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What types of financial aid are offered at IVC?

IVC participates in most of the Federal and state financial aid programs such as the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study, Federal SEOG, State Cal Grants B and C, California Chafee Grant, the Student Success Completion Grant and the California College Promise Grant (CCPG). IVC does not participate in the Federal Direct Student Loan program.

How do I apply for financial aid? 

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.You can do this from home or at the IVC Financial Aid Lab in building 1700.
2. Check your WebSTAR account for any other Outstanding Requirements 

Should I pay for financial aid advice?

No, financial aid information is free. Be aware of scholarship scams that ask you to pay for financial aid and scholarship information.  Financial aid information and application are free.  Before you pay for financial aid related services, contact the Financial Aid Office. For more information visit: How do I identify student aid scams?

What information do I need to complete the FAFSA?

1. A valid social security number.
2. Yours and/or your parent's income information.
3. Make sure you list Imperial Valley College; our school code is 001214.
4. Complete the student and/or parent FSA Student ID applications online.
5. Provide the appropriate e-signatures (student and/or parent) or mail the appropriate signature page (student and/or parent) to the address indicated on the form.
6. Make sure your application is complete including signatures so your application is not rejected.

What if I do not have a social security number? 

If you meet AB 540 criteria as determined by Admissions and Records, you may complete the California Dream Act Application at

https://dream.csac.ca.gov/

Am I required to use my parent's information on the FAFSA?

If you are under 24 years of age you are considered dependent on your parents by federal law, no matter who you live with or whether your parents claim you as an exemption on Federal Tax Returns. There are a few exceptions including students who are married, have dependents of their own, or are veterans. Please follow the instructions on the FAFSA; it will inform you if you are required to provide parental information. If you have special circumstances which make it impossible for your parents to complete the application, contact the financial aid office to discuss your situation with one of our staff members.

What is verification?

The Department of Education selects a certain percentage of applications for a process called verification. If your application is selected, you must complete the Verification processing our online verification system, the link will be available to you in WebSTAR.

What if my financial situation has changed since I filed my FAFSA?

You may request a review for Income Adjustment which will allow the financial aid office to reevaluate your financial aid eligibility due to unemployment, loss of benefits, divorce, or other special circumstances. You must complete the Income Adjustment form and documentation will be required prior to making any adjustments.

Is there a deadline to apply for financial aid?

Yes. For Federal aid, your 2020-21 FAFSA must be filed by June 30, 2021. However, your file must be complete and correct before the last day of enrollment which may be earlier. For instance, the last date of enrollment for the Spring semester is June 11, 2021. Keep in mind that we have very limited Campus-Based funds which include FSEOG and Work-Study so apply early. State aid such as the Cal Grant Entitlement program has a March 2nd deadline. 

Do I need to apply for financial aid every year?

Yes, you must reapply for financial aid every year by completing the FAFSA and submitting the required documents. The FAFSA becomes available every October for the following Fall term. 

How do I apply for a Fee Waiver?

Your eligibility for Fee Waiver will be determined when you complete your FAFSA or Dream Act Application (for AB 540 students). If you are not filing a FASFA you may complete the Fee Waiver application available online: California College Promise Grant (CCPG) Application

How do I apply for Cal Grants?

You must complete the FASFA and submit a GPA Verification Form to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC). If you have less than 16-degree applicable college credits, then your high school must complete the GPA Verification Form. If you have 16 or more degree-applicable college credits, then IVC will send your GPA electronically provided that you have attended at least one term in the last academic year.

What is the Student Success Completion Grant?

If you have been determined eligible for Cal Grant, you may be eligible for this additional award. You must be enrolled in 12 to 14.5 units to receive up to $649 per semester and in 15 or more units to receive up to $2000 per semester. You must meet all the requirements for Cal Grant and have enough remaining unmet need.

How do I apply for Federal Work-Study?

If you have been awarded financial aid, checked that you are interested in Work-Study on question 31 of the FAFSA, and have remaining unmet need, you may be eligible for Work-Study.  Due to limited funding, Work-Study funds are awarded on a first completed – first awarded basis with priority given to students in good academic standing.  Check your WebSTAR messages to see if you may be eligible and follow the directions if you are interested in a Work-Study job.

How do I apply for Scholarships?

IVC offers a variety of scholarships administered by the IVC Foundation. The list is available on the IVC Foundation website or you can access it through the IVC website. Just click on Financial Aid and choose Scholarships. The scholarship page also provides links to help you search the internet for scholarships.

Do I need to be enrolled full time to qualify?

No. Most students are eligible for aid at less than full time; however, some programs such as Work-Study and Cal Grants require a minimum of 6 units.

What if I have attended other colleges?

If you would like to have units taken at another institution counted toward your current educational goal, you must request that an official academic transcript from the college(s) you attended be sent to IVC for evaluation. Units accepted for transfer will be used to determine your eligibility for financial aid.

How many semesters can I receive financial aid? 

Pell Grant is subject to a limit of 12 full-time semesters from all colleges cumulatively. In addition, you are no longer eligible for Pell Grant after obtaining a Bachelor's degree.

How can I check the status of my financial aid application?

