Navigating financial aid can be complex, but understanding the policies and having access to the right forms makes it easier. This page is your go-to resource for all the key financial aid policies and their required forms at Chesapeake College. Whether you’re applying for aid, maintaining eligibility, or managing your awards, you’ll find everything you need here to stay informed and compliant.
Chesapeake College’s Federal Verification Policy
Verification is a process mandated by the Federal government in which schools are required to and have the authority to collect documentation to verify data provided on a student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students are selected for verification by the United States Department of Education’s Central Processing System (CPS) at the time the student completes the FAFSA. Chesapeake College reserves the right to select any student not already selected by the CPS if it believes that any application information is incorrect or if there is evidence of conflicting information.
Elements to be Verified
The following data elements are required verification items:
- Household size
- Number in college
- Adjusted gross income
- U.S. taxes paid
- Certain types of untaxed income and benefits:
- Child support (received and/or paid)
- IRA/Keogh deductions
- Foreign income exclusion
- Earned income credit
- Interest on tax-free bonds
- All other untaxed income included on signed copies of U.S. income tax returns or tax transcripts, excluding information on the schedules
- SNAP (food stamp benefits)
- High School Completion/Identity of Educational Purpose
Documents Needed to Complete Verification
Students will be notified by email of documents required to complete verification. On occasion the documents provided may prompt us to request additional documentation. We would appreciate your full cooperation in this matter. The following documents may be required but not limited to:
Dependent Students:
- Dependent Verification Form
- Student’s signed copies of Federal 1040 income tax returns or tax transcripts
- Students W-2’s for all jobs worked in tax year
- Parent’s signed copies of Federal 1040 income tax returns or tax transcripts
- Parents W-2’sand K1 income (if applicable) for all jobs worked in tax year.
- Proof of untaxed income (child support received, SNAP, tax-deferred pension plans, etc.)
- Verification of High School Diploma or GED
Independent Students:
- Independent Verification Form
- Student’s signed copies of Federal 1040 income tax returns or tax transcripts
- Spouse’s signed copies of Federal 1040 income tax returns or tax transcripts (if married and filed separately)
- Student and Spouses W-2’s and K1 income (if applicable) for all jobs worked in tax year
- Proof of untaxed income (child support received, SNAP, tax-deferred pension plans, etc.)
- Verification of High School Diploma or GED
Students Will Be Sent Three Status Emails Informing Them Of Documents Required.
As of the 2014/2015 academic year, the U.S. Department of Education is requiring schools to verify that the students and/or parents marital status and tax filing status are correct based on the IRS regulations of tax filing statuses. In order to do this, when the “Marital Status” and “Tax Filing Status” fields on a processed FAFSA are in conflict, the school has the right to reject the FAFSA until the information is corrected.
Students will NOT be considered for any federal or state aid until verification is complete. Students must submit required documents by our priority deadline date (May 1st for Fall and December 1st for Spring) to be considered for aid by semester pay by date. Late documents will be accepted but being packaged with an award by the pay by date is NOT guaranteed.
The Financial Aid Office will verify and correct any data elements that need corrected within two weeks of the file becoming complete.
Students must submit ALL required documentation prior to the last day of class for the current term. Late documents may be reviewed on a case by case basis by the Director of Financial Aid. Decisions made by the Director are final.
A student will receive an electronic Student Aid Report when a correction has been made. The source of the correction will indicate we corrected the data elements by indicating school code, 004650. If an estimated award was done pending receipt of the corrected ISIR back from the Central Processing Center, a student will receive a revised award letter if the award changed. The revised award letter will be mailed within 10 days of receipt of the corrected ISIR.
If a student has been awarded and finalized and is selected for verification by CPS on a subsequent transaction, all awards will be put in “pending” status. The student must submit the required verification documents within 14 days of notification. Failure to comply with request will result in the student owing a balance to the institution for all tuition, fees and books, if applicable for the term(s).
The Financial Aid office at Chesapeake College is required by the U.S. Department of Education to resolve any and all conflicts in information or documentation provided directly or indirectly by the student. A few examples would be dependent students who claim themselves on their federal taxes as do their parents or indicate not living at home with parent with no proof of that claim, or no tax forms for a student who was required to file a 1040 with the IRS, or a student who certifies they have a high school diploma but indicates on their admissions application they have completed or are working on their GED.These are all examples of conflicting information. All conflicts must be resolved BEFORE any financial aid can be awarded or disbursed. We reserve the right to make a housing determination that is deemed reasonable based on the individual student. Please review your FAFSA data and admissions application carefully and become familiar with IRS regulations governing who must file a tax form, disclose all scholarship awards, and do not put false or misleading information on any official college documents are a few ways students can avoid conflicting information.
