Financial Aid

The College makes every effort to assist students with documented financial need in locating sources to help with their educational expenses. Financial aid is available for students who, without assistance, would not be able to go to college. The family and student are expected to assume a major responsibility for tuition, fees and living expenses. The role financial aid plays in paying a student’s higher education exists only when there is a difference between the student’s resources and the cost of education, also known as unmet need.

Students are encouraged to become familiar with the KC Financial Aid Website and Financial Aid Portal at https://accesskcaid.kilgore.edu and also at accessKC (JICS) Portal at https://accesskc.kilgore.edu. All financial aid information concerning required documents, status of award package, payment and aid deadlines, academic progress standing, and student acknowledgement of institutional and federal regulations will be delivered through the above institutional websites.

Financial counseling is offered on an individual basis to students who complete the annual FAFSA application at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Students are encouraged to call for an appointment for assistance with filing the annual FAFSA application. Various requirements for student eligibility for funding are as follows:

All general eligibility criteria for Title IV financial aid, per federal regulations

• Application for admission to Kilgore College
• Appropriate transcripts and documents as requested
• Observance of stated deadlines
• Satisfactory Academic Progress as a student in good standing or for continued aid eligibility

The following categories of funds are available for students who qualify:

• Federal Sources of Financial Aid (TITLE IV)
  • Pell Grant
  • Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
  • William D Ford Federal Direct Loan Program
  • Federal College Work Study(FWS)
  • Veterans’ Benefits under Chapter 30, 31, 35, 1606, 1607, Tuition Assistance, My CCA and Post 911 Program
  • Veterans’ Work Study Program
• State of Texas Financial Aid
  • Texas Grant
  • TEOG Grant
  • Texas Public Education Grant
  • Hazlewood Exemptions
  • Texas Work Study Program
• Institutional Funds
  • Departmental/institutional scholarships
  • Kilgore College Foundation scholarships
  • Tuition Exemptions
• Outside Agency Funds
  • Miscellaneous agency scholarships and funds

Additional information, applications, and materials are available in the Financial Aid Office located in the Devall Student Center, phone (903) 983-8211 or (903) 983-8210, or at www.kilgore.edu

Financial Aid - Veteran Affairs Benefits

Attendance Policy for VA Benefit Eligible Students

Students using veterans’ benefits to attend Kilgore College will have attendance monitored until the time the student drops, graduates, or completes the program. Unsatisfactory attendance will be reported to the DVA even if the VA student has completed the required number of hours and no refund is due the student and/or refund sources. Therefore, the attendance policy (20% of the total program and/or being absent five [5] consecutive days) will apply throughout the student’s stay in school. All violations of the attendance policy will be reported to DVA on VA Form 22-1999b within 30 days at such time the student exceeds the allowed number of absences.

For clock hour programs, to prevent overpayment situations, the DVA recommends weekly certification of ACTUAL attendance on a weekly basis.

This signed form is only applicable for accredited and non-accredited non-college degree (NCD) program(s) or for non-accredited NCD program(s) offered at institutions of higher learning (IHL). The policy contained herein establishes the attendance policy for the veteran student(s) when there exists a less stringent policy or when there is no attendance policy defined in the institutions published catalog.

I have read, understand, and will comply with this policy for the veteran students certified for GI Bill benefits.

Military Tuition Assistance Refund Procedures

Kilgore College has a published refund policy for all students that follows regulations established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for Texas Community Colleges. That policy is published in the appropriate Registration Guide and is as follows:

Refunds related to flex terms, including summer terms, will follow the regular refund schedule printed in the Registration Guide and will be based on number of class days in the course or term.

For Students participating in the Military Tuition Assistance Program, refunds for withdrawals before completing 60% of the period of enrollment will be calculated based on a percentage of the calendar days completed divided by the total calendar days in the enrollment period. Students withdrawing after 60% of the semester is completed are not eligible for a refund. Once the refund amount is determined, the difference between the Tuition Assistance that was disbursed and the amount of Tuition Assistance that was earned will be returned to the appropriate military service, and not the student.

