Financial Aid Policies & Procedures
In addition to being aware of the terms and conditions around financial aid, students are also obligated to be aware of the following policies:
Satisfactory Academic Progress
In accordance with federal and state regulations and MnSCU Policy 2.9, Hennepin Technical College shall monitor all credits for all students and shall apply the following minimum cumulative standards of progress beginning with a student's first attempted credit:
- Qualitative: Students are expected to meet or exceed a cumulative earned grade point average (GPA) of 2.00.
- Quantitative: Students are expected to meet or exceed a cumulative earned percentage of 66.66%.
- Maximum timeframe: All students are subject to the maximum timeframe calculation. Students may continue to receive financial aid through 150% of the published credit length of the program (example: 150% of a 60 credit program equals 90 credits). All local attempted credits and transfer credits into Hennepin Technical College count towards the maximum time frame. Completing a major or changing a major will change the maximum timeframe calculation and allow the new count of credits to the new major less any transfer of credit. If courses in the previous major are required in the new major, they will not be counted twice in the new maximum timeframe calculation.
See the following policy and procedure for additional information:
Drug Conviction Notification
As prescribed in Section 484A of the Higher Education Act of 1965, a student becomes ineligible to receive federal Title IV financial aid if the student is convicted of an offense under any federal or state law involving the possession or sale of illegal drugs during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving federal Title IV financial aid.
If a student has been convicted of such an offense s/he should contact the Hennepin Technical College Financial Aid Office for further information on the steps necessary to regain eligibility.
Refunds to Minnesota Financial Aid Programs
For students receiving State financial funding, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education refund policies will apply.
Return of Title IV Funds Policy
Federal Student Aid funds are awarded to a student based on the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which assistance is awarded. A student who stops attending class(es) must immediately withdraw from class(es), and is responsible for understanding the impact of such action on his/her student account.
- An official withdrawal occurs when a student withdraws from all his/her courses. The last date of attendance as reported by instructors is used as the date of withdrawal, unless otherwise determined.
- An unofficial withdrawal occurs when a student stops attending. The last date of attendance as reported by instructors is used as the date of withdrawal, unless otherwise determined.
Financial aid recipients who totally withdraw or stop attending classes prior to the 60% point of the term are subject to the State and Federal Return of Title IV calculation for federal aid. The amount of unused aid to be returned is calculated by dividing the number of calendar days completed by the total number of calendar days in the semester. Breaks of more than five consecutive days are excluded. Examples of the calculations are available in the Financial Aid Office at the student's request.
The responsibility to repay the unearned financial aid is shared by the institution and the student. The institution's share is allocated among the Title IV programs before the student's share, in the following order: Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal PLUS Loan, Federal Pell Grant, and Federal SEOG. State financial aid programs are refunded to the Minnesota Office of Higher Education/State of Minnesota. The student share of remaining unearned aid is paid y the school for the student and allocated in the same order indicated above. Any balance created will be collected by the school from the student.
Return of financial aid calculations are performed no later than 30 days after determining the student withdrew or stopped attending classes. Funds are returned to the Federal/State Aid Programs no later than 45 days after determining the student withdrew or stopped attending classes. Students return their share of unearned aid attributable to a loan under the terms and conditions of the promissory note. Grant repayment is made to the college under the repayment guidelines identified in a notice sent to students after the recalculation is complete.
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If you did not receive all of the funds that you have earned, you may be due a post-withdrawal disbursement. If the post- withdrawal disbursement includes loan funds, you may choose to decline the loan funds so that you don’t incur additional debt. Hennepin Technical College may use all or a portion of your post- withdrawal disbursement to pay for current charges. Hennepin Technical College needs your permission to use the post-withdrawal disbursement of any funds, the post withdrawal disbursement will be offered within 30 days of the return of funds calculation. Acceptance of the post withdrawal must be received within 14 days.
- Any Credit balance the student may have at the time of withdrawal will be held until the return of funds calculation is completed. Any credit balance still remaining after the return of funds calculation will be sent to the student within 14 days of the calculation.
- The Financial Aid Office tracks attendance/last date of activity on financial aid recipients. If it is determined a student received financial aid for a course he/she did not attend, his/her financial aid will be recalculated at the lower enrollment status. See official Last Date of Attendance Policy.
Verification of Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA)
Hennepin Technical College will verify ALL student applications selected by the FAFSA processor. Verification documents will be requested of the student upon receipt of the FAFSA. Documents must be received and verification performed before any disbursement of financial aid will be made. If there are errors, we will update your application, recalculate your aid eligibility and send a current award letter to you. Any documents received after 120 days after the last date of enrollment (or date published by the Department of Education, whichever is earlier) will not be processed.
Changes to your schedule after the add/drop period for Pell Grant
Your class schedule must be firm and you should not make any changes after the 5th day of the semester or you risk aid reductions. It is expected that you will attend your registered courses. If you decide to add a late start course after the 5th day of the semester your Pell Grant cannot be adjusted for the increase in credits. If you drop a class and add another class that is the same number of credits after the 5th day of the semester, your aid will be negatively affected, as the add will not be recognized.
Other Financial Aid Policies
- Students can receive federal financial aid for developmental work (below 1000 level) up to a maximum of 30 credits.
- Students must declare an eligible major and degree intent at HTC to receive financial aid.
- Students may receive financial aid from no more than one college during each term or period of enrollment.
- Loan Pro-ration: The loan pro-ration requirement applies to students who plan to complete a degree program or certificate program in an enrollment period that is shorter than an academic year at Hennepin Technical College.
- A student must have a high school diploma, GED or its equivalent in order to receive Title IV financial aid funds.
- Programs that are less than 16 credits are not eligible to receive Federal Financial Aid Funds, this includes Pell grant and all Federal Student Loans.