Financial Aid Policies provide important information about receiving financial aid and maintaining financial aid eligibility. Please also see the Financial Aid Terms & Conditions. It is important that you carefully read these policies. Contact the Windward CC Financial Aid Office if you have any questions.

STUDENT ELIGIBILITY

To receive aid, you must be admitted as a classified student in an eligible Associate or Certificate Degree Program. If your degree program changes to an ineligible degree program after you are awarded, your financial aid will not disburse or will be taken back. Courses you enroll for should apply toward your designated Degree/Certificate program.

You are expected to maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward the completion of a degree. To remain eligible, you are expected to meet all Academic Eligibility Requirements: Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0, successfully complete at least 67% of total credit hours attempted, and complete your degree/certificate within the time frame allowed at Windward Community College (WCC). View the complete SAP Policy here.

You are responsible for notifying our office of the following:

• Name, phone number, and/or address change
• Enrollment status change
• Residency status change

Our office communicates electronically with students via the student’s UH email account. It is the student’s responsibility to check their UH email account (hawaii.edu) for communications from our office.

AWARD OFFER/FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE

Your financial aid award offer, also known as your financial aid package, is a conditional offer of financial aid you are eligible to receive for the academic year. The amount of aid offered is based on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), financial need, outside resources and availability of funds.

Your financial aid award will be based on full time enrollment (12 credits or greater) for an academic year (Fall and Spring semester) at WCC, unless you are set to graduate at the end of the Fall, entering in the Spring semester, had previously made arrangements with our office about your enrollment level, or nearing your maximum timeframe (SAP).

ENROLLMENT/CHANGES IN ENROLLMENT

Awards are based on full time enrollment (12 credits or greater). Awards will be adjusted for lower enrollment levels. If you are changing your enrollment level (adding or dropping classes) after your aid has been disbursed, you may be required to pay back money and/or have an outstanding obligation to the institution. It is important to contact the Financial Aid Office BEFORE you withdraw/add classes to see how that will affect your aid eligibility.

The basic assumption is that you will attend school for the entire enrollment/payment period(s). If you do not begin attendance, or complete courses for which you received aid, you will be subject to a federal Return of Title IV Funds calculation and may be required to repay a portion or all of the aid received for the semester. View our Return of Title IV Funds Policy. You are responsible for informing our office if you completely withdraw or stop attending classes.

If you are concurrently enrolled (enrolled for classes at more than one UH campus within any given semester), or are enrolled in Distance Education courses at other University of Hawaii Campuses, and would like our office to consider enrollment in those course(s) as part of your total enrollment, you must:

• Be enrolled for at least one course with WCC
• Ensure the other course(s) apply to your WCC degree

OTHER FINANCIAL RESOURCES

You are required to inform our office if you receive outside resources (all scholarships or financial resources not administered by WCC’s Financial Aid Office). An adjustment to your award may be necessary to reflect the increase of your resources.

Per federal regulations, a student’s financial aid awards (ie. grants, work-study, loans) and scholarships/resources cannot exceed the Estimated Cost of Attendance (see financial aid terminology below).

Failure to notify the Financial Aid Office in a timely manner may delay your financial aid disbursement and/or may require you to repay money.

FINANCIAL AID TERMINOLOGY

Cost of Attendance: The estimated cost to attend Windward Community College for the award period. This includes tuition and fees, books, and supplies, meals and housing, personal expenses, and transportation.

Estimated Family Contribution: This is an amount that reflects your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which is the amount you and/or your family are expected to pay toward your college costs. This amount is determined by the federal government and is based on the information you reported on your FAFSA.

Outside Resources: The amount of “other” aid you may be receiving from external scholarship donors, benefits, and/or entitlements not administered by Windward Community College’s Financial Aid Office.

Need: This amount is calculated by taking your cost of attendance and subtracting the expected family contribution and outside resources.

Concurrent Enrollment: Enrolled concurrently or enrolled in Distance Education courses simultaneously at other campuses within the University of Hawaii System.