Financial Aid FAQs

To receive financial aid, you must meet certain general requirements. The first step toward receiving federal and state financial aid is to complete your FAFSA and apply for NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) funds on time every year! Each application becomes available on October 1 – we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

You must also:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen*
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Be a high school graduate, have a General Equivalency Diploma (GED) or High School Equivalency (HSE)
• Be registered for the Selective Service (if required)
• Provide additional documentation when necessary according to federal, state and college policies and regulations
• Enroll in an approved program through the Admissions Office
• Attend the classes that you are registered for
• Not be in default on any previous student loans
• Have never been convicted of a drug-related offense while receiving federal financial aid
• Maintain good academic standing and demonstrate satisfactory academic progress toward a certificate or degree
• Inform Student Financial Services of any changes in your financial resources

* Undocumented students may qualify for NYS aid. Read the State of New York’s guide on resources for undocumented students.

Each financial aid award is based on need, eligibility and available funds. First consideration goes to students who apply early and show the greatest need. Need is determined by comparing the cost of attending Dutchess Community College with your expected family contribution, calculated by a federal formula.

Budgets used for financial aid vary depending upon your status, residency and program. Standard budgets used for awarding financial aid are available from the Office of Student Financial Services.

The following is an estimated budget for fall 2022 and spring 2023, for a dependent full-time student living at home in Poughkeepsie and the surrounding areas:

• Tuition: $4,600 
• Fees: $400 - $700 
• Books: $1,450

The actual amount awarded may be different from the estimated award. Your award may be adjusted based on additional information, revised regulations or changed student status.

Financial aid will only be paid for classes that you are currently attending and that are required (applicable) for your degree.

You should complete a Change in Circumstance Form in myDCC and submit it to the SFS office. You should also provide the requested documentation to support your special circumstance(s).

The SFS will review the new information and, if possible, recalculate your financial aid eligibility.

• The deadline for submitting your Consideration for a Change in Circumstance form is November 30 for changes during fall semester and April 30 for changes during spring semester.
• Please be aware that a Change of Circumstance evaluation can take up to 6-8 weeks to review.

Dropping classes or failing to attend classes for which you are registered may result in loss of or adjustments to your financial aid, even after you have received it.

REQUIREMENTS & ELIGIBILITY FOR AID

The general guidelines for financial aid disbursement are:

• If you have been informed of a financial aid award, DCC may defer the cost of your tuition and fees in the amount of your financial aid. This means that you will only need to pay DCC the amount you will owe after financial aid is applied to your account. If you are selected for verification and your financial aid award changes after the verification process is complete, you may owe additional funds.
• If you have been awarded more aid than you need for tuition, fees and DCC charges, Student Financial Services will issue you a book voucher electronically, through your myDCC email. You can use this to purchase textbooks and supplies at the DCC Bookstore. Deadlines for using a book voucher will be published each semester.
• After tuition, fees, bookstore costs, and other authorized charges are covered, any remaining financial aid will be disbursed to you. Dates for the disbursements will be published each semester.

You’ll need to cover your own expenses until you receive your payout.

Any disbursement will be sent to you through BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution powered by BMTX, Inc. If you have a prior balance at DCC, you will instead receive your payout through a paper check which will be mailed to you with a copy of your bill.

HOW BANKMOBILE DISBURSEMENTS REFUNDS WORK

For any student loan to be disbursed, you must:

• Be registered and in attendance for at least six credit hours of coursework.
• Be in a degree program.
• Be enrolled only in courses required (applicable) for degree completion.

For specific types of loans:

• The Pell Grant award is based on the courses required for your degree for which you are enrolled and attending at the end of the add/drop period.
• For federal student loan purposes, you must complete your online Entrance Counseling and Promissory Note.
• For New York State aid, you must be registered for and attending the required number of credits specific to that aid program at the end of the add/drop period.
• NYS Aid for Part Time Study (APTS) will not be disbursed until the end of the semester. You must be registered and attending at least three non-remedial credits.

If the amount of your financial aid exceeds your tuition and fees you could be eligible for a Book Voucher to use at the campus bookstore. Check myDCC for the amount of your financial aid credit.

A voucher will be issued to you directly from Student Financial Services that you can use to purchase books and supplies from the DCC Bookstore.

If your financial aid exceeds your tuition, fees, and bookstore charges, you'll get the remainder as a refund to be used for other education related expenses.

The amount of your refund will be based the number of credits for courses that:

• You are currently attending (not courses that have been dropped or start later in the semester)
• Are required for your degree

If you accepted your loans in full and would like to either reduce the total amount or cancel them in full, just complete and submit the Loan Adjustment Form.

If you originally declined your loans or only accepted a partial amount, you can complete a form to reinstate or increase your loan.

In order to maintain your eligibility for federal aid, you must be meeting satisfactory academic progress. Your satisfactory academic progress is evaluated at the end of each semester of the academic year. There are three requirements that you must meet in to maintain eligibility:

• You must have an overall GPA of 2.0 or higher;
• You must have completed 2/3 of the credits that you have attempted; and
• You must not have taken more than 150% of the credits it takes to get your degree.

VIEW YOUR STATUS IN MYDCC

If you fall below the required completion rate or GPA requirement, you will be given a one-time Warning Status semester to regain eligibility.

After the Warning Status semester, if you have not regained eligibility, you may apply for a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal with the Dean of Student’s Services Office if you are able to document extenuating circumstances.

Full-time community college students may receive six semesters of New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) aid. To maintain eligibility, you must achieve TAP standards by the end of each semester.

• View your current status in myDCC

If you lose your eligibility for State Financial Aid, you’ll be notified by letter and email from the Office of Financial Aid. You may apply for a NYS Academic Progress Waiver with the Dean of Student’s Services Office if you are able to document extenuating circumstances.

Withdrawing, even from a single course, could affect your eligibility for aid, now and in the future! Depending on the date that you drop the course(s), your aid may be reduced or removed from your course. You may even owe money back to the school depending on your situation.

Withdrawing from courses also affects your 2/3 completion rate which could put your satisfactory academic progress in jeopardy.

WITHDRAWAL AND YOUR FINANCIAL AID

Default generally occurs on a federal student loan when you don’t make a payment for 270 days. During the delinquency period, the loan servicer must make repeated efforts to locate and contact you about repayment. If the lender is unsuccessful, they’ll take steps to place your loan in default.

You should avoid default at all costs! Unlike other consumer loans, student loans usually cannot be discharged through bankruptcy and a default will likely stay with you the rest of your life.

MORE ABOUT STUDENT LOAN DEFAULTS