Financial Aid Eligibility

Awards for the 2009-2010 Financial Aid Year

GNTC offers a comprehensive financial aid program that includes grants and scholarships that are non-repayable (determined eligible to receive them, meet all requirements and you do not have to pay them back). All financial aid is to assist students with their educational costs. Financial Aid Awards are determined based on federal and state regulations and institutional polices.

Financial Aid is an annual process. The financial aid year begins with the Summer Quarter and includes the Fall and Winter Quarters and then ending with the Spring Quarter. Students planning to attend for an upcoming year must complete the Financial Aid Application Process for that particular year.

Financial Aid Eligibility

Basic Eligibility Requirements for All Types of Aid

Enroll in a Associate Degree, diploma or certificate program of study at Georgia Northwestern Technical College.
Maintain satisfactory academic progress with the College. (Refer to GNTC Catalog.)
Maintain good standing with the College.
Must be an U.S. Citizen, or an eligible non-citizen.
Not in default of a guaranteed Student Loan, Federal Direct Student Loan or owe a refund on a PELL, FSEOG, or HOPE Grant/Scholarship received at any postsecondary institution.
Registered, as required, with Selective Service & Social Security Administration, INS (Immigration & Naturalization Service). The DOE performs matches with various federal agencies while processing each FAFSA.
Must provide all required documents and have a complete financial aid file before being awarded the aid.
For each type of aid, there are additional requirements for determining eligibility and the award amount. The information listed below should give some indication of additional requirements. More specific information regarding your individual case can be obtained from the Financial Aid Office.

Award Amounts

Being awarded a type of aid and how much will depend not only on the student's financial aid status with regards to his/her EFC, but also on the student's enrollment status. The enrollment status includes: chosen program of study and full-time or part-time enrollment.

What happens if I drop or withdraw from a class?

You should check with the Financial Aid Office before you drop or withdraw from a class to find out how your financial aid may be affected. Your HOPE award is based on your enrollment after the 3rd day of the quarter. Your Federal award is based on your enrollment after the 7th day of the quarter. Your financial aid award may be adjusted based on the date that you withdrew from a course or the date that your instructor reported you last attended the course.

Basic Information & Requirements for Specific Types of Aid

Review the Top 5 Student Actions that Delay Financial Aid

Federal PELL Grant (PELL):

Federally funded to students based on determined financial need.
Awarded to students that are not currently in high school and have not earned a Bachelor's Degree. High School Diploma or GED must be documented.
Eligible Programs of Study: Associate Degree, Diploma and Pell-eligible Certificate.
A student can only receive Pell at one school during a given time period. If you are planning to attend more than one school, you need to decide which school you want to receive your Pell award at and communicate that with that school. Failure to do so may result in your having to pay that money back.
GNTC students taking transient course(s) at another institution will be eligible to receive Pell for the transient course(s) only after the Home College has received the Enrollment Verification from the Host College.
Awards range from $617-$5,350 per academic year.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG):

Federally funded to students with exceptional financial need.
Awarded to students that are not currently in high school and have not earned a Bachelor's Degree. High School Diploma or GED must be documented.
Meet academic standing requirement.
Eligible Programs of Study: Associate Degree, Diploma and Pell-eligible Certificate.
Awards range from $100-$400 per academic year and funds are limited and awarded until exhausted.

Federal Work Study (FWS):

Federally funded to students based on determined financial need.
Work in pre-approved departments on campus or in community service positions.
Must meet specific position requirements. High School Diploma or GED must be documented.
Annual award based on need.
Paid monthly for actual hours worked - 15 hours maximum per week.
Eligible Programs of Study: Associate Degree, Diploma and Pell-eligible Certificate.

Stop by the FA Office on any campus to pick up an application.

Office Locations

Floyd Campus
Administrative Building Financial Office

Gordon County Campus
Student Affairs Office

Polk County Campus
Student Affairs Office

Walker County Campus
Building 100, Room 100

Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)

Be a U.S. citizen
Be Pell Grant recipient;
Enrolled at least half time in a degree, diploma, or Pell-eligible certificate program
Enrolled in the first or second academic year of his or her program of study at a two year degree-granting institution
Have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study (after January 1, 2006, if a first-year student, and after January 1, 2005, if a second-year student)
If a first-year student, not have been previously enrolled in an undergraduate program;
If a second-year student, have a at least a cumulative 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale
Awards up to $750 for the first academic year and up to $1300 for the second academic year

Basic Requirements for State Aid Programs:

Must be a resident of the State of Georgia. (Have lived in Georgia at least 12 months prior to enrollment.)
Registered, as required, with Selective Service.
Cannot have an outstanding balance on previous Financial Aid awards, cannot be in a Satisfactory Repayment Plan for a defaulted student loan.

