FEES AND FINANCIAL AID
RESIDENCE STATUS

The legal residence of each Hill College applicant for tuition purposes will be determined by Student Information Services. Documentation may be required.

  1. To be classified as a Texas resident a student must clearly establish residence in Texas for the 12 months preceding their enrollment for other than education purposes.
    1. An In-District resident is a Texas resident who resides in one of the following school districts at the time of their enrollment for other than educational purposes: Abbott, Bynum, Covington, Hillsboro, Itasca, and Whitney. In addition, the Hill College Board of Regents has authorized In-District status to students who reside in one of the following school districts, which support Hill College through a maintenance tax, at the time of their enrollment for other than educational purposes: Alvarado, Cleburne, Godley, Grandview, Joshua, Keene, Rio Vista, and Venus.
    2. An Out-of-District resident is a Texas resident who does not reside in one of the school districts listed above.
  2. A Non-resident is an individual who has not resided in Texas for the 12 months preceding their enrollment at Hill College.
  3. A Non-resident is an individual who is not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States. Contact Student Information Services for information on visas that are eligible for in-state tuition.

The Board of Regents of Hill College has authorized the waiver of the difference in the rate of tuition for nonresident and resident students for a person, or his or her dependents, who has owned property which is subject to ad valorem taxation by the district for at least twelve months prior to enrollment. The person, or his or her dependents, applying for such a waiver shall verify property ownership by presentation of an ad valorem tax statement or receipt, issued by the tax office of the district, prior to each enrollment.

The responsibility of registering under the proper residence classification is that of the student; and if there is any question regarding the student's correct residency classification, it is the responsibility of the student to discuss this matter with Student Information Services.

EXPENSES
ROOM AND BOARD COSTS

All students planning to reside in residence halls are required to complete and submit a Resident Application and to pay a non-refundable $50.00 processing fee. Additionally, there is a $250.00 residence hall deposit. Deposit or partial deposit may be refundable upon move out if there is no damage. Room and board payment is required prior to moving into the residence halls. Students may obtain a Resident Application in the Office of Residential Life or online at https://www.hillcollege.edu/Residential%20Life/Index.html

Hill College has a 19-meal plan, which provides three meals a day, Monday through Friday, and two meals (lunch and dinner) on Saturday and Sunday. A meal plan is mandatory for all residence hall students and is $1,650 per semester.

Please refer to the Residential Life website at https://www.hillcollege.edu/Residential%20Life/Index.html for current room and board charges. Room and board charges are subject to change without notice.

DISTANCE LEARNING

Faculty members determine whether their online/distance education courses will require proctored testing. Hill College offers free proctored testing services to Hill College online/distance education students through the Hill College Testing Centers. Testing outside of Hill College is typically done at another college or a testing organization. Testing sites set proctor fees according to their independent fee schedule.

TUITION & FEE SCHEDULE

Tuition and fees are payable in full at the time of registration. Students have an option for a payment plan at the time of registration. Failure to make payments on time may result in students being dropped from classes!

Please refer to the Hill College Fees & Tuition website at https://www.hillcollege.edu/Business/index.html for the current tuition and fees schedule. Tuition and fee charges are subject to change without notice.

There is a $200 surcharge for any course attempted more than twice per Education Code 54.014, 130.0034.

PAYMENT OPTIONS

To help meet your educational expenses, Hill College is pleased to offer a convenient online payment option. Students who choose to use the College Green Payment Plan through Herring Bank may select installment plans that are spread over several months, depending on the length of the semester. They may choose to make payments from their checking or savings account or by Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover credit cards. In addition to the variety of choices available, the student can pay online as soon as they have registered.

Payments may also be made at the business office.

The total installment payment must be paid in full on or before the due date.

