Financial Aid

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Financial Aid

The Oﬃce of Financial Aid is committed to assisting students who have ﬁnancial need fund the cost of their educational goals. Trenholm State believes that no individual should be denied an education because of inadequate ﬁnancial aid resources. Consequently, ﬁnancial aid is available at the College for those students who apply and qualify. Trenholm State participates in federal and state student aid programs.

Applying for Financial Aid

To determine a student’s eligibility for Federal Student Aid Programs, the student must ﬁle the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The fastest and easiest way to apply is online at www.studentaid.gov. When completing the FAFSA, the student should list the Trenholm Federal School Code 005734. Students may check the status of their ﬁnancial aid via their MyTrenholm portal. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the ﬁnancial aid department if there are any questions regarding his/her ﬁnancial aid status.

Recipients must reapply for Federal Student Aid (FSA) by completing a FAFSA on or after October 1 of each year for the upcoming Fall semester.

Student Eligibility

To receive federal ﬁnancial aid, a student must:

Have a high school diploma or GED certiﬁcate or completed a high school education in a homeschooled setting approved under state law;
Be enrolled as a regular student in an eligible program;
Be a U. S. Citizen or eligible noncitizen with a valid Social Security Number;
Demonstrate ﬁnancial need;
Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) once enrolled at the College;
Sign a statement of educational purpose/certiﬁcation statement on the FAFSA;
Not be in default on any loan or owe a repayment on any grant made at any institution under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (Title IV, HEA Program).

The amount of Federal Student Aid (FSA) a student is eligible to receive is based on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) assigned by the Central Processing System (CPS), the Cost of Attendance at the College, and the enrollment status of the student.

Students’ Rights and Responsibilities

Students have the right to obtain information about ﬁnancial assistance programs available at the College.
Students have the right to discuss ﬁnancial aid decisions with personnel in the Oﬃce of Student Financial Aid.
Students have the right to appeal ﬁnancial aid decisions.
Students receiving ﬁnancial aid are responsible for registering only for courses that are in their degree plan.
Students are responsible for following application and/or reapplication procedures.
Students are responsible for informing the Oﬃce of Financial Aid of any changes in their enrollment status.
Students are responsible for understanding the Federal Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Financial Aid Oﬃce at (334) 420-4322.

Financial Aid Programs

The College participates in the following Federal Student Aid (FSA) Programs as authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (Title IV, HEA Program):

Federal Pell Grant;
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
Federal Work-Study Program (FWSP)

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant program is the largest grant program available. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid. Federal Pell Grants are awarded usually to eligible undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s degree or professional degree and who are enrolled in an eligible program. Federal Pell Grant award amounts can vary yearly. Additional information about the Federal Pell Grant may be obtained from the Financial Aid Oﬃce at (334) 420- 4317.

Pell Lifetime Eligibility Usage: Eﬀective Fall 2012, Pell Lifetime Eligibility Usage (LEU) limits the number of years or semesters that a student can received Pell funds. Full-time students can only receive Title IV aid for a total of 6 years or 12 semesters. This timeframe is increased for part-time students.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a federally-funded program that is provided by the U.S. Department of Education for the purpose of assisting undergraduate students with exceptional ﬁnancial need meet the cost of a postsecondary education. The FSEOG funds are awarded to the College and are administered by the Financial Aid Office at Trenholm State Community College.

At Trenholm State, FSEOG funds are awarded to eligible students with demonstrated exceptional ﬁnancial need. FSEOG recipients must be undergraduates enrolled in an eligible program leading to a degree or certiﬁcate at the College. Students with the lowest Expected Family Contributions (EFCs) who will also receive Federal Pell Grant during the school year are eligible to be selected for FSEOG awards.

Applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for assistance through the FSEOG Program based on the availability of this fund at the College. If funds are available, students may receive FSEOG and ASAP funds in the same semester/term. Additional information about the Federal SEOG Program may be obtained from the Financial Aid Oﬃce at (334) 420-4317.

Federal Work-Study Program (FWSP)

The Federal Work-Study Program (FWSP) provides part-time employment primarily on campus. This Program allows students the opportunity to work and earn a portion of the money they need to ﬁnance their education. The Federal Work-Study Program is available to eligible students enrolled full time or part time. In addition, the Program provides meaningful job experience while students matriculate at the College. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply. Additional information about this program may be obtained from the Financial Aid Oﬃce at (334) 420-4322.

Federal Student Loan Program

Trenholm State Community College does not participate in the Federal Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Direct Plus Loan Programs. However, student borrowers who transfer to Trenholm may qualify for in-school deferments if enrolled at least as a half-time student. An in-school deferment is a temporary suspension of student loans payments.