Long Semester, Course Specific Tuition Assistance Refund Schedule:

Kilgore College will work with service members that stop attending due to a military service obligation in identifying solutions that will not result in a student debt for the returned portion. Military tuition assistance is awarded based on students completing the entire term for which the assistance was awarded. When a student withdraws, they may no longer be eligible for the full amount.

A student must officially drop or withdraw through the Office of Admissions and Registrar. If a student officially withdraws from a course, the date of withdrawal will be used as the last date of attendance. If a scheduled course fails to materialize, the college will return 100% of tuition and fees, with the exception of late and matriculation fees. A matriculation fee will be charged for students who enroll in courses and then completely withdraw from those courses for a particular semester.

If a student does not officially withdraw, and is determined to have never attended, or for any other unofficial withdrawal, the college will determine the last date of attendance by (1) last date of activity within a course, (2) last date a student made a contribution to the class or submitted an assignment, and/or (3) based on instructor’s determination of last date of attendance.

Scholarship Donors

 Kilgore College Return to Title IV Policy

Kilgore College follows the federal R2T4 policy of returning funds to the appropriate programs as students withdraw during any academic period of enrollment. This policy applies to students who completely withdraw from all classes before the 60% point in the fall, spring, or summer semester.

The following steps are followed in calculating the funds owed back to the Department of Education:

• Students who officially withdraw from school in person are directed to the financial aid office for counseling before the R2T4 calculation process is started.
• Students who unofficially withdraw are verified to be fully withdrawn from the institution either through communication with the instructor validated by attendance records and drop slips on file with the Registrar.
• A weekly report is generated to identify federal financial aid students who have withdrawn from all classes.
• Calculations are processed via the federal R2T4 software program to determine the amount of federal aid earned per amounts disbursed (or not disbursed) using the percentage of days attended from the total days in the term.
• The calculations to determine the amount of the R2T4 return are done within 5 days of the notification that the student has withdrawn from classes.
• The amount of aid which has been earned by the student’s days of attendance is changed to show as the amount claimed by Kilgore College in the student account, and the unearned amount of aid is returned to the DOE as soon as the Origination and Disbursement Records are run on a weekly basis.
• The unearned funds are thus returned to the DOE immediately following the R2T4 calculation in the following order:
  1. Unsubsidized Direct Loans
  2. Subsidized Direct Loans
  3. Direct Plus Loans
  4. Pell Grant
  5. SEOG Grant
• The student is notified that due to the withdrawal, he/she now owes Kilgore College for funds that have been returned to the Dept. of Ed. On his/her behalf. The letter to the student explains the reason for the calculation, the formula used to determine the amount owed, the consequences of R2T4, and the payment address the student may use in order to repay the amount owed.
• A hold is placed on the student’s records and is not removed until the amount owed by the student is repaid. Student may not register, request a transcript, or receive further funds from the institution.
• If a FAFSA is received from the processing center showing an overpayment in federal funds for a transferring student, the student is notified that this must be cleared and repaid before any further funds of any kind may be awarded.
• The overpayments of funds due to the Dept. of Education from Kilgore College are reported through COD, the Federal Common Origination and Disbursement System, and to NSLDS.
• A final SAP report is run after the end of the semester. The R2T4 calculationis done for students who receive all F’s or W’s, and appropriate actions are taken as necessary. Instructors are contacted to determine the last date of attendance or completion of any activity from the student as related to the course of study. If there is no date available, the date used for the R2T4 is the midpoint date of the semester.
• Funds are returned based on the findings of the SAP report in the same manner as those returned throughout each academic semester.