  1. Students who fail to make payments:
    1. Will have a hold placed on their records;
    2. Will be prohibited from registering for classes;
    3. Will still be responsible for the full amount due under the contract;
    4. Will receive no grades, awards, diplomas, or records, including official transcripts to which they would otherwise be entitled and may be denied credit for the work done that semester.
    5. Upon full payment of the amount due, the hold will be released.
  2. Students adding courses must pay the full cost for the additional courses when they are added.
  3. Students dropping hours will pay installments based on the original contract. All refunds will be applied to the installment payment. (For students receiving Title IV aid, refunds will be applied in accordance with federal refund guidelines.)
  4. Students withdrawing from the college must pay all tuition and fees owed. Withdrawal does not cancel or void installment payment plan contract.
REFUND POLICY

Hill College shall refund tuition and mandatory fees collected for courses from which the student drops or withdraws in accordance with the Drops and Withdrawal Refund Schedule. The indicated percentages are applied to the tuition and mandatory fees collected for each course from which the student is withdrawing. (Class days refer to the number of calendar days the institution normally meets classes, not the days a particular course meets.)

  1. Coordinating Board approved semester-length courses for which semester credit hours are awarded:
    1. A 100 percent refund is to be made for courses dropped prior to the 1st class day.
    2. During the fall or spring semester or comparable trimester:
      1. during the first fifteen class days, 70 percent
      2. during the sixteenth through twentieth class days, 25 percent
      3. after the 20th class day, none; and
    3. 5-6 Week summer semester:
      1. during the first five class days, 70 percent
      2. during the sixth and seventh class days, 25 percent
      3. after the 7th class day, none.
  2. For flex entry and non-semester-length courses with a census date other than the 12th class day (4th class day for a 5-6 Week summer semester):
    1. prior to the 1st class day, 100 percent
    2. after classes begin, see table:
Drops and Withdrawals

Length of Class Term in Weeks

Last day for 70 percent refund

Last day for 25 percent refund

2 or less

2

n/a

3

3

4

4

4

5

5

5

6

6

5

7

7

7

9

8

8

10

9

9

11

10

9

12

11

10

14

12

12

15

13

13

16

14

13

17

15

14

19

16 or longer

15

20

Separate refund schedules may be established for optional fees such as intercollegiate athletics, cultural entertainment, parking, etc.

Tuition and fees paid directly to Hill College by a sponsor, donor, or scholarship shall be refunded to the source rather than directly to the student.

The refund for all students receiving Title IV financial aid will be based on the last date of attendance and must be allocated in the following order: Federal Pell Grant Program, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program, Student.

All other refunds will be made in accordance with state refund policies as published herein.

TREATMENT OF TITLE IV AID WHEN A STUDENT WITHDRAWS

The law specifies how a school must determine the amount of Title IV program assistance that you earn if you withdraw from school. The Title IV programs covered by this law at Hill College are: Federal Pell Grants, Direct Loans, PLUS loans, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG).

When you officially withdraw during your payment period the amount of Title IV program assistance that you have earned up to that point is determined by a specific formula. If you received (or Hill College or parent received on your behalf) less assistance than the amount you earned, you may be able to receive those additional funds. If you received more assistance than you earned, the excess funds must be returned by the school and/or you.

The amount of assistance that you have earned is determined on a prorated basis. For example, if you completed 30% of your payment period, you earn 30% of the assistance you were originally scheduled to receive. Once you have completed more than 60% of the payment period, you earn all the assistance that you were scheduled to receive for that period.

If you did not receive all the funds that you earned, you may be due a post withdrawal disbursement (PWD). If PWD includes loan funds, Hill College must get your permission before it can disburse them. You may choose to decline some or all the loan funds so that you do not incur additional debt. Hill College may automatically use all or a portion of your post-withdrawal disbursement (including loan funds, if you accept them) for tuition, fees, and room and board charges (as contracted with the school). For all other school charges, the school needs your permission to use the PWD.

Hill College must also get your permission before it can disburse directly to you any Title IV grant funds that are part of a post-withdrawal disbursement.

There are some Title IV funds that if you were scheduled to receive cannot be disbursed to you once you withdraw because of other eligibility requirements. For example, if you are a first-time, first-year undergraduate student and you have not completed the first 30 daysof your program before you withdraw, you will not receive any Direct Loans funds that you would have received had you remained enrolled past the 30th days.

If you receive (or Hill College or your parent receives on your behalf) excess Title IV program funds that must be returned, your school must return a portion of the excess equal to the lesser of:

  1. your institutional charges multiplied by the unearned percentage of your funds, or
  2. the entire amount of excess funds.

The school must return this amount even if it did not keep this amount of your Title IV program funds.

