General Financial Aid Information

What is financial aid?    What will financial aid pay for?    Who is eligible for financial aid?
Applying for financial aid     Off-campus Financial Aid Links     Fee Schedule

What is financial aid?

It is the goal of Taft College's Financial Aid Office that no student be denied access to our quality educational programs because of lack of funds. Help is available to students with a financial need from a number of sources including federal, state, and institutional to help pay expenses related to the achievement of your educational goal. Assistance may be available to you in the form of grants, work study, and enrollment fee waivers.

Grants are funds that do not have to be repaid. Work study allows students to work part-time and earn money to help pay expenses. Enrollment fee waivers permit eligible California residents to attend classes and have their enrollment fees waived.  Taft College does not participate in the Federal Guaranteed Loan Program.

What will financial aid pay for?

Financial aid is intended to help pay for your educational costs. The primary responsibility for meeting educational costs rest with the student and the dependent student's parents. Financial aid can help pay for the direct cost of your going to school -- fees, books, and supplies -- as well as part of your living and transportation expenses. Don't expect to live on financial aid. It is designed as a supplement and not intended to meet the total cost of your educational and living expenses.

Effective management of your financial aid funds can go a long way in helping you achieve your educational goals!

Who is eligible for financial aid?

Financial aid is available to low and middle income students attending Taft College. Even if you have an outside income and are able to pay your bills, you may be eligible for financial aid if you can show that you need assistance in meeting your educational costs. Your need is calculated by a standardized needs analysis procedure approved by the Federal Government.

To be eligible for most aid programs, you must:

• have a high school diploma, GED, or CHSPE, or achieve a passing score on an ability to benefit test,
• be a United States citizen or eligible non-citizen,
• enroll in a program leading to a degree, certificate, or transfer,
• demonstrate a financial need for funds to meet educational expenses,
• register with Selective Service if required to do so by law,
• maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by Taft College's Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy,
• not be in default on a student loan or owe a repayment on a student grant at any institution.

Applying for financial aid

Step 1

Print these instructions to review while completing the FAFSA.  Collect all the documents necessary to complete your financial aid application. You will need the following:

• Last years tax returns and W-2 forms for you and your spouse if you are an independent student, or for you and your parents if you are a dependent student
• Records of untaxed income such as TANF, SSI, unemployment, or veteran's benefits
• Current bank statements
• Records of medical and dental bills
• Business or farm records
• Records of stocks, bond, investments, and other assets
• Make sure you keep all of your records. The Financial Aid Office will require supporting documentation for all students selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education

Step 2

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY! Take your time and fill out the application as completely and accurately as possible. If you have questions, please call or stop by the Financial Aid Office.

Step 3

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). These forms are available from Taft College's Financial Aid Office or online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.  We encourage you to file the FAFSA online - this will expedite the process up to two weeks.

Step 4

Sign and mail your completed application or signature page to the address provided, also print your estimate EFC if filing on-line and return immediately to the Financial Aid office. In about four weeks you will receive your Student Aid Report (SAR). Make any necessary corrections and return your SAR to the Financial Aid Office.

Step 5

Complete the supplementary forms required by the Financial Aid Office. If your SAR has been selected for verification, you will be asked to provide the Financial Aid Office with supporting documentation. (Note: if you went through the on-line application this step is already completed, skip to step 6.)

Step 6

After you have submitted all required documents, your application will be reviewed, a determination will be made based on the information received as to your eligibility for financial aid.  This determination will allow you to proceed to register without having to pay for classes at this time, if after your application has been processed by the Federal Government you are determined to be ineligible you will be responsible for all charges incurred. You will receive an award letter indicating the amounts and types of financial aid for which you are eligible. This letter is an offer of aid requiring your signature of acceptance. A deadline date to accept your award appears on the letter. If you don't accept by the deadline date, the disbursement of your aid may be delayed or your award may be canceled. Review your award letter very carefully. If you agree to accept the awards offered in the letter, you need to sign it and return it before you can receive any aid.

Step 7

After you have enrolled in classes, the Financial Aid Office will determine the amount of your aid when we have received the following:

• Student Aid Report (SAR)
• Supporting financial documentation if your application was selected for verification
• Taft College supplementary forms
• Copy of high school transcript, GED, or CHSPE
• Academic transcripts (if you have attended prior colleges)