Financial Aid Policies

Eligibility for most financial aid programs is based on demonstrated financial need of the student and/or the student's family and on registered credit hours. In addition to the general requirements listed below, each financial aid program may also have eligibility requirements that are specific to that program.

To be eligible for federal financial aid programs (Federal Pell Grant, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Work-Study, Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, and Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan), you must also:

• Demonstrate financial need for need-based federal student aid programs.
• Be a citizen, national, or permanent resident of the United States. Certain persons in the process of becoming citizens or permanent residents may also be eligible. Refer to Eligibility for Non-U.S. Citizens on studentaid.gov for more information.
• Have a valid Social Security number (except for students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau);
• Be accepted by the College for admission as a regular student and demonstrate the ability to benefit from the selected program of study. Students enrolled in high school, certificate of completion programs, and non-degree-seeking students are not eligible for aid.
• Show you’re qualified to obtain a college or career school education.
  • To receive federal financial aid, you must meet one of the following academic requirements:
    • Having a high school diploma or a state-recognized equivalent such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate;
    • Completing a high school education in a homeschool setting approved under state law (or—if state law does not require a homeschooled student to obtain a completion credential—completing a high school education in a homeschool setting that qualifies as an exemption from compulsory attendance requirements under state law); or
    • Enrolling in an eligible career pathway program and meeting one of the “ability-to-benefit” alternatives described below.
      • Passing an approved ability-to-benefit test* (if you don’t have a diploma or state-recognized equivalent, a college can administer a test to determine whether you can benefit from the education offered at that school) OR
      • Completing six credit hours, 225 clock hours, or equivalent course work toward a degree or certificate (you may not receive aid while earning the six credit hours or 225 clock hours).
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress outlined in the Manhattan Tech Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
• Provide consent and approval to transfer your federal tax information directly into your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) form.
• Sign the certification statement on the FAFSA form stating that you’re not in default on a federal student loan, you do not owe money on a federal student grant, and you’ll only use federal student aid for educational purposes
• Be enrolled in a financial aid-eligible program.
• Be enrolled in courses that provide credit toward your declared financial aid-eligible program. Course(s) taken as an audit are not aid-eligible.
• Financial aid can only be used for one repetition of a previously passed course.
• If selected for verification, submit all required documents as indicated in the Verification Policy.
• Your eligibility for federal student aid can be affected by incarceration. Refer to Eligibility for Students With Criminal Convictions on studentaid.gov for more information.

Federal, state, or institutional aid awarded or adjusted is indicated on the award letter and is noted on the award summary on the financial aid portal. Students agree to the terms and conditions set out below by accepting the award funds.

I am waiting for Laura to Update

Waiting on Laura

Once a student has fulfilled all the requirements needed to receive financial aid and the funds have been received from the federal Department of Education, the funds are disbursed to the student’s account.

Manhattan Tech disburses funds approximately 30 days after the start of class of the semester in which the student is enrolled after the student’s eligibility is determined, and based on when the course(s) starts for a student.

Federal Work Study funds are not applied to the Manhattan Tech Student Account. Hours of work are logged, are approved by the FWS supervisor and submitted to payroll, and are paid directly to the student via direct deposit only. Students are to use the funds earned to pay for educational costs such as off-campus room and board, educational supplies, educational transportation costs, and personal/miscellaneous expenses, etc.

If the student files are complete and the student is eligible, book vouchers are available to students before disbursement. A book voucher allows students to use their financial aid funds to obtain necessary books and supplies through the eCampus bookstore.

Retroactive payments

Retroactive payments are reviewed at the time when the student meets all the eligibility requirements.

Pell is reviewed for when the student has a valid ISIR on file and for the successful completion of courses.

Direct loans are reviewed using a similar process. Reviewing a valid ISIR, completing a minimum of six credit hours successfully, and the student is concurrently enrolled in a minimum of six (6) credit hours. If a student does not enroll concurrently in six or more credits that are successfully completed, direct loans cannot be disbursed for the previous completed payment period.