Trenholm State Community College has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse to act as the agent for all veriﬁcations of student enrollment. In order to receive an in-school deferment, requesters should use www.studentclearinghouse.org.

The telephone number for the National Student Clearinghouse is (703) 742-4200, Monday – Friday, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. (EST).
The FAX number is (703) 742-4239.
The email address is enrollmentverify@studentclearinghouse.org.

The mailing address is:

National Student Clearinghouse
2300 Dulles Station Blvd., Suite 300
Herndon, VA 20171

Transfer students who participated in the Student Loan Program at another college are encouraged to continue to communicate with their lenders. Student loan lenders cannot help the student borrowers without knowing the nature of their problems, and keeping in contact with previous lenders may prevent student borrowers from defaulting on their student loans. Additional information on deferments can be obtained from the Financial Aid Oﬃce at (334) 420-4322.

The College also participates in the Alabama Student Assistance Program (ASAP).

Alabama Student Assistance Program (ASAP)

The Alabama Student Assistance Program (ASAP) provides a limited amount of State grant funds to eligible Alabama residents with the lowest Expected Family Contributions (EFCs) who demonstrate need and who are enrolled at least half time.

Applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for assistance through the ASAP Program based on the availability of this fund at the College. If funds are available, students may receive FSEOG and ASAP funds in the same semester/term. Additional information about ASAP may be obtained from the Financial Aid Oﬃce at (334) 420- 4322.

Return of Title IV Funds

Financial Aid recipients who are awarded Federal Student Aid (FSA) funds and completely withdraw, dropout or otherwise fail to complete the semester will be subject to the Return of Title IV Funds Refund Policy (R2T4). The term “Title IV Funds” refers to the Federal Student Aid (FSA) Programs authorized under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (Title IV, HEA Program) which includes Federal Pell Grant and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG).

The percentage of Title IV aid earned is found by dividing the number of calendar days completed by the student, at the time of withdrawal, by the number of calendar days in the semester. If more than 60% of the semester is completed, the student is considered to have earned 100% of the Title IV aid disbursed. The amount of Title IV aid earned is found by multiplying the amount of aid disbursed for the semester by the percentage of Title IV aid earned. If the amount earned is less than the amount of aid disbursed, the diﬀerence must be returned to the appropriate Title IV Program. If the student earned more than what was disbursed, a late disbursement may be due to the student. If the amount earned equals the amount disbursed, no further action is required. Eﬀective July 1, 2021, withdrawals during a semester/term containing modules may be subject to R2T4 exemptions. The responsibility to return amounts unearned to the Financial Aid Programs may be shared by both the College and the student. The College is required to return to the Department of Education the lesser of the total amount of unearned Title IV funds or an amount equal to the student’s institutional charges multiplied by the percentage of Title IV aid unearned, no later than 45 days after it is determined that the student withdrew. If the College returns less than the amount of unearned aid, the student must return the diﬀerence. If the student is required to return unearned aid, this is considered an overpayment and the amount is reduced by 50%.

Within 45 days of determining the student’s date of withdrawal, the College will send notiﬁcation to the student of any overpayment. After receiving the written notiﬁcation, the student is permitted 45 days to make satisfactory payment arrangements with the United States Department of Education. While the overpayment is due, the student will remain eligible for ﬁnancial aid for 45 days.

Partial Withdrawal

Students who do not completely withdraw from the College but drop a class during the regular drop/add period will be refunded the diﬀerence in the tuition paid and the tuition rate applicable to the reduced number of hours, including fees appropriate to the classes dropped. There is no refund due to a student who partially withdraws after the oﬃcial drop/add period. The last day to drop/add is published as part of the College calendar and conforms to the guidelines issued from the Alabama Community College System.

Complete Withdrawal

Students who oﬃcially withdraw from all classes for which they are registered before the ﬁrst day of class for the semester/term will be refunded the total amount of tuition and other refundable fees. The “ﬁrst day of class” is the ﬁrst day classes are oﬀered within any term conﬁguration, including, but not limited to, full terms, split terms, mini-terms and weekend terms. Students who oﬃcially withdraw completely on or after the ﬁrst day of class, but prior to the end of the third week of class will be refunded according to the withdrawal date, as follows:

Total Withdrawal before the oﬃcial ﬁrst day of class	100% refund
Total Withdrawal during the ﬁrst week	75% refund
Total Withdrawal during the second week	50% refund
Total Withdrawal during the third week	25% refund
Total Withdrawal after the end of the third week	0% REFUND

