What is financial aid?

Financial Aid is assistance from the federal or state governments, as well as from the college. It is a collection of various federal, state & private programs designed to help make your education affordable. Some financial aid is free, while others (like student loans) have to be paid back. GPC's office of Financial Aid has a comprehensive webpage (with video) that explains all the options at www.gpc.edu/finaid/ .

How much financial aid can I get?

The types and amounts of financial aid for which you may be eligible depends upon a number of factors, including whether or not you are a US citizen or Permanent Resident, how much money you (or your parents, spouse or guardians) earn, how many credits you've earned in college, your academic record, where you went to high school, and a number of other things. All of these things are taken into account when determining your eligibility. A detailed list of eligibility requirements is available at www.gpc.edu/finaid/Eligibility.htm .

How do I get started with financial aid?

The first step is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as the FAFSA. This is a US Government form available on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov . The FAFSA has to be completed entirely, and has to be submitted before the deadline for the semester desired. Applications submitted after the published deadlines will not be considered.

You should complete the FAFSA even if you or your parents think you will not qualify for federal aid. You may be eligible for other sources of aid -- but you have to have completed the FAFSA first.

There is a helpful instruction page for completing the FAFSA at www.gpc.edu/finaid/applying.htm .

I've done the FAFSA, how can I check my financial aid status?

Please know that it is YOUR responsibility to monitor and check the status of your financial aid status. You can check the status of your FAFSA at the FAFSA site.

Once your FAFSA has been processed by the government, you can monitor your award, progress, & eligibility through GPC's Student Information System (SIS) by following the instructions at www.gpc.edu/finaid/checkstatus.htm .

My FAFSA is done, what happens now?

Once you've been admitted to the college, the office of Financial Aid will look at the report we get from the government, and "package" together the financial aid for which you are eligible. These funds will be deposited into your student account after you have registered for classes. You can check on the status of your funds by following the instructions at www.gpc.edu/finaid/disbursement.htm .

I'm a veteran, what kinds of assistance are available to me?

There are a number of programs available for veterans of the US armed forces in addition to other financial aid programs. GPC's office of Veterans Educational Services is available to assist you. Information on these programs (and a video) is available at www.gpc.edu/finaid/veterans.html .

How do I contact a financial aid counselor?

The Financial Aid offices can be contacted at the following locations:

.