Financial Aid

CT State has Financial Aid Offices on campuses across the state to assist students with all of the concerns and logistics of paying for college. Depending on a variety of factors, students may be eligible for grants, loans, campus foundation scholarships, work-study, and other sources of financial aid. Priority Application Deadlines are July 15 for fall processing and November 15th for spring processing. Students must submit a FAFSA with an official Student Aid Index (SAI) prior to the last day of attendance for the award year in order to be eligible and apply aid to that year.

Student General Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for federal financial assistance at CT State, a student must:

  • Be a United States citizen or an eligible non-citizen
  • Have financial need as assessed by an eligible need analysis system
  • Be enrolled as a matriculated student at CT State Community College
  • Be in an eligible degree or certificate program
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress
  • Not be in default on any federal educational loan or owe a repayment on any federal grant at any institution
  • Have completed high school or have earned the GED.
  • Financial aid is available for undocumented students. Use these forms to apply for aid.

Each year, the Financial Aid Office uses all available resources to help eligible students fund their direct costs, which include charges for tuition and fees, and an allowance for books and supplies. At CT State, more than $100 million is awarded annually to more than 30,000 students.

Courses Eligibility (“Courses in Program”)

To receive financial aid students must be enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program. Federal regulations stipulate that a student may only receive financial aid for courses that count toward that enrolled, eligible program. CT State tracks the courses that a student is registered for that count toward their degree/certificate program. Courses identified as not meeting program requirements will not be included in the calculation of financial aid eligibility. Prerequisites will be covered.

Additionally, timely degree completion is critical as time limits and aggregate lifetime limits exist for all aid programs.

Term Eligibility - Full-Time and Part-Time Status

Students enrolled in 12 credits or more in one semester, are considered to be a full-time students. Aid eligibility is affected by enrollment levels as follows:

  • 12 credits and above: full-time - receive 100% of financial aid award
  • 9-11 credits: 3/4-time - receive 75% of financial aid award
  • 6-8 credits: 1/2-time - receive 50% of financial aid award (Note: This is the minimum level needed to maximize your financial aid.)
  • 1-5 credits: less than half time - may not be eligible for financial aid (contact the Financial Aid Office to confirm)

Applying

Applying for federal, state, and institutional financial aid for any campus location at CT State is done by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). All students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA, even if those who may believe that they or their families make too much money to qualify.

You must use Connecticut State Community College’s federal school code 007635 on your FAFSA.

All critical information regarding Financial Aid at CT State and the benefits and obligations for recipients is maintained in detail on the Financial Aid Website.