Financial Aid

The primary purpose of financial aid is to provide assistance to students who, without aid, would be unable to attend or remain in college. In selecting recipients of financial aid, the College places emphasis on students with the greatest financial need, as determined by a needs analysis form.

For additional information and questions, contact the Financial Aid office.

E: financialaid@salemcc.edu
P: 856.351.2699

Financial Aid

Financial Aid General Information

The Financial Aid Office processes and administers all federal, state, private and institutional aid received by students. Salem Community College administers financial aid under federal and state nondiscriminatory guidelines. Special federal requirements apply to foreign nationals.

SCC expects students and/or their families to make a maximum effort to help defray the costs of attending college and views financial aid as a partnership shared proportionately by the students, the family and the institution.

Three types of financial assistance are available: gift aid (grants and scholarships), loans and campus employment. Aid may be offered from one source or from a combination of sources. The primary considerations used to determine a financial situation are family income, family assets, student assets, student income, family size and the number of family members in college. The total amount of financial aid offered to students may not exceed their established need.

Please use the Net Price Calculator to develop a broad estimate of what it might cost you to attend Salem Community College.

The 2022-2023 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available at studentaid.gov. Please utilize the IRS Data Retrieval tool to link you and/or your parent(s) Tax information to your FAFSA. Also, be sure to list our school code: 005461.

All communications to potential and current student by the College's Financial Aid Office will be via email. It is extremely important that you check your College email and respond to all requests for information. You additionally can review your bill, schedule, and financial aid information in Self-Service.

WARNING: Scam artists posing as government officials are contacting students, offering additional grant funding in exchange for providing payment. These individuals are not associated with the Federal Government or the N.J. Department of Education. Please be cautious and immediately contact Salem Community College’s Financial Aid Office at 856-351-2699 with any questions or concerns.

FAFSA

Your first step to applying for financial aid. You should file the FAFSA online. If you would like more information or need assistance completing your FAFSA, you can attend an upcoming FAFSA workshop or contact the Financial Aid department.

Financial Aid Procedures

In order to be considered for Financial Aid (grants, loans, and/or work-study) as well as Salem Community College scholarships, you must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and then apply to Salem Community College. If you have already completed those two applications, then you can proceed to complete the Financial Aid Application.

    To be eligible for aid, you must:

    • Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen.
    • Have earned a high school diploma or GED.
    • Be registered with Selective Service if you are a male age 18-25.
    • Be enrolled in an eligible program of study Maintain satisfactory academic progress.
    • Not be in default status on a student loan

    You should file the FAFSA online at studentaid.gov. Complete the FAFSA as soon as possible. Since the State of New Jersey has an April 15th deadline for returning students, we recommend that all applicants apply by that date for the Fall semester and November 1st for the Spring semester. Remember this process must be completed every academic year. Salem Community College school code is 005461, which will be needed on your FAFSA.

    Some students will have their FAFSAs selected for a process called verification. This means that the Financial Aid Office must determine the accuracy of the data you reported on your FAFSA. If your FAFSA is selected for verification, we will notify you and tell you what documents and information we need from you in order to complete verification. No aid can be awarded until verification is complete.

    **Verification Guide for Students**

    Verification is a detailed review of the information that you provided on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine your eligibility for Federal/state aid at Salem Community College. You will need to provide certain documents to the Financial Aid Office in order to complete this process. The law requires us to complete the process of verification before we disburse any grant or loan funds to you. The policies and procedures that govern the verification process are in this guide.

    Verification Deadlines

    Listed below are the deadlines by which a student must complete verification. Verification is complete when an applicant has submitted all request documents, all necessary corrections have been made, and we receive your corrected Financial Aid Application from the Department of Education.

    Last Term Attended Verification Deadline:

    • Fall 2021 December 6, 2021
    • Spring 2022 May 8, 2022
    • Summer 2022 July 24, 2022

    If you fail to submit the required documentation by the deadline, you could lose financial aid for that semester or academic year.