Logon to WebSTAR, IVC's online system that provides access to your registration and financial aid information.  If you need assistance, please contact the Financial Aid Office. You can also visit our Check Your Financial Aid Status page

How long does it take to process my financial aid application?

Depending on the time of year and whether the application was selected for verification, the process may take up to 10 weeks once you have submitted all required documentation. Peak processing for IVC is between June and September of the award year. Complete your FAFSA and submit all required documentation early in the year for faster processing.

How do I return completed forms and documents to the Financial Aid Office?

Electronic upload: This option is available for students using the verification system.

Mail:  Imperial Valley College
          Attn: Financial Aid Office
          380 East Aten Rd.
          Imperial, CA. 92251

Fax:  760-355-6119

We DO NOT accept forms or documents through email.

Please make sure forms are completed and that your name and student ID are on each page submitted. Keep a copy of all forms and documents for your records.

How will I be contacted regarding my financial aid application and award?

Application status, award information, and notices are posted on your WebSTAR account. Communication is also sent to your IVC email account. Make sure to check your IVC email and WebSTAR regularly.

What if I am currently enrolled at IVC and another college or university?

You can receive federal financial aid from only one school for each term of enrollment. If you will be enrolled in two schools at the same time, you will need to decide which is the one from which you want to receive aid and advise our office. You may still be eligible for the California College Promise Grant (CCPG) at IVC even if you receive federal financial aid at another institution.

When will my financial aid funds be paid?

Check the Award Payment Schedule on WebSTAR to determine when your funds are scheduled for payment. You can also visit our Financial Aid Payment page 

Why is my payment different than the amount on my award letter?

The award amount on your award letter is based on full-time enrollment (12 units or more). This amount is prorated based on your actual enrollment status as of the semester freeze date. If you are enrolled half time you can expect half of the funds. Remember that fees owed to IVC will be deducted before a payment is made to you.

Why didn't I get paid on the "Authorization Date" date listed on WebSTAR?

The "Authorization Date" listed on WebSTAR is the date that aid will be authorized for payment. The funds will be made available to you the following week, please see the payment schedule for payment dates.

If I drop a class, will my financial aid award change?

Your financial aid payment is based on your enrollment status as of the semester freeze date, if you drop the class after this date your payment should not be affected. If you are paid for a class that you drop before the census, your award will be recalculated and you may owe a refund.  In addition, if you drop all courses before completing 60% of the semester, you may be liable to return a portion of financial aid funds received.

Will I continue to receive financial aid if I fail or withdraw from classes?

In addition to possibly affecting the amount of your financial aid payment, failing or withdrawing from classes will negatively affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) status. SAP must be maintained in order to be eligible for financial aid.  Please refer to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

Is financial aid available for summer term?

The California College Promise Grant (CCPG) is available. Federal Pell Grant is available as well, however, students who have earned 100% of their fulltime award for Fall and Spring, are only eligible in the Summer if they are enrolled at least half-time (6 or more units). In addition, we must evaluate academic progress prior to payment of summer aid, so please make arrangements to get your books and take this into consideration when enrolling in classes for the summer term.

Is financial aid available for the winter term?

Units taken in the winter term will be counted toward your enrollment status for the spring semester and only the first 25% payment will be made during the winter session.  The remainder of the Pell Grant award will be paid according to the spring semester payment schedule.

How do I maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)?

1. Maintain a cumulative 2.0 or higher Grade Point Average.
2. Complete at least 67% of all the units you have attempted with an acceptable grade. Acceptable grades are A, B, C, D, CR, and P.
3. Complete your program of study within federal maximum timeframe standards (MTF) which is 150% of your program length. This is 90 attempted semester units for most programs at IVC.  Certificate majors will have a lower MTF limit and some high unit majors and transfer majors will be allowed a higher MTF limit by petition only. For more information visit the Satisfactory Academic Progress page.

What is Financial Aid Disqualification? 

If you do not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards at the annual evaluation done at the end of the Spring semester, you will be disqualified (DQ). In addition, if you have exceeded the maximum timeframe standard (see below), you will no longer be eligible for financial aid.

How is the Maximum Timeframe assessed?

The number of units you attempt may not exceed 150% of the units required to complete your current educational goal. Once you have reached this limit, you will no longer be eligible.  This standard is monitored throughout the academic year.

How can I regain financial aid eligibility? 

If you have been disqualified, you must raise your cumulative GPA to a 2.0 and/or your completion rate to 67% or higher at the next annual evaluation.  If you have exceeded maximum timeframe standards, you may be eligible for an extension if you have changed majors or are pursuing a high unit or transfer major.  The extension is allowed by petition only, we recommend that you see a counselor for academic guidance.

Can I appeal to the Financial Aid Disqualification Status? 

If you have special circumstances that prevented you from meeting satisfactory academic progress standards, you may appeal by filing a Financial Aid Petition and meeting with an academic counselor to develop an Academic Plan. You must explain and document the special circumstances and what has changed that will allow you to make satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation period. If the petition with documentation is approved by your counselor and your financial aid file is complete, it will be submitted to the Appeals Committee for consideration. If approved by the Appeal Committee, you will be placed on probation status and awarded aid according to the conditions of the petition approval.