Federal Aid

Federal Aid is money from the U.S. Department of Education to assist you in paying for college tuition and expenses.

Don't miss important dates & deadlines

Students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for each school year to qualify for federal financial aid.

The FAFSA code for MTECH is 034133.

FEDERAL AWARD YEAR

2021-22

FAFSA Open Date
Oct 1, 2020

Federal FAFSA Deadline
June 30, 2022

MTECH priority deadline
April 1, 2022

FEDERAL AWARD YEAR

2022-23

FAFSA Open Date
Oct 1, 2021

Federal FAFSA Deadline
June 30, 2023

MTECH priority deadline
April 1, 2023

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Get started with Federal Aid

Here are the most basic requirements you must meet to be considered for Federal Aid:

  • Be a US citizen or an eligible noncitizen
  • Have a valid Social Security number
  • Be registered for selective service, if you are a male (you must register between the ages of 18 to 25)
  • Have a high school diploma or a recognized equivalent such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate
  • Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress in school
  • Not be in default on a federal student loan and not owe a federal grant overpayment

How to apply for Federal Aid

Complete and submit the FAFSA form

All students seeking federal financial aid need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online as soon as possible.

The FAFSA code for MTECH is 034133.

Complete the FAFSA online now

Take the entrance assessment

Take the Entrance Exam at any one of our Testing Centers and establish a student ID number if one has not been assigned. Then, if required, meet with one of our Academic Counselors to fill out a Training Agreement before setting up a financial aid appointment. (For Defined Entry Programs no Training Agreement is required.)
Learn more about this assessment.

Review your student aid report

Allow five (5) business days for your Student Aid Report (SAR) to become available, then send an e-mail to financialaid@mtec.edu confirming that your FAFSA was submitted. Within two (2) business days, you will receive a response giving you further instructions.

We're here to help

Navigating the the federal aid process can be a challenge. Our Financial Aid Office is on hand to help guide you through the process. 

Additional information

The MTECH priority deadline the FAFSA is April 1st of the current application
be enrolled as a matriculated student before any formal offer financial assistance be made. This means that be completely registered and your monetary means paying program tuition and fees is determined. In order to be considered a matriculated student submit the following:

A completed MTECH Registration Form is required prior to receiving an estimated financial aid plan. MTECH will begin notification of eligibility to prospective students by emailing a preliminary offer estimate letter.
Final award estimates will be provided until the Financial Aid Office received all necessary paperwork (including the verification worksheet and copies, if required). If indicate an interest in an alternative student loan program, the private loan information will accompany the offer letter. The total amount of grant and private loan awards will exceed the cost of attendance (COA) which include tuition, loan fees, required books/supplies, estimated room and board, personal, travel and sometimes childcare expenses. MTECH designs all initial awards packaging to assist direct educational costs “only” and requires additional steps when applying alternative (private) loan proceeds funding. A valid EFC accompanying verification documentation, if required, is required to finalize your eligibility.
To be considered federal financial aid funding a student have addressed the following steps:

  1. GET YOUR TAX RECORDS READY!
  2. This process require students (and their parents, if applicable) to retrieve their information directly from the IRS (Internal Revenue) system. If are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT), we highly recommend using the tool as it is an easy to provide data and ensures that your FAFSA accurate information. 

It take a minimum of 2-3 weeks AFTER you have submitted federal electronically to allow sufficient time to be able to retrieve your income information directly from the IRS system into the FAFSA application (up to 8-9 weeks if have submitted a paper filing).
If the IRS information is yet available, need to continue checking back until it is available. This requirement only applies to applicants who will need to file 2 prior to the aid and all applicants are eligible the IRS Data Retrieval option.

Please note:  The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) on the FAFSA is a method to electronically transfer the student’s or custodial parents’ IRS information to the student’s FAFSA form. All students are encouraged to use the DRT to ensure that accurate information is provided on the FAFSA.

For more information regarding the FAFSA Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) go to: 
https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/what-is-irs-drt
NOTE: The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) randomly selects federal aid applications a process called verification. If selected, and/or your parents will be required to complete a verification worksheet and to submit signed copies of your federal income return(s). These forms will be used verification purposes only and will be retained within the student financial aid file.

