Financial Aid Award Information

Please take a few moments to thoroughly review this information regarding your Financial Aid at BCTC. If you have decided not to attend BCTC, please send us a letter that includes your name, student ID#, date and signature stating that decision.

• If you drop a class before that session begins, your financial aid will be adjusted accordingly. Dropping below half-time may result in cancellation of some aid awards. It is strongly recommended that if you drop classes with the intention to add others, that you drop and add classes on the same day. If you have been awarded the Pell Grant, it cannot be increased if you add a class after the Financial Aid census date. You will be responsible for repaying any funds you are not eligible to receive as a result of a change with enrolled hours or in your financial aid data.
• Our office will be using your campus email address to communicate with you. Please frequently check your KCTCS email account for important notices. Please be advised that any paper mail communication will be sent to your address on file in our PeopleSoft processing system. Review your address information to make sure it is accurate.

Rights and responsibilities: The following is information that you, as an applicant for Federal Title IV Financial Aid, should read and understand.

• The Financial Aid Office reserves the right on behalf of BCTC and the criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education to review, change and cancel an award at any time because of changes in financial and/or academic status.
• Commitment of financial aid is tentative and contingent upon receipt of funds from the loan, grant, and/or scholarship program from which aid is awarded.
• You must report to the BCTC Financial Aid Office any additional financial aid resources you receive. This includes but is not limited to: non-institutional scholarships, third party payments, veteran benefits, tuition waivers, etc.  This information can be reported on the Additional Resource Form.
• If you are enrolled for Fall II and/or Spring II only your awards maybe adjusted to reflect your reduced enrollment period.
• You must reapply each year for financial aid to determine your eligibility for financial assistance.
• All required documents must be received before the last day of the term for which you are enrolled before you can receive any federal funds.
• If you receive more funds than you are eligible, you may have to repay or cancel certain funds.
• You should come to school prepared to pay initial expenses such as housing, books, food, parking, etc.

Viewing / Accepting / Declining your aid: 

Please visit the KCTCS PeopleSoft Self-Service online system to view and accept or decline your awards. You may access PeopleSoft Self-Service at https://students.kctcs.edu/. This is a secure process (the “s” after “http” indicates this). Once completed, your financial aid award will be automatically updated.

How to Access Student-Self Service

• Go to https://students.kctcs.edu
• Select “LOGIN HERE” under the KCTCS logo in the upper left corner
• Enter your User ID and Password
  Your User ID is the same as your KCTCS e-mail username (example: jsmith0004) and your KCTCS e-mail password
• Select “Self Service”, “Student Center”, “Finances”, then “Accept/Decline Financial Aid”
• Read the Aid Year Description and then select an Aid Year. (2010 for Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Summer 2010)

To accept an offered award such as a Loan, you must check ‘Accept’ and then click ‘Submit’. If you want to accept less than what you are offered, you can adjust the amount after you have checked ‘Accept’. Once you are finished making adjustments, you can click ‘Submit’ to finalize these changes.

By accepting disbursement of this aid you are agreeing that you have read and understand the information provided including your rights and responsibilities as a financial aid recipient.

Consumer Information:

As calculated by the BCTC Financial Aid Office your financial aid package may consist of Federal/State Grants, Federal Student Loans, awarded Scholarships and/or Federal Work Study. All aid was determined by the information you provided on your FAFSA. Consumer Information can be viewed online.

Loan Processing:

If you have never borrowed a student loan at BCTC and accept a Federal Student Loan, you will also need to complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling. Both processes may be completed online at http://studentloans.gov. BCTC will receive notification once successfully completed. Loan funds cannot be disbursed until both have been completed.

Book Charges:

Please be prepared to pay for books and supplies using resources other than financial aid. However, because aid disbursement cannot occur until approximately 3 - 4 weeks into the semester, the BCTC Bookstore will allow students to purchase books and supplies on credit, if you have enough “anticipated” aid for the semester. This is for a limited time.

• You must have more anticipated aid than the cost of tuition and fees for the term.
• You must sign a Financial Aid Release authorizing BCTC to release the amount of anticipated aid to the BCTC Bookstore. [One time only- can be rescinded] If you already have a release on file, you do not have to complete another one. By charging books you agree to the following: I hereby authorize Bluegrass Community and Technical College to deduct any and all indebtedness that I may have at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore from any type of financial assistance I might receive. In order to process the deductions, I consent to the release to the Bookstore of necessary information from my student financial assistance records.
• The amount you charge at the bookstore is placed on your student account as a bookstore charge.

When charging books from the BCTC Bookstore, the following is a general agreement between student and KCTCS:

I (the student) understand that I am personally responsible for payment of all my bookstore charges in the event that my grant/scholarship/loan is revoked or does not cover the entire balance of my charges. I accept full responsibility for the repayment of my charges. I acknowledge that KCTCS will pursue collection of all outstanding accounts pursuant to its Business Procedures. Further, I acknowledge if my account becomes delinquent KCTCS may refer it to outside agencies for collection with the referral being subject to additional fees and costs.

I also understand that my purchases are subject to the established refund policies and guidelines of the bookstore. Further, I acknowledge and hereby grant the college the right to apply any financial aid I may receive toward the payment of this note, including but not limited to PELL, SEOG, external or institutional scholarships, and/or student loans.

Aid Disbursement:

The Financial Aid Office disburses aid generally once a week usually over the weekend to your student account. This process will begin after the Financial Aid Census date for each semester. For Fall semesters this typically begins in September and for Spring semester in February.

• Please check your student account in PeopleSoft to see if your financial aid has posted.
• Disbursed financial aid that is more than your tuition/fee charges and any allowable bookstore charges is considered excess funds. Refunds are coordinated through Student Billing and are generally sent weekly.

SAP:

In order to continue eligibility for Federal and State aid, you are expected to make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward graduation. Federal and State Financial Aid funds will not be disbursed until you have successfully been evaluated for SAP. Failure to meet SAP will result in your aid being canceled for the current academic year. Additional information regarding SAP is available at the Financial Aid Office or can be found online at the KCTCS website.

R2T4:

A student who totally withdraws, ceases to attend classes or receives all failing grades (E, F, W, or Z) will be subject to the Return to Title IV policy. Federal Aid will be returned based on last date of attendance. A student whose attendance is documented by the instructor past the 60% mark of the semester will not be subject to the Return to Title IV Policy. Additional information regarding R2T4 is available at the Financial Aid Office or can be found online at the KCTCS website.

Please contact the BCTC Financial Aid Office at (855) 246-2477 if you have any questions about your awards or the aid process.

Have a great semester/year,
BCTC Financial Aid Office BCTC is an equal opportunity institution