If your school is not required to return all excess funds, you must return the remaining amount. Any loan funds that you must return, you (or your parent for a PLUS Loan) repay in accordance with the terms of the promissory note. That is, you make scheduled payments to the holder of the loan over a specified period.

Any amount of unearned grant funds that you must return is called an overpayment. The amount of a grant overpayment that you must repay is half of the grant funds you received or were scheduled to receive. You must arrange with the Department of Education to return the unearned grant funds.

The requirements for Title IV program funds when you withdraw are separate from any refund policy that the school may have. Therefore, you may still owe funds to the school to cover unpaid institutional charges. Hill College may also charge you for any Title IV program funds that the school was required to return. If you do not already know what the refund policy is, you can ask the school for a copy. Your school can also provide you with the requirements and procedures for officially withdrawing from school.

UNOFFICIAL WITHDRAWALS AND TREATMENT OF TITLE IV AID

If a student who began attendance and has not officially withdrawn fails to earn a passing grade in at least one course offered over an entire period, Hill College must assume, for Title IV purposes, that the student has unofficially withdrawn, and use the midpoint of the semester in the calculation to determine the amount of Title IV assistance earned. If the school can verify the students' last date of attendance at an academically related activity beyond the semester's midpoint, that date can be substituted, in the calculation, for the midpoint date.

If you have questions about your Title IV program funds, you can call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FEDAID (1-800-433-3243). TTY users may call 1-800-730-8913. Information is also available on Student Aid online https://studentaid.gov/

OVERDUE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS

All accounts must be paid when due. Before the end of each semester or term, each student should determine that all accounts are paid. Non-payment of any such accounts will be entered on the student's record, and Student Information Services will withhold any grades, credits, diplomas, and other benefits until the obligation is discharged.

The student may be dropped from the rolls for nonpayment of any financial obligation. A service fee is charged for each bad check.

FINANCIAL AID

The purpose of financial aid at Hill College is to provide financial assistance to any student who might be denied a college education because of insufficient funds (based on documented need). In addition to need-based assistance, Hill College offers scholarships designed to recognize a student’s academic, career and technical, and/or athletic ability. These scholarships are awarded based on ability and participation in specific activities. Information and applications are available from Student Information Services. Any student, upon request, may review a copy of documents describing the institutions accreditation, approval, and licensing bodies by contacting the Office of the Vice President of External Affairs.

Early Admissions, Dual Credit Enrollment, or students not determined to be a Regular student (as per Hill College’s catalog description) are not eligible for student financial aid.

DEADLINES

FAFSA Applications for Federal Financial Aid should be submitted by the priority dates of July 1st for the fall semester, November 1st for the spring semester, and April 1st for the summer semester. For Federal Financial Aid, summer is treated as one term and the Federal Aid used will be considered as continuation of the prior award year.

If the student's financial aid is not available on the date of registration, the student is then held responsible for tuition and fees. Students needing financial assistance should return all requested documentation on or before the stated deadlines or the deadline noted in school correspondence.

Student loans may not be awarded after the last day to receive a “W” for any semester. These dates are published in the yearly academic calendar.

FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

Federal Pell Grant - Federal Pell Grants are available to eligible undergraduate students who have not yet received a bachelor’s degree or a professional degree, are enrolled as a regular student in a degree or certificate program, meet program eligibility requirements, and have submitted a valid Student Aid Report (SAR). Students must establish grant eligibility by participating in a face-to-face class prior to census date (12th class day). Students participating in online classes must establish grant eligibility prior to census date (12th class day) by submitting a post, submitting an assignment, or by the criteria set forth by the instructor. Award amounts adjust according to the number of hours a student is enrolled in and the award will adjust down when a student does not establish eligibility as described.

Students first enrolled in an eligible postsecondary program on or after July 1, 2012, may only become eligible through one of the Ability to Benefit (ATB) alternatives if the student is enrolled in an “eligible career pathway program”. Students using ATB that were enrolled prior to July 1, 2012, will still be eligible for the benefit if meeting satisfactory academic progress. A student may be eligible to enroll at Hill College on individual approval but would not be eligible to receive financial aid. Please contact Student Information Services if you have further questions.

