur with their VA benefits.
Students actively using their VA education benefits will have a “VA Hold” placed on their account. This is not a putative hold. It is used to notify the SCO of students who need to be certified, and to keep changes from being made without notice to the SCO. TSCC advisors and SCOs can remove this hold upon request. The VA requires TSCC notify them no later than 30 days after a change is made to a student’s record.
Re-enrollment
Veterans who wish to enroll for classes following a complete withdrawal or lapse in enrollment should reapply to TSCC and meet with an Academic Advisor so the correct classes may be registered based on their degree and proper certification can be made by the SCO.
Responsibilities of Veteran Students
Veteran students should be sure to:
- Consult their Degree Audit, or an Academic Advisor each semester and enroll in courses meeting the curriculum requirements of the program of study.
- Attend classes regularly and complete course requirements satisfactorily to continue receiving VA benefits.
- Notify the School Certifying Official when they want to:
- Add classes
- Drop or withdraw from classes
- Stop attending classes
- Change name, address and/or telephone number
- Change educational major
- Have any concerns or questions about benefits
Credit for Military Training
Terra State Community College recognizes the value of military training and experience and accepts the American Council on Education (ACE) recommendations for credit. There is no charge for the evaluation of military experience credits. In order to receive credit for military training, a Veteran must request an official transcript be sent to the College’s Records Office.
- Transcripts from the Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy are available at jst@doded.mil.
- Air Force transcripts are available at www.au.af.mil/au/ccaf/transcripts.
Veteran Credit Hour Payment Status
| Credit Hours Per Term |
VA Payment Status |
| 12 or more |
Full-time |
| 9-11 |
Three-quarter-time |
| 6-8 |
Half-time |
| 5 or less |
Less-than-half-time |
|
