Financial Aid FAQ
In addition to the questions below, please see the undocumented students FAQ page if that is applicable.
Financial aid refers to federal, state, and institutional funding that is provided to students to help them pay for college tuition and other educational expenses. See more info about the aid process in our Titan Financial Aid Fast Facts brochure.
There are several types of financial aid that are available to help you fund your EFSC education including:
- Scholarships: Awards based on merit, special talent, and/or financial need that don't have to be repaid.
- Grants: Awards based on financial need that don't have to be repaid.
- Loans: Borrowed funds available to students and parents at low interest rates, with repayment usually deferred until after graduation.
- Work-study: Paid, part-time jobs on campus that help qualified students to meet educational expenses.
Financial aid is also available in the form of book vouchers and through special programs, such as those for military veterans.
U.S. Department of Education regulations require that a student must be enrolled in an aid-eligible degree or certificate program to receive federal financial aid at Eastern Florida State College. You can check your program's eligibility on our Programs and Admission Requirements page.
You can only use financial aid for classes that count toward your eligible declared degree or certificate program. Students enrolling in courses that are not required to complete their eligible degree or certificate could see their financial aid prorated and/or canceled as required by the Department of Education.
To see if your classes are eligible as part of your declared program, please check and use your myGPS Degree Audit tool located in your myEFSC account. This is a great way for you to review your degree audit to see required courses and the requirements remaining to complete your program. You can also meet with your academic advisor to map out your program plan.
Financial aid doesn't cover audited courses or prerequisite courses you might need for upper-division coursework.
Federal financial aid will also only pay for one repeat of a course in which you previously obtained a grade of "D" or higher.
To qualify for financial aid, you must prove that you need assistance. Financial need refers to the difference between the amount you and your family are able to contribute and the overall cost of your education (including tuition, books, supplies, room and board, transportation, and personal expenses).
You must also have obtained a standard high school diploma, a diploma from a state-recognized equivalent home school program, or a GED®.
To determine if you qualify for financial aid, you must:
- Enroll in an EFSC program that is eligible for federal aid. This includes bachelor degrees, associate degrees, College Credit Certificates that require 16 or more credit hours, and Career and Technical Certificate programs that are 600 clock-hours or more. Search the catalog's program requirements list to check the financial aid eligibility status of every EFSC program to be sure.
- Submit an application for financial aid including any required forms you're asked to complete.
You are not eligible to receive student aid if you are in default on a federal or state loan, or if you owe a refund on a grant you received to attend any institution.
To apply for financial aid, you must fill out the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible, then submit any required documents. If possible, we recommend that you apply by the priority deadline to ensure that we can process your application before the fee due date.
Priority Aid Application Deadlines
By filling out the FAFSA, you will be considered for all the different types of financial aid (grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study funds); separate applications are not required for each type.
If you are eligible for financial aid, EFSC will award you an aid package based on your demonstrated need, and you will receive an award notice stating the terms and conditions of that aid.
As financial needs can change, you must re-apply for financial aid each academic year.
Filling out the FAFSA automatically generates a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR is not a financial aid award, but a summary of your FAFSA answers that provides basic information about your financial aid eligibility. If you included EFSC's Federal School Code (001470) in your FAFSA, we will automatically receive your SAR.
While you're waiting for your SAR, please contact the EFSC Admissions and Records Office to confirm that your academic records are complete. We cannot award or disburse financial aid funds until you have done so. During this time, you should:
- Order transcripts from any institution you previously attended (high school and college)
- Declare your EFSC major
- Take any required placement tests for your intended program
After you receive your SAR, please contact the Financial Aid Office to confirm that your financial aid file is complete. We'll let you know if we require any additional documentation to process your application.
When EFSC awards you financial aid, we automatically apply the funds to your tuition and book voucher charges on designated disbursement dates each term. Most borrowers receive their disbursements on the general disbursement date, but in order to comply with federal regulations, first-time borrowers receive their disbursements 30 days after classes begin.
If your final financial aid award exceeds your tuition and book voucher charges, then you'll be eligible to receive a refund to use for living and other educational expenses. EFSC disburses these funds on designated dates each term via a third-party processor called BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution powered by BMTX, Inc.
You may be required to purchase books before your financial aid disburses for the term; however, if you have financial aid remaining after we've deducted your tuition and fees, the Financial Aid Office will process a book voucher for you.
Book vouchers are an advance of your financial aid refund. If you're eligible, your voucher amount will be displayed in the myEFSC portal. If the cost of the textbooks required for your registered classes exceeds the amount of your book voucher, you can request a book voucher increase.
You can use book vouchers in both the on-campus bookstores and the online bookstore. Before we issue your financial aid refund, we'll deduct the cost of any books and eligible supplies you purchased with your voucher, and we'll credit any voucher funds you didn't use back to your account.
If you're eligible to receive a book voucher but would prefer we don't process one, please contact the Financial Aid Office, and we'll cancel it.
Financial Aid Eligibility
Withdrawing from one or more classes can potentially prevent you from meeting the minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards that are required for you to receive federal financial aid. These include:
- Earning a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 2.0,
- Completing at least 67% of the total credit hours you attempt (completion ratio), and
- Finishing your program of study within 150% of the hours it requires.
If you fail to meet the SAP minimum standards for one term, you will receive a warning but still be eligible to receive financial aid. If you fail to meet the SAP minimum standards for two consecutive terms, you will be placed on suspension and denied additional financial aid.
Your financial aid can be reinstated once you meet the SAP minimum standards again; however, an appeals process is also available under certain extenuating circumstances.
Repayment of Funds
If you withdraw from or stop attending one or more classes, you may also be required to repay some or all of your federal financial aid (also called the Return of Title IV Funds). Review details about this impact on the Withdrawal section of the maintaining your aid page.
Should this apply, we will notify you in writing, and you won't be eligible to receive your official transcripts or qualify for additional federal financial aid until you have satisfied the repayment.