Financial Assistance Programs

Types of Financial Aid Other Virginia Programs Scholarships V. A. Educational Assistance

Types of Financial Aid

There are many types of federal and state aid administered by the Central Financial Aid Office.

Federal PELL: The Pell Grant is a federal grant entitlement program, which means that the federal government will pay all applicants who meet all program eligibility criteria. In some cases, an eligible student may receive a Pell Grant if enrolled for less than 6 credits.

Federal SEOG: The Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) is a federal grant program that is awarded to the "most needy" students. Preference is given to Pell Grant recipients and students with a low family contribution. There are limited SEOG funds and students should have met the priority application deadline to ensure consideration.

Federal CWSP: The Federal Work-Study Program (FCWSP) is an award from federal and state funds that allows a student to earn money to meet educational expenses. A student must have a financial need to be awarded work-study. A work-study award does not guarantee a job, as the placement of a student into a job will be based upon the available jobs and the student's qualifications to meet the requirements for these available jobs. Work-study employees are usually assigned an average of 20 hours of work per week, and determine with their supervisors a mutually agreeable work schedule. All new work-study employees will need to complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form and provide their driver's license and social security card or other acceptable identification before they may begin working.

CSAP: The College Scholarship Assistance Program (CSAP) Grant is a state grant program. Preference is given to students with exceptional need. Recipients must be domiciled in Virginia. CSAP awards will range from $400 to $1,700 per award year. Students who have already earned a Bachelor Degree or higher are not eligible for this award.

COMA Grant: The Commonwealth Award (COMA) Grant is a state grant. These grants range from $200 to $1,700 a year and are dependent on the student's remaining need.

VGAP Grant: The VGAP Grant is state-funded program. In order to be considered a student must be: a first-time freshman, a dependent, a high school graduate with a high school GPA of at least a 2.5, a Virginia resident, and demonstrate financial need. Recipients must be enrolled as a full-time student to qualify. The VGAP Grant will range between $700 to $2,600 for the 2006-07 award year. Recipients must maintain a 2.0 GPA to remain eligible for their VGAP award each semester and must complete a minimum of 24 semester hours each academic year to remain eligible for consideration during the next academic year.

HETAP Grant: The HETAP (Higher Education Teacher Assistance Program) is a state grant for full time students who intend to teach K-12 in Virginia. Typical awardees are in one of the many Transfer Degree plans. These grants range from $500 to $2,000 a year and are dependent on the student's remaining need. Faculty may use the HETAP Nomination Form to nominate students for the grant.

PTAP Grant: The Part-time Tuition Assistance Program Grant is a state grant program. These grants are based on need and are awarded to eligible students who are enrolled for 1 to 6 credits a semester. These grant awards are for the tuition amount only.

Stafford Loans: All Stafford Loans are either subsidized (the government pays the interest while you're in school) or unsubsidized (you pay all the interest, although you can have the payments deferred until after graduation). To receive a subsidized Stafford Loan, you must be able to demonstrate financial need.

With the unsubsidized Stafford loan, you can defer the payments until after graduation by capitalizing the interest. This adds the interest payments to the loan balance, increasing the size and cost of the loan. All students, regardless of need, are eligible for the unsubsidized Stafford Loan.

Stafford Loans allow dependent undergraduates to borrow up to $2,625 their freshman year, $3,500 their sophomore year. Independent students may request an additional unsubsidized up to $4,000 the first two years.

PLUS Loans: Parents of dependent students can take out loans to supplement their children's aid packages. The federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) enables parents to borrow money to cover any costs not already covered by the student's financial aid package, up to the full cost of attendance.

For more information see the contacts page.

Other State Programs

The programs below are sponsored by other agencies of the Commonwealth, but are processed through the Financial Aid Office. Please visit the agency websites to get more information and to apply for these programs. Most of these programs require students to first complete the FAFSA for the aid year in which they are applying.

Virginia ChildCare Providers Scholarship Program
The Virginia Child Care Scholarship Program is funded through the Department of Social Services. Students work through the DSS to apply for the scholarship. The maximum life-time award is $1,506, with DSS funding up to two courses each semester for a total of eight courses altogether. To get more information, click this link to the Commonwealth Department of Social Services Scholarship Info Page.

