Financial Aid Process

A student that can no longer graduate by the time they have attempted 150% of the published credits for their program, as listed on their program requirement sheet, will immediately become ineligible for financial aid.  Credits taken for this program will be excluded from financial aid enrollment status if a student is enrolled in another program.

Note: All credits for classes a student attempted at any time while attending Chippewa Valley Technical College listed on the program requirement sheet count toward the 150%. All credits a student takes while in the program count toward the 150% regardless of whether or not they are listed on the program requirement sheet.Example of 150% Rule:

A student in the Nursing Program must successfully complete 70 credits (listed on the Nursing Program Requirement Sheet) to graduate from the Nursing Program.

Published Credits: 70
150% of Published Credits: 70 x 150% = 105 Credits

At the end of the student’s fourth term in the Nursing Program, the student has attempted 75 credits that count toward the 150% rule and has successfully passed 30 of those credits.

The student has 40 credits left to successfully complete the required 70 credits before he/she can graduate from the Nursing Program.

If you add the 75 credits already taken and the 40 credits remaining (75 + 40 = 115) to graduate from the Nursing Program, the student would have to take a total of 115 credits to graduate. The student is immediately no longer eligible for financial aid for the remainder of the Nursing Program, because 115 total credits are greater than 150% of the published credits (105) to graduate from the Nursing Program.

Students who are accepted in a financial aid eligible program at Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) and are considering taking one or more courses at another school that apply towards their degree at CVTC or are part of an interwoven program, may request a consortium agreement between the schools. Since students are unable to receive financial aid from two schools during the same term, a consortium agreement allows the school at which the student is seeking his/her degree (the "home school") to combine credits from all schools (the "visiting school") and pay financial aid based on the total.

Not all students who take courses at another school will need to request a consortium agreement. For some students, the combination of credits will not increase the amount of their financial aid award. Please contact the Financial Aid Office if you are considering requesting a consortium agreement.

The following conditions must be met to be eligible for a consortium agreement:The student must be seeking a degree in a financial aid eligible program at CVTC, and the course(s) taken at the other school must apply towards the student's program degree at CVTC or be a part of an interwoven program agreement.The student must complete the registration process at the visiting school and pay for classes with their own resources.The student must complete and sign the "student" section of the Consortium Agreement Request and attach a copy of their "visiting school" schedule. View the Consortium Agreement Request form on the Financial Aid Forms page.The student must have the "counselor" section of the Consortium Agreement Request completed and signed by a CVTC counselor.The student must submit the signed Consortium Agreement Request, with copy of schedule attached, to the CVTC Financial Aid Office by the first Friday of the term.
Upon receipt of the above items, a Consortium Agreement will be created between CVTC and each school listed on the Consortium Agreement Request.
Credits will not be added to the student's enrollment status until the Consortium Agreement is signed by both participating schools.

Enrollment and budget information will be exchanged between schools to determine the student's eligibility, calculate financial aid awards, disburse funds, monitor satisfactory progress, and distribute any refund/repayment.

The student must inform the CVTC Financial Aid Office if they drop or withdraw from any course covered by this Consortium Agreement Request.

At the end of the term the student is responsible for providing the CVTC Financial Aid Office with either an official or unofficial transcript from the "visiting school".
If an official transcript is provided, the CVTC Financial Aid Office will confirm grades and forward the official transcript to the Registrar's Office for inclusion in the student's academic record.

Failure to submit grades at the end of the term will make the student ineligible for future aid.
If verification of enrollment is needed for an insurance company or other outside agency, the combined credit enrollment status will be used.

​Drug convictions may impact your eligibility. Students convicted of drug offenses committed while receiving Federal Financial Aid may be ineligible for federal financial aid for one (1) or more years from the date of conviction.

Federal Aid includes: Federal Student LoansFederal PLUS LoansFederal GrantsFederal Work Study

Penalties for Drug Convictions in Eligibility

Possession of Illegal Drugs:

• First Offense: One (1) year from the date of conviction
• Second Offense: Two (2) years from the date of conviction
• Third and Subsequent Offenses: Indefinite ineligibility from the date of conviction

Sale of Illegal Drugs:

• First Offense: Two (2) years from the date of conviction
• Second and Subsequent Offenses: Indefinite ineligibility from the date of conviction

Regain Eligibility After a Drug Conviction

You can regain eligibility for the federal programs no matter how many or what type of drug convictions you have if you successfully complete an acceptable drug rehabilitation program that meets the standards set by Congress and the Department of Education. You will regain eligibility on the date you complete the program.

An acceptable drug rehabilitation program requires passing TWO (2) unannounced drug tests AND be either:

1. Qualified to receive funds from a federal, state or local government agency or program, or from a state or federally licensed insurance company, or
2. Administered or recognized by a federal, state or local government agency or court, or by a state or federally licensed hospital, health clinic, or medical doctor.

Question 23 on the FAFSA form asks if the student has ever been convicted of a drug related offense. Answering this question falsely, if discovered, could result in fines up to $20,000, imprisonment, or both.Convictions During Enrollment

According to the United States Department of Education, if a student is convicted of a drug offense after receiving Federal aid, he or she must notify the Financial Aid Office immediately and that student will be ineligible for further aid and required to pay back all aid received after the conviction.

​Financial aid enrollment status is based on the number of financial aid eligible credits in which you are enrolled. Some courses are not eligible for financial aid and cannot be included in the enrollment status.Your enrollment status must be at least half time to be eligible for state grants and loans.Federal grants are prorated based on your enrollment status.