    Completion of Verification

    Once our office has completed verification one of three things will happen:

    • If we have conflicting information, we may ask for additional documentation.
    • An award letter will be sent to the email address you provided on your FAFSA
    • You will receive a notification that you are ineligible for a Federal Pell Grant but may be eligible for Federal Direct Loans.

    State (HESAA) Verification

    Independently from the SCC’s Financial Aid Office, the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) may verify your information to determine if you are eligible for a Tuition Aid Grant (TAG). You will be notified directly by HESAA of what documentation they require. You can submit information directly through their website, www.hesaa.org.

    Summary

    The selection of an application for verification does not necessarily mean we believe your information is incorrect. Most applications are randomly selected for verification to maintain the integrity of the Federal Student Aid programs. Some applications are selected based upon a set of common edits which check data for consistency and logic.  While your file is being reviewed for verification, no financial aid funds can be disbursed (paid) to your account. Holds may be placed on your account preventing you from scheduling future courses or viewing grades if you have not completed the verification process.

    How to Submit your Tax Information

    You have two options to confirm your tax information.

    How to Transfer Your IRS Tax Information Directly into your FAFSA

    The IRS Data Retrieval Tool transfers your IRS tax information directly into your FAFSA. To use the Data Retrieval Tool, complete the following steps:

    1. Go to fafsa.ed.gov and select the "Start Here" button
    2. Log in using your FSA ID
    3. Select the "Continue" or "Make a Correction" button
    4. Select the "Financial Information" tab from the top of the page.

    Instructions for the parent to request the parent IRS information:

    1. Go to "Parent Financial Information" page
    2. Answer the questions in the first box to see if you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool
    3. If eligible, select which parent is providing information on the FAFSA
    4. Enter the FSA ID for the parent providing the information
    5. Click "Link to IRS"
    6. Review the information displayed and select the "Transfer My Information into the FAFSA" option

    Instructions for the student to request the student IRS information:

    1. Go to "Student Financial Information" page
    2. Answer the questions in the first box to see if you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool
    3. If eligible, click "Link to IRS"
    4. Review the information displayed and select the "Transfer My Information into the FAFSA" option
    5. Proceed to the Sign and Submit page

    **If you are unable to use the IRS Data Match for any reason, you will need to submit a Tax Return Transcript from the IRS or a signed copy of your 1040.
    Request and Submit a Tax Return Transcript OR a signed copy of your 1040 form(s)
    If you filed a Tax Return, you must submit your Tax Return Transcript or a signed copy of your 1040 form(s).
    If you did not file and were not required to file, you must request a Statement of Non Filing letter.
    Your Tax Transcript and Statement of Non filing letter are free of charge to receive.
    There are three ways to obtain the documents you need.

    Online (two options)

    • Go to www.irs.gov to create an account and print your Tax Return Transcript.
    • Click on “Get Your Tax Record”. You can click on “Get Transcript By Mail” or “Get Transcript Online”. If you choose to request a tax transcript by mail, it will take 5 – 10 business days to be mailed.
    • Follow the prompts to complete the process. If you choose “Get Transcript Online”, you will need to create an account with the IRS. Click on the “Create Account” box.  In addition to full name, email, current address and other information, you will need to have a verifiable credit card or loan account (mortgage, car loan, student loan, etc.…). Tax return transcripts are free, you will not be charged by the IRS for a tax return transcript. By creating an account with the IRS you could have immediate access to the information needed by the financial aid office.

    Phone

    Call the IRS to get your Tax Return Transcript from the IRS at (800) 908-9946

    It normally takes 5-10 business days for this to be mailed to you. There is no charge to receive this.

    Make sure you request the Tax Return Transcript, not the Account Transcript!

