Financial Aid FAQ

To be considered for Federal financial aid, you must:

• Be past the age of compulsory school attendance in Arizona (over 16 years of age) and not concurrently enrolled in high school, an elementary or secondary school program, or taking college credit to earn a high school diploma or GED.
• Have a high school diploma or GED.
• Be a U.S. citizen, national or eligible permanent resident of the United States.
• Be enrolled or admitted to a degree or certificate program at GCC which is eligible for Federal Aid.
• Not owe a repayment of a Federal Grant or be in default on a Federal Stafford Loan.
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as defined by the Maricopa Community College District Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

No, it is free to apply.

• First, you and your parent (if dependent) need to apply for an FSA ID.
• Fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can submit your FAFSA between October 1 and June 30, but the earlier the better. Financial Aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Early applications have a better chance of receiving a maximum award.
• Glendale Community College information for form:
  •  school code 001076.
  • address 6000 W. Olive Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85302.
• Apply for Scholarships.

The Department of Education Website has a page dedicated to Avoiding Scams.

General eligibility is determined through your complete FAFSA Application, which is processed within 3-5 business days. Once the FAFSA is received by the school, a determination can take a variable amount of time depending on each file.

Yes. If you did not list GCC on your FAFSA, you must add GCC’s school code (001076) and submit it. GCC is unable to view or process eligibility without a valid FAFSA transaction on file. GCC will receive the information within 3-5 business days as long as you are officially admitted to the school.

Communications and award notifications are sent to your Student Center and your Maricopa Student Email.

In your Student Center, off to the lower right, you will see a section entitled “Tasks.” This is where you will see any items required to complete your Financial Aid file; these items will keep your file from being awarded.

• To check the status of a submission, click on the "Tasks" and it will provide a current status (initiated, received, returned, etc).
• Please ensure all items are completed in a timely manner.
• Missing or late submissions will hinder the completion of your file.

If you list multiple Maricopa Community Colleges on your FAFSA, each school will list Tasks they will need to complete your file. Many times they will be duplicates because the same documentation is required at each school.

Verification can be completed online through your Tasks section in your Student Center. For detailed assistance, including step-by-step guides, please visit the Financial Aid Verification Support Page.

Tax transcripts can be ordered through the IRS website, by mail or by phone. You will need the tax filer's social security number, date of birth and the address exactly as printed on 1040.

If you have funds leftover after all tuition, fees, and any other debts have been paid, monies are sent through the Maricopa Student Refund Program (MSRP). MSRP gives students options regarding receipt of funds.

Your financial aid isn't applied until after classes start. So, your tuition, fees, and book advance (if you qualify) might still appear as a debt until after the Pell Recalculation date.

If you're a first-time loan borrower, your funds are held for 30 days after school begins. This gives you extra time to decide whether you want to keep or cancel the loan before it's disbursed. That's why your debt might stay in your Student Center until then.

No, you can only receive aid at one school at a time. However, in most instances, it is possible for a Maricopa Community College to fund enrollment for classes at another institution. To determine eligibility, a completed Consortium Agreement form must be submitted to the Home School by their deadline date.

Students are required to make payment arrangements with their Host School. Please contact your Host School's Student Business Services Office regarding options.

This is the date when your financial aid award is determined, depending on your eligible level of enrollment. If you drop classes after the Pell Recalculation date, you might need to repay some of the financial aid funds.

Enrollment intensity is a percentage that represents how many units you are taking compared to a full-time course load. Enrollment intensity is now used to calculate your Pell Grant award, providing a more accurate calculation. The chart below applies only to the Federal Pell Grant.

“Dropping a class” usually means you will receive a Tuition Refund and the class does not show up on your Official/Unofficial Transcripts.

“Withdrawing from a class” doesn’t usually create a refund, but will report on your Transcripts as a class that was attempted but not completed.

If you drop a class(es), withdraw from a class, or are removed from a class roster after your Pell Recalculation date, you may be required to pay back financial aid money. Please contact the Financial Aid Office about your specific situation. You can also find more information here: Financial Aid Withdrawal Policies and Procedures.

A student may repeat a previously passed class once with the second attempt counting towards a student's overall enrollment.

All credits of repeated coursework are included in the Satisfactory Academic Progress calculation and this could affect your eligibility to continue to receive federal assistance.

To receive Federal Financial Aid, students must achieve satisfactory progress toward completing their degree. Academic Progress is measured by your Grade Point Average (GPA) and rate of completion. Please refer to the measurements outlined in the Maricopa County Community College District Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

FERPA stands for The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It protects students’ personal and private information from being shared with unauthorized individuals. To learn more, please visit MCCCD’s FERPA website and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) website.

You will receive a notice in your Maricopa Student Email when your Tuition Payment Statement 1098-T is available (if eligible).