Who Qualifies for Financial Aid?

To receive aid, you must:

Have financial need
Have a high school diploma or GED or pass the Ability to Benefit Test
Note: Students who do not pass the test may also be eligible under certain circumstances
Be enrolled as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate
Be a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen
Be making satisfactory academic progress

How do I apply for Financial Aid?

There are several financial aid programs available to IVC students. Please see the Financial Aid Programs page for program descriptions.

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The FAFSA form is used to determine eligibility for all state and federal financial aid. You can file your FAFSA online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov . The website has valuable information including detailed instructions for the form.

Alternatively, you can complete the paper version of the FAFSA. Paper FAFSA forms are available at the Financial Aid Office located in the Student Services building, room 120. Mail the form in the envelope provided.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

The IVC Federal School Code is 025395.

Before you fill out your form, go to the Before Beginning a FAFSA page for helpful instructions.

If you need to be IMMEDIATELY considered for a fee waiver and/or EOPS eligibility, please bring all online printouts (Student Aid Report and Confirmation Page) if you have completed a Free Application for Federal Aid, along with your 2007 Federal Tax return. Some students may qualify for a Fee Waiver simply by completing a Board of Governors Fee Waiver. Your 2007 Federal Tax Return will also be needed to determine eligibility off of the Board of Governors Fee Waiver.

2. Apply for a Cal Grant

Cal Grants are state grants awarded to California residents. If you want to apply for a 2008-2009 Cal Grant, you must have your FAFSA submitted by September 2, 2008. You must also submit the Cal Grant Program GPA Verification form. There are two ways to do this:

If you have completed at least 16 transferable units at IVC, your GPA Verification form will be submitted automatically. However, you must submit a FAFSA application by September 2, 2008.

If you have completed between 16 and 23 units, you can optionally send your high school GPA instead of your IVC GPA. You should only do this if your high school GPA is higher than your IVC GPA. If you want to submit your high school GPA, you must have your high school complete a Cal Grant Grade Point Average Verification Form and send it to the California Student Aid Commission postmarked by September 2, 2008.

How do I Apply for a Student Loan?

If you want to apply for a student loan, you must:

File a FAFSA (see above)

Have a complete financial aid file

Be enrolled in at least 6 units

Attend a loan entrance interview session.

For more information about student loans, please contact the Financial Aid Office.