Post-withdrawal payments

If a student withdraws from Manhattan Tech before completing a full term, financial aid will run a Return of Title IV calculation to determine if the student is eligible for a post-withdrawal payment. Post-withdrawal payments are made if the student is eligible for a portion of Title IV aid but withdrew or dropped before the TIV disbursements were made for the payment period.

Pell post-withdrawal payments are applied to the Manhattan Tech student account.

A Direct Loan Post Withdrawal Payment is offered, and the student has 14 days to accept. The offer is removed after 14 days if a student does not accept. If the student accepts, the loan is originated and then disbursed to the Manhattan Tech student account during the next scheduled transmittal process.

Credit Balance

Once all of the institutional charges are satisfied for the term (tuition, fees, institutionally provided room and board, and books/supplies), any remaining funds are sent to the student or parent (in the case of a parent PLUS loan).

Credit balance refunds are sent to the student or parent within 14 days of the date the credit balance happens on the student account. Students who have signed up for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) will receive a direct deposit for their refund. Students not signed up for EFT will be issued a paper check.

Federal Pell Recalculation Policy

Manhattan Tech awards Pell grants based on a projected full-time enrollment status. The Pell grant amounts are then prorated based on the enrollment level of the student during each term. The College utilizes the student’s latest census date for all classes as the enrollment lock date for the semester and Pell awards will be issued based on the enrollment level calculated at that time.

Mandatory Federal Pell Recalculations

Federal Pell recalculations will be made when the following occurs at any time during the term:

• If the student’s EFC changes due to corrections, updating, or an adjustment and the EFC change will change the amount of the Federal Pell award, the award must be recalculated for the entire award year.
• The student does not begin attendance in all classes within a term. The regulations do not require recalculation for changes to enrollment after the student has begun attendance in all of their classes.
• A change in enrollment status between terms.

The Office of Financial Aid is required by federal regulation to monitor student progress toward completion of a degree. Being eligible to enroll in classes does not mean the student has an eligible Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) status for financial aid. Academic records are reviewed for all students, whether the student is currently receiving financial aid or not. SAP eligibility standards apply to the following financial aid programs:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Work-Study Program
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
• Federal Direct Loan Program (Subsidized and Unsubsidized)
• Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
• Other programs, as determined by the Office of Financial Aid

A student’s SAP status is reviewed based on the academic record. This includes incomplete courses, withdrawals, and repetitions. The GPA does not calculate the remedial, transfer, GED, ESL, and Pass/Fail courses.

After each term ends, a student’s SAP is calculated. Students are notified via their Manhattan Tech email account to view their self-service account for their most recent SAP status. Financial Aid will use the program with the greatest number of credits to determine the student’s SAP status if a student is enrolled in multiple programs.

Students will be considered to have an eligible SAP status if they have:

• Students must maintain a cumulative GPA that is greater than or equal to 2.0.
• A cumulative completion rate (pace) of at least 75% or more of all attempted credit hours (see chart A), and
• have not exceeded 150% of attempted credits required for program completion (see chart B).

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Statuses

Reinstatement of Financial Aid/Right to Appeal

A student who is ineligible for financial aid can become eligible for financial aid again by fulfilling one of the following conditions:

• Achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher and/or obtain a cumulative completion rate of at least 75% of total credit hours attempted.
• Successfully appeal the ineligible status by demonstrating unforeseen, documentable extenuating circumstances and detailing why they failed to maintain SAP and what has changed in their situation, allowing them to achieve SAP at the next evaluation.

If a student has extenuating circumstances that prevent them from making academic progress toward a degree, an appeal may be submitted to the Financial Aid Office (FAO) by the deadline listed on the appeal form. The appeals committee will review and consider appeals for extenuating circumstances such as a death in the family, a serious medical illness (personal or immediate family), an accident, a house fire, or other special circumstances. 

A complete appeal will include the following:

1. Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form
2. Personal statement explaining the circumstances that prevented academic progress toward a degree/certificate and a plan to ensure future academic success.
3. Corrective Action Statement detailing what action you will take to overcome your obstacles and enhance your academic performance moving forward.
4. Supporting documentation. (Examples: letters from professors, medical documentation, etc.)