Make the Grade, Keep Your Aid
Make the Grade, Keep Your Aid may sound simple but the reality is, there are a large number of students who lose their financial aid eligibility because they do not understand the federal policy called Satisfactory Academic Program (SAP), or in simpler terms, Make the Grade Keep Your Aid. Students who pass every course they register for each semester are generally making progress and do not run the risk of losing their financial aid eligibility. However, students who fail a course(s), change their major, withdraw, audit or repeat a course(s), run a risk of being placed on financial aid warning, and worse, suspended from financial aid. The policy is clearly outlined below, and refer to the Frequently Ask Questions to help make sound academic decisions in order to keep your federal financial aid.
The official policy for SAP is provided below. It will be very important to your academic success that you read and understand this policy. If at any time, you do not understand something, need more information or want to know if a particular action would be detrimental to your future eligibility, please do not hesitate to contact the Financial Aid Office. We are here to help you be successful and achieve your educational goals.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
The United States Department of Education mandates Chesapeake College to have an established Satisfactory Academic Progress policy for all financial aid students. The policy must be qualitative (grade point average requirement) and quantitative (maximum time frame for completion) and minimum passing of coursework. A students’ entire academic record will be evaluated once they apply for financial aid. The policy must be at least as strict as the academic policy governing students not receiving financial aid. Progress will be monitored once the student attempts their 6th credit hour.
In order to have an equitable policy for both full-time and part-time students, the graduated grade point average will be utilized. Status will be checked every semester, including summer. If it is determined that a student is not making satisfactory progress, they will be placed on Financial Aid Warning the following term (including summer) and eligible for financial aid. If at the end of the following semester the student has not obtained a 2.0 cumulative grade point average or a grade point average equivalent to their earned credit hours and/or completed at least 67% of their attempted courses, they will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and ineligible for all aid. Non enrollment periods do not improve a student’s status.
Graduated Qualitative Standard
Chesapeake College requires students to have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average to graduate. The graduated standard for the minimum GPA throughout the academic program is as follows:
| Students with less than 15 hours | 1.5 GPA> |
| Students with 16 to 45 hours | 1.75 GPA |
| Students with 46+ hours | 2.0 GPA |
Quantitative Standards
Students must complete 67% of all course work attempted during each semester and cumulatively. Transfer credits will count towards attempted and earned courses. Example: Student enrolls in 12 credit hours for the Fall term and completes only 6 credit hours at the end of the term. The completion rate is as follows:
12 attempted credit hours / 6 completed credit hours = 50% completion rate
Maximum Timeframe
A student will be given a maximum time frame of 150% to complete their program of study. This will hold true for certificate and AA degree programs.
The average AA program requires 60 credit hours for program completion; the maximum time frame cannot exceed 90 attempted credit hours (60 x 150% = 90). The average certificate program requires 29 hours for program completion; the maximum time frame cannot exceed 43 attempted credit hours (29 x 150% = 43).
The Financial Aid Office will evaluate each recipient based on the number of credits required for completion based on their program of study. All courses attempted, regardless of academic program will count toward maximum time frame, therefore; students should select their program of study carefully and follow their academic program precisely.
Remedial course work up to 30 load hours (including repeated courses) will not count against the maximum time frame. Remedial course work will be monitored in order to adhere to the maximum limit set at 30 load hours. Should a student meet the 30 load hour limit, their enrollment status would exclude future remedial course work in determining eligibility for federal aid. If the student is not enrolled in credit courses, their eligibility will be suspended until credit enrollment exists.
Transfer Credits
Students who have attended another institution(s) prior to Chesapeake College must have their academic transcripts evaluated by our Registrar. All credits accepted for transfer will be counted in both attempted and earned credits in the Satisfactory Academic Progress calculation.
Minimum Passing of Coursework
Each student must pass a portion of the program for each semester enrolled. In order to maintain eligibility a student must pass AT LEAST 67 % of the semester course load. When determining the minimum passing of coursework, the Financial Aid staff will round down to the nearest credit hour.
- Final passing grades are A, B, C, and D.
- Final non-passing grades are F, L, R, W and I.
- Depending on the date of the change to audit, audit (AU) grades are not eligible for financial aid payment. However, if a student is enrolled in one class and changes to audit, the action will be treated as withdrawing from a regular program and a Return of Title IV funds calculation will be performed.
- The incomplete “I” grade may be recalculated to restore eligibility only after a passing grade is recorded and the change of grade occurs within the current academic school year. Any grade changed after the last date of enrollment will be counted for future eligibility.
- Students who withdraw from classes jeopardize their completion rate since the course(s) count in the attempted credits.
Minimum Grade Point Average
In addition to completing a minimum portion of each semester with a passing grade, student must achieve a minimum grade point average (GPA). Satisfactory academic progress is determined by examining the ratio of points to credit hours. A 2.0 cumulative GPA is required for graduation. To be considered as making satisfactory academic progress, a student must maintain:
| Credit Hours Attempted | Minimum GPA |
| 6 – 15 | 1.5 GPA |
| 16 – 45 | 1.75 GPA |
| 46+ | 2.0 GPA |
Financial Aid Review Process
Financial aid recipients will be reviewed for satisfactory academic progress at the end of each semester including summer.