    In Person

    You can visit a local IRS office where you can request and received your Tax Return Transcript in person. Note, if you need to submit a tax return for your parent they will need to also go in person to get their Tax Transcript. You may need to make an appointment to obtain this. Walk-ins are not accepted.

    City Street Address Days/Hours of Service Telephone*
    Cherry Hill 57 Haddonfield Rd.
    Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 ) Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (856) 321-1328
    Edison 100 Dey Place
    Edison, NJ 08817 Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (732) 572-9752
    Fairfield 165 Passaic Ave.
    Fairfield, NJ 07004 Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (973) 808-0821
    Freehold 4 Paragon Way
    Freehold, NJ 07728 Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (732) 660-0063
    Mays Landing 5218 Atlantic Ave.
    Mays Landing, NJ 08330 Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Closed for lunch 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.) (609) 625-0678
    Mountainside 200 Sheffield St.
    Mountainside, NJ 07092 Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (908) 301-2112
    Newark 20 Washington Place
    Newark, NJ 07102 Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (973) 645-6690
    Paramus 1 Kalisa Way
    Paramus, NJ 07652 Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (201) 634-7052
    Parsippany 1719-C Rte. 10
    Parsippany, NJ 07054 Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (973) 808-0821
    Paterson 200 Federal Plaza
    Paterson, NJ 07505 Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (973) 357-4114
    Trenton One State St. Square, 50 West State St. Trenton, NJ 08608 Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (609) 989-0533
    Wilmington, DE 844 N. King st
    Wilmington, DE 19801 Monday-Friday - 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (302) 573-6343

    When you complete the FAFSA online, if you have filed a federal tax return, you will be asked if you want to retrieve your information directly from the IRS using the DRT. If you select this option, you will be guided through the DRT process. Once your information is transferred from the IRS to your FAFSA, it will be marked that it has been transferred from the IRS. This verifies that the information on the FAFSA has been matched and verified with the IRS. Families who cannot or do not use the IRS Data Retrieval process  and are selected for verification will be required to submit an IRS tax transcript directly from the IRS or submit signed copies of 1040 tax forms to complete the federal verification process.

    You may call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to order by phone or order online.

    Requesting Online

    While this is the quickest method to obtain your Tax Return Transcript, security verification is more rigorous. You must have a bank account, credit card, etc. to verify as well as a cell phone with the account in your name.

    Visit the IRS Get Transcript website at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

    Select “Get Transcript Online”

    Follow the on-screen instructions to verify personal information, email, financial accounts/credit card number and mobile phone number.

    Proceed to request “Tax Return Transcript” for proper tax year*.

    Download and save or print to fax/email to the Financial Aid Office.

    Requesting Online to Receive By Mail

    Visit the IRS Get Transcript website at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

    If requesting by mail, select “Get Transcript by Mail”

    Follow the on-screen instructions to enter name, date of birth, and Social Security Number

    Enter your address which was used for your tax return. Please note the IRS uses the United States Postal Service (USPS) version of your address.

    You may need to exclude punctuation (no period after abbreviations, no #) in your address

    You may need to abbreviate (Apt rather than Apartment or St rather than Street)

    For joint returns, use the primary tax filer’s SSN, date of birth, address and zip code.

    When your address is verified, select the tax year* and Tax Return Transcript to request.

    Requesting by Phone

    If you experience issues with the online Tax Return Transcript request, you may try the automated phone transcript service at 1-800-908-9946 to receive the transcript via mail. Please allow 5-10 days for delivery.

    If you experience further issues, you may choose to request an appointment with the IRS by contacting your nearest IRS office.

    * The tax year used for a FAFSA is usually the calendar year prior to the start of the academic year. See the examples below:

    • 2015 is the tax year for the 2017-2018 academic year (fall 2017, spring 2018, summer 2018)
    • 2015 is the tax year for the 2016-2017 academic year (fall 2016, spring 2017, summer 2017)
    • 2015 income is used for two years in a row due to FAFSA changes to a “prior-prior year format“.

