Pell Grant and schedule changes

The census date for the 2024 winter semester is Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.

This is the date used by the SC4 Financial Aid Office in verifying the number of credit hours for which you are enrolled. Your Federal Pell Grant semester award amount will be determined based on the number of credit hours for which you are enrolled. After Sept. 6, no adjustments (as long as you are attending your classes) or increases will be made to your Federal Pell Grant.

What this means for you:

Your Federal Pell Grant may be affected if you add/drop/withdraw from classes on or before Sept. 6.

Your Federal Pell Grant may be affected if you add/drop/withdraw from classes on or before Sept. 6. For example, if you were awarded financial aid based on full-time status and you are not enrolled full-time (12 credit hours or more) at the census date, your Federal Pell Grant will be reduced and your overall financial aid package may be decreased to match your enrollment status. Keep in mind that this adjustment could result in you owing a balance to the college. Students must also remember that federal regulations state that students must attend each course in order to establish eligibility for federal financial aid (Title IV funds). Students who do not attend their courses will have their federal aid removed.

If you are enrolled in Fall classes, then choose to add an additional class after Sept. 6, your Federal Pell Grant will not be adjusted to pay for this class and you will be responsible for any additional charges not covered by your aid package as of Sept. 6. Students who need to withdraw from a course(s) should speak with a financial aid officer prior to doing so as this action could result in your financial aid being reduced. Students who completely withdraw from all of their classes may be responsible for returning the financial aid they received prior to withdrawing from school. This determination will be made by the Financial Aid Office through a process called “Return to Title IV Funds.”

Additional information on ‘Return to Title IV Funds.’

Students not enrolled in courses as of the census date, Sept. 6, will have a personal census date. The personal census date will be the first day the student registers for the semester; therefore, students will want to maximize their aid eligibility by enrolling in all of the courses they are planning to take on that initial personal census date.