Financial Aid Warning
Students who do not meet the standards for progress will be placed on Financial Aid Warning automatically for one semester while continuing to receive financial aid. If, at the end of the warning period, they have not met the requirements for continuation of aid, financial aid awards will be suspended until the minimum requirements are achieved.
Financial Aid Suspension
After one semester of Financial Aid Warning, if a student is still not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress, they will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. During suspension status, students are ineligible for financial aid. Students may appeal their suspension status by completing the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form.
Financial Aid Probation
Students who have been granted a suspension appeal will be placed on Financial Aid Probation for one semester but may be extended based on the academic plan in place. The student must reestablish eligibility based on the standards above at the end of the probationary semester(s). Students with approved academic plans or a corrective action plan may continue to receive financial aid if they adhere to their plan. Any deviation from a student’s approved plan will be cause for Financial Aid Dismissal after their second appeal. A Financial Aid Dismissal status is FINAL and there is no appeal process. This is a federally mandated policy. Students are still permitted to register and enroll in courses at Chesapeake College but will do so without the benefit of financial aid. A student who continues to enroll and improve their status may request reevaluation.
Financial Aid Dismissal
Once a student has been granted two appeals and continues to fail Satisfactory Academic Progress, the student will be permanently DISMISSED from financial aid. Students are still permitted to register and enroll in courses at Chesapeake College but will do so without the benefit of financial aid. A Financial Aid Dismissal Status is FINAL and there is no appeal process. This is a federally mandated policy.
Appeal Process
Students have the right to appeal the unsatisfactory progress status twice. A student may appeal by submitting the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form to the Director of Financial Aid. Documentation will be required to substantiate the request. The appeal will be reviewed and the student will be notified of the decision in writing by mail or Skipjack email. Students will be permitted to apply for two appeals based on specific circumstances such as; death of a relative, injury or illness of the student or other special circumstances. Failure to withdraw resulting in a failing grade is not considered a legitimate defense for poor performance. If the appeal is granted, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation. In the appeal the student MUST include how they will correct their deficiencies and make satisfactory academic progress by the end of the following semester. Students with Academic Plans may submit those plans as a course of action. The Academic Plan must lead to the student achieving Satisfactory Academic Progress within a specific timeframe not to exceed 3 semesters. The Director of Financial Aid will determine if the plan submitted will lead to meeting SAP and approve the request. If the plan provided will NOT improve the students’ status, the appeal will be denied. Furthermore, a student who breaches any conditions of an approved plan will be permanently suspended from federal financial aid. Breaches include withdrawing, auditing, failing classes in the semester the appeal has been granted.
Summary of Standards
- You may only receive federal financial aid for a specific length of time (150% of the published length of the program plus a maximum of 30 attempted credits of developmental education).
- You must pass at least 67% of all coursework attempted each semester.
- You must maintain satisfactory academic progress qualitatively and quantitatively.
- Financial Aid will not pay for future audited courses, or R grades, and is counted as an attempted course in SAP.
- Financial Aid will only pay for repeated courses twice for courses withdrawn from or failed, and is counted as an attempted course in SAP.
- Financial Aid will never pay for courses students have successfully passed unless the program requires a higher grade.
- If the student is financial aid suspension at the end of the Spring semester, the student will be ineligible for aid for summer and all subsequent semesters until the students’ status improves.
Return of Title IV Funding Policy
What happens if I cannot complete the semester and I received an award of federal aid?
The Department of Education issued the final regulations governing the return of Title IV funds when a student withdraws completely from a semester and was a recipient of federal financial aid. The burden is shared between the school and the student to return Title IV funds to the United States Department of Education. The following information will explain the process in which the Office of Financial Aid will be handling the return of funds.
Chesapeake College will be required to return federal funds within 60 days from:
- Date the student officially withdraws,
- Date the student is expelled, or
- Date the school determines the unofficial date of withdrawal occurred.
- Date the student officially/unofficially withdraws from an interim course(s) within a 15 week term and fails to start a subsequent interim session.
Return of funds can only take place if a student has attended at least one class. Should a student not properly withdraw when they have not attended at least one class, the proof of burden falls on the student to prove they never attended. Students considered “no show” in their classes will have their financial aid awards rescinded. Students who fail to officially withdraw will have their aid prorated at the 50 percent point of the term if no date has been provided. Any requests for refunds due to improper withdrawal are separate from the regulations governing federal aid and must be made within the academic year to the Registrar. Any requests made after the academic year has ended will be denied. For more information concerning Chesapeake Colleges Withdrawal Policy, please contact the Registration Office.
What is the order for the return of Title IV funds?