Georgia's HOPE Grant:

Eligible Programs of Study: Diploma and Certificate.
Awards are made in 3 parts: tuition, student fee, and book. Tuition Award range: cost of tuition per credit hour. Fee Award range: the cost of registration & student activity fees(HOPE will not cover $35 Technology fee). Book Award range: $50 if enroll in less than 6 credit hours and $100 if enroll in 6 or more credit hours.

Georgia's HOPE Scholarship

Eligible Programs of Study: Associate Degree.
Cannot have earned a prior bachelor's degree.
Graduated high school in 1993 or later as a HOPE Scholar (met required GPA) and if attended college previously must have maintained the cumulative 3.0 or better GPA requirement—see the Financial Aid Office for eligibility.
If not a HOPE Scholar from High School, must have completed 45 quarter hours towards any degree and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. (Can also enter at the 90th or 135th quarter hour.)
Maintain 3.0 GPA according to Institutional & GSFC Policy.
All attempted courses taken towards any degree are counted in the cumulative number of quarter hours and GPA. Cumulative GPA must be 3.0 or higher.
If attended any other college, academic transcript(s) must be provided to the Registrar's Office for cumulative GPA evaluation.
If you have attended any other college, the cumulative number of credit hours towards a degree and G.P.A. are considered when determining eligibility.
Maximum number of attempted quarter hours is 190.

Georgia Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Grant (LEAP):

Funded through the State.
Awarded to students with exceptional financial need (be Pell eligible).
Awarded to students that are not currently in high school and have not earned a Bachelor's Degree.
Meet academic standing requirement.
Eligible Programs of Study: Because of limitation of funds, awarded to Associate Degree students.
Awards range from $100-$700 for Fall Quarter.

Veteran's Benefits

Associate degree, diploma, and technical certificate programs at GNTC are approved for Veteran's Educational Benefits. A staff member is available to provide needed services to students who qualify for these benefits. Veterans can receive other financial aid in addition to VA benefits; therefore, it is recommended that all Veterans apply for financial at: fafsa.ed.gov. For additional information, contact the Veteran's Office (Financial Aid) at (706) 764-3523 Walker County Campus or 706-802-5382 Floyd County Campus. You can also visit the VA website at: gibill.va.gov.

Workforce Investment Act

The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) at GNTC provides financial assistance to economically disadvantaged, special needs populations, and dislocated workers who have lost employment due to technological changes, plant closures, or foreign competition.

WIA provides assistance with tuition, textbooks, and required supplies. A daily stipend for the use of child care, travel expenses, and other expenses is provided to eligible students.

Eligibility is determined by economical and employment status, as well as choice of program. Job placement assistance is offered to all WIA participants upon completion of occupational training. For additional information and applications, call the WIA Office at (706) 764-3562 on the Walker County Campus or (706-295-6840) on the Floyd County Campus.

Other Financial Aid

Qualifying students attending Georgia Northwestern Technical College may also be eligible to participate in non-campus based programs: unemployment compensation, TANF, Social Security benefits, Vocational Rehabilitation, Medicaid benefits, and Welfare Reform Act. For additional information on these and other programs, contact your state and local agencies.

If you have questions or need more information, email finaid@gntc.edu. The locations and contact information of our campuses are listed below.

Floyd County Campus
One Maurice Culberson Drive
Rome, GA 30161
Phone: 706-295-6963

Polk County Campus
466 Brock Road
Rockmart, GA 30153
Phone: 770-684-7349

Gordon County Campus
1151 Hwy. 53 Spur SW
Calhoun, GA 30701
Phone: 706-629-1114
Fax: 706-624-1120

Walker County Campus
265 Bicentennial Trail
Rock Spring, GA 39739
Phone: 706-764-3560
Fax: 706-764-3527

Remember you must reapply for financial aid every year!