    Requesting Proof of Non-Filing Status

    Students and families that did not file taxes in 2015 who were selected for verification for the 2017-2018 award year are required to provide proof of non-filing status.

    The letter provides confirmation that the IRS has no record of your filing a tax return for the year requested. You can order a Verification of Non-filing Letter on the IRS Web site or by submitting Form 4506-T to the IRS. Once you receive your verification letter, fax or mail a copy directly to the Financial Aid Office.

    Visit your Financial Aid office or call (856)351-2699 for more information.

    Loss of a job or benefits, death in the family, divorce or separation, or extreme medical bills are examples of special circumstances that can change your financial aid eligibility. You will need to complete a Request for Review of Special Circumstances form and provide documentation of the circumstance to the financial aid office.

    Once we receive the results of your FAFSA and your paperwork is complete, we will send you an award letter. You may receive updated award letters throughout the academic year if your aid package is revised. Revisions in your aid package may result from changes in your enrollment status, lifetime eligibility limits, or failure to maintain the standards of satisfactory attendance and/or academic progress. If you have questions about an award letter you receive, you should contact the Financial Aid Office.

    New students may call 856.351.2716 to schedule an advising appointment with Student Affairs staff. Returning students should contact their faculty advisor for an advising appointment. Once you have been advised for course selection, your advisor will authorize you to register. Students are expected to register online through the SCC Self-Service Portal.

    Remember, however, if you need financial aid to pay for your courses, do not register until you have received your eligibility approval.

    Eligibility for funds is conditional upon satisfactory class attendance. Attendance records are checked routinely, and if the office has reason to believe a student has stopped attending classes, the student is required to document attendance in each class questioned.

    Students who officially or unofficially withdraw are subject to adjustments to their funds according to the date of withdrawal. These students may owe a balance to the college after these adjustments have been made.

    All students must be making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or certificate to be eligible for aid under federal and state programs. Progress is evaluated annually and is determined using established standards and timeframe in compliance with federal and state guidelines. Charts are available in Financial Aid. Satisfactory academic progress to maintain financial aid is determined by the establishment of a cumulative grade point average that meets the required standards and the accumulation of the number of credits required for program completion within a specified time frame. Failure to accomplish the standards of progress can lead to a student being placed on:

    • Financial Aid Academic Probation - Indicates that the student has not attained the required credits and cumulative grade point average appropriate for the number of credits attempted.
    • Financial Aid Suspension - Ends the student's eligibility for financial aid.

    Appeals of financial aid suspension must be made in writing to the Director of Financial Aid. The student must include a detailed Action Plan of the ways in which the student has or will improve academically to prevent being placed on financial aid suspension again. Students must contact an advisor to create an Action Plan. A committee, chaired by the Director of Financial Aid, will review the student's materials including financial aid history, and will notify the student by letter within 10 business days, to indicate if financial aid has been re-instated or if a meeting with the Committee is needed. Should the student wish to appeal the letter or the results of the meeting with the Committee, he or she must submit a written request to the Chief Academic Officer within 10 business days of receiving notification from the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. This is the final step in the appeals process.

    New regulations effective July 1, 2012 limit the receipt of a Pell Grant to a lifetime limit of up to 6 full-time years (600%). This includes community colleges, vocational schools and four-year public and private universities. This limit will be tracked by the U.S. Department of Education. Regardless of the Pell Grant amount, if you receive the full year amount then you have received 100%.

    The 600% total eligibility applies to all schools and colleges. However, once you have earned a Bachelor's Degree, you are no longer eligible for a Pell Grant even if you haven't received the entire 600% eligibility. In addition, you must also meet and maintain satisfactory academic progress standards to remain eligible each year.