- Federal Perkins Loan
- Pell Grant
- Supplement Grant
- Other Title IV programs excluding Federal Work Study
What is the student’s responsibility?
The student’s responsibility is equal to the total amount of unearned Title IV aid minus the school’s responsibility.
If the student’s portion of unearned aid is a loan, no action is necessary. The terms and conditions of repayment will take care of the repayment of the loan.
If the student’s portion is a grant, the student returns no more than 50% of the amount received for the enrollment period.
Grant Overpayments must be reported to the National Student Loan Data System.
If a student is determined to be responsible for returning grant funds, he/she has 30 days to pay the school the overpayment. If Chesapeake College is unable to collect, the student is reported to the NSLDS and loses eligibility for all Title IV aid unless repayment arrangements are made.
What is required if a post-withdrawal disbursement is determined?
Chesapeake College will notify the student if a post-withdrawal disbursement is determined. The student has 14 days to respond as to whether they want the funds disbursed. Post-withdrawal disbursements will to unpaid charges only. If a late response is received, Chesapeake College will decide on a case-by-case basis any future disbursements.
Case Study: New method for returning Title IV Aid.
Max is a first year student at Chesapeake College. He lives at home with his parents. He is enrolled in a 2 year Liberal Arts program. He purchased his books at the campus Bookstore. Max enrolled full-time for the spring semester and classes began on January 24th. Max used his book voucher 1 week before classes started to purchase his books.
| Academic Calendar for Spring Semester is: | |||
| Term Start Date: | January 24 | ||
| Term End Date: | May 12 | ||
| Spring Break: | March 13 – 17 | ||
| Classes Resume: | March 20 | ||
Max’s Program Costs for the Semester are: |
The Aid Awarded to Max for the spring semester is: |
||
| Tuition and Fees: | $ 843 | Federal Pell Grant: | $1562 |
| Books and Supplies: | $ 200 | Perkins Loan | $1200 |
| Room and Board: | $ 675 | ||
| Transportation: | $ 367 | ||
| Personal: | $ 552 | ||
| Total Cost: | $2637 | Total Aid: | $2762 |
After attending classes for a few weeks, Max formally withdraws from school on March 24. The following was credited to his institutional account for spring semester on January 14.
| Institutional Account: | |
| Student Name: | Max Jenkins ID#111-11-1111 |
| Pell Grant: | $1562 |
| Perkins Loans: | $1075 |
| Total Aid Credited to Institutional Account: | $2637 |
Max signed his Perkins Loan Promissory Note on January 15th. The disbursement included the following aid:
| Pell Grant: | $1562 |
| Perkins Loan: | $1200 |
| Cash to Student: | $125 |
| Total: | $2637 |
Percentage of aid earned = 53.3%
( 56 days completed / 105 days in the spring term = .533 )
Percentage of aid unearned = 46.7%
( 100 – 53.3 = 46.7 )
Amount of aid earned by the Student = $1472
( 53.3 percent of aid x $2762 total aid disbursed = $1472 )
Amount of aid unearned = $487
( $1043 x 46.7 = $487 )
Title IV aid to be returned = $1290
( $2762 – 1472 = $1290 )
The student Max must return $803 to Federal programs
( $1290 amount of aid to be returned – $487 unearned aid = $803 )
The U.S. Department of Education has reduced the duration of Federal Pell Grant eligibility from 18 semesters (or its equivalent) to 12 semesters (or its equivalent). This applies to all Federal Pell Grant eligible students effective with the 2012-2013 academic year.
Does this change affect me?
This change affects all students regardless of when or where they received their first Federal Pell Grant.
How does this change affect me?
If you received 100% of your Federal Pell Grant award for 12 semesters, you will not have any remaining Federal Pell Grant eligibility.
If you have received the Federal Pell Grant for four years or more, you may have reduced eligibility or no remaining eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant eligibility for the 2012-2013 school year.
Can I appeal my Pell lifetime eligibility?
No, you may not. Federal Pell Grant limits are set by federal law. If you rely on Federal Pell Grant funding, stay in school and be conscious about the lifetime limits when changing majors and/or scheduling classes.
How do I determine my remaining eligibility?
Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) is tracked by the U.S. Department of Education and is based on full-time enrollment. If you received 100% of your award for 12 semesters, you will not have any remaining Federal Pell Grant eligibility.
The U.S. Department of Education will send email messages to all FAFSA applicants who are nearing their Federal Pell Grant lifetime limit or who are no longer eligible for these funds.
For more information about calculating your remaining eligibility, visit the Federal Student Aid Pell Grant page.
How can I see my Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) percentage?
You will be able to log on to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website using your FSA ID to view your LEU. The LEU will be found on the “Financial Aid Review” page.
Your Content Goes Here
Form 1098-T
Chesapeake College reports numbers on its tax form using registration information and not cash payments for the calendar year. This method is provided by our software vendor and meets the current IRS reporting requirements. The following questions and answers guide you through the basics of the 1098-T tax form and offer explanations about the boxes on the form.