  • Utilize your FSA ID to sign the application electronically if this is the option choose. Please note the MTECH Title IV CODE is 034133.
  • Wait Student Aid Report-SAR
  1. opt to print the signature page and mail it to the address provided on the signature page (this will take your FAFSA application longer to process).
  • Once receive the output document (Student Aid Report-SAR) contact the Financial Aid Office at 801-753-4105 to schedule an appointment to finalize the remaining FA enrollment paperwork. 

A completed MTECH Registration Form is required prior to receiving an estimated financial aid plan. Finalizing registration a program will require to have paid the $40 registration fee and have a plan will the remaining tuition, program fees, and books and supplies.

A Federal Pell Grant is award money designed to help undergraduate students pay for education after high school.  The award amount depends on your expected family contribution (EFC), the cost of education at your school, whether you are a full-time or part-time student, and whether you attend school for a full academic year.  The Federal Pell Grant program is primarily designed to guarantee low and middle-income students, who are eligible for aid, financial access to a college of their choice.  Keep in mind that Federal Pell Grants are intended to be the “base funding” upon which eligibility for all other aid is determined.  A student may additionally qualify for other types of financial aid even if ineligible for a Pell Grant.

To file for a Pell grant the MTECH Registration, Enrollment Agreement, and Financial Aid Application forms supply facts about your previous education, finances, and previous financial aid and must be completed.  In addition, you will need to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to generate a web based SAR (student aid report), which provides facts about your income, family size, assets, etc.  Both forms are available from our Financial Aid Office and must be completed for each award year.

Electronic Pell Processing

MTECH participates in the Electronic Data Exchange, which provides the ISIR (Institutional Student Information Report) utilized by the Financial Aid Office to determine and ensure Federal Aid eligibility.

Processing the FAFSA (free application for federal student aid)

Based on the information in your FAFSA, the length of your course and the training you will complete in the award year, MTECH can calculate the amount of your grant.  If your course extends beyond June 30th, the calculation may represent only a portion of your eligibility, and you may be required to file another FAFSA.  The government’s Central Processing Center calculates your EFC to determine your eligibility.  MTECH then receives an Institutional Student Information Report (ISIR) before a grant payment or loan funds can be disbursed.  Applications are randomly audited as indicated on the ISIR, and if yours is selected for income/family verification, MTECH will assist in expediting the verification process.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

Education awards supplement the amount you/your family are able to contribute toward your education budget.  To determine your EFC, the Department of Education (ED) evaluates the financial strength of your family.  The evaluation is made from confidential data that you and/or your parents provide, including income, assets, family size, and family members attending school, along with your unusual expenses.  NOTE:  An EFC of $2700.00 may mean that you pay your living costs and only $200.00 toward tuition.  Your EFC should be pro-rated, so if your course cost is $1,000, your living cost is $1,000, and your EFC is $500, then 50% of the EFC should be contributed towards your education ($250.00).

Policies and Procedures for Verification

All selected applicants will be verified.

Selected applicants must submit required verification prior to receiving a confirmed aid award.

Students who fail to provide the required documentation within an established time frame, will be treated as a cash-paying student until the documents are provided.

Students who do not meet the deadline and are not capable of making a cash payment at the end of the deadline, will be dismissed from the College.

A student may re-enter the College only when he/she can provide the documentation.

Students will be given a clear explanation of the documentation needed to satisfy the verification requirements and the process for document submission.

The College will inform students in a timely manner of the consequences of failing to complete the verification requirements and the actions the College will take if the student does not submit the requested documentation within the time period specified by the College.

Students will be informed of their responsibilities regarding the verification of application information, including the College’s deadline for completion of any actions required.

Students will be notified if the results of verification change the student’s scheduled award.

The College will assist the student in correcting erroneous information.

A suspected case of fraud will be reported to the Regional Office of the Inspector General, or, if more appropriate, to a State or local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction to investigate the matter.  Referrals to local or state agencies will be reported on an annual basis to the Inspector General.