    Eligibility

    To receive financial aid, a student must meet the following eligibility requirements:

    • Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen.
    • Have attained a high school diploma or GED.
    • Be registered with Selective Service if you are a male age 18 to 25.
    • Be enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree or certificate.
    • Maintain satisfactory academic progress.
    • Demonstrate financial need.
    • Not be in default status on a student loan.

    To receive Tuition Aid Grant from the state of New Jersey, a student must comply with the above eligibility requirements and also must be:

    • A New Jersey resident for at least one year ( 12 consecutive months).
    • Registered for at least six credits.

    Sources of Aid

    SCC participates in the federal and state financial aid programs. Detailed information pertaining to all programs may be obtained from Financial Aid.

      • Pell Grant
      • Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
      • Federal Work-Study (FWS)
      • Federal Direct Loan Programs
      • PLUS Loan Program
      • Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) -- available to full - and part-time students
      • Educational Opportunity Fund Grant (EOF)
      • Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholars' Program
      • Garden State Scholars' Program (GSS)
      • New Jersey Class Loan Program
      • NJ STARS Program
      • Survivor Tuition Benefits Program
      • Selected Reserve Educational Assistance Program
      • VA Work Study
      • Veterans' Benefits
      • Veterans Deferrals
      • Veterans' Tuition Credit Program
      • New Jersey National Guard Tuition Credit Program

      Apply for Student Loan

      Federal Direct Student Loans are financial aid that must be repaid. Federal Direct Student Loans are subject to the same rules and regulations as Federal Pell Grants and other federal aid.

      Credit checks and co-signers are not required for Federal Direct Student Loans. However, you must be enrolled for at least 6 credits and you must meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards as established by Federal and College regulations.

        1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online. 
        2. Even if you don’t think you qualify for financial aid, the FAFSA must be completed if you want to apply for a student loan.
        3. Provide other documents if requested by the Financial Aid Office. 
        4. Sometimes the FAFSA data is incomplete, or your FAFSA has been selected by the U.S. Department of Education for verification. If the Financial Aid Office needs additional information before determining your loan eligibility, please respond to any requests as quickly as possible.
        5. Complete the Loan Entrance Counseling online at https://www.studentloans.gov.
        6. This session will help you understand your responsibilities regarding your loan.
        7. Complete the Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) online at https://www.studentloans.gov
        8. The MPN is a legal document in which you promise to repay the loan and any accrued interest and fees to the U.S. Department of Education.
        9. Determine how much you need to borrow and the loan term (Fall/Spring, Fall only, or Spring only).
        10. BEWARE of student loan debt and borrow only what you need. The maximum amounts per year and the maximum lifetime amounts are listed in the chart on the back of this sheet.
        11. Complete the Loan Request Form and submit it to the Financial Aid Office.
        12. You will receive an award letter by mail once your loan has been certified.
        13. Attend & finish your classes.
        14. You must attend your classes to be eligible for the loan disbursements.
        15. SCC will receive your funds electronically. You will receive a notice telling you when your funds have been disbursed to the College.  
        16. If you have any remaining funds after your account is credited with your loan disbursement, a refund check will be mailed to you from the Student Accounts Office within 14 days after the funds are received.
        17. When you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time enrollment, you will be required to complete the Loan Exit Counseling session online at https://www.studentloans.gov.

        NOTE from the U.S. Department of Education:  Your school can refuse to certify your loan application or can certify a loan for an amount less than you would otherwise be eligible for if the school documents the reason for its actions and explains the reason to you in writing. The school’s decision is final and cannot be appealed to the U.S. Department of Education.

        A private loan for additional money, not to exceed your cost of attendance/budget, may be applied for by going to ELM Resources at www.elmselect.com. (You must be enrolled for at least 6 credits and meet satisfactory academic progress standards as established by Federal and College regulations.)

        Loans are borrowed money you must PAY BACK to the federal government. Be smart, borrow what you can afford to repay. Failure to make payments and defaulting on your student loan can be the most damaging mark on your credit report, worse than bankruptcy.