- What is a 1098-T form?
- Who is eligible for the tax credit?
- What are the boxes on the form?
- What form or forms do I complete?
- If I do not qualify for the Hope Scholarship and the American Opportunity Credit, can I apply for the Lifetime Learning Credit?
- Other recommendations
What is a 1098-T form?
The 1098-T tax form informs the taxpayer of the transactions on their account for the calendar/tax year in question.
What Are The Boxes On The Form?
- As of tax year 2018, box “one” (formerly not used for reporting purposes) will display the amount of QTRE (qualified tuition and related expenses) you paid during the year. See this document for more information.
- Box “two” represents total amount billed for tuition and qualified fees during the calendar year. If the student received a waiver during the year, then the amount of the waiver would reduce the amount in box “two.”
- Box “four” includes any reductions in charges made for qualified tuition and related expenses made during the calendar year that relate to amounts billed that were reported for any prior year after 2002.
- Box “five” includes the total amount of any scholarships or grants that were processed on your account for the calendar year for the payment of the student’s cost of attendance.
- Box “six” shows adjustments for scholarships and/or grants for a semester held in the prior tax year.
- Box “seven” will be marked with a “Y” if the student made a registration in the current reporting tax year but the class is scheduled for the next tax year. The registration is reflected in box “two.”
- Box “eight” indicates if the student was at least half-time during any academic period that began in the current reporting tax year.
Who is eligible for the tax credit?
The student, if not considered a dependent for income tax purposes, may be eligible to claim a credit. If the student had tuition and fees paid by the parents, then the parents may be able to claim the credit providing income for the year is within IRS guidelines. Following is an excerpt from the IRS web page for more information on specific education credits/deductions. Please refer to the IRS instructions for reporting requirements and/or consult a tax advisor for assistance in completing forms.
Tax credits
American Opportunity Credit
Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), more parents and students qualify for a tax credit, the American opportunity credit, to pay for college expenses.
The American opportunity credit originally modified the existing Hope credit for tax years 2009 and 2010, and was later extended for an additional two years – 2011 and 2012 – making the benefit available to a broader range of taxpayers, including many with higher incomes and those who owe no tax. It also adds required course materials to the list of qualifying expenses and allows the credit to be claimed for four post-secondary education years instead of two. Many of those eligible qualify for the maximum annual credit of $2,500 per student.
The full credit is available to individuals whose modified adjusted gross income is $80,000 or less, or $160,000 or less for married couples filing a joint return. The credit is phased out for taxpayers with incomes above these levels. These income limits are higher than under the existing Hope and lifetime learning credits.
Special rules applied to students attending college in a Midwestern disaster area for tax-year 2009, only, when taxpayers could choose to claim either a special expanded Hope credit of up to $3,600 for the student or the regular American opportunity credit.
If you have questions about the American opportunity credit, these questions and answers might help. For more information, see American opportunity credit.
Hope Credit
The Hope credit generally applies to 2008 and earlier tax years. It helps parents and students pay for post-secondary education. The Hope credit is a nonrefundable credit. This means that it can reduce your tax to zero, but if the credit is more than your tax the excess will not be refunded to you. The Hope credit you are allowed may be limited by the amount of your income and the amount of your tax.
The Hope credit is for the payment of the first two years of tuition and related expenses for an eligible student for whom the taxpayer claims an exemption on the tax return. Normally, you can claim tuition and required enrollment fees paid for your own, as well as your dependents’ college education. The Hope credit targets the first two years of post-secondary education, and an eligible student must be enrolled at least half time.
Generally, you can claim the Hope credit if all three of the following requirements are met:
- You pay qualified education expenses of higher education.
- You pay the education expenses for an eligible student.
- The eligible student is either yourself, your spouse or a dependent for whom you claim an exemption on your tax return.
You cannot take both an education credit and a deduction for tuition and fees (see Deductions, below) for the same student in the same year. In some cases, you may do better by claiming the tuition and fees deduction instead of the Hope credit.
Education credits are claimed on Form 8863, Education Credits (Hope and Lifetime Learning Credits). For details on these and other education-related tax breaks, see IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits of Education.
Lifetime Learning Credit
The lifetime learning credit helps parents and students pay for post-secondary education.
For the tax year, you may be able to claim a lifetime learning credit of up to $2,000 for qualified education expenses paid for all students enrolled in eligible educational institutions. There is no limit on the number of years the lifetime learning credit can be claimed for each student. However, a taxpayer cannot claim both the Hope or American opportunity credit and lifetime learning credits for the same student in one year. Thus, the lifetime learning credit may be particularly helpful to graduate students, students who are only taking one course and those who are not pursuing a degree.
Generally, you can claim the lifetime learning credit if all three of the following requirements are met:
- You pay qualified education expenses of higher education.