No interim disbursements of Title IV aid will be made prior to the completion verification.

The Student Financial Aid Office reserves the right to make exceptions to the above stated policies due to extenuating circumstance, on a case-by-case basis.

Once MTECH receives all of the information from your FAFSA, which is electronically transmitted through ED, the FA Representative will prepare a preliminary award for your review prior to processing aid (refer to other eligibility requirements below).

What are the other eligibility requirements?

Most of the information dissemination activities required by the Higher Education Amendments of 1986 have been satisfied within the FA Guide and the College catalog available prior to your enrollment.  However, student financial aid personnel are available, in accordance with federal regulations, to discuss consumer information in more detail with current and prospective students.  To be eligible for financial aid, a student must:

  • be enrolled as a regular student in an eligible program of study on at least a half time basis (with the exception of Pell and FSEOG.)
  • have a high school diploma or the equivalent
  • be a U.S. citizen or of a national origin, or an eligible non-citizen. Verification of eligible non-citizen status may be required
  • have financial need (except for some loan programs) as determined by a need analysis system approved by the Department of Education
  • maintain satisfactory academic progress and attendance progress
  • provide required documentation for the verification process and determination of dependency status (detailed polices and procedures listed above)
  • have a valid Social Security Number
  • not owe a refund on a Pell Grant, FSEOG, or state grant previously received from any college
  • not be in default on any Federal Perkins Loan(s), Plus Loan(s), or Stafford Loan(s)- (Subsidized/ Unsubsidized)
  • not have borrowed in excess of the annual aggregatlie loan limits for the Title IV financial aid programs
  • not have a state or federal drug conviction
  • be registered for the Selective Service (if male born after December 31, 1959)
  • Students must fall within a Pell Lifetime Eligibility Unit (LEU) of 12 semesters or 600% of all scheduled Pell Grant awards received. Once a student reaches 600%, the student is no longer eligible to receive the Pell Grant.
  • Students will not receive a Federal Pell Grant from more than one school for the same period of time.

In addition to the above requirements, each program may have its own pre-requisites and/or regulations.  MTECH can assist you in your application for each program and will provide you with a final determination of your eligibility and the amount you may receive.  With documentation about your income and assets, MTECH can calculate your eligibility and provide you with a preliminary award schedule describing your award.  A final offer letter will be provided for your acceptance when you begin training.  However, your award is not finalized until it’s approved by the Department of Education which is provided in the form of a “valid” Student Aid Report (SAR).

Please contact the financial aid office as often as necessary throughout your award process.  Additional program information is located at http://wordpress-138412-741522.cloudwaysapps.com/ and in the Financial Aid Guide provided to you through the MTECH Student Services and Financial Aid Offices.  As well, http://federalstudentaid.ed.gov/  can provide valuable assistance in your decision process.

When students withdraw from school before completing the period of enrollment they have been paid for, they are subject to the Mountainland Technical College Financial Aid policy on Return to Title IV. The Financial Aid Office will conduct a calculation to determine how much of the aid was earned. Any funds not earned must be returned to the Department of Education. If the student received more funds than they are entitled, they are considered overpaid. Those funds must be paid back to the Department of Education directly and students will lose their financial aid eligibility until those funds are repaid. If the college must return unearned aid that was used to pay direct school costs accrued by the student, the College will return those funds to the Department of Education and bill the student for any outstanding charges.

Title IV Withdrawal: Title IV Funds Policy #1 / Title IV Funds Policy #2

Title IV Withdrawal Calculations

Withdrawal Worksheet

Example Case Study

Reference 800.806 Financial Aid SAP

In general, our students progress through a program by mastering required competencies. Sufficient time is allotted for students to complete the program within the publicized time frame. Students must maintain satisfactory progress toward the successful completion of their stated technical goal by monthly progress at a rate that will allow the student to complete the program in no more than a quantitative standard of 1.5 times the total hours of the program (equal to 150% of the published length of the program, measured in clock hours). All students must maintain progress at a qualitative rate of 70% (C grade) or better, evaluated quarterly. Failing to do so will result in the student being placed on probation by the instructor or school counselor.