An administrative fee not to exceed 5% of tuition and other refundable institutional charges shall be assessed for each withdrawal within the period beginning the ﬁrst day of class and ending at the end of the third week of class. The ﬁrst oﬃcial day of class is indicated on the College calendar as the day that classes begin. There is only one ﬁrst day of class. This day may not be the ﬁrst day on which all classes begin. The calendar also indicates the last day to drop/add. For calculating refunds during the fall and spring sixteen-week terms, a “week” is deﬁned as seven calendar days, i.e. the ﬁrst day of class running seven calendar days (inclusive of Saturday and Sunday). Refunds of shorter than sixteen weeks, such as summer terms, mini-terms, split terms and weekend terms, will reflect a prorated week based on the number of days in the term.

Example:

Classes begin June 14; student withdraws June 17.
Fourth day = 75% Refund due.

Tuition/fees paid:	$648.00
	x .75
	$486.00
Administrative Fee	-32.40
Round to nearest dollar	$453.60
Refund amount	$454.00

Students should be aware that a withdrawal from any or all courses during their enrollment will affect their Satisfactory Academic Progress and impact future financial aid eligibility.

Ineligibility for Refund

Students who are withdrawn by Trenholm State Community College for disciplinary reasons, for non-payment of tuition and fees, or for other similar reasons are not eligible for a refund.

Tuition Assistance (TA) Refund Policy (Funds to be returned to the Department of Defense (DoD)

Complete Withdrawal before and
during weeks 1-2 = 100% return
Refund during week 3-4 = 75% return
Refund during weeks 5 = 50% return
Refund during week 9 = 30% return (60% of the course is completed at 9.6 weeks)
Refund during week 10 or more = No Refund is due

Revision and Cancellation of Financial Aid

The College reserves the right to review, revise, or cancel a ﬁnancial aid award at any time due to changes in ﬁnancial or academic status or the student’s failure to comply with applicable Federal and/or State laws and/or Regulations or College policies. In addition, a ﬁnancial aid award is subject to revision should the annual allocation of funds from the Federal government be reduced below the anticipated funding level for a program(s) or should budget limitations be placed upon funds which are intended for student ﬁnancial aid purposes. In addition, students cannot receive need-based assistance in excess of their determined ﬁnancial need.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress (SAP) Policy

Students who receive assistance from the Federal Pell Grant Program, Federal Work-Study Program (FWSP), Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Program, Alabama Student Assistance Programs (ASAP) and Veterans Educational Beneﬁts are required to make Satisfactory Academic Progress toward the goal of completing either their declared degree or certiﬁcate programs.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be checked at the end of each semester/term. In addition, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is also checked when students complete a warning period. The progress of students who received federal and state ﬁnancial aid funds will be measured against the following Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards and will be subject to the following policies:

Required Credit Hours, Grade-Point Averages (GPAs) and Required Pace of Completion

Students who are enrolled in an Associate Degree or Certificate Program requiring more than 26 credit hours must meet the following standards:

After attempting 0-21 credit hours, must earn a 1.50 GPA and complete 58% of the enrolled hours
After attempting 22-32 credit hours, must earn a 1.75 GPA and complete 62% of the enrolled hours.
After attempting 33 or more credit hours, must earn a 2.00 GPA and complete 67% of the enrolled hours

Students who are enrolled in Certificate Programs with 26 credit hours or less must meet the following standards:

After attempting 1-17 credit hours, must earn a 1.50 GPA and complete 58% of the enrolled hours.
After attempting 18 or more credit hours, must earn a 2.00 GPA and complete 67% of the enrolled hours

*All hours attempted, including those in which the student withdrew, will be included in this calculation, even if ﬁnancial aid was not received.

Grades with Title IV

The following information is considered when evaluating a student’s satisfactory academic progress:

Withdrawals (W) and failures (F) are considered attempted but not earned hours.

Withdrawals – A grade of W is assigned to a student who oﬃcially withdraws from the College or from a course prior to 70 percent of the term being completed. Students who oﬃcially withdraw from courses after the 70% of the semester will receive the grades that they have earned at the time of withdrawal. The hours attempted for these courses are included in the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress calculations.

Incompletes - With the permission of the appropriate Dean, a grade of Incomplete (“I”) may be assigned when a student’s work in a course is incomplete because of circumstances beyond the student’s control but is otherwise of passing quality. An Incomplete (“I”) grade does not count toward course work completed but counts as course work attempted. Although the Incomplete (“I”) grade is NOT counted in hours earned, the grade that replaces the “I” is counted in both hours earned and attempted, once the “I” is removed and aﬀects the Satisfactory Academic Progress calculation.

