Financial Aid Services
Financial Aid Services is committed to reducing financial barriers and supporting students in achieving their educational goals. The college offers a range of financial aid options—including grants, scholarships, loans, and part-time employment—for eligible students who are accepted and enrolled in a financial aid-eligible degree or certificate program. Please note that students enrolled in non-credit programs or those not leading to a Howard Community College degree or certificate are not eligible for financial aid.
Howard Community College administers financial aid without discrimination based on race, color, religion, disability, gender, national origin, age, political affiliation, sexual orientation, veteran status, or marital status.
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Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for federal financial aid students must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen.
- Have a valid Social Security Number.
- Have a high school diploma, General Education Development Certificate (GED), or completed homeschooling at the secondary level.
- Be enrolled in a financial aid eligible certificate or a degree program at HCC.*
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of a degree or certificate.
- Not in default on a Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Loan or Federal Direct PLUS Loan.
- Not owe a repayment on any federal aid program or have exceeded federal loan limits
*Undocumented students and students who meet the non-resident exemption as described under §15–106.8. of the MD Education Article may be eligible for state aid and institutional scholarships.
*Not all HCC programs are eligible for financial aid. Students must be enrolled in a program that leads to a degree or certificate awarded by Howard Community College. To confirm eligibility, review the college catalog under the program description or contact Financial Aid Services.
*Only courses that are required in the student’s degree or certificate program are included in determining eligibility for financial aid.
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Disbursement Procedures
Financial Aid Services begins disbursing aid the day after the Financial Aid Census date each semester. Eligible financial aid—including Federal Direct Student Loans and Parent PLUS Loans—is typically applied to a student’s account within two weeks of the census date. To be included in the disbursement process, students must have submitted all required documentation.
Financial aid funds are first applied to tuition, fees, and bookstore charges. Any remaining balance will be refunded to the student. Refunds are issued via the student’s selected refund method:
- Direct deposit to a personal bank account
- Deposit to a BankMobile Vibe checking account
For more information on selecting a refund preference, visit www.refundselection.com.
PLUS Loan Refunds: If a Federal Direct PLUS Loan creates a credit balance, the refund will be issued to the parent or student—based on the parent’s selection during the loan application process.
Loan Disbursement Notification:
Loan funds are received via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) and do not require endorsements. Students and parents will be notified of the disbursement and have 14 days to cancel the loan from the date on the notification.Student Employment Earnings:
Student employment wages are not applied to student accounts. Participating students are paid semi-monthly based on hours worked. -
Credit Balance
After financial aid is applied, any credit balance will be available for the purchase of course materials through the HCC Campus Store. Remaining funds after bookstore charges are refunded to the student within 14 days of the credit balance posting.
HCC partners with BankMobile Disbursements, powered by BMTX, Inc., to provide electronic refund services. For more information, or to select a refund preference, visit www.refundselection.com or email HCCRefund@howardcc.edu.
Please Note:
- Credit card payments made via myHCC or in person are refunded to the original credit card.
- Changes in enrollment before the census date may increase or decrease a student’s financial aid.
- Students whose aid does not cover all charges must pay the difference or consider enrolling in a tuition payment plan or requesting a Federal Direct Loan.
For more information on refunds, please visit Refunds.
Financial aid awards may increase or decrease if a student’s enrollment changes prior to the financial aid census date. Under some circumstances, the amount of financial aid awarded may not be enough to pay the total charges on a student’s account. Students who do not receive enough aid to cover their total charges may consider signing up for a payment plan and/or request a Federal Direct Loan. Students are responsible for all charges not covered by financial aid.
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Developmental/Support and Repeating Coursework
DEVELOPMENTAL/SUPPORT COURSEWORK
Financial aid can be used to cover up to 30 attempted credits for developmental education and support course work. This is in addition to the satisfactory academic progress maximum timeframe based on the student’s program length.
REPEATING COURSEWORK
Federal financial aid programs can only pay for one repeat of a passed course. For financial aid puposes,a passing grade is defined as a “D” or higher).
For example, if a student enrolls and earns a grade of “D” in a course, the student’s enrollment status for financial aid will include that course attempt. If a student enrolls a second time in the same course, the course will be included in the student’s enrollment status for financial aid. If the student enrolls for a third time, financial aid will not include the course in their enrollment status regardless of the grade earned for the second attempt.
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Visiting Students/Consortium Agreements
A consortium agreement is a written contract required by federal regulations that allows a student to receive financial aid based on their combined enrollment at two institutions. While permitted by law, institutions are not required to enter into such agreements.
General Guidelines
- Consortium agreements enable financial aid eligibility based on total credit hours at both the home (degree-granting) and host (non-degree-granting) institutions.
- Howard Community College (HCC) will act as either the home or host school, depending on the student's academic status and the nature of the request.
- Participation in a consortium agreement is subject to institutional approval at both HCC and the partnering school.
HCC as the Home School
If a degree/certificate-seeking HCC student has permission to take coursework at another institution, HCC may serve as the home school for financial aid purposes.
Student Requirements:
- Meet with an academic advisor to verify that the external course is required for their HCC area of study.
- Upon approval, schedule an appointment with a Financial Aid Counselor in Financial Aid Services (FAS) to initiate the consortium agreement process.
- Submit the completed consortium agreement request to Financial Aid Services by the census date for the semester in which the agreement is intended.
A consortium agreement may be considered if:
- The required course is not offered at HCC during the desired term.
- The required course is full at HCC.
- The academic advisor determines that taking the course at another institution is in the student’s best academic interest.