The eligibility criteria are demonstrated by financial need. Students planning to attend Hill College must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The results of this application will produce a dollar amount that the student and/or the families are expected to contribute toward the student's educational expenses. This amount is called the “Expected Family Contribution” or EFC. It is subtracted from the estimated cost of education determined by the school resulting in what is called documented NEED. The EFC, along with a student’s enrollment status and the length of his or her program of study, determines the student’s award. Students may receive aid up to this amount of need but may not exceed it. Grant funds do not have to be repaid, unless a student who received Title IV funds withdraws, is dismissed, or stops attending classes prior to the 60% point in the semester, then he/she may owe funds back to the Department of Education and/or Hill College. See Unofficial Withdrawals and the Treatment of Title IV Funds for grades of all Fs in the student handbook.

Federal Campus-Based Programs

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG) – This grant is for undergraduates with exceptional need, that is, students with the lowest Expected Family Contribution (EFC) who are also Pell Grant recipients. SEOG is awarded on a first come-first serve basis. The student’s enrollment status on census date will determine the amount of the award. The funds do not have to be repaid, unless a student who received Title IV funds withdraws, is dismissed, or stops attending classes prior to the 60% point in the semester, then he/she may owe funds back to the Department of Education and/or Hill College. See Unofficial Withdrawals and Treatment of Title IV Aid.

Federal Work-Study Program (FWS) – The purpose of the Federal Work-Study Program is to give part-time employment to students who need the income to help meet the cost of postsecondary education and to encourage FWS recipients in community service activities including America Reads. A student must have "financial need" to be eligible for a FWS position. The student's cost of attendance must be more than the amount of his or her Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as calculated by the Federal Need Analysis Methodology. The pay rate is above the minimum the law requires (subject to change). A portion of Federal Work-Study funds will be used to fund workers for community service employment. A small percentage of Federal Work-Study money is made available to less than full-time students. A student must be enrolled for at least six hours to be eligible. Upon request from the student, payment of FWS funds can be made directly to the student’s account to offset any unpaid institutional balance.

The general conditions and terms applicable to any employment provided to a student as part of the student's financial assistance package are available for inspection in the Financial Aid Office, and a copy is given to those who apply for and/or receive Federal Work-study. Work-Study students can sign a statement that allows the payroll department to apply their earnings toward their unpaid bill. The student has a right to rescind this statement at any time.

All awards from financial assistance programs funded by the federal or state government are administered according to laws and regulations governing those programs. Policy and guidelines are subject to change as required by federal, state, or institutional policy and guidelines.

William D. Ford Direct Loan Program (DL) – Students interested in applying for a student loan will be required to complete a FAFSA, Master promissory Note and Entrance counseling. FAFSA (https://studentaid.gov) is required each academic year. The Master Promissory Note requires a signature once every ten years. If no disbursement is made within one year of signing, the student must sign a new Master Promissory Note. Entrance and Exit counseling are required for the loan program. Policy and guidelines concerning loan counseling are ongoing and subject to change. Please refer to the website for the latest instructions on loan procedures. Repayment on a student loan begins 6 months after one of the flowing events: 1) the student graduates, 2) ceases to be enrolled for at least 6 credit hours (half-time statues) or 3) is no longer enrolled at Hill College.

Loan refunds will not be released for 30 daysafter class begins for first-year, first time borrowers. Contact the Student Information Services for additional information.

Student loans will not be awarded after the last day to receive a “W” for any semester. These dates are published in each semester’s class schedule.

STATE ASSISTANCE

Texas Public Educational Grant (TPEG) – This grant may be available to students who are enrolled and have established “need” and in relation to the availability of funds. Hill College uses the results established by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as a basis to establish need. The student’s enrollment status on census date will determine the amount of award.

Some TPEG funds are available to out-of-state students who have established “need” and meet eligibility requirements.

TEXAS Grant – Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, community college students are no longer eligible for the initial year TEXAS Grant awards. Community College students eligible for renewal year TEXAS Grant awards should contact Student Information Services prior to enrolling in classes.