        1. You cannot discharge a student loan in bankruptcy. You can file bankruptcy but not get rid of a student loan in bankruptcy court. You will be required to repay your student loan.
        2. Loans can build credit if you have no credit.
        3. Loans can rebuild credit if you have bad credit by making your payments.
        4. BUT loans can ruin your credit if you fail to make your payments.

        Students attending a 2-year community college may borrow up to "Second Year" annual loan limits.

        Annual (single year) and Lifetime Aggregate (maximum overall for undergraduate) Loan Limits a student may borrow up to:

        1st Year (0 to 29 credits)

        Dependent Undergraduate - $5,500 

        No more than $3,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.

        Independent Undergraduate - $9,500

        No more than $3,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.

        2nd Year (30 or more credits)

        Dependent Undergraduate - $4,500 

        No more than $4,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.

        Independent Undergraduate - $10,500

        No more than $4,500 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.

        Lifetime Limits

        Dependent Undergraduate - $31,000 

        No more than $23,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.

        Independent Undergraduate - $57,000

        No more than $23,000 of this amount may be in subsidized loans.

        Alternative Loans are loans not guaranteed by the Federal government. These loans are offered by private lenders and are somewhat more expensive than the Federal Direct Loan programs. You should always apply for federal student loans before using private lenders. The amount borrowed cannot exceed the cost of education, minus other financial aid.

        All private loan programs will do a credit check. Some students may need a creditworthy co-signer such as a parent or other relative in order to obtain one of these loans. Terms and conditions applicable to these loans vary greatly. Factors such as interest rate, APR, length of repayment, loan minimum and maximum, and fees should be carefully considered when researching and choosing an alternative loan.

        Visit www.elmselect.com to view the preferred list of lenders at SCC. We recommend these lenders based on the quality of products and services they provide to students and families. We have carefully considered our selections in order to provide you with the best possible list of suggested lenders. However, if you wish to use another lender that is not on this list, you have the right to do so.

        The information provided here is for comparison purposes only and is based on an amount of $6,500 borrowed with principal and interest deferred. Simple calculations are utilized assuming immediate repayment and do not take into account the additional attributes a lender will utilize to calculate actual terms. Visit www.elmselect.com for more information.

        PNC Solution Loan for Undergraduates (Fixed)

        Total Cost

        As low as $10,019.10

        As high as $14,795.64

        Payment

        As low as $55.66

        As high as $82.20

        APR

        As low as 6.23%

        As high as 12.99%

        Term - 180 months

        StuFund Smart Option Loan by Sallie Mae Fixed

        Total Cost

        As low as $9,709.53

        As high as $13,929.26

        Payment

        As low as $53.94

        As high as $77.38

        APR

        As low as 5.74%

        As high as 11.85%

        Term - 180 months

        New Jersey College Loan to Assist State Students (NJCLASS)

        Total Cost

        As low as $12,019.78

        As high as $14,429.37

        Payment

        As low as $50.08

        As high as $60.12

        APR

        As low as 6.92%

        As high as 9.39%

        Term - 240 months

        Frequently Asked Questions

        Please review this list of frequently asked questions to assist you with the Financial Aid process. Have a question that is in this section? Please contact the Financial Aid department.

          File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at FAFSA.GOV. Our federal school code for the FAFSA is 005461. Make sure you (and your parent, if needed) have a Federal Student Aid I.D. (FSAID). Your FSAID is your electronic signature and access code for various U.S. Department of Education systems.

          Apply by May 1 for the full academic year or October 1 if you plan to attend only the Spring term that begins in January. Students who apply on time receive priority consideration for all of the funds we have to offer. Applying late means you will likely miss out on certain funds, and your financial aid may not be ready when you have to pay tuition. If you pay your tuition and you later become eligible for funding you will be reimbursed up to your eligibility amount.