- You pay the education expenses for an eligible student.
- The eligible student is either yourself, your spouse or a dependent for whom you claim an exemption on your tax return.
If you’re eligible to claim the lifetime learning credit and are also eligible to claim the Hope or American opportunity credit for the same student in the same year, you can choose to claim either credit, but not both.
If you pay qualified education expenses for more than one student in the same year, you can choose to take credits on a per-student, per-year basis. This means that, for example, you can claim the Hope or American opportunity credit for one student and the lifetime learning credit for another student in the same year.
Deductions
Tuition And Fees Deduction
You may be able to deduct qualified education expenses paid during the year for yourself, your spouse or your dependent. You cannot claim this deduction if your filing status is married filing separately or if another person can claim an exemption for you as a dependent on his or her tax return. The qualified expenses must be for higher education.
The tuition and fees deduction can reduce the amount of your income subject to tax by up to $4,000. This deduction, reported on Form 8917, Tuition and Fees Deduction, is taken as an adjustment to income. This means you can claim this deduction even if you do not itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040). This deduction may be beneficial to you if, for example, you cannot take the lifetime learning credit because your income is too high.
You may be able to take one of the education credits for your education expenses instead of a tuition and fees deduction. You can choose the one that will give you the lower tax.
Generally, you can claim the tuition and fees deduction if all three of the following requirements are met:
- You pay qualified education expenses of higher education.
- You pay the education expenses for an eligible student.
- The eligible student is yourself, your spouse, or your dependent for whom you claim an exemption on your tax return.
You cannot claim the tuition and fees deduction if any of the following apply:
- Your filing status is married filing separately.
- Another person can claim an exemption for you as a dependent on his or her tax return. You cannot take the deduction even if the other person does not actually claim that exemption.
- Your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is more than $80,000 ($160,000 if filing a joint return).
- You were a nonresident alien for any part of the year and did not elect to be treated as a resident alien for tax purposes. More information on nonresident aliens can be found in Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens.
- You or anyone else claims an education credit for expenses of the student for whom the qualified education expenses were paid.
Student-activity fees and expenses for course-related books, supplies and equipment are included in qualified education expenses only if the fees and expenses must be paid to the institution as a condition of enrollment or attendance.
Source: http://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Benefits-for-Education:-Information-Center
For more information about your “1098-T” please contact our Business Office.
The U.S. Department of Education has established new regulations to prevent fraud and abuse in the Federal Pell Grant Program by identifying students with unusual enrollment histories. Some students who have an Unusual Enrollment History (UEH) have legitimate reasons for their enrollment at multiple institutions. However, such an enrollment history requires our office to review your file in order to determine future federal financial aid eligibility. If selected by the Department of Education (via the FAFSA), this must be resolved before you will receive financial aid.
Definition of Unusual Enrollment History
The specific pattern the Department of Education uses to select students includes those students who have received a Federal Pell Grant at multiple institutions during the past three academic years. Once the Department of Education indicates that a student has an unusual enrollment history, the Financial Aid office must then take action and review the academic history prior to determining federal financial aid eligibility for that student.
What Will Be Required of You
If selected, our office will notify you of what is required. We will check your financial aid history at your previous institutions that you attended during the previous three years. You are required to have received academic credit at any institution you received the Federal Pell grant while attending in those relevant academic years. You need to ensure that we have received all official transcripts for schools previously attended. These records were required at the time of admission and must be on file with the Registrar’s Office for your financial aid review. Our office will verify the academic credit was received at each institution during the relevant years. If so, we will notify you that you have satisfied this requirement. If you failed to receive academic credit at any institution you received a Federal Pell grant at during the relevant award years, your federal financial aid will be denied and you will be notified.
Appeal Process
Students are able to appeal the financial aid denial by submitting an Unusual Enrollment History (UEH) Appeal Form; a letter explaining the unusual enrollment history; and, documentation to support the explanation provided in the appeal letter. This documentation will be reviewed by our office and we will notify you of the decision.
Regaining federal student aid eligibility
Students that have been denied federal student aid based on an Unusual Enrollment History Appeal have the ability to appeal to the Financial Aid Office. Staff members will review the initial denial once the following information is received: the student’s appeal letter to determine if the situation meets the federal requirements; all transcripts for each school attended; and any appropriate documentation of the extenuating circumstances. To be considered for a second appeal, you must contact the Director of Financial Aid. Your letter should include any additional information and/or documentation that you want the Committee to take into consideration. These decisions of the Committee are final and are not appealable to the Department of Education.
Default Management Plan For The Federal Perkins Loan Program At Chesapeake College
As a small community college, our participation in the Federal Perkins Loan program provides the necessary means in funding higher education for many of our students. Students who are awarded and choose to accept this loan must be committed to repaying this loan and abiding by all program requirements, such as; completing the Entrance Interview. The student will sign a promissory note, promising to repay this federal debt, understand their rights and responsibilities, and complete a personal data sheet before the funds will be disbursed.
