FAQS

How Is Aid Eligibility Determined?
What If My Income or My Family's Income Decreases?
How Much Does It Cost To Attend IVC?
What If I Have Unusual Expenses?
May I Use Financial Aid to Pay for My Registration Fees at IVC?
How Do I Maintain Financial Aid Eligibility?

How Is Aid Eligibility Determined?

Most financial aid programs use three components to calculate eligibility: cost of attendance, effective family contribution, and financial need.

The cost of attendance includes college fees, books and supplies, and basic living expenses such as room and board, personal expenses, and transportation to and from college (using standardized figures).

The effective family contribution (EFC) is the amount you (and, if relevant, your spouse or parents) can contribute toward the cost of attendance. The federal processor calculates the EFC using the information on your aid application (FAFSA) and the formula mandated by the U.S. Department of Education.

Financial need is determined by subtracting the effective family contribution from your cost of attendance.

Cost of Attendance Effective Family Contribution = Financial Need

Need is the maximum amount of need-based aid you can receive in a given academic year. Please note that the amount of aid you receive may be less than your need because of funding and eligibility restrictions. Plan on supplementing financial aid with money from other sources such as work income and savings.

Non-need-based aid: Not all aid programs use need as a criterion. Some scholarships are based solely on merit. Some loans are based on the cost of attendance minus other aid rather than need.
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What If My Income or My Family's Income Decreases?

If your or your spouse's income or, if you are a dependent student, your parents' income decreases substantially, you should contact the Financial Aid Office regarding a professional-judgment review. You may be eligible for additional aid.
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How Much Does It Cost To Attend IVC?

The cost of attendance includes not only college fees and books and supplies but also basic living expenses. IVC uses two different budgets, one for students living at home with their parents and one for students living off-campus on their own or with roommates. The budgets represent average or typical expenses for students attending IVC. Your actual expenses may be higher or lower than the amounts listed below.

At Home $10,078
Off Campus (away from home) $16,180
Enrollment fees are $20 per unit for California residents (subject to change).
Nonresidents pay an additional $201 per unit.
Some courses require additional fees.

What If I Have Unusual Expenses?

Students with unusual expenses such as child-care, large medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance, or disability-related expenses may petition to have their budgets increased (documentation of the expenses is required). A budget increase does not automatically result in an increase in aid. If additional aid is available, it will usually be in the form of additional loan or work-study funds, not grant eligibility.
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May I Use Financial Aid to Pay for My Registration Fees at IVC?

If you are eligible for the BOGW fee waiver program, you will not be required to pay your enrollment. However, you will have to pay other fees such as health fees, parking, material fees, or the (optional) ASIVC student body card. See the Board of Governors Waiver Program under State of California Financial Aid Programs for more information. If you are not eligible for the BOGW fee waiver, you must pay your enrollment and student health fees yourself even if you are eligible for other aid.
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How Do I Maintain Financial Aid Eligibility?

You must reapply for aid each year and supply all requested documents. For best results, apply early.

In addition, you must maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP or sat prog as it is sometimes called). SAP consists of three components:

Student Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Federal, state, and college regulations require that students maintain satisfactory academic progress to continue receiving financial aid. Financial aid recipients at Irvine Valley College must:

Maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA).
Complete their program within the maximum allowable time frame.
Complete a minimum number of units successfully each semester.

The Financial Aid Office at IVC will evaluate all aid recipients once per year before disbursing aid for the fall semester to ensure that they are meeting these three criteria. Each of the components is discussed in more detail below.

Grade Point Average

Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 (C).

REPEATED COURSES: A repeated course will replace the previous grade when determining GPA. All repeated courses will be included in the maximum allowable time frame.

Maximum Time Frame for Receiving Aid

The maximum allowable time frame for students to complete an academic program at IVC without being terminated from financial aid is 90 units. This maximum applies to students pursuing a degree or certificate at IVC as well as those preparing to transfer to a four-year school.

Change of Major: Units completed under a previous major are counted in the maximum number of units allowed.

Remedial Coursework: Students may complete up to 30 units of remedial coursework while receiving aid, but these units will be counted in the total allowable units.

ALL PERIODS OF ENROLLMENT WILL BE INCLUDED, WHETHER OR NOT A STUDENT RECEIVED AID IN ALL SEMESTERS.

Successful Completion of Units

Students must complete a minimum number of units successfully each semester. The minimum is based on the number of units for which the student received financial aid.

Full-time students (12 or more units) are required to complete at least 12 units successfully each semester
Three-quarter-time students (9-11 units) are required to complete at least 9 units successfully each semester
Half-time students (6-8 units) are required to complete at least 6 units successfully each semester
Less-than-half-time students (less than 6 units) are required to complete all of the units attempted successfully

Grades of F, I, NC and W are not considered successful completion of units.

Financial Aid Suspension

Students who do not meet ALL of the three satisfactory progress standards will be suspended from receiving additional financial aid at IVC.

Appeals and Reinstatement

Students with mitigating circumstances may appeal their financial aid suspension by completing the Financial Aid Satisfactory Progress Appeal, which is available in the Financial Aid Office. Documentation of unusual circumstances and/or a meeting with an academic counselor may be required as part of the appeal process.

The Financial Aid Office will notify students in writing regarding approval or denial of the appeal.

Students whose appeal is approved will have their financial aid eligibility reinstated immediately.

Students whose appeal is denied must successfully complete 24 new units with a GPA of 2.0 before receiving additional financial aid at IVC.
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