Glossary of Financial Aid Terms

Common Terms used with Financial Aid

---

---

A

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Academic Probation	A status imposed on a student because of poor grades (less than 2.0 GPA) or improper conduct. Usually the cause for probation must be corrected in a specified period of time.
Academic Year	The school year typically beginning with Summer semester and ending with the Spring semester.
Admission	The process a student takes to apply to college. Students interested in applying for MCC may contact the Admissions Office to complete the admissions process at (810) 762-0315.
Award Letter	An official document from the Student Financial Services that indicates the type and amount of financial aid awarded to a student per semester in an academic year.

B

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Bankruptcy	A person is declared bankrupt, when found to be legally insolvent and the person's property is distributed among creditors or otherwise administered to satisfy the interests of creditors. Generally, federal student loans cannot be discharged through bankruptcy.
Borrower	The person who applies for a loan and receives the proceeds (or money) of the loan.

C

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Capitalization	Addition of unpaid interest to the principal balance of a loan which increases the total outstanding balance due. See also Interest Capitalization
Claim	An application made to a guarantor for payment of an insured student loan for loss of payment due to borrower death, total and permanent disability, bankruptcy, default, or school closure.
Collections	The activities and or actions associated with getting payment for unpaid balances to the college.
Combined Billing	Lenders (or servicers) generally offer a combined bill for all of a borrower's loans serviced by that lender/servicer so that the borrower only needs to make one payment per month for all of the loans.
Consolidation	Combining several federal (and possibly private) loans from multiple lenders into a single loan to reduce the monthly payment amount and/or increase the repayment period.
Contact Hour	The amount of course class time used to calculate tuition charges. Financial Aid does not use contact hours when determining and calculating financial aid eligibility.
Cosigner	A person who signs the promissory note in addition to the borrower and is responsible for the obligation if the borrower does not pay. A cosigner must be able to pass a credit review and must live in the United States.
Cost of Attendance	The total amount it costs a student to go to school. This amount is used by financial aid when determining eligibility for need-based aid. The cost of attendance or budget includes tuition & fees, books, transportation, room & board and miscellaneous expenses.
Course Fee	Fee associated with a specific class for additional costs that are incurred using specialized equipment or laboratory supplies.
Credit Balance	The amount remaining in the student's account after all on-campus charges have been paid. A credit balance is processed as a refund to the student.
Credit Hour	Credit given for a course completion toward graduation. Financial Aid eligibility is determined and calculated based on credit hours of enrollment.

D

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Date of Record	Specific date during a semester when credit hours enrolled are reported to the State of Michigan. Credit hours enrolled as of the date of record will be reflected on the academic transcript. See specific semester schedules to determine the Date of Record for that semester. Classes added to a student's schedule on or after the Date of Record will not be reflected. Some types of financial aid, including Pell Grants and TIP will not pay for any classes registered on or after the date of record.
Default	The failure to repay a loan according to the terms of the promissory note. Default occurs at 180 days when the delinquency date is prior to 10/7/98, and 270 days when the delinquency date is on or after 10/7/98. Defaulting on a student loan makes you ineligible to receive financial aid in the future until the default has been cleared.
Deferment	An approved, temporary suspension or reduction of loan payments. Student must meet certain criteria set by the federal government. For some loans the federal government pays the interest during a deferment. On others, the interest accrues and is capitalized, and the borrower is responsible for paying it.
Delinquency	Failure to make monthly loan payments when due. Delinquency begins with the first missed payment.
Dependent Student	A college student who does not meet the criteria, as defined by federal law, to be considered an independent student for the purpose of receiving financial aid. A dependent student must report parental income and asset information on their FAFSA.
Dependency Override	A request for a change in dependency status of a financial aid student, based on special circumstances. The federal government does not consider a parent's refusal to provide financial assistance or the required FAFSA information a valid reason for a student being deemed as independent. Requesting a dependency override does not guarantee approval. Students should be aware that the school is not required to perform dependency overrides, and if the financial aid administrator determines that an override is not appropriate, the decision cannot be appealed to the U.S. Department of Education.
Direct Lending (DL)	The Direct Loan lender is the federal government, through the U. S. Department of Education, rather than through banks and credit unions as with the Federal Family Educational Loan Program (FFELP).
Disbursement	Release of financial aid to the student’s school account.
Discharge	The release of a borrower from a loan obligation.
Disclosure Statement	A statement sent from the lender explaining actual costs and terms of the student loan, including interest rate and additional finance charges, and anticipated disbursement dates.
Documentation	Any requested information that verifies or supports the data provided by the student on their FAFSA.
Drop	When the student withdraws from one or more courses during the semester. Students can do this by either logging into WebAdvisor or filling out a registration worksheet and turning it into Registration. A drop is during the college's refund period, and is for either a 100% refund or 50% refund. Refund periods are designated in the class schedule booklets. If the student drops classes which changes enrollment status after financial aid has been paid to his/her account or paid to the student in a refund, the student will be billed for the amount received and for which the student was not eligible.