Earned F - The grade of “F” is counted in hours attempted and results in zero hours earned.

Financial Aid Warning

According to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, if a student is not making satisfactory academic progress at the end of an academic semester, he/she may be granted a one semester Financial Aid Warning Period and awarded ﬁnancial assistance during this Period. At the end of the Financial Aid Warning Period, the student must meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements for the Financial Aid Warning status to be lifted and to be eligible to continue receiving ﬁnancial aid.

Financial Aid Suspension (Termination of Aid)

Students who do not successfully establish Satisfactory Academic Progress after the Financial Aid Warning Period will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and become ineligible for any additional ﬁnancial aid at that point. Students may regain ﬁnancial aid eligibility based one of the following criteria:

The student may enroll in and pass classes while paying tuition and fees out of pocket in order to meet the Financial Aid SAP requirements or
The student presents to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee evidence of extenuating circumstances deemed, by this Committee, to be suﬃcient to justify an exception to the SAP Policy. As a result, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation and ﬁnancial aid will be reinstated for this period.

If a student is re-admitted to the College upon academic appeal, ﬁnancial aid will remain suspended until one of the above criteria is met. The student must bring his/ her academic record into compliance with the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements before ﬁnancial aid can be reinstated.

Appeal Process and Extenuating Circumstances

Any student placed on Financial Aid Suspension may appeal his/her status by completing and submitting the Financial Aid Appeal form located on the homepage of the College’s Website in the ﬁnancial aid box including a letter stating any unusual circumstances that had a bearing on his/her academic performance along with supporting documentation. Some examples of extenuating circumstances and supporting documentation may include death of an immediate love one – copy of the death certiﬁcate or the obituary; auto accident – copy of police report and/or note from a physician; prolonged illness – documentation from the attending physician. The Financial Aid Appeal request should also address what has changed in the student’s situation that will now allow him/her to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress by the end of the subsequent payment period. All appeals must be addressed to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee and submitted to the Director of Financial Aid. This written appeal should explain reasons for non-compliance with the Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards, may also include an academic plan of study developed with her/his major advisor for bringing her/his grades into compliance with the policy, and steps that will be taken to prevent a reoccurrence of failure to meet SAP. If an appeal is approved, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation and awarded ﬁnancial assistance for this period. Only one appeal per academic year may be submitted. Financial Aid Appeals must be submitted two weeks before the start of each semester. Financial Aid Appeals submitted after the deadline cannot be guaranteed for review and will be considered for the following semester.

Repeating Courses

A student receiving Title IV aid may repeat courses; however, the repeated hours will be included in the Financial Aid SAP calculations as hours attempted and hours earned. A federal ﬁnancial aid recipient cannot repeat a previously passed course more than one (1) time either as a single course or in a block of courses. For this purpose, “passed” means any grade higher than an “F” regardless of any program policy requiring a higher grade to be considered passed for the course.

Developmental Courses

A Title IV recipient who has enrolled in a developmental course and failed may not enroll in the same course more than three (3) times and continue to receive ﬁnancial assistance. If the Title IV recipient enrolls in the same developmental course more than three (3) times, ﬁnancial aid will not pay for this subsequent enrollment in this course. A Title IV recipient may not be paid for more than 30-semester credit hours of developmental work. Developmental courses are counted in the hours attempted and hours earned.

Maximum Time Frame

The maximum time frame allowed to complete a program of study without ﬁnancial aid penalty cannot exceed 150% of the published length of a speciﬁc program as measured in credit hours attempted in credit-hour programs.

Transfer or Readmitted Students

Students who transfer to Trenholm are required to submit an oﬃcial copy of their academic transcript(s) from all previously attended postsecondary institution(s). After the Registrar evaluates all transcripts, transfer credits that apply to the student’s program at the College will be included in the hours attempted and hours earned for future Satisfactory Academic Progress evaluations. Please be advised that transfer students’ GPAs are not included in the Satisfactory Academic Progress evaluations.

Change of Program of Study

All periods of a students’ enrollment will be counted when determining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), which include periods in which the student did not receive Federal Student Aid (FSA). A change of program of study is allowed if the student continues to make Satisfactory Academic Progress.

All credit hours attempted by the student in their previous programs and transfer credits will be included and a student may only receive aid up to 150% of the normal timeframe of the new program of study. Students who have reached maximum timeframe for their current program of study may ﬁle a Financial Aid Appeal to be considered for an extension of additional hours to complete their program of study due to mitigating circumstances.