VCCS Foster Care Grant

Anyone who was in foster care in the custody of a social services agency or was a special needs adoption at the time they received their high school diploma or GED is eligible as long as he or she:

Enrolls in and maintains full-time enrollment in an eligible academic program of at least one academic year in length
Is a bona-fide domiciliary resident of Virginia
Meets the satisfactory academic standards of the college for federal student financial aid programs
Has not been previously enrolled in a post-secondary institution as a full-time student for more than five years
Is certified by appropriate agency to have been in foster care, in the custody of Department of Social Services, or considered a special needs adoption when high school diploma or GED was awarded

There is no upper age limit on this grant. The individual may still be in foster care or may have left the foster care system many years ago.

How To Apply
Potential students who fall in one of the three categories listed above must:

Apply to the community college of your choice.
Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the U.S. Department of Education.
Provide a letter from the Agency or the Department of Social Services regarding dates in foster care, or assistance received for a special needs adoption to the college financial aid office.

For More Information visit the VCCS Foster Care Grant website.

JSRCC Scholarships

JSRCC scholarships from local contributors are available to qualified students on a competitive basis. The deadlines for scholarship applications are March 31 for the fall and October 1 for the spring. The Application for Scholarships is provided on ********. The list of available scholarships is listed below. For more information, please call the Scholarship Office at 371-3084.

Allison Aman Memorial Scholarship
Dr. Lillian Amburgey Scholarship for the Re-entry Woman given by the Hermitage Woman's Club
Association for Corporate Growth Scholarship
Atlee Ruritan Club Scholarship
Barnes & Noble Book Scholarship
Nelson Beane Memorial Scholarship
John Augustine Boothe Memorial Scholarship
Central Fidelity Scholarship
Child Care Scholarships
Circuit City Foundation Scholarship
Community Memorial Health Center Auxiliary Scholarship
Community Pride High Achievement Program Scholarship
Doenges Memorial Scholarship
Dual Enrollment Scholarship
Ethyl Corporation Automotive Scholarship
Fas Mart Convenience Stores, Inc., Scholarship
Robert L. & Lucylle Gordon Scholarship
Grace Hospital Alumnae Association Scholarship
Robert T. Greene, Sr., Memorial Scholarship
Nathan & Sophia Gumenick Scholarship
Hanover Female Assertiveness Scholarship
Hutchens & Hutchens Legal Assisting Scholarship
Linwood Jacobs Achievement (Wal Mart) Scholarship
JSRCC Academic Scholarships
JSRCC Local Board Scholarships
Robert Lane Memorial Automotive Scholarship
Liberal Arts Scholarship
Eric & Jeanette Lipman Endowed Scholarship Fund
Metropolitan Health Foundation Nursing Scholarship
Louise Hoyt Minor Scholarship
Philip Morris Vocational/Technical Career Scholarship
Betty Green Parson Memorial Scholarship
Mary Morton Parsons Scholarship
Richmond Association of Legal Assistants Scholarship
Richmond Nurserymen's Association Scholarship
Paul Rooney Memorial Scholarship
Rotary Club of Hanover Scholarship
Rotary Club of Innsbrook GED Scholarship
Rotary Club of Mechanicsville Scholarship
Grace Crank Sargeant Memorial Scholarship
J. Franklin Sargeant Memorial Scholarship
William H., John G., & Emma Scott Foundation Scholarship
Earl Smith Memorial Scholarship
The Dennis Foundation Scholarship
Tri-Club Women's Club Scholarship
Virginia Hospitality and Travel Industry Association Scholarship
Virginia Respiratory Care Association Scholarship
Frances Walker/Lee-Davis High School Scholarship
Margaret Ellis Whitesel Scholarship
Wholesale Distribution Scholarship
John H. Wilton, Jr., Memorial/Home Builders Association of Richmond Scholarship

Veterans Administration (V. A.) Educational Assistance

Students interested in receiving V. A. Educational Assistance must:

Be accepted for enrollment, or enrolled in a college program that has been approved for V. A. benefits.
Submit the V. A. application, and a copy of their DD Form 214. Members of the organized Reserve, and National Guard must submit an application and a DD Form 2384.
Report, at the beginning of each term, enrollment, dependency claims, and other information necessary for certification to the Veterans Affairs Office in the Central Administration Building.

For additional information, please call the Student Access Centers.