Fullerton College Financial Aid Office has provided an update and information to assist students during this unprecedented and difficult time. Although the Financial Aid Office remains closed for face-to-face services, they have been working hard behind the scenes.
The second of two Pell Grant disbursements went out as scheduled and the office is continuing to disburse funds daily. Additionally, they continue to review appeals, income adjustments and dependency override requests daily. If students are approved for any of those, disbursements would still occur at the normal cycle, which is typically a few days from the approval date. Appeals are still being accepted for spring 2020 Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), as well as fall and spring 2020 California College Promise Grant (CCPG). If approved, payment will be the same for spring, and fees would still be waived for CCPG for fall and spring, as if they had been submitted sooner. There is only a delay in disbursement of funds, not a reduction in the amount.
The Financial Aid Office also resumed remote services on March 31. This includes:
- Communication with FA staff via email
- Communication with FA Office via Facebook
- Remote FA Counseling Appointments via Zoom
- Verification, Special Conditions, and Appeals
- Awarding and Disbursement of FA is ongoing
- Email all FA Staff at: https://financialaid.fullcoll.edu/staff.html
- NEW! Staff are available via text messaging (data rates apply). For a listing of text numbers, visit: https://financialaid.fullcoll.edu/staff.html
In the near future, staff will also continue to assist students via telephone on Q Less, and will be launching remote advising to temporarily replace in-person services and the Financial Aid Open Lab.
On March 31, the Financial Aid Office also launched remote Financial Aid Counseling via Zoom. Students will receive instructions on how to access Zoom when scheduling an appointment online. Counseling appointments are available via phone, computer audio, and computer video. Students may choose what works best for them.
Looking ahead, the Financial Aid Office is also hoping to implement the following services:
- Ability to call and speak to FA staff
- Ability to have a more in-depth virtual advising session for assistance on FA or FAFSA/CADAA via Q Less and Zoom
In addition, the Financial Aid Office would like to remind students of Financial Aid regulations and important updates as they relate to COVID-19:
- Federal Work-Study students who were working as of the date the campus was last open, Friday, March 13, should continue to report scheduled work hours, as if hours would have been completed had the campus not closed. This applies whether or not the student is currently able to perform the duties remotely. In the coming weeks, students will be notified of this temporary change for the spring semester via email and supervisors will be advised. In order to take advantage of this, students must remain enrolled and attend at least six units remotely.
- For students faced with technology challenges, such as purchasing computers to successfully participate in remote instruction, the Financial Aid Office may be able to assist with either a Direct Stafford Loan or a grant. This would depend on the student’s current financial aid budget, which FA can advise on, and would be requested by a budget increase request form that will be introduced in the next week. Grant assistance is dependent on the student’s enrollment of at least six units.
For any additional questions and information please visit Fullerton College Financial Aid on Facebook where updates are posted frequently.