Class Attendance Policy for Financial Aid

Class attendance is essential to the educational process at Trenholm State Community College. The College subscribes to the philosophy that students will achieve academic success in direct proportion to class attendance. We also subscribe to the belief that the ability to manage one’s own attendance and punctuality is a critical component of job readiness that each student must master. Therefore, students are responsible for attending all classes, being punctual and performing assignments as prescribed by the instructor and appropriate course syllabus.

The attendance policy applicable to a speciﬁc instructional program may be more restrictive than the College policy and therefore has precedence. These policies may be influenced by the requirements of external agencies and will be noted in individual course syllabus. Faculty are required to verify attendance at a requested time in order to complete reporting data as required to comply with federal ﬁnancial aid regulations to include: VA, WIOA, Title IV, Scholarship Recipients and others. Additionally, it is essential that registered students who discontinue attending class before the last oﬃcial withdrawal day, which is the beginning of academic penalty, must be reported to the Oﬃce of Records.

College Financial Plan

Trenholm State Community College has agreed to comply with the principles of Executive Order 13607, Establishing Principles of Excellence for Educational Institutions Serving Service Members, Veterans, Spouses, and Other Family Members (E.O. 13607), of their commitment to use the College Financial Plan Form to provide each of their prospective veteran and service member students with a personalized form that contains standardized information describing the cost of the educational program and the amount of that cost that may be covered by available Federal educational beneﬁts and ﬁnancial aid. Please log on to https://www.trenholmstate.edu/future-students/financial-aid/college-financing-plan/ to view a personalized College Financial Plan Form.

Certificate Programs

Certiﬁcate programs offered at the College that are Title IV eligible are subject to a clock-to-credit hour conversion. For students enrolled in these Title IV eligible certiﬁcate programs, the clock-to-credit hour conversion may result in reducing their Federal Pell Grant awards each semester/term. Short-term Certificate Programs are Title IV eligible.

Scholarships

The College oﬀers a limited number of scholarships to qualiﬁed students including Veterans. A scholarship application may be obtained from Trenholm State’s website at https://www.trenholmstate.edu/future-students/financial-aid/scholarships/. Properly completed applications should be submitted to the Financial Aid oﬃce by the announced deadline. Scholarships are awarded annually based upon availability. The scholarships awarded by the College cover the cost of tuition and mandatory fees only. Additional information about scholarships can be obtained from the Financial Aid Oﬃce at (334) 420-4317. The following types of scholarships are oﬀered at the College:

Educational Advancement Scholarship

A limited number of Educational Advancement Scholarships are awarded to ﬁrst-time Trenholm students who are either high school graduates or GED recipients. To be eligible for consideration, prospective students must have a Cumulative Grade-Point Average (CGPA) of 2.5 or better, complete the College’s Application for Admissions, the Scholarship Application form and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Speciﬁc application procedures and guidelines are available on the College’s Website and in the Financial Aid oﬃce. The completed scholarship application must be submitted to the Financial Aid oﬃce, with the required documentation, by the speciﬁed deadline dates. All Educational Advancement Scholarship recipients must maintain a 2.5 Cumulative Grade-Point Average (CGPA) throughout their enrollment at the College and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually. For additional information, contact the Financial Aid Oﬃce at (334) 420-4317.

Achievement Scholarships

Achievement scholarships are awarded to interested students currently enrolled at the College who have earned a minimum of 12-credit hours with a Cumulative Grade-Point Average (CGPA) of 3.50 or better. Speciﬁc application procedures and guidelines are available on the College’s website at: https://www.trenholmstate.edu/future-students/financial-aid/scholarships/. The completed scholarship application must be submitted to the Financial Aid Oﬃce, with the required documentation, by the speciﬁed deadline date. Achievement Scholarship recipients are required to maintain a 3.50 Cumulative Grade-Point Average (CGPA) throughout their enrollment at the College and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually. For additional information, contact the Financial Aid Oﬃce at (334) 420-4317.

Career Technical Scholarships

Career Technical scholarships are available to students through recommendation of a career technical center director. The director will have the authority to approve one scholarship on an annual basis during the months of April and May of each year. In order to be eligible for consideration, students must have a Cumulative Grade-Point Average (CGPA) of 2.5 or better, complete the College’s Application for Admissions, Scholarship Application form and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). These documents and any other required documents are due by the speciﬁed deadlines. All Career Technical Scholarship recipients must maintain a 2.5 Cumulative Grade-Point Average (CGPA) throughout their enrollment at the College and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually. For additional information, contact the Financial Aid Oﬃce at (334) 420-4317.