The enrollment status for eight (8) and sixteen (16) week terms at CVTC is as follows:

​​Full Time  |  ​12 credits or more
​Three Quarter Time  |  ​9 to 11.9 credits
​Half Time  |  ​6 to 8.9 credits
​Less than Half Time  |  ​Less than 6 credits

How Enrollment Status Affects Your Financial Aid

Your original financial aid award letter will indicate the financial aid for which you are qualified based on full-time enrollment status. Your financial aid will be adjusted if you are not a full-time student.

Enrollment status is determined the third Friday of the term. If necessary, your financial aid will be adjusted to reflect your enrollment status as of the third Friday of the term.

Adjustments to financial aid enrollment status can result in having to repay part of your financial aid (loans and grants) immediately.

The Federal Funds Return Policy applies to students who have received federal financial aid assistance and have officially or unofficially withdrawn from CVTC. The official withdrawal date is defined as the actual date the student begins the college's withdrawal process or the student's last date of academically related activity. The mid-point of the term is used for unofficial withdrawals.

The amount of federal financial aid assistance that a student earns is determined on a pro-rata basis. Once the student has completed sixty percent (60%) of the term, all financial aid is considered to be earned.

If a student withdraws from school before 60% of the term has been completed, drops a class before the start date, or does not officially withdraw and receives all failing grades for the term, the Financial Aid Office will calculate the amount of unearned financial aid and return financial aid funds in refund distribution order. The student is billed for funds CVTC is required to repay. The CVTC Business Office invoices the student, and account balances not paid within ninety (90) days are turned over to a collection agency.

If a student received all F's for a term, but attended at least one class the entire term and "earned" the grade of F, the student will not be considered an unofficial withdrawal if he/she completes all the following:

• Prints a Verification of Attendance form (available on the Financial Aid forms page).
• Has an instructor from one of the classes he/she attended the entire term complete and sign the form
• Returns the form to the Financial Aid Office within one (1) week after the term ends.

Specific submission deadlines for verified attendance will be published in Commons as a college announcement.

When a student receives federal financial aid in excess of earned financial aid,the school returns the lesser of:

1. College charges multiplied by the unearned percentage, or
2. Federal financial aid disbursed multiplied by the unearned percentage; and

Any remaining unearned financial aid not covered by the school;Any loan funds are repaid in accordance with the terms of the promissory note; that is, scheduled payments to the holder of the loan over a period of time;Any grant amount the student has to return is a grant overpayment, and arrangements must be made with the school or Department of Education to return the funds.

Federal financial aid assistance includes the Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), Direct Loans (subsidized and unsubsidized), and PLUS Loans for parents.

Course attendance is a key factor in your academic success, and verification of such attendance ensures that the College is distributing financial aid to individuals who have begun to attend classes according to federal financial aid Title IV legislation. If you do not attend classes or begin the course by the end of the first week of the semester, you are reported to the Registrar's office by your instructor as a "no show" and you are canceled from the course. As a "no show", you will receive an 80% refund. "No show" status will also impact your financial aid.What are the attendance requirements? Online courses: If you are enrolled in an online course, you must complete the introductory discussion assignment as follows: If registered "before" the course started, you must complete the introductory discussion by the specified due date. If registered "during" the first week of the course, you must complete the introductory discussion before the end of week two. Traditional, hybrid, web conference, and instructional television courses: If you are enrolled in any class with a synchronous component such as traditional, hybrid, web conferencing, and instructional television, you must meet the following attendance requirements: If registered "before" the semester started, you must attend class during the first week of the semester. If registered "during" the first week of classes, you must attend the next scheduled meeting of the class.What if I am unable to attend the first week? In the case of extenuating circumstances, for all class types, you must notify the instructor in writing (email or letter) if unable to attend class in week one as defined above. Without exception, when your extenuating circumstances prevent you from attending in week one, you must begin the course no later than Friday of week two. If you do not attend by the extended date, you will be reported as a "no show" even if a prior written contact was made.​Course attendance is a key factor in your academic success, and verification of such attendance ensures that the College is distributing financial aid to individuals who have begun to attend classes according to federal financial aid Title IV legislation. If you do not attend classes or begin the course by the end of the first week of the semester, you are reported to the Registrar's office by your instructor as a "no show" and you are canceled from the course. As a "no show", you will receive an 80% refund. "No show" status will also impact your financial aid. What are the attendance requirements? Online courses: If you are enrolled in an online course, you must complete the introductory discussion assignment as follows: If registered "before" the course started, you must complete the introductory discussion by the specified due date. If registered "during" the first week of the course, you must complete the introductory discussion before the end of week two. Traditional, hybrid, web conference, and instructional television courses: If you are enrolled in any class with a synchronous component such as traditional, hybrid, web conferencing, and instructional television, you must meet the following attendance requirements: If registered "before" the semester started, you must attend class during the first week of the semester. If registered "during" the first week of classes, you must attend the next scheduled meeting of the class. What if I am unable to attend the first week? In the case of extenuating circumstances, for all class types, you must notify the instructor in writing (email or letter) if unable to attend class in week one as defined above. Without exception, when your extenuating circumstances prevent you from attending in week one, you must begin the course no later than Friday of week two. If you do not attend by the extended date, you will be reported as a "no show" even if a prior written contact was made.

In certain situations the Financial Aid Office is required to return financial aid funds received by students to their source. Refund distribution, as prescribed by Federal Regulation, is made in the following order:

• Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan
• Subsidized Federal Direct Loan
• Federal PLUS Loan
• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
• Other Title IV programs