Financial Aid Information

Financial assistance at Sandhills Community College is available for degree-seeking students in qualified programs through grants, scholarships, alternative (not federal) loans, and work-study employment.

• Grants & Scholarships are monies that do NOT have to be paid back.
• Work-study programs require employment in order to be paid.
• Loans are monies that will have to be repaid; repayment begins 6 months after graduation from a program or if a student drops below 6 credit hours.

• Award amounts are determined by the information provided on your FAFSA. Students are awarded in the order their FAFSA is received. You will receive an email to your student email with your award information if you are eligible.
• Beginning in the 2024-25 academic year, the Annual Pell Award is the Scheduled Pell Award adjusted for enrollment intensity. Enrollment intensity is the percentage of full-time enrollment at which a student is enrolled, rounded to the nearest whole percent. For example, if full-time enrollment is 12 credit hours and the student is enrolled in 7 hours, the enrollment intensity would be 7 ÷ 12 × 100% = 58% and the student would get 58% of their scheduled award for the term.
• Your financial aid awards are based on the assumption that you will be attending full-time. A minimum of 12 credit hours is considered full-time for financial aid purposes for the Fall, Spring, and Summer terms for all programs. Your grant awards will be adjusted based on actual enrollment as of the financial aid freeze date.

Your account will be reviewed and processed for remaining funds after confirmation of class attendance. Please note, if you enroll in late-start classes, confirmation of class attendance is performed after the 10% point of the late-start course. If you are eligible to receive any remaining funds after all charges for tuition/fees and books/supplies are deducted, you will be mailed a refund check or have your funds direct deposited based the refund schedule listed on our website. 

Your financial aid Cost of Attendance (COA) is based on an allowance for direct costs (tuition and fees) and indirect costs (housing, meals, etc.) for full-time enrollment. Your financial aid awards may not exceed your COA.

I understand the rights and responsibilities with respect to enrollment at the institution and receipt of financial aid, including the institution's refund policy, Return of Title IV Funds requirements, satisfactory academic progress, and other conditions that may alter the student's aid package.

You can use The Net Price Calculator to receive an estimate based on price of attendance and financial aid provided to students in the previous academic year.

• If you withdraw from all classes prior to the 60% point of the term, you may be required to repay a percentage of your federal financial aid.
• The North Carolina State Grant programs require a repayment of funds if you withdraw prior to the 35% point of the semester.

You are expected to be familiar with the course requirements for your program of study. Courses not required for completion of your degree, with the exception of foundation courses, cannot be considered when determining your eligibility for financial aid. Upon review of your schedule prior to disbursement of financial aid, if you are registered for courses not required for your program of study, your financial aid will be adjusted. If you have questions about your program requirements, please contact your advisor.

You are not required to purchase books and supplies in the SCC Bookstore. The SCC online bookstore makes course books and supplies conveniently available for purchase. Financial aid recipients can either use aid in excess of tuition/fees to make course book/supply purchases from the SCC online bookstore, or they can submit a Textbook Allowance Request for a possible funding allowance toward a course book/supply purchase from a non-SCC vendor. Awarded aid recipients who will have aid in excess of tuition/fees, who have decided to make course book/supply purchases from a non-SCC vendor, may complete this form and submit it to the Financial Aid Office by 5pm on the Tuesday prior to the term. SCC will process up to one request per term and notify you if your request is denied. If approved, the lesser of your requested amount or your budgetary book/supply allowance (up to $500 for Full-Time, $375 for ¾-Time, $250 for Half-Time and $125 for Less-Than-Half-Time) will be refunded to you by check. Requests will be processed by the Friday prior to the term.

Here are the deadlines to submit the Textbook/Supplies Advance Request:

Summer 2025

• A & B Sessions: May 13
• C Session: June 17

Fall 2025

• 16-week & 1st 8-week Sessions: August 1
• 2nd 8-week Session: TBD