TEXAS Equal Opportunity Grant – To receive a TEOG award, students must be a Texas resident, enroll at least half-time in the first 30 hours of a certificate or associate degree plan at a two-year institution, show financial need by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), complete their financial aid file and their admissions file, not be convicted of a felony or crime involving a controlled substance, and not have an associate’s degree or baccalaureate degree. Students who continue in college and who meet program academic standards can receive awards for up to 75 semester credit hours for four years, or until they receive an associate degree, whichever comes first. The academic requirements for continuing in the program are completion of at least 75 percent of the hours taken in the prior academic year, plus an overall financial GPA of at least a 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (subject to change). Transfer students eligible for renewal year awards should contact Student Information Services and advise them of their eligibility.

State Work–Study – This program provides limited work opportunities for eligible Texas residents and those not receiving an athletic scholarship.

Vocational Rehabilitation – The Texas Educational Agency, through the Texas Workforce Solutions - Vocational Rehabilitation Services, offers assistance for tuition and fees to students who are vocationally disabled because of being physically or mentally disabled. For further information, visit https://www.twc.texas.gov/jobseekers/vocational-rehabilitation-services or the Vocational Rehabilitation Services office in your area.

Texas Exemptions and Waivers – The State of Texas and Hill College provide and fund several tuitions and/or exemptions and/or waivers. Interested students should contact the Student Information Services for additional information. Exemptions and waivers include, but are not limited to the following:

Adopted Students Formerly Under Conservatorship of TDFPS
Blind and Deaf Students
Competitive Academic Scholarships for Nonresident Students
Firefighter enrolled in Fire Science Courses
Foster Care Students (current or former)
Hazelwood Act for Texas Veterans
Highest Ranking High School Graduate
Peace Officers enrolled in Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice Courses
Senior Citizen (55 and over)

VETERANS
Benefits and Services

Veterans are admitted on the same basis as other students. Hill College welcomes active-duty service members, veterans and their families to our campus/center to achieve their educational goals. Our Student Information Services staff are here to help transition to college life and manage degree completion. Veterans or dependents of veterans are encouraged to visit our website for assistance at https://www.hillcollege.edu/Admissions_Aid/Admissions/Veteran.html or contact our Special Populations Coordinator at 254-659-7606.

Federal, State, and/or Hill College Financial Aid Policies and Procedures are subject to change. For the most up-to-date version of policies and procedures, visit our website at www.hillcollege.edu.

Benefits for Texas Veterans

Honorably discharged Texas veterans whose educational benefits from the Veterans Administration have been used up or lapsed may be entitled to free tuition under the state law. Texas Veterans and/or their dependents, who have exhausted their educational benefits, may attend Hill College under the Hazelwood Act. All students qualifying for the Hazelwood Veteran’s benefits will be exempt from tuition and educational related fees up to a maximum of 150 credit hours. Student service fees will be the student's responsibility and are to be collected at registration.

Requirements:

  1. Qualify as a Texas resident
  2. Was a Texas resident at the time of entrance into the service
  3. Have an honorable discharge
  4. Have a copy of discharge papers (DD214) on file in Student Information Services
  5. Present proof of ineligibility for educational benefits from the Veteran’s Administration
  6. Have served 180 daysbeyond basic training

Veterans should reference the Texas Veterans Commission at www.tvc.texas.gov for eligibility requirements.

HILL COLLEGE INSTITUTIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS

Students and/or prospective students may be eligible for institutional scholarships based on academic and/or vocational excellence, achievement, or ability in various activities such as athletics, band, choir, music, drama, and rodeo. Some scholarships are based on the financial need of the student (determined by the FAFSA); others have specific requirements as stipulated by the donor. For scholarship information, please go to the Hill College website at www.hillcollege.edu or contact the Student Information Services at the Hill County Campus, the Johnson County Campus, or BHEC. The deadline for applying for academic and endowed scholarships is June 1st. These scholarships are awarded yearly and must be reapplied annually.

Academic Scholarships - Students with a GPA of 2.5 or better, on a 4.0 scale, can apply for an academic scholarship. Applications are available on the Hill College website. Application deadline is June 1.

Endowed Scholarships - Hill College offers several endowed scholarships. Scholarship applications are available on the Hill College website.

Activity/Departmental Scholarships - Hill College awards scholarships based on ability and/or participation in band, choir, drama, art, and for other activities as designated by the college. Scholarship awards are made by the director or department of each individual program.

