Financial Aid

 

Financial Aid and Scholarships         

Various types of financial aid programs are available to students of Nevada State College.  Students applying for federal student aid should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1 each year in order to receive priority consideration.  To apply for federal student aid at NSC, students will need to indicate the federal school code for the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) - 002568.  At this time, UNR processes the applications for all federal aid programs for NSC.   The application is available on the internet at www.fafsa.ed.gov.  Contact NSC Student Financial Services and Scholarships at 992-2150, if you have questions.

 

Note: Students who are not officially admitted to NSC are not eligible to receive federal aid.

 

Federal and State Programs

The following types of financial assistance are awarded to students based on their financial need and ability to pay for college.  Some types of assistance are grants that do not require repayment and other types of assistance, such as loans, require students to repay the aid once they graduate, withdraw from courses, or drop below half-time (6 credits).

 

FEDERAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

 

Federal Pell Grant

Generally, Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's degree.  You must demonstrate high financial need to be eligible for this aid program.

 

Federal Stafford Loans

The Federal Stafford Loan is an affordable, low interest loan designed for undergraduate students as means to supplement their educational expenses.  To be eligible for Stafford Loans you must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits) and complete the FAFSA. 

 

The two types of Stafford Loans are:

1. Subsidized Stafford:  This loan is interest free while you are attending school in at least 6 credits or more.  You begin to repay this loan 6 months after you graduate, withdraw from school, or drop below 6 credits.  Once you begin repayment the interest on your loan will begin to accrue.  The interest rate for this loan will never exceed 8.25%.
2. Unsubsidized Stafford: This loan accrues interest throughout the lifetime of the loan, even while you are in school.  You begin to repay this loan 6 months after you graduate, withdraw from school, or drop below 6 credits.  You do have the option of making 'interest only? payments while you are in school to provide additional savings.  The interest rate for this loan will never exceed 8.25%.

NOTE: The amounts you can borrow depend on your grade level in school and on the type of student you are: dependent undergraduate, independent undergraduate (or a dependent undergraduate whose parents are unable to get a PLUS and Parent Loan).

 

Federal Plus Loans and Loans to Parents

These are loans your parents can get to assist you with paying for educational expenses if you are a dependent undergraduate student enrolled at least half-time (6 credits).  This loan accrues interest throughout the lifetime of the loan, even while you are in school and your parents begin repaying the loan 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed.  The interest rate on this loan will never exceed 9.00%.

 

To learn more about these three Federal Programs offered at NSC, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website to view The Student Guide - 2006-2007 at http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/index.html.

 

STATE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

 

Nevada State Access Grant

This grant is awarded to Nevada Residents who need assistance in paying for their education and demonstrate financial need.  This is a grant and does not require repayment.  Early applicants receive priority consideration.

 

Nevada Grant-In-Aid (NGIA)

This grant is awarded to Nevada Residents who need assistance in paying for their education and demonstrate financial need.  This is a grant and does not require repayment.  Early applicants receive priority consideration.

 

Out-of-State Grant-In-Aid (OGIA)

This grant is awarded to Out-of-State Residents who need assistance in paying for their education and demonstrate financial need.  This is a grant and does not require repayment.  Early applicants receive priority consideration.

 

NOTE:  Please complete the NSC Scholarship and Grant-In-Aid Application to be considered for GIA awards.

 

Nevada State Millennium Scholarship Program

This scholarship opportunity is awarded to Nevada High School students who graduated in 2000 or later and meet the program requirements.  At NSC the award to eligible students is $60 per credit and requires enrollment in 12 credits if enrolled in the fall or spring semester.

 

Millennium Scholarship Guidelines for Summer Classes:

Millennium scholars must pay for all summer classes in accordance with NSC deadlines for payment. In late September, Millennium Scholars will be reimbursed for classes successfully completed during the summer. NSC Millennium scholars who take summer courses at other eligible institutions (NSHE) must complete the Summer Reimbursement Request Form and return it to NSC Student Financial Services and Scholarships by the designated September deadline.

 

NSC Millennium Scholars taking NSC summer courses do not need to complete the above form.  Reimbursement for summer courses taken at NSC will occur automatically in late September of each year.

 

For more information you can visit the Nevada State Treasurer website at: http://nevadatreasurer.gov/millennium/Documents.asp. 

 

NOTE:  To view the list of changes made to the Millennium Scholarship Program during the 2005 Legislative Session, please visit:

http://nevadatreasurer.gov/millennium/Legislature2005.asp.

 

Regent's Award Program

This program offers the opportunity for community service jobs to be awarded to students who meet one of the following criteria:

• Head of Household
• Single parent
• Age 22 or over and have never attended college or a break in enrollment of two or more years
• No support from parents or family
• Unusual family or financial circumstances
• First generation college-bound

Programs offering this opportunity will be advertised periodically throughout the year by NSC Student Financial Services and Scholarships and/or the academic departments participating in this program.

 

Nevada Pre-paid Tuition

The State of Nevada offers families with the opportunity to purchase the Nevada Pre-paid Tuition plan for students who are enrolled in K-12.  For more information please visit the Nevada State Treasurer website at

http://nevadatreasurer.gov/College/prepaid.asp

 

Scholarships

Nevada State College scholarship funds are awarded to students based on merit and/or need depending on the source of the funds. The student is required to have a specific GPA to receive and keep scholarship awards.  In order for you to be considered for NSC scholarships you must complete the NSC Scholarship and Grant-In-Aid Application by March 1st of each year.  You are also advised to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as some scholarships require students to have some level of financial need.

 

Satisfactory Academic Progress For Financial Aid

For federal, state, and institutional aid, the College is required by the U.S. Department of Education to define for all aid applicants, qualitative and quantitative standards for "satisfactory academic progress" toward the completion of their degree objective. Students are required to complete the number of credits in which they were awarded and received awards and must maintain a minimum overall NSC cumulative grade point average of 2.0. 

 

MINIMUM GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA)

The NSC GPA is based on grades for credits earned at this College and does not include grades transferred from another institution. An undergraduate student must maintain a 2.0 cumulative NSC GPA.

 

MINIMUM CREDITS TO BE EARNED

A student receiving aid must earn a minimum number of credits each semester, applicable to his/her degree, consistent with his/her enrollment/funding status. You are encouraged to register for more than the minimum number of credits so as not to jeopardize your progress.   The chart below outlines the levels of enrollment used for financial aid classification and can be used to monitor your academic progress for financial aid purposes.

 

 

Courses that are assigned a grade of 'A' through 'D' and 'S' are included as credits earned.  'S' is not calculated into the GPA.  Courses assigned grades of 'I', 'W', 'F', 'AD', 'NR', 'R', and 'U' do not earn credit.

 

MAXIMUM CREDIT REQUIREMENTS

Students must complete their degree within a reasonable number of attempted and earned credits.  At this time students are required to complete their degree within 192 credits, which includes all transfer credits from other institutions, regardless of whether or not aid was received. You may continue to receive aid until the maximum credit limit is reached or the requirements for the current degree are completed, whichever occurs first.   Any student that will go over the allotted maximum credits, who have an extenuating circumstance,  may be able to submit an appeal with NSC Student Financial Services and Scholarships (SFSS) for an extension.  Students who have received a degree and are pursuing a subsequent degree must also submit an appeal before receiving financial aid.  Please visit NSC SFSS if you have any questions and to obtain the proper paperwork.