This federal student loan is repaid with an interest rate of 5% and payments begin after the student ceases attendance or drops to less than half-time status. Chesapeake College values this low interest federal loan program and wants to do everything it can to preserve its integrity. The future is at risk if students do not adhere to their repayment schedules, consequently defaulting on their commitment to repay this federal loan. As a proactive measure to insure the viability of this loan program, Chesapeake College has instituted a default management plan.
The United States Department of Education has the right to sanction any school with a default rate of 50% or higher 3 years consecutively. As a pre-emptive measure, Chesapeake College has instituted the following policies and procedures in an effort to reduce our current default rate. In addition to meeting the financial eligibility requirements and complete an Entrance Interview, students will have to meet the additional guidelines listed below:
- All Federal Perkins Loan recipients must maintain a 2.5 semester and cumulative grade point average and meet Satisfactory Academic Program for attempted credits for any loan consideration or renewal.
- Students must provide a physical address in addition to their P.O. Box on their college admissions application as well as all entrance/exit documents.
- Students must have a declared major and have an academic plan coordinated with their academic advisor.
- Students must meet the May 1st deadline as it proves they understand the importance of deadlines.
- Students must meet with the Director of Financial Aid prior to signing their promissory note and at the end of the Fall term before the pay by date for Spring. Students will be advised to make appointments to fulfill this requirement. Failure to meet this requirement will result in forfeiture of the Federal Perkins Loan.
- No loan funds will be disbursed if there is missing information on their Personal Data Sheets.
- Students will be required to utilize their campus email address on Skipjack so that important reminders can be easily addressed to loan recipients.
- Students will complete a “test” after completing their Entrance Interview, to review the information learned and reinforce the importance of loan repayment and default prevention.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Awarding Policy
Chesapeake College will award SEOG using selection groups. Tiered selection will be based on the following factors:
Each student will be given SEOG consideration if all the following conditions are applicable:
- Financial aid file was complete on or before our priority deadline date of May 1st; the student is receiving a Federal Pell Grant; the student is pre-registered for the upcoming term. After all Pell recipients who meet this criterion have been awarded, funds will be awarded to non-Pell Grant recipients with the lowest EFC who meet the following factors:
- Financial aid file was complete on or before our priority deadline date of May 1st,
- The student is pre-registered for the upcoming term.
- Second tier of students will be based on the following factors:
- Financial aid file is complete after the deadline date of May 1 st,
- The student is receiving a Federal Pell Grant.
- The student is pre-registered for the upcoming term.
Students will now have more flexibility to register for accelerated courses and receive Federal Pell Grant if eligible. Chesapeake College will institute a student specific lock date based on the student’s last class. Students will earn their aid as the course(s) begin but if they withdraw prior to the last class date or register for an accelerated session, all aid is reviewed and adjusted up or down accordingly. Students should plan their course selections carefully and attend class making every effort to pass the course before considering withdrawal. Students could owe balances by withdrawing due to the adjustment date that is specific to their course schedule for the term.
Students should contact the Financial Aid Office before making any schedule changes to discuss the impact of the change in enrollment.
Students under the age of 25 who fall in these unique circumstances and meet the eligibility requirements could be eligible to have their tuition and fees waived. Yearly FAFSA submission is required for any student submitting a waiver. Students must certify status annually by completing the appropriate institutional waiver form. Waiver should be submitted at the time of registration each Academic Year.
Tuition Waivers for Foster Care Students Requirements
In order to be eligible students must have:
- Been placed in out-of-home placement by the Maryland Department of Human Services and
- Resided in an out-of-home placement on the individual’s 18th birthday or at the time of graduation from high school or upon successful completion of the General Education Development (GED) examination; OR
- Resided in an out-of-home placement for at least one year on or after the individual’s 13th birthday and entered into guardianship, been adopted, or reunited with at least one of the individual’s parents
- Been the younger sibling of an individual who met the qualifications outlined in section (a) and (b) above, and was concurrently placed into the same guardianship by the same parent, or was adopted by the same adoptive family with the older sibling.
If you feel that you are meet criteria, please review and complete this form: Foster Care Waiver Form
For more detailed information regarding the waiver and state guidelines, please see the Maryland Higher Education Commission page about this waiver.
Tuition Waivers for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Requirements
In order to be eligible, students must:
- Be declared as an unaccompanied homeless youth who is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian and
- Be a homeless child or youth as defined by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
Note: The McKinney-Vento Homeless Act defines homeless children as “individuals who lack fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence.”