Trenholm State Foundation Scholarships

The Trenholm State Foundation annually awards periodically scholarships to help students achieve their goals of becoming highly trained competitors in the workforce. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

Must be a U. S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
Must be a full-time student (12-credit hours or more per semester) at Trenholm State Community College
Must have a minimum Cumulative Grade-Point Average (CGPA) of 2.5 or better
Must submit a 500-word essay (typed) to include his/ her career goals, why he/she should be considered for a scholarship and the need for a scholarship

The following types of scholarships are available through the Foundation:

Dr. H. Councill Trenholm Scholarship (Financial Need)
Jerry Joyce First-Generation College Student Memorial Scholarship
Samuel Munnerlyn Student Leadership Scholarship
Dr. Anthony L. Molina Memorial Academic Excellence Scholarship
Mary and Marshall Anderson Health Services Technology Memorial Scholarship
Mary and Marshall Anderson Academic Excellence in Health Services Technology Memorial Scholarship
Beverly D. Ross Special Needs/Hardship Scholarship

Individuals may contact the Foundation’s oﬃce at (334) 420-4453 for additional information.

Senior Adult Waiver Program

Alabama residents 60 years of age or older may attend classes tuition free on a space-available basis. Seniors who wish to apply for the Senior Adult Waiver Program must follow standard admissions procedures and meet all course prerequisites as stated in the College Catalog. This waiver covers tuition only in college-credit courses. A college-credit course is deﬁned as a course measured in both credit hours and scheduled weekly contact hours that is part of an organized and speciﬁed program leading to a formal award at the College, i.e., associate degree, certiﬁcate or short-term certiﬁcate. The Senior Adult Waiver does not cover books, fees, supplies, tools or repeated courses. Seniors who qualify can register for courses on the oﬃcial day that classes begin each semester/term. For additional information, please contact the Financial Aid oﬃce at (334) 420-4317.

Federal Veteran Educational Assistance Programs

Post 9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33)
Montgomery GI Bill®/Active (Chapter 30)
Montgomery GI Bill®/Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606)
Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 35)
Veterans Vocational Rehabilitation (Chapter 31)

Veterans Educational Beneﬁts are available to qualiﬁed Veterans, dependents of Veterans, National Guard members and Reserve members. To receive VA Educational Beneﬁts, all recipients must be enrolled in an approved course of study and submit all transcripts (high school, GED, college and/or military) to the Admissions Oﬃce.

Certification of Educational Benefits

Students receiving Federal VA Educational Beneﬁts must submit the VA Enrollment Certiﬁcation Form to the VA School Certifying Oﬃcial each semester that he/she wishes to have enrollment sent to the VA. Certiﬁcations will not be submitted to the VA until this form has been received. Students using Chapter 1606 must verify their enrollment the last calendar day of each month by using the Automated Veriﬁcation of Enrollment (WAVE) at https://www.gibill.va.gov/wave or by calling 1-877-823- 2378. Students receiving VA Educational Beneﬁts are responsible for registering only for courses that are included on their respective degree plan. Veterans’ beneﬁts will not be certiﬁed for courses previously passed, unless a grade higher than the earned grade is required, or for auditing courses. Veteran students and dependents will not be paid for courses in which an “I” (Incomplete) was previously received or for courses which are not a part of the declared major unless approved as a substitution for a required course by the appropriate Dean. All VA students are responsible to pay tuition and fees at the time of registration with the exception of students receiving Chapter 31 (Disabled Veterans) and Chapter 33 (Post 9/11) beneﬁts. Please note that if you are a Post 9/11 student and your beneﬁts level is less than 100%, you must pay the diﬀerence the VA does not cover at the time of registration.

Students utilizing VA education beneﬁts shall not be charged a penalty, including assessment of late fees, denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or be required to borrow additional funds because of the individual’s inability to meet their ﬁnancial obligations due to the delayed disbursement of a payment to be provided by the Department of Veterans Aﬀairs.

All Veterans and Dependents receiving educational beneﬁts should contact the VA Certifying Oﬃcial prior to registration to complete the proper documents for VA certiﬁcation. If the enrollment period is temporarily interrupted, the VA Certifying Oﬃcial will recertify when notiﬁcation of re-enrollment is received from the Veteran.

For more information regarding any Veteran educational beneﬁts, students may contact the VA Certifying Oﬃcial at (334) 420-4292. Additionally, students may contact the Department of Veterans Aﬀairs by calling at 1-888- 442-4551.