Financial Aid Suspension Appeal Process

Appeal Process:

• If a student is placed on Suspension, the student can complete and submit a suspension appeal to be reviewed by an Institutional appeals committee.
• Students who fail to meet Kilgore College’s Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress standards for two consecutive semesters will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension.
• If the GPA or Hour completion requirement is not met, supporting documentation of a extenuating or catastrophic event that occurred during the timeframe/semester that the student failed to make Satisfactory Academic Progress, must accompany the appeal form when it is submitted to the Financial Aid Office. If not, it will be denied due to lack of documentation.
• For students who are on suspension for Excessive Hours/Maximum timeframe, it will be the student’s responsibility to obtain a degree evaluation from the Kilgore College Counseling Center to submit with the Appeal Packet. The Appeal Form and Degree evaluation must be submitted together or the appeal will be denied.
• If the appeal is reviewed and granted, the student will be required to make an appointment to review and agree to the terms of the Appeal Contract, prior to financial aid being awarded.
• It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Office if they need to reschedule or cancel an appointment.
• The student must strictly adhere to the terms of the Appeal Contract. In the event that the terms of the contract are inadvertently changed, the contract becomes invalid and the student will be placed back on suspension with no opportunity for another appeal.
  
  Examples in which the terms of the contract are inadvertently changed:
  1. The student drops or reenrolls in a class that is not a part of their degree plan.
  2. The instructor drops the student for non-attendance.
  3. The student tests out of the class, which makes it impossible for the student to complete the amount of hours necessary by the terms of the contract.
  4. The student does not attend the tutoring lab, as per the terms of their appeal contract.
  5. The student earns an F in one of the classes while under contract.
  6. The student drops a class while under contract.
  7. The student does not maintain a semester GPA of 2.0 while under contract.
  8. If there is any possibility that the terms of the appeal contract can or will change, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the Director or Assistant Director of Financial Aid immediately. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS!!! Notification must be made within the first two weeks of the enrollment semester.
• At any time during the semester in which the appeal is granted, if the terms of the contract change without prior notification or approval by the Financial Aid Office, the student will be placed back on suspension at the end of the semester the appeal was granted. Financial Aid Appeals can only be grantee/ one time throughout the student’s enrollment at Kilgore College.
• Once the Suspension Appeal Contract has been reviewed and signed, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation and the financial aid package will be awarded.

Financial Aid Probation While on Contract - During the probation semester, the student will still be eligible for financial aid, but the following must be completed by the end of that semester to continue to be eligible for financial aid the next semester. All terms agreed to in the Appeal Contract must be completed successfully, the student must have a 2.0 semester GPA, and may not have withdrawn from any classes in which the student was enrolled.

Kilgore College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

All categories of student financial aid are measured by academic progress criteria. Federal regulations require that institutions monitor all financial aid recipients to ensure that students are maintaining a minimum standard academic achievement. Academic standards vary between federal, state, and institutional financial aid funds, but all require a minimum number of hours completed with a minimum grade point average. To continue to receive funding from the Federal Student Aid programs (Pell Grants, other Federal grants, and Federal Direct Loans), students must meet the Kilgore College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

Institutional scholarships, State grants, and other non-federal student aid programs have specific academic requirements for each individual program, it is the student’s responsibility to read and understand the academic and hourly requirement criteria for each award shown in the student’s financial aid award package.