Athletic Scholarships - Scholarships in programs such as men’s baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country/track, men’s and women’s rodeo, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s softball, and women’s volleyball are awarded based on ability and/or participation in the program. These scholarships are awarded by the coach or director of the program.

Non-Institutional Scholarships - These scholarships are awarded to individuals by organizations and/or entities outside the institution. Organizations and/or individual recipients are responsible for notifying Hill College by August 1 for the award to be credited to the student’s account in time for registration. Non-Institutional scholarships and/or awards will be credited to a student’s account only after there is a signed statement from the donor stating that payment will be made directly to the college.

Other Benefits

Depending upon individual qualifications, students may receive benefits from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Social Security Administration, Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA), or Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services. Students interested in these benefits must see each organization, respectively.

Application Procedures

On all applications, Hill College must be identified as one of the schools eligible for this information. The identification number for Hill College is 003573.

FAFSA Filing Options

You may choose any of these methods to file a FAFSA form:

  • Log in at fafsa.gov to apply online.
  • Complete a FAFSA PDF (note: you must print out and mail the FAFSA PDF for processing.)
  • Request a printout of the FAFSA PDF by calling us at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243); then fill out the form and mail it for processing.
Hill College provides computers in Student Information Services on the Hill County Campus, Johnson County Campus, and Burleson Higher Education Center for this purpose. No fee is charged for this service.

After receiving the information, Student Information Services will alert the student by email to the information needed to complete their file. Financial Aid awards will not be made until the student’s file is judged complete by Student Information Services staff. Students are provided a Hill College email account upon application to the college and are encouraged to review it often.

Determination of Financial Need and Eligibility

The amount of financial aid a student is eligible for will be determined by the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculated by the Federal processor and appears on the SAR and/or Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR). This is the amount that a student and/or his or her family are expected to contribute towards the cost of meeting their educational expenses. Another factor that determines the amount of aid that will be received is the “Cost of Attendance” or “Cost of Education.” This is the amount, as determined by federal and state guidelines, that it will cost the “average” student to attend Hill College per year (based on a 9-month budget). If you feel that you may have extenuating circumstances which might warrant additional expenses being added to your “Cost of Attendance” budget, contact Student Information Services.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP)

All students receiving federal and/or state financial aid must demonstrate satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in accordance with institutional, state and/or federal guidelines. All periods of enrollment at Hill College must be counted, including semesters where the student did not benefit from financial aid. There are three components included in the standards that compose satisfactory academic progress: cumulative grade point average (GPA), successful completion of courses, and time frame.

  1. Financial Aid Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA)

    A cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 must be maintained upon each semester's completion. Grades of A, B, C, D, F, and S will be included. Grades of W, and I are not included in the GPA. Transfer hours will be included in the cumulative financial aid GPA calculation when the grades are posted on the Hill College transcript. For financial aid calculation purposes, remedial classes are counted in the GPA.

  2. Successful Completion Rate

    67% of all hours attempted each semester must be completed to successfully maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP). Hours attempted are measured according to enrollment on census date. Grades of F, W, and I are counted towards total hours attempted but not successfully completed each semester. For financial aid calculation purposes, remedial classes are counted in the completion rate.

  3. Maximum Time Frame

    Federal guidelines stipulate that the maximum period for successful program completion may not exceed 150% of the published length of the program. Transfer hours will count in the maximum time limit allowed. Repeated credits and remedial classes are counted in the maximum time calculation. Students who exceed the 150% maximum time limit will no longer be eligible to benefit from financial aid at Hill College.

  4. Students may change majors while attending Hill College. However, excessive major changes can result in a suspension status. It is the student’s responsibility to contact Student Information Services when a major is changed to determine remaining aid eligibility.
  5. There is a limit of 30 total hours for remedial course work. Remedial hours attempted beyond the 30-hour limit will not be included in course load for determining enrollment status for Title IV payment purposes.

Blank grades or I’s will be considered failing until a letter grade replaces the incomplete or blank grade and will count in the completion rate. Students are responsible for advising the financial aid office when I’s have been completed.

The grade of “D” will be considered failing in the Vocational Nursing program. However, a grade of “D” is considered passing for financial aid and will be considered as such for financial aid satisfactory academic progress.

If a student passed a class once, then is repaid for retaking it, and fails the second time, that failure counts as their paid retake, and the student may not be paid for retaking the class a third time.