To expedite your appeal, be as detailed as possible in your personal statement and submit all documents together. Once a student submits a request to the SAP appeals committee and a decision has been reached, the student is ineligible to resubmit an appeal for the same semester.

Manhattan Tech has a responsibility to provide a safe and nondiscriminatory environment. Please be aware that if the appeal references sexual misconduct or protected class discrimination or harassment, the Office of Financial Aid is obligated to report allegations of this nature and consider the appeal on these grounds.

We recommend submitting your SAP appeal as soon as possible, preferably well before the term begins, to give us time to review, process, and notify you of the decision. We cannot retroactively review a SAP appeal once a term is complete. It is a student's responsibility to monitor their own progress each semester. Academic standing may be different than Satisfactory Academic Progress status. The Appeals Committee's decision is final and cannot be overturned. The student is responsible for any charges incurred during the term if the appeal is denied. 

When an appeal is necessary, you’ll still have the option of attending or enrolling in classes. However, financial aid eligibility won’t be calculated and released unless the appeal is approved. If the appeal is denied, you’re responsible for any balance owed to the college.

Federal law requires schools to calculate how much federal financial aid a student has earned if that student:

• completely withdraws, or
• stops attending before completing the enrollment period, or
• does not complete all modules (courses that are not scheduled for the entire enrollment period) for which they are registered.

Based on this calculation, Manhattan Tech students who receive federal financial aid and do not complete classes during an enrollment period could be responsible for repaying a portion of the aid they received.

Federal financial aid covered under this regulation includes:

• Federal Pell Grant,
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant,
• Federal Direct loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized), and
• Federal Direct Parent PLUS loans.

State grant and scholarship programs are not subject to this regulation, but follow the College's institutional refund policy.

How is the financial aid that is earned by the student calculated?
Students who receive federal financial aid must "earn" the aid they receive by staying enrolled in and attending their classes. The amount of federal financial aid assistance the student earns is determined on a pro-rated basis. Students who withdraw or do not complete all registered classes during the enrollment period may be required to return some of the financial aid they were awarded.

For example, if the student completes 30 percent of the payment period, the student earns 30 percent of the aid they originally were scheduled to receive. This means that 70 percent of the student's scheduled awards remain unearned and must be returned to the federal government.

Once the student has completed more than 60 percent of the payment period, the student has earned all their federal financial aid.

The following formula is used to determine the percentage of unearned aid that must be returned to the federal government:

• The percent earned is equal to the number of calendar days completed up to the withdrawal date, divided by the total calendar days in the payment period (less any scheduled breaks that are at least 5 days long).
• The payment period for most students is the entire enrollment period. However, for students enrolled in modules (courses which are not scheduled for the entire enrollment period), the payment period only includes those days for the module(s) in which the student is registered.
• The percent unearned is equal to 100 percent minus the percent earned.

What is the withdrawal date?
The withdrawal date used in the return calculation of a student's federal financial aid is the actual date the official drop form submitted to the Registrar's Office. If a student stops attending classes without notifying the college, the withdrawal date will be the last recorded class attendance date.

Who returns the unearned federal funds?
The college and the student are both responsible for returning unearned federal financial aid to the federal government. Amounts that must be returned will be applied in the following order:

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan,
• Federal Direct Subsidized Loan,
• Federal Direct Parent PLUS loan,
• Federal Pell Grant, and
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.

The college must return the lesser of

• the total amount of unearned aid or
• institutional charges multiplied by the unearned percentage.

The student must return any remaining unearned aid not sent back by the College.

The student will be billed for any amount due to the college resulting from the return of federal aid funds used to cover tuition and fees. For example, if the college is required to pay back federal funds used to pay a portion of a student's tuition for the enrollment period, the student then must pay the college for the unpaid portion of their tuition.

How do students repay the unearned funds?
The Office of Financial Aid will notify students via their Manhattan Tech email account if they owe federal funds back to the government. The amount the school returns to the federal government becomes a school debt for the student. The student must repay to Manhattan Tech the amount returned.

