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All Midland College policies may be found here. Please note the Midland College Policy Manual is hosted on an external server.
The primary purpose of the campus Financial Aid Office is to provide financial assistance in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, and employment opportunities to qualified students who, without such assistance, would be unable to attend college.
In coordination with the business office and Midland College Foundation office, the Financial Aid Office administers and/or processes various types of financial aid programs, including grants, loans, exemptions, outside billing, veteran benefits, and scholarships to assist students with the costs associated with obtaining a degree or certificate.
The U.S. Department of Education frequently changes regulations pertaining to financial aid and disbursement. Due to these changes, updates are made during and between award years. Please check My MC Portal and the Midland College Financial Aid and Scholarship pages often for updates and changes.
Midland College prohibits discrimination, including harassment, against any student on the basis of sex, gender, race, color, national origin, religion, or disability.
Midland College offers a variety of aid to assist students and their families in paying for the costs associated with obtaining a college education. To learn more about these programs, requirements, steps to apply and accept, and important dates, visit the following pages for additional information.
All Midland College students are eligible to apply for scholarships and aid.
High School Graduates
The financial aid office is required by federal law to review high school or high school equivalency completion status in determining eligibility for federal financial aid. Midland College will only accept final, official high school transcripts from accredited institutions, Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency or official certificate from another state (GED) and home-schooled transcripts accompanied by a verification of home school completion form, as proof of high school completion.
Colleges are required to evaluate the validity of a high school diploma whenever they have “reason to believe that the high school diploma is not valid or was not obtained from an entity that provides secondary school education.” 34 C.F.R. § 668.16(p).
High school transcripts received without a CEEB code are directed to the High School Credential Evaluation Committee for review and determination if it is accredited by a nationally recognized accreditation agency. The High School Credential Evaluation Committee may review transcripts to ensure alignment with C.F.R. code. The Committee may consider any of the following in their review:
- General considerations: transcript abnormalities or inconsistencies, insufficient evidence of parent-directed home education, student’s age at graduation is older than the typical high school student
- Academic/program content: length of time to achieve the diploma, independent study requirements, number of assignments/exams to complete the diploma
- Business operations: fee structure (flat or per course/semester), no physical address or phone number, school website provides legal assurances, school uses a CEEB code belonging to another school or not valid.
- Information from Governmental Authorities or Other Institutions: determination from a court/government agency indicating invalidity of diplomas
- Accreditation: school claims accreditation by an organization that is affiliated with the owners or operators of the school or the accreditation is from a fictitious/unrecognized accreditor
A student may, within ten Midland College business days of receiving the decision of the review committee, appeal the decision by following the College’s grievance policy.
Students who are unable to obtain transcript(s) from a prior institution due to closure, non-attendance, or withdrawal before the census date may provide one of the following for verification:
- enrollment verification letter from prior institution Registrar’s showing no enrollment,
- letter from Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board stating no enrollment records due to closure,
- letter from another state’s Department of Education stating no enrollment records due to closure.
Transfer Student
All final, official college transcripts must be on file with the Midland College Admissions/Records Office and a transcript evaluation must be completed by Midland College before students can receive a disbursement of federal and state aid. Failure to turn in all final, official transcripts will delay the disbursement of federal and state funds, including the Pell Grant. If the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) shows that a student is still enrolled at another institution, the Financial Aid Office may require a letter from that college verifying that the student has withdrawn. Students should cancel any pending aid disbursements at their previous schools to ensure an accurate award at Midland College.
High school transcripts are required of all transfer students that did not attend a Title IV eligible institution prior to July 1, 2012.
Transient Student
Transient students are enrolled in another college or university while attending Midland College. Transient students are not eligible for grants, loans, or work-study.
Veteran Student
Midland College participates in Federal Veterans Education Benefits, Texas Hazlewood, and State VA benefits. Additional information can be found here.
Census Date
Census Dates are the days that MC takes a snapshot of your enrollment for the term. Enrollment on the Census Dates can affect your financial aid (see the Return to Title IV information below). For more information, visit the financial aid website.
Midland College observes the academic year beginning in the fall and ending the following summer.
Financial aid disbursement is when your financial aid funds are applied to any outstanding balance on your account.
Title IV aid, State aid, loans, and some scholarships are refunded according to the guidelines of the Department of Education. Students indicate in their portal the preferred method to receive their refund. Additional information can be found here.
Cost of Attendance (COA)
The cost of attendance for a student is an estimate of educational expenses for the enrollment period. Students are awarded based on the COA, which is comprised of allowable costs assessed for all students carrying the same academic workload. Midland College’s cost of attendance budgets are based on 15 hours per term for a traditional nine-month academic year. COA budgets for each individual student will be prorated based on enrollment hours. Additional information on COA can be found here.
In order to maintain eligibility for federal, state, and some forms of institutional financial aid, students must meet certain minimum standards. The student’s academic record from all periods of enrollment at MC and previously attended colleges is used in measuring the various components of satisfactory progress, including any semesters in which the student did not receive financial aid. There are three standards for satisfactory academic progress: successful completion of courses (quantitative), cumulative Grade Point Average (qualitative), and time frame.
For more information on how to keep your aid, visit the financial aid website and select Satisfactory Academic Progress or (SAP).
For a copy of the written SAP regulations, contact the Financial Aid Office.
Return to Title IV (R2T4)
Title IV funds are awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period of enrollment for which the assistance is awarded. When a student drops or withdraws, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of Title IV funds that the student was originally scheduled to receive. If a recipient of Title IV grant or loan funds drops/withdraws from Midland College after beginning attendance, the Financial Aid Office is required to perform an R2T4 calculation to determine the amount of Title IV assistance earned by the student. If the amount disbursed to the student is greater than the amount the student earned, MC is required to return the unearned funds to the DOE, which can result in a balance due by the student to MC.
The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds you may receive over your lifetime is limited by federal law. For more information, visit the financial aid website or the Financial Aid Office.
Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions or select any of the topics below for more information:
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