Veterans Withdrawing from Courses

Students receiving VA Educational Beneﬁts must promptly notify the VA Certifying Oﬃcial when withdrawing from a class or all classes. Failure to do so may result in an overpayment from the Department of Veterans Aﬀairs. For additional information, please contact the Financial Aid oﬃce at (334) 420-4292.

State VA Educational Programs

Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program

The Alabama Department of Veterans Aﬀairs oﬀers ﬁnancial assistance to eligible dependents of disabled Veterans (child, stepchild, spouse or un-remarried widow or widower) who are living or deceased. Qualifying veterans must have been permanent civilian residents of Alabama prior to entry into military service. Other qualifying veterans’ categories are former Prisoners of War (POW), declared Missing in Action (MIA) and those who died in service.

The Alabama G. I. Dependent Scholarship Program does not pay for non-credit courses, developmental courses and facility and special building fees. In addition, the

G. I. Dependent Scholarship Program does not cover supplies or textbooks for non-credit and/or developmental (remedial) courses. The student is responsible for paying these charges.

Students approved for the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship program after July 31, 2017, must adhere to the following:

Completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year covered under the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program.
Compliance with TSCC’s Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to receive the Alabama
G.I. Dependent Scholarship. Students not making SAP are subject to losing Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship Program eligibility.
Application of the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship AFTER Federal Pell Grant and other scholarships for any applicable remaining charges. If ALL tuition, fees and books are covered by other funding sources such as Federal Pell grant or scholarships, the Alabama G.I. Dependent Scholarship will not be applied for the current semester.

Veterans Service Oﬃcers of the Alabama Department of Veterans Aﬀairs maintain an oﬃce in each county of the State. They can provide information and assist in completing the required forms for Alabama G. I. Dependent Scholarship Program. Their oﬃces are located usually in the county courthouse. The Alabama Department of Veterans Aﬀairs may be contacted directly at the following address: Alabama G. I. Dependent Scholarship Program, Department of Veterans Aﬀairs, Post Oﬃce Box 1509, Montgomery, Alabama 36102- 1509. The telephone number is (334) 242-5077.

Tuition Assistance (TA)

Tuition Assistance is a Department of Defense (DOD) program. The Veteran’s Administration does not administer the Tuition Assistance Program. Tuition Assistance rules vary by branch of service and can even vary between units depending on whether the unit is active, reserve or National Guard. If a service member receives TA funds and withdraws during the semester, the Tuition Assistance Refund Policy will be applied to determine if TA funds need to be returned to the Department of Defense. For additional assistance, TA recipients should contact their Education Services Oﬃcer.

Alabama National Guard Education Assistance Program (ANGEAP)

The Alabama National Guard Education Assistance Program (ANGEAP) is designed to provide ﬁnancial assistance to Alabama National Guard members. For additional information and applications, the National Guard member should contact his/her National Guard Unit. Completed ANGEAP applications must be submitted to the VA School Certifying Oﬃcial in the Financial Aid Oﬃce.

Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA)

MyCAA is a Department of Defense program that provides up to $4,000 of ﬁnancial assistance for military spouses who are pursuing degree programs, licenses, or credentials leading to employment in portable career ﬁelds.

Operation Family Shield

Operation Family Shield Scholarship Program was established in 2003 for spouses and dependents of the Alabama National Guard or reservists called to active duty. The Scholarship has been expanded in support of Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and the Global War on Terrorism.

Purple Heart Waiver

The Purple Heart Waiver is a waiver of undergraduate tuition and fees for Purple Heart recipients.

A public institution of higher education may waive undergraduate tuition and fees for each veteran who is the recipient of the Purple Heart and who satisﬁes all the following:

Enroll as a full-time, part-time, or summer school student in an undergraduate program that culminates in a degree or certiﬁcate.
Is currently and was at the time of the military action that resulted in the awarding of the Purple Heart, a resident of this state.
Submits to the public institution of higher education the DD-214 form issued at the time of separation from service as documentation that he or she has received the Purple Heart.

Entitlement to Benefits

Trenholm State Community College certiﬁes the veterans and dependents enrollment status, programs and academic progress. All questions concerning payment are to be referred to the Department of Veterans Aﬀairs at 1(888) 442-4551 or by sending an electronic inquiry to (https://gibill.custhelp.com/app/utils/login_form/redirect/ask).

VA Educational Benefits Standards of Academic Progress

All students receiving Federal VA Educational Beneﬁts must be in Good Standing with the College.