Attendance Standard Evaluation

Due to the hands-on nature of the training received, attendance is very important in all MTECH program. It is very difficult to make up missed training, and as a result, 85% attendance is required in all MTECH program. However, due to state licensure requirements, some programs have more strict attendance rules that must be met in order to receive the license. These rules will be explained by the instructors of those programs. It is the responsibility of the students to notify the instructor, as soon as possible, of upcoming absences or emergencies that arise, causing them to miss class.

Verifying Progress for SFA Disbursement

Satisfactory Academic progress is verified at the mid-point of a student’s enrolled hours. Students who fail to complete the work before the start of the following payment period will lose their disbursement. Tuition and bookstore costs are always accounted for in the evaluation of the amount owed to the college and are entered into an evaluation worksheet prepared by the financial aid office.  A final analysis worksheet and progress report is routed to the Financial Aid Manager, or his/her designee, who verifies schedules and double checks for accuracy. A Funding Proceed Refund form and Student Progress Report are then routed to the Accounting/ Business Office for disbursement either by way of an authorized direct deposit, or sent out regular mail through the local post office.

Minimum SAP Requirements for SFA Disbursement

The Financial Aid Office assists in monitoring a 900 clock hour academic year individual student progress every 450 enrolled hours (a payment period ends at 450 enrolled hours or when the student completes 450 attended hours). A student’s payment period progress must be no lower than a minimum standard of 70%.  As well, a minimum of 85% attendance enters the SFA process during your mid-point eligibility evaluation as it a minimum requirement of the college.

If a student does not meet the minimum SFA standard by the end of a payment period, the disbursement allocated to the next payment period will become suspended while allowing a student to appeal for reinstatement of eligibility. In the event that a student’s eligibility is suspended, aid may be reinstated once the cumulative academic progress reaches a minimum 70% or higher. For detailed information regarding other components that may or may not affect SAP percentages reference 7.2.2 thru 7.9 located in policy 806.0 referenced above.

MTECH’S Financial Aid Department provides an option for requests due to extenuating circumstances in the event that a student loses aid due to poor progress and attendance. All hours that have been paid for must be completed before a student will qualify for subsequent disbursements. If an appeal is approved for reinstatement a student will regain eligibility during the current payment period but not for a prior ineligible payment period(s). Title IV eligibility may be regained by meeting the (SAP) standard for any payment period following the one in which the student was ineligible.

Academic progress standards for prior enrollment periods in the same program apply towards federal aid eligibility for up to five years from the date of the most recent withdrawal date. If a student maintained enrollment prior to applying for federal aid and academic progress in the same program is below 70%, the student will be required to meet satisfactory academic progress standards before financial aid will be activated.  Periods of enrollment (in the same program) when a student does not receive financial aid enter into the SAP percentages being evaluated for eligibility. 

SAP Appeals Procedures

Students who have been determined not to be making satisfactory progress may appeal their status by requesting within 45 days, in writing, a review of their particular situation.  A review will be conducted by a committee determined by the VP Student Services.  The student will be notified of the resulting decision within 15 calendar days. The SAP Appeal forms are available in both the Student Services and Financial Aid Offices, and via the college website. Please reference the SAP Appeal Form for detailed processing instructions.

Federal Student Education Opportunity Grand Aid (FSEOG) Program

A Federal SEOG Grant is award money designed to help undergraduate students pay for education after high school.  The award amount depends on your expected family contribution, the cost of education at your school, the amount of financial aid awarded, and whether you attend school for a full academic year.  Keep in mind that Federal SEOG Grants are for those students who are deemed “most needy.”   You may qualify for other types of financial aid even if you are ineligible for a FSEOG Grant.

State Grant Aid Programs

UCOPE is a state-funded, need-based grant and work-study financial aid program designed to be an additional source to preserve access at the lower socioeconomic levels.  The UHEAA Grant is a state-funded, need-based program intended to benefit students with the highest need and may be reserved to assist in emergency situations.  NOTE: Both state grant program allocated amounts are determined annually and may or may not be available during some calendar years.

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