E

Word/Term	Description/Definition
EFC (Expected Family Contribution)	The dollar amount that a family is expected to pay toward a student's educational costs as determined by the US. Dept. of Education. The federal formula is based on family earnings, assets, number of students in college and size of the family.
Enrollment Fee	A non-refundable fee charged to students for enrollment each semester.
Enrollment Status	Determined by actual credit hours of enrollment per semester. The enrollment status determines the amount of the student's financial award, based on the following categories Full-time = 12 credit hours or more Three-quarter time = 9-11 credit hours Half-time = 6-8 credit hours Less than half-time = 1-5 credit hours
Entrance Counseling	Required counseling to inform students of their rights, responsibilities, and borrower options under the Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program. At Mott these sessions are conducted online.
Exit Counseling	Required counseling to inform students of their rights, responsibilities, and borrower options under the Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program. At Mott these sessions are conducted online.

F

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)	An online application that the student (and parents of dependent students) must complete every year to apply for federal financial assistance including Direct loans.
Financial Aid Hold	Students classes will be held for a specific semester based on the financial aid eligibility.
Financial Aid Package	The total amount of financial aid a student is offered by the school. This information which includes grants, scholarships, work-study and loans is listed in the college's financial aid "Award Notification" section on WebAdvisor.
Financial Aid Suspension	Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) status indicating your financial aid is suspended. This is due to your failure to meet SAP standards for two semesters in a row. You can appeal your suspension by completing the SAP Appeal Form and submitting all required documents to the Financial Aid Office.
Financial Aid Warning	Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) status giving you one semester of financial aid eligibility after you fail to meet SAP. This warning semester allows you to either bring your GPA to a 2.0 or higher, increase your Pace (completion rate) to at least 67%, or if you are close to 150% of the required credits of your program, complete your program.
First Half Classes	First Half classes meet for approximately 7 1/2 weeks. Fall and Winter First Half classes begin on the same start date as a 15 week class. First Half classes end on the 37th day.
Fixed Interest	On a fixed interest loan, the interest rate remains the same for the life of the loan.
Forbearance	Temporary cessation of regularly scheduled payments or temporarily permitting smaller payments than were originally scheduled.
Fresh Start	An official procedure for waiving course grades for MCC courses that are more than 5 years old. Fresh Start is not used for Financial Aid.

G

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Garnish Wages	If you default on your student loan, money may be withheld from your paycheck and paid to your lender on your behalf.
Grace Period	A time period during which the borrower is not required to begin repaying their student loans. This period will begin if the borrower graduates or drops below half-time enrollment. The grace period is six months long for Direct loan borrowers. PLUS loan borrowers do not have a grace period.
Grade Point Average (GPA)	Calculated by using the final grade point value received in each course and the number of attempted credits.
Graduated Repayment	A repayment schedule where the monthly payments are smaller at the start of the repayment period and become larger later on.
Grant	Grants are forms of financial aid that the student does not have to pay back unless the student receives grant money and does not attend classes or withdraws from all classes during a portion of the semester.
Guest Student	A student attending one semester with permission from their home school. These students are required to complete a special application process. Final grades are forwarded directly to the home school. Guest students are not eligible for financial aid.

H

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Hold (NOST)	Prevents registration due to an unpaid bill or unresolved student disciplinary issue.
Hold	A hold can be placed on your account by a specific department, so that your registered classes do not drop for a specified time period to allow the student to resolve any issues

I

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Independent Student	A student who meets one or more of the following criteria and therefore is not required to include parental information on their FAFSA: Age 24 by December 31 of the academic year for which aid is requested Orphan or ward of the court Veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces Graduate or professional student Married prior to signing and filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Have legal dependents other than a spouse Deemed to be independent by the school's financial aid administrator because of special circumstances.
Information Desk	Areas designated throughout campus to provide general information to students. In addition they may also provide tickets in order to be seen by certain departments. Also referred to as an Information Kiosk.
Interest	An amount, calculated as a percent of the principal loan amount that is charged for borrowed money. See Fixed Interest and Variable Interest.
Interest Capitalization	Addition of unpaid interest to the principal balance of a loan which increases the total outstanding balance due. See also Capitalization.
Interest-Only Payment	A payment that covers only accrued interest owed on a loan and none of the principal balance. Interest-only payments do not prohibit borrowers from making additional or larger payments at any time if the borrower desires.

