Repayment of financial aid awarded depends upon whether the aid is a grant, scholarship, or work-study and whether the aid source requires a minimum number of hours of enrollment. For federal funding sources such as Pell Grant and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, as well as state grants and scholarships, students may be required to repay a portion of the funds received if they stop attending classes before the designated point in the semester when the total aid disbursed is considered as earned. Any repayment due to Southeastern Community College, the U.S. Department of Education, the N.C. State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA), or College Foundation Incorporated (CFI) must be made in full before the student can re-enroll at SCC or receive any additional federal or state funds. Exceptions for mitigating circumstances may be allowed by the president or his/her designee and will be in compliance with federal guidelines. The information below is specific to federal and state funds, but other financial aid sources may require repayment, depending on the source.
Return of Title IV Funds
Students who withdraw or who are withdrawn from all classes prior to completing more than 60 percent of the semester will have their eligibility for aid recalculated and may be required to repay a portion or any federal financial aid funds received for that semester. This policy applies to all students who withdraw, drop out, fail, or are expelled from Southeastern Community College and who have received Title IV funds (federal financial aid). Title IV aid is earned on a per diem basis up to and including the 60 percent point of the semester. Financial aid recipients actively enrolled and attending classes after the 60 percent point of the semester are deemed to have earned 100 percent of federal financial aid awarded.
Please note that if a student is enrolled in a combination of modules (mini-sessions) and 16-week courses, completing a module does not waive the student from being subject to a return of Title IV aid. A student must attend until the 60% point of the entire payment period (semester) in order to not owe money back to the college and/or the U.S. Department of Education. The amount to be repaid will be determined by a formula that includes the total federal aid received for the semester and the total number of days the student attended class during the semester. The 60 percent point of each payment period can be obtained by contacting the SCC Financial Aid office.
N.C. State Grant Return of Funds
The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA) along with College Foundation Incorporated (CFI) has established a return policy for state-funded grants and scholarships. State grants offered at Southeastern Community College include the NextNC Scholarship and the NC Longleaf Commitment Grant. This policy is not the same as the Southeastern Community College refund policy. State grants are awarded to students contingent upon completion of the semester. State grant recipients who withdraw from class, stop attending, drop out, fail, or who are dismissed/suspended from class prior to or at the 35% point of the semester will owe a repayment.
State grant return calculations are based on the student's last date of attendance and/or class participation. The Financial Aid office will be responsible for performing the calculation. If it is determined that a portion of the financial aid received by the student is unearned, the College is required to return the unearned funds back to the State within 45 days. Notification will be sent to the student by mail. The amount of the return (repayment) owed by the student will be due in full when notification is received.