What happens if students do not repay?
If a student does not pay funds owed to the college, the student's records will be placed on hold. The student cannot register for classes and is subject to the College's Student Account past-due balance policies.

What if the student is eligible for additional funds?
The Financial Aid office will notify students if additional federal funds can be disbursed. This is called a "post-withdrawal disbursement." Federal grants will automatically be applied toward the student's account within 45 days of determining the student withdrew. Federal Direct Loans must be accepted by the student (or parent, in the case of a PLUS loan), within 14 days of the notice. If the loan funds are not accepted, the loan funds will be canceled. If the Federal Direct Loan post-withdrawal disbursement offer is accepted by the deadline, Manhattan Tech will make the disbursement within 180 days of determining whether the student withdrew.

Official and Unofficial Withdrawals

Official Withdrawals

If a student officially withdraws from all classes, the Office of Financial Aid will use the withdrawal date in the federal refund calculation. If the student withdraws from classes at different times, the Office of Financial Aid will use the withdrawal date of the last class from which the student withdrew. The federal refund calculation will determine how much financial aid must be returned to the Department of Education.

Unofficial Withdrawals

If the student receives all “F” grades, or a combination of all “F,” “W,” or “AW” grades, the College must assume the student has unofficially withdrawn from the College. The most recent last date of attendance for the “F”, “W”, and/or “NP” grades will be used in the federal refund calculation.

Once it is determined how much federal aid must be returned, the funds will be returned in the following order, as required:

• Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loan
• Federal Subsidized Direct Loan
• Federal Direct PLUS Loan
• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant

If you have questions about withdrawing from the College and the impact on your financial aid, you are encouraged to contact the Office of Financial Aid.

Federal regulations prohibit Manhattan Tech from awarding financial aid to you for classes that do not count toward your degree. Most of our programs require elective credits, and those courses are used to determine your financial aid eligibility. You can take classes outside your academic requirements, but understand that your financial aid eligibility will not include these classes. This may result in your financial aid offer being reduced.

Every student’s situation is different, and we are here to help you make the best decision. Monitor your Manhattan Tech student email account for important information from our office. If you are registered for a class that doesn’t apply to your degree or diploma, please follow these steps:

1. First, speak with your academic advisor. Your advisor will ensure that your academic program plan (the degree or certificate you’re pursuing) is entered into our system correctly and that it matches your goals. Your advisor will identify the classes that are required for your Manhattan Tech degree or certificate and can help you decide which classes are best to meet both Manhattan Tech requirements and the transfer requirements you may be considering.
2. Visit our Office of Financial Aid to see how taking classes outside your program requirements may affect your financial aid offer package.

What if I want to take classes to prepare to transfer or because they sound interesting?

You can register for any class you want. The best way to maximize your financial aid eligibility is by taking classes that are required for your academic program at Manhattan Tech. Be aware that taking classes outside your academic requirements may take longer for you to graduate and additional out-of-pocket expenses. You will want to speak with an academic advisor to see if there’s a similar course you can take that will apply to your academic requirements. Speak with the Office of Financial Aid to determine if your financial aid offer package will be adjusted based on your registration. Any student looking to take a course(s) outside their area of study must complete an Agreement for Enrollment in Non-Required Course form to verify understanding of this requirement.

Federal financial aid regulations limit the number of times a student may repeat a course and receive federal financial aid for that course.

If a student receives a “W” or an “F” in a course:

• A student can repeat the same course and receive federal financial aid (in addition to assuming the office’s Satisfactory Academic Progress is met) until a “D“ grade or better is earned for the class.

Once the student has achieved a “D“ grade or better:

• Once the student has achieved a “D“ grade or better, a student can repeat the same course a second time and still receive federal financial aid.
• If a student receives an “F” grade or withdraws on the second attempt (after receiving a “D“ or better on the first attempt), the class cannot be factored into federal financial aid enrollment eligibility on a third attempt.
• If a student receives a “D“ or any other passing grade on the second attempt and elects to repeat a class for a third time, the class cannot be factored into federal financial aid enrollment eligibility.
• These rules apply whether or not a student received federal financial aid in earlier course enrollments.

