How Do Students Know Whether They Qualify for Financial Aid?

Approximately one to two weeks after transmitting the FAFSA online, students will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR), or SAR Acknowledgment. If any corrections are required to the SAR, students should submit the SAR and the documentation to validate the changes needed to the Financial Aid office. The Financial Aid office will then transmit to the Federal Processing Center the appropriate adjustments on the students' behalf. Within one to two weeks, students will receive an acknowledgment email or letter confirming the changes made to the SAR. At that point, the Financial Aid office should have received electronically the corrected SAR and then will begin completing and preparing the file for awarding. Students first should check their financial aid account in the student portal to see if their Pell has been awarded. If no award is showing, then students should contact the Financial Aid office if they have not received an award letter within six weeks after the date they completed the FAFSA.

If students qualify for financial aid, award notifications are sent to the student's PHSC email referring them to view the financial aid award on the student portal. Students need to have the following completed prior to receiving the award notification.

• All required forms and documents have been submitted formally to the Financial Aid office
• Students have been formally accepted for admission to the College as degree or certificate seeking students
• Students enroll in an eligible program leading to a degree or certificate. Students must be enrolled in a certificate program that is at least 600 clock hours and at least 16 weeks in length for it to qualify as an eligible program of study. View additional information regarding clock hour programs. 
• Students must enroll in courses toward their declared program of study
• Except as otherwise noted, students enroll for at least six hours per semester
• Students are neither in default on a student loan, nor owe a refund on a grant
• Students make satisfactory academic progress each semester
• Students meet the U.S. citizenship and the Selective Service registration requirements
• Students have submitted to the Admissions and Student Records office an official transcript of their high school diploma or received a GED Certificate
• Students possess a valid Social Security number