1. Grade Point Average (Qualitative) Standards
   • Students must maintain a 2.0 Financial Aid cumulative grade point average. (All college level courses combined with any remedial or COLS classes). This does not apply to scholarships. Scholarships carry specific GPA requirements.
   • Grades of A, B, C, D, F, and I will count toward the Financial Aid Cumulative GPA.
   • Grades of W and IP will not count toward the Financial Aid Cumulative GPA.
   • Grades of “IP” are considered as passing grades by Financial Aid.
   • Remedial course work will be included in the Financial Aid Cumulative GPA.
   • Academic work will be checked at the end of each semester (Fall, Spring, Summer) and will include all flex and mini semester course work.
   • Prior periods of enrollment will be evaluated for SAP prior to awarding.
2. Course Hour Completion (Quantitative) Standards
   • Students must complete 67% of the hours enrolled in to maintain progress. This does not apply to scholarships. Scholarships maintain a specific hourly requirement.
   • The number of hours in which a student is enrolled on the official census day for each course determines the number of hours needed for completion.
   • Completion rates will be checked at the end of each semester and will include all remedial, flex and mini semester course work.
   • Grades of A, B, C, D and F are considered as completed grades, and will be included in the calculation of the number of hours completed.
   • Grades of W, I, and IP are considered attempted hours and are used for this determination.
   • Hours which transfer into Kilgore College will be counted toward the student’s completion rate.
3. Maximum Time Frame Completion: (Pace)
   Students enrolled at Kilgore College are expected to work toward a specific degree or certificate and to complete that goal within a certain reasonable timeframe.
   • All periods of enrollment are counted toward the 150% timeframe, whether or not financial aid paid for those hours.
   • Students who enroll in courses not included in their declared major course of study or certificate program will not receive financial aid for those courses.
   • Developmental hours will not count toward the 150% completion rate.
   • Students who change their program of study may use up eligibility for federal aid prior to completion of their degree or certificate.
   • A student’s attempted credit hours cannot exceed a maximum of 150% of the hours required to complete a declared major course of study, or certificate program.
   • Once the student has reached or exceeded the 150% timeframe, he/she will be placed on suspension and no longer be eligible for financial aid.
4. Financial Aid Warning
   • Students who do not meet the Financial Aid Cumulative GPA or hourly requirements will be placed on Financial Aid Warning. The student will be eligible to receive financial aid for the subsequent semester while on Financial Aid Warning status.
   • Students on Financial Aid Warning may be subject - but not limited to - a combination of the following institutional requirements:
     • Mandatory counseling sessions with the Financial Aid Retention Counselor
     • Tutoring logs showing time spent in The Zone or Math/English/Reading Labs
     • Limited hours of enrollment, based on student’s ability to be successful
     • No access to online registration
     • No access to self-registration
     • Specialized academic plan, with emphasis on re-evaluated degree/certificate plan
     • Signed contract with Retention Counselor
     • Suggested limit of hours of employment
     • Repeat of classes with failing academic grades
     • Any additional requirements deemed necessary for academic completion and student success
5. Financial Aid Suspension
   • Students who do not meet the Financial Aid Cumulative GPA or Hourly Requirements while on Financial Aid Warning status will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. While on Suspension, a student is no longer eligible to receive federal financial aid.
   • To reestablish financial aid eligibility, a student must enroll in sufficient hours to raise their cumulative
   • GPA and completion rate to the minimum standards of the Satisfactory Academic Policy. This may be done with personal funds or other funding provided by the student. After completion, he/she must bring this to the attention of the financial aid office in order to be re-evaluated for federal aid eligibility.
   • Students on suspension must also submit an appeal form requesting that eligibility be reinstated.
6. Financial Aid Suspension Appeals
   • Students wishing to appeal their suspension status must complete and submit the following documents:
     • Financial Aid Suspension Appeal Form and Personalized Academic Worksheet
     • Official Degree Audit
     • Typed statement of explanation for the reason of the appeal
     • Unofficial Kilgore College Transcript
     • Official documentation of events which prevented academic progress during the semester in which the suspension occurred.
   • Appeals may be considered by an Appeals Committee, composed of a Student Affairs Staff Member, an Academic Advisor, and a faculty member.
   • Appeals that are granted will require an appointment with the Director of Financial Aid or Designee to create a Suspension Success Plan Contract, signed by both the Director and the student.
   • Students whose appeals are granted will be considered to be on Financial Aid Probation.
   • The Appeal Success Plan may likely be composed of the same institutional requirements as those described under the Financial Aid Warning (Item #4) plan.
   • Students must strictly follow the terms of the Appeal Success Plan. If changes are requested, the Director of Financial Aid or Designee must be consulted prior to the change, or the Plan becomes invalid and the student returns to financial aid suspension.
     