Important Notes:
- Final approval is contingent upon the host school agreeing to the consortium terms and providing proof of enrollment.
- The student's financial aid offer may be adjusted upon review of the consortium agreement. The Financial Aid Administrator will advise students on any changes.
- Students must submit an official transcript from the host school to HCC’s Office of Records, Registration, and Veterans Affairs within 30 days after the semester ends.
- Financial aid for the relevant term may be reduced or canceled if HCC does not receive confirmation that the course(s) were successfully completed.
- Aid disbursements for future semesters may be delayed until transcripts are received and reviewed.
HCC as the Host School
If a student is degree/certificate-seeking at another institution and wishes to enroll in courses at HCC, HCC may act as the host school.
Student Responsibilities:
- Initiate the consortium agreement through their home institution, which must send the agreement to HCC for review.
- Be enrolled in an eligible certificate or degree program at their home institution.
- Make payment arrangements directly with HCC’s Cashier’s Office for tuition and fees, as financial aid will be processed by the home institution.
Important Reminder:
HCC will cancel all financial aid for students found to be receiving aid simultaneously at both institutions unless a valid, approved consortium agreement is in place. Students must ensure that only their home school processes their financial aid while HCC acts as the host school.
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Bookstore Funds
The College has partnered with Slingshot to provide required course materials to students enrolled in credit courses. The cost of all course materials is included in the student’s tuition and fees and is charged to the student's HCC account. This program offers required materials at below-market rates, making it a cost-effective option to support students' academic success. Students may opt out of this program by contacting the Finance Office.
For detailed information regarding course material access visit the HCC website HCC Course Material Program | Howard Community College
Students with a completed financial aid application and an aid award exceeding their tuition and fees may use remaining funds in the Campus Store. In accordance with federal regulations, Pell-eligible students must be given a method to obtain required books and supplies by the seventh day of the semester. At HCC, these bookstore funds are available as early as two weeks before the start of the term.
To check available funds, students can log into myHCC and access Self-Service. Any purchases made with financial aid will be charged to the student’s HCC account and deducted from their Title IV credit balance.
The Howard Community College Educational Foundation (HCCEF) has limited funds for students who cannot purchase specialty items or optional course materials because of financial hardship. Students may contact Financial Aid Services to discuss the application process.
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Awards
AWARD PROCEDURES
All financial aid awards are made in accordance with two criteria: demonstrated financial need and the student’s ability to maintain satisfactory academic progress. Completed files are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. A financial aid application is complete only after the following documents or information have been received:
- A valid FAFSA on file with the U.S. Department of Education. The processed FAFSA must have the Howard Community College school code (008175) listed.
- A valid One App on file with Maryland Higher Education Commission.
AND - The submission of all other information requested by Financial Aid Services (required prior to disbursement of federal aid), including additional and verification documents if necessary.
Once a student’s financial aid is complete, and reviewed by a financial aid counselor, an award notification will be emailed to the student’s HCC email account. The initial financial aid package will be based on assumed full-time status for the fall and winter/spring semesters. Awards are adjusted to actual enrollment status on the financial aid census date prior to disbursement. Per federal regulations, only coursework that is required as a part of the student’s program can be included in the determination of aid eligibility. If financial aid awards are revised, the student is sent an email notification to his or her HCC email address. Financial aid awards can also be viewed on myHCC through Financial Aid Self-Service.
WINTER/SPRING AWARDS
For financial aid purposes, winter and spring classes are combined to determine enrollment status and award eligibility. For example, if you register for 3 credits in the winter and 6 credits in the spring, you are eligible for aid as a three-quarter time (9 credits) student.
SUMMER AWARDS
For financial aid purposes, all summer session classes are combined when determining eligibility. The summer semester is the last semester of the award year for financial aid purposes, so the Summer 2026 semester is paid using the AY 2025-2026 FAFSA. Students must register for courses by the Financial Aid terms census date in order for those courses to be considered when determining a student's financial aid eligibility for the summer semester.
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Verification and Additional Documentation
The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) or Financial Aid Services may require students to submit additional documents to confirm the information submitted on the FAFSA. In addition, USDOE or Financial Aid Services may, at any time, select certain financial aid applications for a review process called verification. Students whose application require additional documentation must submit all required documents to Financial Aid Services to complete their application. Financial aid will not be awarded or disbursed until all required documentation has been received and reviewed.
Students should submit documents as soon as possible, but no later than the student’s last date of attendance. In accordance with federal regulation, HCC will accept certain verification documents such as IRS (Internal Revenue Service) tax documents up to 90 days after the student’s last date of attendance. This extended deadline does not apply to most documents and information required to complete the student’s financial aid application. In general, federal regulation requires that documents must be received by the student’s last date of attendance, or the student will not be entitled to any financial aid.
Once the student’s application is complete, HCC will review the application. If corrections to the FAFSA are required, these corrections will be electronically submitted by the college, and the student will be notified of the corrections by the USDOE.
Sometimes students are selected for verification after their awards have been made and funds have been disbursed for the semester. In such an event, no further financial aid will be awarded or disbursed until verification is complete. Failure to turn in documents will result in a cancellation of aid. Students will then owe disbursed funds back to the USDOE or HCC. If verification causes a change to the student’s awards for the academic year, he or she may be required to repay aid. HCC will notify students who owe overpayments of aid. If the funds are not repaid to the college within the timeframe specified in the notice of overpayment, the student’s debt will be referred to the USDOE for collection. The student will not be eligible for financial aid at any institution until that debt is repaid in full.