VA Certificate of Compliance

It is hereby resolved that Trenholm State Community College in the State of Alabama is compliant with Public Law 114-315, which modiﬁed title 38 of the United States Code (U.S.C.) 3679(c). As amended, 38 U.S.C. 3679(c)

requires that the following individuals be charged the resident rate:

A Veteran using educational assistance under either chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill® – Active Duty Program) or chapter 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill®), of title 38, United States Code, who lives in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of his/ her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the institution within three years of discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill® beneﬁts (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the institution within three years of the transferor’s discharge or release from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
Anyone described above while he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same institution. The person so described must have enrolled in the institution prior to the expiration of the three-year period following discharge or release as described above and must be using educational beneﬁts under either chapter 30 or chapter 33, of title 38, United States Code.
Anyone using beneﬁts under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C.
§ 3311(b)(9)) who lives in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of his/her formal State of residence).
Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill® beneﬁts (38 U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in the state in which the institution is located (regardless of his/her formal state of residence) and the transferor is a member the uniformed service who is serving on active duty.
Anyone using educational assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E).
Anyone using educational assistance under chapter 35, Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance (DEA) program.

*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 www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Title 38 United States Code Section 3679(e)

Trenholm State Community College complies with Title 38 United States Code Section 3679(e) under which covered individuals (i.e. any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under Chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or Chapter 33, Post-9/11 GI Bill® beneﬁts) can attend or participate in the course of education providing the individual submits a certiﬁcate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapters 31 or 33 (a “certiﬁcate of eligibility” can also include a “Statement of Beneﬁts” obtained from the Department of Veterans Aﬀairs’ (VA) website - beneﬁts, or a Chapter 31 authorization).

Trenholm State Community College will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds due to the delayed disbursement of funding from VA under Chapters 31 or 33.

Covered individuals wanting to use their educational beneﬁts at Trenholm State Community College are required to submit a VA Enrollment Certiﬁcation Form. Additionally, covered individuals may be required to provide additional information as necessary to properly certify enrollment.

VA Complaint Policy

Any complaint against the school should be routed through the VA GI Bill® Feedback System by following the link: https://www.va.gov/education/submit-school-feedback/introduction The VA will then follow up through the appropriate channels to investigate the complaint and resolve it satisfactory.

Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA)

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is a federally-funded program which provides training/ retraining to eligible individuals who are unemployed, underemployed, unskilled or recently dislocated from a job because of a layoﬀ or plant closing. Additional information on the WIOA Program may be obtained by contacting the Career Center Oﬃce in your respective county.

Trade Adjustment Assistance or Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA/TAA)

The TAA/TRA Program aids workers in companies aﬀected by imports from foreign countries, shifts in production to certain foreign countries and to certain secondary workers. The program provides aﬀected workers with both rapid and early assistance and the opportunity to engage in long-term training while receiving income support. Approved workers apply for individual services and beneﬁts through their local One-Stop Career Centers to determine individual TAA/ TRA eligibility for services and beneﬁts. Those who are qualiﬁed and seek training are then referred to local training institutions. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Career Center Oﬃce in your respective county.

Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services

Students who have learning, physical or mental disabilities which interfere with their ability to work or attend college may be eligible for assistance through the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services. Rehabilitation services may provide assistance with all, or part of the costs associated with college attendance. For additional information, contact Rehabilitation Services at the following address: Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services, 602 South Lawrence Street, Montgomery, Alabama 36116, or by contacting the Alabama Rehabilitation Services at (334) 293-7500.

Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997

The Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 provides tax relief for qualiﬁed taxpayers or for the qualiﬁed parent or guardian taxpayer of a qualiﬁed student dependent. Certain eligible expenses that are incurred for studying at Trenholm State Community College may result in a credit against tax liability. There are three tax credits available to help you oﬀset the costs of higher education by reducing the amount of your income tax: The Hope Credit, American Opportunity Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit, also referred to as education credits. The Hope and Lifetime Learning Credits may not be claimed at the same time for the same student. For additional information, see Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Publication 970, Tax Beneﬁts for Education at www.irs.gov. For those who have made tuition payments to the College, a Tuition Statement (IRS Form 1098-T) will be mailed to them by January 31 of the following year. The Tuition Statement reports the amounts paid to the College, during the previous year, for tuition and related fees and provides the name and the telephone number of the Trenholm State contact person.

Disclaimer: Programs with the Financial Aid department are mandated by federal and state guidelines and regulations. Be advised that the information contained in this section of the College Catalog is subject to change.

*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 www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.