Once a repeated class can no longer be counted within a student’s enrollment for federal financial aid purposes:

• It is irrelevant for financial aid purposes if a student is required to retake a class to meet major/program GPA requirements.
• It is irrelevant if a student has a personal desire to receive an improved grade.
• This is a federal regulation. No appeal process exists, and Manhattan Tech cannot override the rule.

Taking A Repeat Class Could Reduce Your Financial Aid Enrollment for Federal Financial Aid Eligibility.

Examples:

The U.S. Department of Education has established regulations to prevent fraud and abuse cases in the Federal Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program by identifying students with unusual enrollment histories.

Upon reviewing completed FAFSA applications, the U.S. Department of Education will select students with unusual enrollment history over the past four academic/award years. If selected, before a student can receive financial aid, the Financial Aid office must review the student’s file to determine financial aid eligibility.

What does Unusual Enrollment History mean?

Unusual Enrollment History (UEH) is defined as the specific pattern the U.S. Department of Education uses to select students who have received a Federal Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Stafford Subsidized/Unsubsidized loans at multiple institutions over the past four academic/award years.

Per the Department of Education, the UEH Flag is intended to address possible abuse in the Title IV student aid programs, specifically, when a student attends an institution long enough to receive a Title IV credit balance, leaves without completing the enrollment period, and then enrolls at another institution, repeating the pattern of remaining just long enough to collect a Title IV credit balance without earning any academic credit.

Students must be aware of federal limitations for receiving both Federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Stafford Subsidized/Unsubsidized loan funding. Students who are receiving these funds but are not successfully moving toward degree completion are in jeopardy of losing eligibility to receive these funds.

What happens next?

When selected for Unusual Enrollment, the Financial Aid office will place an action-needed item on the student’s financial aid portal. During this time, the office will review the student’s academic records that are already on file with the institution. In addition, the office will review the student’s Federal Pell Grant or Federal Direct Stafford loan disbursement history over the past four award years. For example, For the 2021-2022 aid year, the office will review the student’s enrollment history during the 2020-2021, 2019-2020, 2018-2019, and 2017-2018 aid years. By reviewing the student’s academic records, the office will determine if academic credit was earned during the award year in which the student received Pell Grant or Stafford loan funds for each of the previously attended institutions. Academic credit is considered to have been earned if the academic records show that the student completed any credit hours or clock hours successfully.

During the initial review period, a selected student must not submit any documents to the office. If, however, the Financial Aid office cannot accurately determine a student’s enrollment history with the information on file, the office will notify the student of any additional documentation needed.

What will the office need?

If requested, students must submit either an official or unofficial transcript or grade report to the Financial Aid office. Once all transcripts have been received, our office will verify whether or not academic credit was received at each institution during the relevant years.

If, after reviewing transcripts, it is seen that the student did not earn credit at an institution he/she received Federal Pell Grant or Federal Direct Stafford loan disbursement, the student will need then be required to provide a written statement explaining personal/academic reasons why he/she failed to earn academic credit and present documentation to support this explanation.

Eligibility Approved

If the UEH review and/or documentation supports that the student did not enroll in multiple schools solely to obtain Federal Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Stafford loan disbursements, the UEH flag will then be approved. If the student does not meet the SAP standards, the student can submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal to the Financial Aid office.

Eligibility Denied

If, after reviewing a student’s records and any supporting documentation, the student is denied eligibility for financial aid due to unusual enrollment history, that student can submit an Unusual Enrollment History Appeal Form. Once the office receives the appeal form, the Financial Aid office will review the appeal along with any additional supporting documentation. If, after review, the office determines that the student is eligible for reinstatement, the student will be notified accordingly.

If a student chooses not to appeal, that student has the option to regain financial aid eligibility after he/she has completed the reinstatement process. The reinstatement process includes paying for one term out of pocket. Term requirements include only enrolling in required program courses, 100% completion of enrolled program required credits (minimum of 6), and a term GPA of 2.0. Once the term has been completed, the student can submit a request to have their financial aid reinstated.