For questions, please contact Student Information Services or review the Federal Register 34CFR668.2(b).

In addition to the standards indicated above, the Student Information Services Administrators may use professional judgment to terminate financial aid eligibility. This may occur in a situation such as when a student falls extensively below a satisfactory academic standard and does not have a reasonable chance to meet the standard requirements by the end of the semester, or when a student fails all of their courses in a term.

Evaluation of Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP)

Academic progress is evaluated at the end of the fall, spring, and summer semesters. All students receiving Title IV aid will be evaluated regardless of the number of hours enrolled. All coursework will be evaluated if the student receives financial aid.

Students not meeting financial aid SAP are notified by email on their Hill College student email account. Students may also view their financial aid SAP status on their MyFA (JFA) student portal. Students are responsible for checking their student email account, and MyFA (JFA) student portal for communication concerning file completion, award acceptance, and SAP.

  1. Financial Aid Warning

    This is a warning semester. Students who fail to meet one or more of the SAP standards during a long semester will be placed on financial aid warning. Students on warning will be eligible to receive financial aid during the next semester.

  2. Financial Aid Suspension

    Students currently on warning, and those who fail to meet one or more of the stated SAP standards will be placed on financial aid suspension. Students on financial aid suspension will not benefit from financial aid, including student loans, until the minimum SAP standards are met. Students on financial aid suspension are encouraged to continue their enrollment at Hill College. The student is responsible for payment for courses.

  3. Re-Entry

    Students who are currently on suspension can regain an eligible status by enrolling at Hill College and successfully earning a 2.0 GPA and a 67% completion rate. These students are responsible for submitting a financial aid appeal for the financial aid staff to evaluate the student’s progress. If a favorable SAP status has been acquired, the suspension status will be removed.

  4. Academic Plan

    Students requesting an appeal that would not be able to reach financial aid SAP by the end of the next semester may be considered for an Academic Plan (AP). Placing a student on an AP requires a review of the selected major and determining a time in the future when the student will meet financial aid SAP. The student will be required to meet with a student navigator to discuss the class requirements and to sign off indicating he/she understands the requirements. The student must meet with a student navigator at the end of each semester. If the requirements for the semester were not met, the student is no longer eligible for financial aid until the minimum SAP requirements are met. The student will be on suspension until financial aid SAP minimums of 2.0 GPA and 67% completion rate is met.

Appeal Procedure

Students not meeting SAP are notified by email with information on how to file an appeal. The online appeal form is located under the STUDENT tab in MyHC. After logging in you will chose STUDENT from the top navigation bar. Choose appeals from the menu on the left. The appeal status may also be checked online. An appeal request should be completed at least 45 days before the end of the semester when the student requests financial aid. Students should be prepared with an alternate payment plan for tuition, fees, books, and supplies.

Appeals may be requested for but are not limited to the following circumstances: personal tragedy; significant illness or injury; death of a family member; change in degree/major; or lapse of time since your previous enrollment at Hill College.

The appeal will be reviewed by a student navigator and the student can view the status online. If the appeal is approved, financial aid eligibility will be restored after the student signs an academic plan, or the student navigator has determined a probationary status for the next semester.

Students are responsible for checking their student email account and MyFA (JFA) student portal for communication concerning file completion, award acceptance, and satisfactory academic progress.

Students, whose appeal is denied, may within ten days of receiving notification submit a second appeal. The second appeal will be reviewed by the assistant financial aid or designee within Student Information Services. Students may be placed on an academic plan if they can come into compliance prior to finishing their current program. If a student cannot comply before finishing the program, financial aid will be denied.

Dropping Course(s) or Resigning from Hill College

Reducing a student’s enrollment during any semester may have significant penalties. If a student is considering dropping one or more courses or resigning from the college after their financial aid has paid or after the end of the drop and add period, the student should contact the financial aid office to determine how this may affect their financial aid. This may include the following: 1) the student may be required to return some or all of the financial aid paid to their student account determined by the federally required return to Title IV process, 2) the student may be considered “deficient in attempted hours”; and, therefore, not making SAP progress, and 3) the student may go into repayment on federal loans if the student is enrolled less than ½ time for a period of time greater than the 6 month grace period or the grace period may be lost.