L

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Lender	The financial institution that provides loan funds to be borrowed.
Loan	A sum of money borrowed from a lender that requires repayment. The borrower promises to repay a specified amount under prescribed conditions. The lender usually charges interest for use of the money, and the amount borrowed typically is repaid with interest over a period of time.
Loan Proceeds	The money the borrower receives from a loan (or the amount borrowed minus fees).
Loan Term	A length of time in which to repay a loan. The term is usually agreed to by lender and borrower within the borrower's contract of promissory note. Also refers to language used in legal documents, such as the promissory note, that defines how a loan will be borrowed and repaid. Also refers to some postsecondary educational institutions' academic period.

M

Word/Term

Description/Definition

Master Promissory Note (MPN)

The promissory note the student signs when borrowing a loan from the Federal Direct Loan program. When the student signs a Federal Direct Loan promissory note, a binding legal document, they promise to repay the student loan(s). The note also includes important language about rights and responsibilities as a borrower. The Master Promissory Note covers both the Subsidized and Unsubsidized Direct Loans.

O

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Occupational	An educational course or program designed to prepare the student for employment.
Office Hours	The hours scheduled by instructors indicating when they will be in their offices to meet with and assist students.
Orientation	A time scheduled for groups of new students to meet with a counselor, tour facilities, and become acquainted with college policies, procedures, programs, and services.
Origination Fee	An amount, payable by the borrower and deducted from the principal of a loan prior to disbursement to the borrower. For federally backed loans, the origination fee is paid to the federal government to offset the cost of the interest subsidy to borrowers. For private loan programs, the origination fee is generally paid to the originator to cover the cost of administering and insuring the program.

P

Word/Term	Description/Definition
PLUS Loan	Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students. A student loan taken out by the dependent student's parent to cover the student's educational costs. The parents' credit history is considered with this loan.
Principal	Amount borrowed, which may increase as a result of interest capitalization, and the amount on which interest is calculated. Also known as principal balance.
Private Loans	Private loans, also known as alternative loans, can provide supplemental funding when other financial aid does not cover costs. These loans are offered by banks, other financial institutions, and schools to parents and students. Student's credit history is considered with these loans.
Program of Study	Declared major or program that a student is pursuing. This can be an associate degree, certificate program or transfer program. Students must have an approved Program of Study in order to receive Title IV funding.

R

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Reduction of Family Income	A form the student may complete (at their option) if their financial situation changes significantly from the previous year, based on special circumstances (i.e., death in the family, divorce, separation, loss of employment). This form can only be received between June 1st and January 31st. Requesting a Reduction in Family Income does not guarantee approval.
Repayment	The time during which a borrower actively pays back an education loan.
Return of Funds	Money returned to the U.S. Department of Education for a student who dropped classes prior to the 60% completion date for a semester.

S

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP )	A policy the student must meet in order to be eligible to receive financial aid. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is calculated on all attempted courses. You are making Satisfactory Academic Progress if your GPA is a 2.0 or higher, you successfully complete at least 67% of your attempted credit hours, and your attempted credit hours are less than 150% of the required credits of your Program of Study.
Scholarship	A form of financial aid that doesn't have to be repaid. These awards come from many different sources and are based on a wide variety of criteria.
School Code	A federal code assigned to each college or university that participates in financial aid programs. The code number for Mott Community College is 002261. By listing this code on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Mott Community College will receive the results of your application.
Second Half Classes	Second Half classes meet for approximately 7 1/2 weeks. Fall and Winter Second Half Classes begin one day after First Half classes end. Second Half classes have the same end date as a 15 week class.
Servicer	A third party organization that maintains a lender's student loan portfolio and is paid a fee to do so.
Standard Repayment	A repayment schedule reflecting equal monthly payments over a 10 to 15 year period.
Student Aid Report (SAR)	A report sent by email or mail to the student by the US Dept. of Education showing the results of the student's processed FAFSA application.
Student Loan Collections	The activities and/or actions associated with getting payment for unpaid loan principal and interest from a borrower after that borrower defaults on the loan. The players in the loan process that could be taking these actions include lenders, guarantors, servicers, and collection agencies.

U

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Unmet Need	The difference between the student's educational costs (also known as Cost of Attendance or budget) and their EFC. This is used to determine grant, work-study, loan and scholarship eligibility. Students can not receive more financial aid than there is need.

V

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Variable Interest	With a variable interest loan, the interest rate changes periodically. For example, the interest rate might be affected by the cost of the U.S. Treasury Bills (e.g., T-Bill rate plus 1.7%) and be updated monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually.
Verification	Process whereby a student must document information reported on their FAFSA and submit it to Student Financial Services.
Verification Form	MCC internal form used to collect information needed to complete the Financial Aid verification process.

W

Word/Term	Description/Definition
Withdraw	When a student drops a class or all classes after the Date of Record.
Work Study	A financial aid program providing students, who demonstrate a financial need, part-time employment on campus during the school year. Funds offered under this program must be earned through on campus employment.

---

---