     Examples in which the terms of the contract are inadvertently changed:
     • The student drops or enrollsin aclass that is not a part oftheir degree plan.
     • The instructor drops the student for non-attendance.
     • The student tests out ofthe class, the class is then dropped.
     • The student does not attend the tutoring lab, as per the terms of their appeal contract.
     • The student withdraws from a class.
7. Financial Aid Suspension Appeals Due to Excessive Hours
   • Students may find themselves on suspension due to exceeding the 150% timeframe regulation.
   • Students who exceed the 150% limit will be able to submit an Excessive Hour Appeal.
   • Those students will need to submit a degree audit, showing a limited amount of hours needed to complete a specific program of study.
   • They will be required to sign an Excessive Hour Contract, which will limit the enrollment to program specific hours, and aid that will pay only for those hours.
   • Students must have any enrollment change to the Excessive Hour contract approved by the Director of Financial Aid or designee.
8. Financial Aid Suspension Appeals Due to Excessive Hours
   • Students may find themselves on suspension due to exceeding the 150% timeframe regulation.
   • Students who exceed the 150% limit will be able to submit an Excessive Hour Appeal.
   • Those students will need to submit a degree audit, showing a limited amount of hours needed to complete a specific program of study.
   • They will be required to sign an Excessive Hour Contract, which will limit the enrollment to program specific hours, and aid that will pay for those hours.
   • Students must have any enrollment change to the Excessive Hour contract approved by the Retention Counselor.
9. Financial Aid Eligibility and Developmental Hour Limits
   • Students may receive federal aid for a maximum of 30 developmental hours attempted at Kilgore College. After the 30 hour limit has been exceeded, any further developmental hour requirement will not be paid by federal student aid.
   • Example: If a student has exceeded the 30 hour limit and enrolls for 12 hours during the semester, for which 9 hours are regular credit hours needed for degree, and 3 hours are a developmental class. Financial aid will pay the eligible amount of 9 hours, but not the total of 12 hours.
10. Transfer Students
    • Students with no history at KC will be assumed to be making satisfactory academic progress at the time they transfer into Kilgore College.
    • Hours that transfer into the major course of study will be counted toward the 150% timeframe eligibility regulation, along with any hours of enrollment at Kilgore College.
    • Transferring students need to be aware that the federal regulations concerning the Pell LEU and Loan Aggregate Limits still apply to any award package at KC.
    • lf the college transcript(s) are not on file with the KC Registrar’s Office, the student will be considered as a first year student for loan purposes.
    • Hours that are accepted and transferred into Kilgore College will be counted in the completion rate.
11. Miscellaneous Information
    • Financial aid funds will pay to repeat a class if the student originally received a grade of F, I or W, or if the program requires a grade of C or higher. Once the student receives a passing grade, but desires to repeat the course, he will need to pay with personal funds.
    • Federal student aid will also pay the Excessive Developmental Charge for developmental courses as needed, but only up to the 30 hour developmental limit.
12. Scholarships and Academic Progress
    • Most scholarship and non-federal aid funds carry specific academic and enrollment requirements for renewed funding to a student account.
    • Students receiving institutional, departmental, or state funds should check with the Scholarship Coordinator in regard to Letters of Agreement, showing the terms of scholarship eligibility.
    • Scholarship eligibility is evaluated at the end of each long semester (Fall, Spring, Summer), after which students who have lost eligibility will receive a notification advising of this status.
    • Scholarships do not have a Warning or Probation Status - (similar to federal student aid funds). Students who do not achieve the academic or enrollment criteria for renewal will not be awarded those funds for the subsequent semester (even if the Letter of Agreement shows the scholarship is awarded for one academic year.)
    • Certain scholarships which are considered to be “performance based” will carry different terms for renewal.