Examples of children who fall under this definition are as follows:
- Children and youth sharing housing due to loss of housing, economic hardship or a similar reason
- Children and youth living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camp grounds due to lack of alternative accommodations
- Children and youth living in emergency or transitional shelters
- Children and youth abandoned in hospitals
- Children and youth whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation (e.g. park benches, etc)
- Children and youth living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations
- Migratory children and youth living in any of the above situations
If you feel that you are meet criteria, please review and complete this form: Verification of Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Form
For more detailed information regarding the waiver and state guidelines, please see the Maryland Higher Education Commission page about this waiver.
For Assistance with completing a FAFSA or additional guidance regarding the waivers or your status, please contact the Foster Care and Unaccompanied Youth Liaison:
Laura Shahan
Assistant Director of Financial Aid
Chesapeake College
[email protected]
410-822-5400 ext. 2253
Loss of federal financial aid due to conviction of possession or sale of drugs
A federal or state drug conviction can disqualify you for federal and state funds. You must self-certify on your FAFSA that you have been convicted while receiving federal or state aid. If you were convicted while receiving federal/state aid, you will be ineligible for future years based on the chart below. The information below will assist you in answering the questions on the FAFSA correctly and how you may regain eligibility if convicted while receiving federal aid.
Convictions only count if they were for an offense that occurred during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving Title IV aid – they do not count if the offense was not during such a period. Also, a conviction that was reversed, set aside, or removed from the student’s record does not count, nor does one received when he/she was a juvenile, unless he/she was tried as an adult.
The chart below illustrates the period of ineligibility for FSA funds, depending on whether the conviction was for sale or possession and whether the student had previous offenses. (A conviction for sale of drugs includes convictions for conspiring to sell drugs.)
| Possession of illegal drugs | Sale of illegal drugs | |
| 1st offense | 1 year from date of conviction | 2 years from date of conviction |
| 2nd offense | 2 years from date of conviction | Indefinite period |
| 3+ offenses | Indefinite period | |
A student regains eligibility the day after the period of ineligibility ends or when he successfully completes a qualified drug rehabilitation program. Further drug convictions will make him ineligible again.
Students denied eligibility for an indefinite period can regain it only after successfully completing a rehabilitation program as described below or if a conviction is reversed, set aside, or removed from the student’s record so that fewer than two convictions for sale or three convictions for possession remain on the record. In such cases, the nature and dates of the remaining convictions will determine when the student regains eligibility. It is the student’s responsibility to certify to Chesapeake College that she has successfully completed the rehabilitation program.
Standards for a qualified drug rehabilitation program
A qualified drug rehabilitation program must include at least two unannounced drug tests and must satisfy at least one of the following requirements:
- Be qualified to receive funds directly or indirectly from a federal, state, or local government program.
- Be qualified to receive payment directly or indirectly from a federally or state-licensed insurance company.
- Be administered or recognized by a federal, state, or local government agency or court.
- Be administered or recognized by a federally or state-licensed hospital, health clinic, or medical doctor.
Students will be notified during our Missing Information Letter correspondences that we cannot continue processing their financial aid file until the drug conviction issue has been resolved.
Student Privacy and the Confidentiality of Records.
Chesapeake College follows all rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), to students who are declared independent. No one outside the College shall have access to, nor will the College disclose any information from, a student’s official education record without the written consent of the student. Exceptions are made only for officials of the College, for persons or organization providing student financial aid, for accrediting agencies carrying out their order, and for persons in any emergency to protect the health and safety of a student. All these exceptions are permitted under the Act.
Inquiries regarding compliance should be directed to the Office of Registration and Records.
SAP FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions about Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress and Federal Financial Aid:
SAP is Satisfactory Academic Progress mandated by the United States Department of Education. The Financial Aid Office reviews all students seeking financial aid. We evaluate the number of credits attempted versus earned and cumulative grade point average each semester.
Our SAP policy uses a graduated scale where as you attempt more credits, the cumulative grade point average increases. Chesapeake College requires a 2.0 cumulative grade point average to graduate, so our policy requires a 2.0 once the student attempts 61 credits. Remember withdrawals and failures count as an attempt.
Withdrawing from courses has a negative impact on your completion rate. You may have a 4.0 because you have decided to drop every course that you fear you may fail. However you are not meeting SAP because of the low percentage of credits earned versus attempted.
Each semester the Financial Aid Office will post the deadline date to appeal a suspended status. The forms and instructions for an appeal will be posted on our webpage. All appeals MUST include the SAP Appeal Form and the Academic Plan Form.
Developmental credits earn grades but don’t factor into your grade point average. Students are eligible for federal aid for no more than 30 developmental credits. Repeated courses are included.
The college has an academic progress policy also that informs students of their academic deficiencies. Students can be on Academic Warning but suspended from Financial Aid. It is important to understand that the two standards are separate. SAP is mandated by the United States Department of Education.
This is a status that only the Director can assign resulting from a SAP appeal request that has been approved. Students will be given three semesters to regain satisfactory status.
Quick Links
Contact Information
Financial Aid
Dorchester Administration Building
First Floor
Monday through Friday
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.