Award Letter
An award letter states the type and amount of financial aid the school is willing to provide if you accept admission and register to take classes. Your award can be viewed on My City Aid at www.scc.losrios.edu/financial-aid. Computers and personal assistance is available in the Registration/Financial Aid Lab located in B153.

Cost of Attendance
The total amount it will cost you to go to school - usually shown in a yearly figure. It is determined using rules established by law. The COA includes tuition and fees; room and board; and allowances for books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, and if applicable, dependent care. It also includes miscellaneous and personal expenses, including an allowance for the rental or purchase of a personal computer. Costs related to a disability are also covered. For students attending less than half-time, the COA includes tuition and fees and an allowance for books, supplies, transportation, and dependent care expenses. If you have any unusual expenses that might affect your cost of attendance you should share that information with the Financial Aid Office.

Eligible Noncitizen
You must be one of the following to receive federal student aid:

• U.S. citizen
• U.S. national (includes natives of American Samoa or Swain's Island)
• U.S. permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551, or I-551C (Permanent Resident Card). If you're not in one of these categories, you must have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services (USCIS) showing one of the following designations:
  • "Refugee"
  • "Asylum Granted"
  • "Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Status Pending"
  • Conditional Entrant (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980)
  • Victims of human trafficking, T-visa holder or if the student's parent is the holder of a T-1 visa.
  • "Parolee" (You must be paroled into the United States for at least one year and you must be able to provide evidence from the USCIS that you are in the United States for other than a temporary purpose and that you intend to become a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.)

If you only have a Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence (I-171 or I-464), you're not eligible for Federal student financial aid. If you're in the United States on certain visas, including an F1 or F2 student visa, or a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, you're not eligible for federal student financial aid. Also, people with G series visas (pertaining to international organizations) are not eligible for federal student financial aid.

Eligible Program
A program of organized instruction or study that leads to an academic professional or vocational degree or certificate, or other recognized educational credential. To receive federal student financial aid, you must be enrolled in an eligible program, with two exceptions:

• If a school told you that you must take certain course work to qualify for admission into one of its eligible programs, you can get a Stafford Loan for up to 12 consecutive months while you're completing the preparatory course work. You must be enrolled at least half-time and must meet the usual federal student financial aid eligibility requirements.
• If you're enrolled at least half-time in a program to obtain a professional credential or certification required by a state for employment as an elementary or secondary school teacher, you can get a Stafford Loan, Federal Work-Study, or your parents can get a PLUS loan while you're enrolled in that program.

Expected Family Contribution
Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is the number that's used to determine your eligibility for federal student financial aid. This number results from the financial information you provided in your FAFSA application. Your EFC is reported to you on your Student Aid Report (SAR).

FFEL
Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. Loans made through this program are referred to as FFEL Loans. Private lenders provide funds that are guaranteed by the federal government. FFEL Loans include subsidized and unsubsidized FFEL Stafford Loans, FFEL PLUS Loans and FFEL Consolidation Loans. You repay these loans to the bank or private lender that issued the loan.

National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)
NSLDS is our database for federal student financial aid where you can find out about the aid you've received. If you've only just applied for aid, you won't find any information on NSLDS yet. NSLDS receives data from schools, guaranty agencies and U.S. Department of Education programs. The NSLDS Web site is generally available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. By using your PIN, you can get information on federal loan and Pell Grant amounts, outstanding balances, the status of your loans and disbursements made. You can access NSLDS at www.nslds.ed.gov.

Selective Service Registration
All males, age 18 - 25, are required to have registered for Selective Service. If your registration status is not electronically verified when your FAFSA is processed, you must provide documentation of having registered unless you meet one of the exemption criteria. For more information regarding the Selective Service requirement click here.

Student Aid Report (SAR)
After you apply for federal student financial aid, you'll get a report, your Student Aid Report (SAR) that will include all the information that you submitted on your FAFSA and your EFC (Expected Family Contribution.)