          Help is available at the Financial Aid office on the main campus. Always bring your and your parents' tax returns (if needed) when you come for help. You may also call the toll-free Federal Student Aid helpline at 1-800-433-3243.

          I don't live with my parents, they don't support me and/or they don't claim me on their tax return; can I be considered an independent student?

          In order to be considered an independent student, federal regulations state that you must meet at least one of the following criteria:

          • Be at least 24 years of age before January 1 of the academic year for which you are applying.
          • Be an orphan or ward of the court.
          • Have a child/children for whom you provide more than half their financial support.
          • Be a married student.
          • Be a veteran or currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.
          • Have a legal dependent other than a spouse or child.

          The fact that you don't live with your parents, they don't support you or claim you on their taxes, or they don't want to provide their information on the FAFSA does not make you an independent student.

          Under certain extenuating circumstances, you can be considered for a dependency override. You will need to complete a Request for Dependency Override form and supply documentation from at least two third-party sources to support your dependency appeal.

          You should report information on the FAFSA about the parent you lived with more during the last 12 months. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, you should use the parent who has given you more financial support (including money, gifts, loans, housing, food, clothes, car, etc.) during the most recent year in which support was provided. If the parent whose information is reported has remarried, you must also include the step-parent's income information.

          Verification is a process where the data reported on your FAFSA is confirmed to be accurate and complete. Applications are randomly selected for the verification process.

          • If selected by the Central Processing Unit (U.S. Department of Education), you must submit all requested income documentation to the Financial Aid Office.
          • If selected by the New Jersey Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA), you must provide HESAA (Trenton, NJ office) with copies of requested income documentation.
          • If selected by SCC, you must submit all requested income documentation to the Financial Aid Office. Until you submit all the information requested, you will not be considered for aid.

          After a thorough review of the information provided, it was determined that we needed additional documents to correctly establish your eligibility for aid.

          Loss of a job or benefits, death in the family, divorce or separation, or extreme medical bills are examples of special circumstances that can change your financial aid eligibility. You will need to complete a Request for Review of Special Circumstances form and provide documentation to the financial aid office.

          If you registered for classes, you may check the status of your account online. Log into the SCC Self-Service Portal and click on Payment Due. If there is no payment due, then your tuition has been covered. During business hours, you may call the Student Accounts office at (856) 351-2625.

          Applying for financial aid is only the first step to receive an award. You may soon be awarded financial aid, but not until everything is completed and reviewed and you get your SCC Award Letter.

          You must first complete the FAFSA application, and submit all required documents to the Financial Aid office. You must then log on to STUDENT LOANS.GOV to complete an Entrance Counseling Session and a Master Promissory Note (MPN). You will also need to complete a Loan Request Form and submit it to the Financial Aid Office.

          Yes, if your financial aid award exceeds the cost of your tuition and fees, you may use the excess funds to purchase books in the SCC bookstore.

          If your total financial aid awards are greater than the total cost of your tuition, fees and books, you will receive the difference in the form of a refund check.

          Yes. The federal financial aid programs require you to "earn" your aid by attending classes. If you receive federal financial aid and withdraw from all of your classes, your aid "earned" will be prorated based on your class attendance. You may owe a balance to the college after adjustments have been made. You will be notified in writing once an update occurs to your account.

          If you never attend, stop attending or receive any combination of "F's", "F/A's", or "W's" for classes, the Office of Financial Aid is required to reduce or cancel your financial aid and may retroactively remove it from your account. You may owe a balance to the college after adjustments have been made. You will be notified in writing once an update occurs to your account.

          eRefund

          Convenient way to receive refunds electronically.

          *All records and conversations between aid applicants, their families and the Financial Aid staff are confidential and entitled to the protection given to a counseling relationship. No public announcements shall be made of amounts awarded to an individual student. No information concerning a student's financial aid records may be released to anyone outside Financial Aid without permission of the student, his/her parent(s) or the Director of Financial Aid.