Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Office is in constant contact with students via their FTCC student email.  As soon as the data from the students’ Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is received from the Department of Education, an email from FTCC is sent to inform students that their information has been received and the next steps to take.  (The confirmation email students receive from the Department of Education confirms the FAFSA has been submitted.  The email from the Department of Education is not a confirmation that aid is packaged at FTCC.)

Real-time financial aid data, such as missing documents, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) status, offer information, Pell lifetime eligibility, loan history and amounts, etc. is available in Self-Service.  Students are encouraged to check their email and Self-Service accounts regularly. Stop by the Financial Aid Lab in the Tony Rand Student Center, Room 131, for assistance.

The 2024-2025 Academic Year is coming soon! With it, comes changes to the FAFSA Application. This video provides an overview of the new changes. Federal Student Aid announced that 2024-2025 FAFSA Application will be available to complete starting December 31, 2023 https://studentaid.gov/.

 Have any of the following or similar situations happened to you? You may be entitled to a professional judgment adjustment for special or unusual circumstance:

• Change in employment, status, income or assets
• Change in housing status (e.g., homelessness)
• Other changes or adjustments that impact the student’s cost or ability to pay for college
• Parent abandonment or estrangement
• Parent incarceration

Open Forums Zoom Sessions

Please join the Financial Aid Office for general open discussions to discuss students questions and concerns. Sessions will be held every 3rd Thursday of the Month at 10:00 a.m & 4:00 p.m.

Financial Aid Open Forums Sessions dates:

• February 15, 2024, 10 AM & 4PM
• June 20, 2024, 10 AM & 4PM
• September 19, 2024, 10 AM & 4PM

Please contact the Financial Aid Office at 910-678-8242 to request Zoom information for the sessions.

Financial aid is offered for the academic year (fall, spring, and summer).  The Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) has to be submitted for each academic year. 

To ensure aid is available to charge tuition, fees, and books, the FAFSA and any required paperwork should be submitted by the FTCC priority deadlines listed below:   

If you miss a financial aid priority deadline, you are still encouraged to submit the FAFSA.  There may be less funds available from state aid and scholarships. Students who submit their FAFSA after the priority deadline should make other payment arrangements to pay for their tuition, fees and books if aid is not offered before the registration payment is due. 

To apply for financial aid:

• Setup Your FSA ID
  • The FSA ID is used to log in to Federal Student Aid’s online systems, to fill out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), and to sign legal documents electronically. It replaces the Federal Student Aid PIN.
• Complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA)
  • FTCC’s School Code is 007640. Use the Help and Hints section on the FAFSA website for guidance in completing the application.
• Complete an FTCC Admissions Application
  • If you have questions prior to completing your FTCC application, contact the Admissions Office by email or telephone 910-678-9843
• Submit Your High School and College Transcripts
  • Use this form to request to have your Official Transcripts sent to FTCC. If you have a GED, provide the Admissions Office with your official GED test results. Veterans are encouraged to have official transcript(s) from military schools sent to FTCC, if applicable.
• Check Your Self-Service and Student Email Accounts
  • All official correspondence from the Financial Aid Office and offer notification will be directed to these sites.
• Submit All Forms
  • Complete all applicable online forms (eFORMS). (Please check your Self-Service account and FTCC student email for additional information.)
• Complete Required Documents for Loans
  • If applying for loans, log in to the FAFSA website and complete Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note.
• Confirm Your Program of Study
  • Once your high school transcript has been turned in, check your Self-Service account to confirm your program of study.

Financial Aid TV Will Help Answers Your Questions

What type of aid is your best choice?

• Grants – typically need-based and do not have to be repaid (unless you withdraw from school and owe a refund)
• Loans – money borrowed to pay for college that must be repaid with interest
• Scholarships – may be need-based, program-based, or merit-based and generally do not have to be repaid
• Workforce Investment Act – targets the needs of unemployed and low income American Indians in North Carolina
• Work Study – part-time job opportunities on or off campus for students

Tuition payment plans break down your tuition balance into affordable monthly payments. There is no interest, payment options are flexible, setup fees are affordable, and it is easy to enroll!

Fall 2023 FINANCIAL AID DISBURSEMENT SCHEDULE

Registration Course Section Census Date Information
(Click on the link for the Fall 2023 Refund, Withdrawal & Incomplete Dates)

Direct Deposit Information

*Financial aid disbursements will vary depending on enrollment status, such as when financial aid is packaged, course section start date, enrollment level, etc. Students are responsible for dropping and withdrawing from classes in a timely manner to avoid financial aid overpayments.

• An email from the Office of Business and Finance will be sent on the afternoon of the disbursement date to students who are eligible for a refund.
• Students can select direct deposit as a refund preference.
• Please allow 2-3 business days from the date of disbursement for funds to be available at your banking institution.
• Loans will be disbursed in three installments fall and spring terms and two installments during the summer session.
• Students will not be eligible to receive a refund on every scheduled disbursement date.
• Disbursement dates will vary based on the financial aid package, enrollment status, and the course section census dates of classes.
• Disbursements are scheduled to occur after the course section census dates for classes that have started and after the applicable students have been counted as enrolled by the Registrar’s Office.